3 weeks in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, preliminary travel questions (page 4 of 12)

Does it work offline?

Speaking of data, how's the coverage in Kyrgyzstan?

I'll need to buy a local SIM card since my provider is useless for this destination...

Hotels and other accommodations seem to be really scarce in Uzgen. I don’t see any. 🤪

The app looks really interesting 🙂... I stuck with the paper version 😉

Here’s what I had noted about Uzgen:

In the end, the mausoleums in Ouzgen aren’t anything to write home about. Since it was getting late (around 6:30 / 7 PM), we started looking for a guesthouse. Christophe chatted with a few people, and one of them guided us to what seemed to be the only guesthouse in town. But the place was deserted—no one around—and the room they showed us was really unappealing.

So we decided to push on to Osh.

In the end, Uzgen might not be such a great choice 😉

The northern route is just to avoid taking the same road twice. It's a transit day; I don't plan to linger along the way except for a lunch stop.

But what a shame—there’s so much to see on the southern route. And the north is so boring. Check the app mentioned in a previous post—the K3 route with its variants lets you avoid backtracking halfway. I can still add more unlisted stops. Here’s an idea that just popped into my head: gifting it to the publisher.

The paper version is useful but not very adaptable since updates are more complex. The digital version is much more flexible to use, easier to update, and lighter for travelers flying to these countries. Don’t forget to check the paper version’s updates on the website—also helpful for planning an overland adventure: overlandaventure.com

Does it work offline?

Yes.

For the data, I need to check my travel notes before I can answer you.

After all, Uzgen might not be such a great choice ;)

True enough! !

Osh like Jalal-Abad are also comfortable overnight stops (especially for dinner...). I get the feeling that food-wise, this country isn’t great—especially if you don’t like lamb...

Talking about data, how's the coverage in Kyrgyzstan?

In 2024, we got SIM cards from O!, Beeline, and Megafon. Coverage varies depending on the operator and region. When you pay: Beeline: 50GB for 250 Som (1 month) Megafon: 40GB for 250 Som (1 month) O!: unlimited for 1 month (500 Som) You can stack the cards without breaking the bank.

Tip: Since you’re arriving by air, I think the easiest option is to grab the SIM card(s) at the airport. It’s a country where you need to register your phone’s IMEI code. We ran into issues registering phones when entering by land. After visiting two shops, someone vouched for our registration. There were also problems in Karakol when trying to top up a card. I think the shops at the airport are more reliable.

The south is planned for 4 to 5 nights, depending on the final itinerary. The north will just be a few hours in passing. Either way—whether you go through the north or the south—this leg will only be a day of driving.

Thanks for the info.😉

We’ll each take one from two different providers.

Either at the airport or in Bishkek, depending on our arrival time.

I get the feeling that taste-wise, this country isn’t great, especially if you don’t like lamb...

Tomatoes, veggies, raspberries, apricots, etc., bought from roadside stalls make for excellent meals. Our bivouacs don’t let us test out restaurants for dinner. We prefer open-air terraces, lost in nature watching the sunset 😏

.....a day of driving.

It’ll all depend on the type of roadwork you encounter and the condition of the roads on the southern and/or northern routes. Above all, don’t rely on the travel times given by apps.

On dirt tracks, Google is regularly wildly optimistic (it makes the route via Tosor seem almost like a highway...) while Maps.me gives durations as if the car were a pedestrian...

From the north, Google shows 282 kilometers and 5 hours, Maps.me 278 and 4.

From the south, G 253 and 4h30, MM 251 and 3h50.

On paved roads, it seems to be the opposite...

Google is generally reliable on tarmac if many users are connected. Still, you should often add an hour because a human isn’t a machine—they take wrong turns and make stops!

On dirt tracks, I average about 30 km/h. Less if there are mountain passes.

Perfect if there are fruits and vegetables by the roadside for midday picnics.

For the evenings, I think we’ll mention sometimes that we’re vegetarian! We’ll make up for it with kebabs wherever we find them.

We might also bring stuff to make noodles or an omelet... Coffee too, since this country seems to be a tea place! 😊

No no, they're generally quite religious...😎

Hello,

Great to join this travel thread on VF. 😉

😏

Their version, a bit flavored with vodka, right?😇

By the way, what else do people drink there besides fermented milk and vodka?

Hello,

Great to see you joining this travel thread on VF. 😉

Yeah, but the essentials have already been covered...😉 Still, it’s a shame not to go up to Tosor Pass...though at the time you’re planning, it might still be a bit tricky. I remember discussing it back in 2016 with Cécile and Laurent when we "crossed paths" on the track along the Panj River in Tajikistan. They’d just come through the pass in mid-July (around then) and had to move rocks to get through. The track wasn’t very well-used yet, so mid-June could be even worse.

By the way, what else do they drink besides fermented milk and vodka over there?

I’ve got nothing against vodka... but you still need to find the good stuff—watch out for bootleg alcohol😉 Otherwise, stick to beer. I don’t recall drinking wine in any of the few restaurants I visited in the country.

That said, to help wash down the yak meat... I *highly* recommend vodka.