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Where is the country of Kyrgyzstan located? Kyrgyzstan is a country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan belonged to the Soviet Union until 1991 and has since become an independent republic, where infighting between ethnic groups and the poor economic situation are a source of violence, corruption and organized crime. Kyrgyzstan mainly consists of mountainous area, about half of the country is at least three thousand meters above sea level, in the TianShan Mountains (also called Tienshan). Within Kyrgyzstan there are no fewer than three mountain peaks with a height above seven thousand meters. The largely inhospitable landscape and the absence of nearby seas or oceans means that Kyrgyzstan has a mix of steppe climates, land climates and to a small extent a high mountain climate, where the different climate zones criss-cross each other and there is no clear separation in terms of climate types. In general, the milder steppe climates are mainly found in the areas along the northern and western land borders of Kyrgyzstan, where there are low and medium mountains.

Temperatures

Summers in Kyrgyzstan are mild in the high mountains and warm in the lower areas in the north and northwest. There the thermometer in summer (June to August) rises on average to 29 to 33 degrees, in the high mountains it is quite cool in summer and at higher altitudes it freezes almost all year round. The highest mountain peaks are therefore provided with eternal snow and glaciers. In winter it is cool to very cold. The weather is also very fickle during this period, which means that large drops or rises in temperature can occur within a few days. In the mountain areas, freezing temperatures, both at night and during the day, are the most normal thing in the world during the coldest months. Especially on the highest mountain peaks it can get extremely bleak and cold. In the city located at an altitude of more than two thousand metersNaryn is the long-term average for January already minus eleven degrees Celsius during the day and minus 21 degrees as the minimum temperature.

Precipitation

The precipitation pattern and amounts of precipitation within Kyrgyzstan vary considerably. For example, the city of Osh has less than four hundred millimeters on an annual basis and the summer is the driest period, and for Naryn – which records more than two hundred millimeters per year – the summer period is the wettest and the winters are dry. The greatest amounts of precipitation are measured in the northern regions and on the windward side of mountains.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Kyrgyzstan

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Kyrgyzstan? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. Kyrgyzstan is located in the central part of Asia and mainly has to do with arid climate types and continental climate types. This is mainly due to the many mountains that you will find within the landscape of Kyrgyzstan. The Tienshan Mountains cover more than three quarters of Kyrgyzstan, with the Pik Pobedy as the highest point (7439 meters) within the country. In the north of the country you see a large area where it is mainly hilly. This is where the capital Bishkek is located. Winters in Kyrgyzstan are cool to very cold. Height is the main determinant of this. In the centrally located town of Naryn, which lies at an altitude of about two thousand meters, maximum temperatures averaging minus ten degrees and minimums of about minus twenty degrees are normal in the coldest month of January. In the summer it is pleasant with maximums that are on average around 20 to 25 degrees. In the lower areas, both winters and summers are warmer. In Bishkek, maximum temperatures in summer are around or just above thirty degrees. Outliers towards forty degrees are then possible. Kyrgyzstan is a fairly dry destination. The annual precipitation sum is approximately between two hundred and five hundred millimeters. Most rain falls in the spring. May is the wettest month in much of the country, but is still relatively dry.

Best months

The best time to travel for a holiday in Kyrgyzstan is from April to September. It depends a bit on what you are going to do and which parts of the country you want to visit. If you mainly stay in the lowlands, April, May, September and October are the best months. If you want to visit the higher areas, you should think more about the summer months of June, July and August, especially if you go above three thousand meters.

Round trip

If you are planning a tour through Kyrgyzstan, visiting both lower and higher areas, then the months of May, June, the second half of August and September are the best travel periods. July is also possible, but there is a greater chance of hot weather around Bishkek.

Winter sports

Those who are adventurous can celebrate a winter sports holiday in Kyrgyzstan. The mountains are present and there is snowfall in winter as well. It is not snow amounts as you are used to in the Alps, because the climate of Kyrgyzstan is a lot drier. In the months of January, February and March there is often enough snow for skiing or snowboarding. What is still lacking in many places are slopes. In what could potentially be one of the best ski destinations in Asia, there is still a lot of investment needed to use this potential.