To me, the winter season is a magical time of year. I get into the holiday spirit, snuggle up into my Christmas-themed pajamas, and have the Spotify Christmas playlist on repeat. Bishkek also transforms into a winter wonderland, with a snow blanket wrapping around the city and everyone looking forward to the New Year festivities. In this blog post, I'm going to show you what Bishkek has to offer in the winter season and the ways you can enjoy this beautiful city.

WINTER ACTIVITIES TO DO IN BISHKEK

1. Get Into the Holiday Spirit

Open: December 10, 2022 - January 8, 2023

Cost: Ranges from 300 som to 400 som

Even though the winter festivities and decorations aren't as elaborate as the ones I see back at home in Toronto, Canada, the Christmas fair I visited in Bishkek was enough to get me into the holiday spirit. In December 2022, there was a fair that took place at the Flamingo Amusement Park called New Year's Fair "Northern Lights". I'm attaching last year's link! I was happy to see an ice skating rink, Christmas lights, and booths selling hot sangria, hotdogs, and smores.

Tickets can be purchased online and the fair was open from December 10 to January 8. So, you have plenty of time to visit. I went on a Friday evening and there were a ton of couples, families, and children.

2. Visit a Museum

Open: Closed on Mondays

Cost: Ranges from 110 som to 550 som

If you want to stay warm and do an indoor activity, I recommend visiting a museum. My personal favorite is the State History Museum. You can spend a couple of hours exploring the exhibits, learning the rich history of Kyrgyzstan, and can do self-guided or guided tours.

3. Go Skiing or Snowboarding or Tubing

Open: During the winter season

Kyrgyzstan is perfect for all ski and snowboard lovers. It offers beautiful scenery with snow-capped mountains, diverse terrain, and spectacular views. However, there are two things I've commonly heard when it comes to doing these winter activities. First, is that Kyrgyzstan doesn't have the best infrastructure or it may be old. Second, the lack of infrastructure can cause it to be very dangerous.

You can easily find a place to go skiing or snowboarding that is within an hour's drive from Bishkek. Some places offer rentals and others don't, so I recommend you do your research. If you aren't a skier or snowboarder like me, I recommend tubing. There's one right by the Supara Chunkurchak resort and even though I'm an adult, I spent a couple of hours and had lots of fun.

4. Enjoy a Concert or Performance

Open: Open throughout the year

Another indoor activity you can do is enjoy a concert or performance. Especially during the winter season, they have performances like the "Nutcracker", and "Swan Lake." I recommend you visit this website, https://ticket.kg/, where you can see the events calendar and purchase tickets online.

5. Spend the Day at a Hot Spring

On my 2023 winter bucket list is to visit a hot spring. After doing some research, a popular hot spring that is relatively close to Bishkek is the Issyk-Ata Gorge, which is roughly 70 to 80 kilometers away. You can enjoy the scenery, go on a hike, and bathe in the thermal-mineral hot springs. I came across the Aksaray Resort on Instagram and 2Gis, and they seem to have positive reviews. I hope to visit soon and I'll write my review here as well.

If you have any activities that you'd like me to add to this list, write them in the comments below.