Kyrgyzstan

The wild card for travelers who want mountains, horses and nomad culture at guesthouse prices. US, UK and EU passport holders need no visa, but the allowance was cut at the end of 2025 to 30 days in any 60, so a longer trip pairs well with neighboring Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan. Yurt camps at Song-Kul lake, hiking out of Karakol and the valleys around Lake Issyk-Kul are the highlights, and community-based tourism groups arrange homestays, horses and drivers at fair, published prices. Shared taxis and minibuses link the towns. The season is short: high-country camps run mainly from June to September.