16-Days Central Asia 2026 Day 10 : Bishkek to Chon-Kemin

Thursday, July 23, 2026

16-Days Central Asia 2026 Day 10 : Bishkek to Chon-Kemin

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AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures

Central Asia 2026
Day 10 : Bishkek to Chonkemin

Central Asia 2026 Day 10: 24th May (Sunday)

Medium-size Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan):

Day 10 - Bishkek to Chon-Kemin:

Bishkek (Orient Hotel)>Tokmok>Burana Tower>Döng-Aryk>Chon-Kemin>Tar-Suu Gorge (Kok-Archa Inn).

This is page 10 of a 16-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
< D9: Ala Archa | Go to Other Days | D11: Issyk-Kul >

Route recommendations, here are some tips on travelling to and around Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia:

?1. Traffic Directions!

Central Asian countries are left-hand drive, and vehicles drive on the right side of the road. So do bear this in mind when crossing the road OR when sitting at the front passenger seat. I made this mistake several times and boarded the car at the driver's side with the driver giving me a surprised look 😂.

2. Getting to and from Central Asia.

Several airlines fly direct to Central Asia from their originating country. We were fortunate that AirAsia X flew direct from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
We flew return via AirAsia X, starting from KLIA Terminal 2 to Tashkent International Airport, and returning from Almaty International Airport to KLIA Terminal 2, buying tickets earlier to get cheaper fares. We also packed light (20kg checked-in luggage for two people plus an additional 7kg of cabin luggage), totaling 41kg of luggage.

3. Getting around Central Asia.
We were on a private guided tour, and had a 15-seater black Weichai Eurise vans (Chinese version of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter), with local guides taking us between the cities/towns.
In Kyrgyzstan, we took a short Tez Jet flight from Osh to Bishkek to avoid the testing mountainous roads; flight tickets were bought by our guides earlier.
Note: Traders in bazaars, markets, and small local shops only accept cash. The "sum" (ISO code: UZS) is the official currency of Uzbekistan. The "som" (ISO code: KGS) is the currency of Kyrgyzstan. The tenge (ten-gay, code: KZT) is the currency of Kazakhstan. It is divided into 100 tiyn.
Touch 'n Go e-Wallet can be used in Kazakhstan, just make sure the e-wallet is set to Kazakhstan.

4. Immigration & Customs Requirements

Malaysian passport holders do not need a visa to enter most Central Asian countries for short-term stays and can visit Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days. There is no need to fill in immigration forms.

Note: Malaysian passport holders can install the MyBorderPass app for fast immigration clearance to get in and out of Malaysia; use the app to generate a QR code just before passing through the 40 dedicated MyBorderPass gates (only at KLIA & KLIA2, 20 gates each), and getting through will be a breeze!

5. Places & Things of Interests

There were many scenic and interesting places along the route, but one should not miss the following places (Note: click on the GPS coordinates below for a directional map to the respective places):
- Mig-23 Monument (Самолет-памятник Токмок) (GPS: 42.84563, 75.22948) at Tokmok.
- Tokmok Monument (GPS: 42.82935, 75.29024) at Tokmok.
- Strawberry Farm @ Tokmok (GPS: 42.77447, 75.27976) at Tokmok.

- Mustard Fields (GPS: 42.77053, 75.27477) at Tokmok.

- Burana Tower (Башня Бурана) (GPS: 42.74632, 75.25015) at Tokmok.

- Chon-Kemin Village (Чонг-Кемин) (GPS: 42.74417, 76.12778).
- Chong-Kemin Nature Park (Чон-Кемин улуттук паркы) (GPS: 42.85334, 76.59003).

6. Food

a. Breakfast

Inclusive Kyrgyz & Western Fare at Tchaikovsky Restaurant (GPS: 42.87210, 74.59927) located on the 10th floor of Orient Hotel (GPS: 42.87216, 74.59927) at Bishkek.

b. Lunch

Kyrgyz Lunch at a Family Restaurant (GPS: 42.7459, 75.21396) at Döng-Aryk (Дөң-Арык) (GPS: 42.74261, 75.2184): Local Kyrgyz Floral Tea, Tomato-cucumber Salad, Shakarap Salad, Uzbek Bread (Obi Non), Boortsog Buns, Buckwheat Soup with Chicken & Tomatoes, Dimlama Lamb Stew, Fresh Strawberries, Chocolate Wafers & Chak-Chak Chips.

c. Dinner

At Kok-Archa Inn (GPS: 42.6743, 76.05483) at Tar-Suu Gorge, Chon-Kemin:
Local Kyrgyz Floral Tea, Bread with Strawberry Jam, Cherry Jam, & Honey; Biscuits, Vegetable Soup, and Manti Dumplings.

7. Accommodations and Tour Costs

This was a recce-guided tour that included all ground arrangements, food, entry tickets to parks, and accommodations, but excluded return airfare to and from Central Asia. We booked Air Asia flight tickets online through their website at a return fare of around RM2,000 per pax. Co-travelers who booked later paid more. Our two pax airfare included 20kg of checked-in luggage and an extra 7kg of cabin luggage, giving us a total of 41kg of luggage..

The ground arrangements included 16-seater van transportation between and around cities; Sharq Express Train fare from Tashkent to Bukhara, and from Samarkhand to Tashkent, and domestic Tez Jet airfare from Osh to Bishkek. The 4x4 Russian truck ride to and from Karakol to the Altyn-Arashan Valley was optional and cost USD40 per pax. So was the 4x4 van ride from Saty to Kaindy Lake and Kolsay Lakes National Park, which cost USD20 per pax.

Accommodations were in three-star hotels, homestays, and a yurt camp. For those interested in this tour, contact Eddie at +6012-6122600 for more details and ground arrangement costs.
One night at Kok-Archa Inn (GPS: 42.6743, 76.05483) in the Tar-Suu Gorge, Chong-Kemin Nature Park.

8. Communicating with Each Other

When travelling in a group, it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest.
I pre-purchased the Maxis 15-day Multi-Country Roaming Pass at MYR99 and had it activated on the first day of our tour. This pass included complimentary Maxis Travel Care insurance for the pass validity period - i.e. MYR50,000 hospitalisation, and MYR2,000 lost baggage; T&C apply.
Alternatively, an almost similar GOGO physical sim card for 15-day 20gB can be bought from Lazada for MYR120 (excluding delivery).

9. Communicating with Locals

Our local guides spoke excellent English, and those in the travel industry or bazaar traders spoke passable English. Other locals speak their local language (Uzbek, Kyrgyz, or Kazakh) or Russian (as they were former Soviet republics). Or one can use Google Translate on one's mobile.

10. Weather

June is the beginning of summer, and the weather in Uzbekistan is dry, sunny, and hot across the board. At the Bishkek, daytime temperatures average 24°C. In Chon-Kemin, daytime temperatures average 24°C, while nighttime averaged 11°C.
A useful weather forecast site for Bishkek and Chon-Kemin is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.

11. Navigation

Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook, Google Maps or Yandex Maps and Yandex Navigator.

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PRELUDE

A day earlier, we took a day trip to the Ala-Archa Nature Park; where we had a nice, enjoyable trek along beautiful and green trails. Later, after a good lunch, we did some shopping at the Osh Bazaar!
Today, we leave Bishkek and head out for the countryside to stay at a pristine forest park nestled in the cool hills, and perhaps do some horse-riding?

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DAY 10: BISHKEK TO CHON-KEMIN

Medium-size Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan)

Day 10 - Bishkek to Chon-Kemin:
Bishkek (Orient Hotel)>Tokmok>Burana Tower>Döng-Aryk>Chon-Kemin>Tar-Suu Gorge (Kok-Archa Inn).

(Click here for the Central Asia 2026 Day 10: Bishkek to Chon-Kemin Route Map.)

Most of the posts below are linked to my Facebook postings during the trip and are embedded here with some comments. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post to read more details. If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first.)

Kyrgyz/Western Breakfast at Tchaikovsky Restaurant, on the tenth floor of the Orient Hotel.
Very good spread of food and well presented, with perimeter window seating which has good views of the city.

10:00am - Leaving Bishkek. for Burana Tower and later onwards to Chong-Kemin Nature Park. It's only 170 kilometers away, travelling mainly along the Route A365 highway, with the last 38 kilometers on beautiful rural roads skirting the Chu River and then the Chong-Kemin River.
Along the way we will make a detour to visit the Burana Tower.

En route, we passed by this Mig-23 Monument at Tokmok. Interestingly, there seem to be many Mig-23s on display all over the world! Production of the plane started in 1969 and reached large numbers, with over 5,000 aircraft built, making it the most produced variable-sweep wing aircraft in history.

Stopped by to get some very fresh strawberries from this roadside stall near the Strawberry Farm @ Tokmok. We were quite charmed by the little girl vendor who was helping her father. Even at this young age, she handled her duties very well, sorting our pails of bright red strawberries.

Nearby were acres upon acres of bright yellow, wild Mustard Fields. I had thought that they were rapeseed flowers similar to those we saw in fields during a 2017 Jeju Island Cycling Tour.

12:00pm - At Burana Tower.

This tower is all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun, which was established by the Karakhanids at the end of the 9th century. It was the capital of the Kara-Khanid Khanate from the 10th century until it was taken by the Qara Khitai (Western Liao dynasty) in 1134. It was then captured by the Mongols in 1218, was called Gobalik ("Pretty City"), and formed part of the Mongol Empire.

The tower was originally 45 m high. However, over the centuries, earthquakes caused significant damage to the structure, reducing it to its current height of 25 m.
An external staircase to climb up to a first-floor level. From there, a steep, winding stairway inside the tower enables visitors to climb to the top for scenic views of the surrounding countryside.

The staircase was narrow and dark, and allowed single-file climbing/descending, so to protect my poor knee, I skipped the climb. Instead, I enjoyed the poppy and other flower beds adjacent to the tower.

1:00pm - Kyrgyz Lunch at a Family Restaurant at Döng-Aryk: Local Kyrgyz Floral Tea, Tomato-cucumber Salad, Shakarap Salad, Uzbek Bread (Obi Non), Boortsog Buns, Buckwheat Soup with Chicken & Tomatoes, Dimlama Lamb Stew, Fresh Strawberries, Chocolate Wafers & Chak-Chak Chips. My favourite was the Dimlama Lamb Stew, which was made with various combinations of meat, potatoes, onions, vegetables, and sometimes fruits. Meat and vegetables are cut into large pieces and placed in layers in a tightly sealed pot to simmer slowly in their own juices. The Chak-Chak Chips were a good dessert, crunchy and sweet.
The Family Restaurant has more to offer than food; there was a Kyrgyz yurt, Ak-kalpaks (Kyrgyz traditional hat), Tush Kyiz (Kyrgyz wall tapestry), and deer shoulder mounts to admire. Oh yah... we even posed with the chef and her assistants.

Passing by Tokmok, we saw the Tokmok Monument.
"It's a monument to the Defenders of the Fatherland which commemorates the nation's military history and honors those who have served in defense of the country. This monument stands as a testament to the resilience and patriotism of the Kyrgyz people, reflecting the nation's respect for its defenders and the sacrifices made for national sovereignty."

3:40pm - Further along, passed by a roadside display of the 9K31 Strela-1 (NATO designation: SA-9 "Gaskin") mounted on a stone pedestal.
This is a highly mobile, short-range, low-altitude infra-red guided surface-to-air missile system. Originally developed by the Soviet Union under the GRAU designation 9K31. The system consists of a BRDM-2 amphibious vehicle, mounting two pairs of ready-to-fire 9M31 missiles.

3:10pm - We turned off the main road, Route A365. Ahead, we can see the snow-capped Tien Shan mountains, and on the other side, green rolling hills.

It's a pleasant drive along rustic roads, going along the bustling Chu River, and later the Chong-Kemin River. It's so naturally beautiful here.

4:10pm - Arrived at Kok-Archa Inn, our stay in Chong-Kemin Nature Park.

Checked in to our rooms; we took a room facing away from the reception building, as it had a scenic view of the green hills of the Chong-Kemin Nature Park.

Straight away we walked around the natural neighbourhood. Admiring the bustling streams and the pine trees on the nearby green hills. We even met a donkey and wondered whether he was related to Gucci, the friendly donkey we saw at the Gijduvon Pottery Workshop at Gʻijduvon, during Day 3 of our tour.

A few of us couldn't resist going on a short trek on the hillside of Chong-Kemin Nature Park.

It was just the right timing, as a horseman was herding his flock back.

7:15pm - Nothing like that short hillside trek to build up our appetite for a good dinner at our inn:
Local Kyrgyz Floral Tea, Bread with Strawberry Jam, Cherry Jam, & Honey; Biscuits, Vegetable Soup, and Manti Dumplings.

P.S. - Just before dinner, saw this group of riders riding back to our inn, which organises short horse rides around the nearby hillside at USD50 per pax.

Кандай кооз жер!

(That's "Kanday kooz jer!!" meaning "What a beautiful place!" in Kyrgyz)

(For more photos of Day 10, Click Here)
(On mobile, for more photos of the day: Go to AhPek Biker Page>Photos and click on the respective album)

This is page 10 of a 16-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
< D9: Ala Archa | Go to Other Days | D11: Issyk-Kul >

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