KYRGYZSTAN-TOURISM Kyrgyzstan aspires to attract tourists with natural beauty

Record ID: 148232

  • Title: KYRGYZSTAN-TOURISM Kyrgyzstan aspires to attract tourists with natural beauty
  • Date: 7th July 2015
  • Summary: NARYN REGION, KYRGYZSTAN (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF YAKS IN MOUNTAINS SON-KOL LAKE, MOUNTAINS IN BACKGROUND FLOWERS LAKE SIDE TENTS AT LAKE SIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Kyrgyz) BUSINESSMAN, ISHENBEK CHALBAYEV, SAYING: "When we arrange a journey to the highlands, it all starts with roads. If the road is good, there will be many guests, our bosses in the city will be satisfied and e
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kyrgyzstan
  • Country: Kyrgyzstan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAA4LB2TQPUFIASVUBLHIOB1PSH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Central Asian impoverished Kygyz Republic aims at developing eco-tourism and attracting tourists from abroad with its natural beauty, waterfalls, mountain lakes and torrents.
    The sun shines on vast valleys surrounding the highland lake of Son-Kol lake some 300 kilometres (around 185 miles) to the south of the country's capital Bishkek.
    Herds of yaks, horses and camels wander across fresh green mountain valleys.
    An average temperature in June varies from 20 to 25 degrees centigrade (68-77 Fahrenheit) and Kyrgyz tourists as well as the guests from outside the country flock to a small camping at the side of a lake.
    Ishenbek Chalbayev, who makes his living touring people to see the highlands, said his business highly depends on the weather.
    "When we arrange a journey to the highlands, it all starts with roads. If the road is good, there will be many guests, our bosses in the city will be satisfied and everything will be fine. We've realised this last year. Last year was dry, this year there is more rain, and grass is higher. We hope many guests will come," he said.
    In his tent people can enjoy local food and drink tea. Drinking horse milk is also common in the area and the herdsmen bring massive cans of it back from the pasture.
    Tourists, some of whom come from the other side of the globe, praise local delicacies.
    "I have only been in Kyrgyzstan a few days, but it is a beautiful country, the mountains are gorgeous. And the food has been really fantastic, I have had great meals. And the people are very kind, kind and gentle, and it is a very beautiful place to visit," said Sarah, who lives in Vancouver.
    Another Vancouver resident, Hicham, said he was amazed with the sceneries.
    "I mean, yes it is a little bit different, but a large part when you drive here from Bishkek, we could have been in British Columbia. It is absolutely beautiful, it is amazing that you have this variety, I mean, you look on one side that is one type of mountains, look on the other side, (it) looks entirely different. And so it is just a beautiful, beautiful country," he said.
    Kyrgyzstan, a mainly Muslim nation of 5.5 million, is a member of the Customs Union with Russia and Kazakhstan and its per capita GDP is less than a tenth of neighbouring Kazakhstan's. Russia also provides financial assistance to the impoverished ex-Soviet republic.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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