Kyrgyzstan remains little known to tourists, making it an extraordinary destination for a vacation and above all a country still relatively preserved from mass tourism. Wide open spaces, mountains, lakes, semi-nomadic populations—everything conspires to offer you a complete change of scenery! But what about a family trip with children? Is it too complicated? Too dangerous or too tiring?

Children should never be a barrier to travel and discovery; quite the opposite. Taking a family trip to a remote country, still little known and one few people can locate on a map, is a windfall for all the little ones. Traveling often teaches us, helps us grow, and allows us to flourish—something the youngest among us often know how to do better than we do. Kyrgyzstan will awaken all the senses of both young and old!

Kyrgyzstan, a safe and welcoming country

The unknown can sometimes be frightening, and we understand that. When you hear the word Kyrgyzstan, you often get the same response: Kyrgyz what? Central Asian countries don't garner much attention in Europe, and it's easy to confuse them.

Kyrgyzstan is, however, a highly welcoming country with a warm population eager to tell you about their land and share their sometimes ancestral customs. Your children will certainly be a hit with locals who will be delighted to offer them sweets and other small treats.

Throughout your journey, you'll be accompanied by a licensed guide who will ensure your complete safety.

A country not so far away

Contrary to what one might think, traveling to Kyrgyzstan doesn't require 24 hours of travel. A Paris-Bishkek flight with a connection (no direct flights from France) takes between 9 and 12 hours. The time difference is 4 hours in summer and 3 hours in winter. The impact is therefore not too disruptive for young children.

A trip to Kyrgyzstan will spare you much of the fatigue caused by jet lag and endless hours spent on a plane—a good point for the destination!

A pleasant journey in terms of temperature

In Kyrgyzstan, the climate can sometimes be unpredictable, we won't hide that, but this is especially true in winter with persistent cold and glacial Siberian winds.

A highly mountainous country, and while summers are warm and sunny, temperatures at altitude remain cool and pleasant. You'll be able to explore without suffering from intense heat. Your hikes, whether on foot or horseback, will lead you to the shores of the most beautiful lakes, through shaded forests, along wild rivers, or across vast green meadows where a refreshing breeze is never far away. Your children will easily be able to cool off or find a shady spot to rest.

A journey into nomadic culture

During your getaway to Kyrgyzstan, you'll stay in yurt camps or with local families. These unique overnight experiences will offer an extraordinary experience for the whole family and will remain a memorable souvenir of your vacation. Sleeping in a yurt transports you directly into the daily life of nomadic peoples.

Often as a family, your children will be able to share playtime with the children of your hosts and realize that differences exist only in our imaginations. Everyone will also be able to help watch, feed, or milk livestock—a fun activity to do as a family.

Horseback riding, cooking, playing in the steppe, milking yaks, swimming in lakes and rivers—this is a complete immersion into nomadic culture that awaits your entire family throughout this journey.

Simple gastronomy with real flavor

The question "what are we eating?" can sometimes worry parents, especially when children are a bit picky. In Kyrgyzstan, gastronomy doesn't include ingredients that are too unusual and offers relatively simple dishes based on noodles, vegetables, and meat.

If mutton, the most commonly used meat, isn't to your children's taste, it will always be easy to sort and leave them just the vegetables, noodles, or rice. In Kyrgyzstan, you'll also find a kind of meat-filled dumpling, a popular dish that children will particularly enjoy. The oromo will also delight the little ones with its base of potatoes and onions wrapped in dough and cooked in a special pot.

As for treats, the Kyrgyz don't fall short with a variety of cakes and dried fruits found everywhere in market stalls—enough to make both young and old drool.

Extraordinary excursions through wild landscapes that take your breath away

Let's be honest: if you decide to travel to Kyrgyzstan, it's obviously for the beauty of its landscapes, both rich and varied. Wild, mountainous landscapes like these aren't discovered every day.

Each day, your itinerary will reveal different landscapes, preventing boredom. On foot, horseback, by 4x4, or even quad, you can travel for miles without ever tiring of the views that unfold before you.

To liven up your days, nothing beats a quad session, paragliding, or kayaking. For a day of rest, you can easily relax on the beaches of Issyk-Kul Lake and cool off in its clear waters.

Head to the Skazka Canyon and try to guess all the mysterious shapes hidden behind the rock formations. Children will enjoy trying to spot animals or hidden fortresses.

To end your days beautifully, take advantage of an extraordinary starry sky and have fun identifying different constellations—with a bit of luck, the Milky Way will be on the menu.

Now you have no more excuses for traveling to Kyrgyzstan with your children.