Bradt Travel Guide to Kyrgyzstan: Explore Central Asia's Hidden Gem - Perfect for Adventure Travelers & Cultural Explorers

The reader should be aware that this review is premature since the writer has not yet made his own journey to Kyrgyzstan. But the guide strikes me as having an extra large dose of information about a small country. The Index is excellent. Any topic that popped into my head was easily located. For example, there is a nice discussion on the availability of ATMs and credit card acceptance (Take a lot of cash in $50s and $100s to be on the safe side and make sure they are crisp--money exchangers do not appreciate worn and floppy bills. I ran into that situation in Ukraine--there too they like the currency "right off the drying line.") The first chapter "Background Information" begins with geography and continues with thorough discussions of natural history, history of the peoples, the wars, the politics, and concludes with an extensive section of the various cultures. The second chapter deals with information you will need as a traveler in Kyrgyzstan. Most of guide's remainder uses an geographic area approach with detailed descriptions of where to stay and eat, and what to do. The author points out that the country is poor and in transition as it deals with economic problems and poverty. But he clearly believes that such does not justify avoiding traveling there. Evidently, the environment is spectacular and people friendly. I may change my mind about this guide during my trip but I definitely will start it clutching this book on my way.