Naryn

Naryn is a city in southeastern Kyrgyzstan in the region of the same name.

Understand
Naryn has a population of 52,300 people.

By bus


There are marshrutkas available from Bishkek for about 200 som, leaving 08:00-10:00. Also, they leave from Kazarman and At-Bashy.

By taxi
A shared taxi from Balykchy costs 500 som (2015). The journey takes roughly 4½ hr.

Get around
Shared taxis are a convenient way to get around. On the main road, taxis are treated like marshrutkas, meaning people get on and off. As of August 2015, the fare for a ride is a mere 10 som, but can be 20 som if you want to go all the way back to the bridge. Do not pay more!

See

 * Unique from other cities with its red mountains, you can get a great view of the city if you climbs its hills.


 * A few statues are visible from the main road, including a Lenin statue.

Do

 * Koshoi Korgon - ruins of a castle/fortress from the 10–12th centuries. All that remains are the walls. Supposedly a friend of the legendary Manas was buried here. Roughly an hour's drive from Naryn, it's on the same road to Tash Rabat and easily visited. A small museum is located nearby. Make sure your driver stops here on the way to or from Tash Rabat.
 * National Park Salkyn-Tor occupies 4,228 ha. Locals love this place for picnic areas. Nice hiking to the alpine lake, a pretty moderate hike with a gentle incline and incredible views throughout. Bargain with a taxi, road is fine to the entrance of the park (20 som per person)

Eat
Restaurants are north of the street where the guesthouses are located. Just walk up the street and follow the music.

Sleep
The CBT (Community Based Tourism) office is located 200 m from the marshrutka/taxi station. A board in English tells you where it is. The office is essential to helping set you up with a guesthouse, as there are no signs for guesthouses. Arrive in Naryn before the CBT office closes at 17:00 or 18:00 so you can have a place to stay for the night. CBT's official price list quotes 600 som per person per night for any B&B.

Cope




Go next

 * Tash Rabat – Naryn is the gateway to visiting this 500 year old pitstop on the Silk Road, one of the highlights of Kyrgyzstan.


 * Jalal-Abad – Instead of heading back to Bishkek and from there to Osh, you might choose to go directly to Jalal-Abad, a convenient transport hub. This can be much faster but certainly not cheaper.


 * Bishkek, Kazarman, At-Bashy