Located in the heart of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan is a land-locked country the size of England and Scotland (or Washington State). It is bordered by China to the east, Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west and Tajikistan to the south. It is located at the juncture of two great mountain systems (the Tien Shan and the Pamirs), and only one-eighth of the country lies lower than 1,500 metres (4,920 feet).

Hence, the country's nickname, "The Switzerland of Central Asia". The scenic mountains, Lake Issyk Kul (the world's second largest mountain lake after Lake Titicaca) and the presence of many rare animal species (such as the snow leopard, Tien Shan bear, Marco Polo sheep and red wolf), all contribute to the country's natural beauty, and tourism potential. Skiing is rapidly developing as a tourist industry and winter resorts are very well-equipped, fairly cheap and no distance from the capital, Bishkek. A new resort, designed for tourists, opened in 2004 in Karakol, Issyk Kul Region.

Kyrgyzstan is full of places to visit: Burana Tower - an 11^th Century monument, that looks like the stump of a huge minaret. You can climb the octagonal minaret and get a view over the old city walls; Tash Rabat – a stone “hotel” for the traders, who travelled along the Silk Road in the 15^th Century Ala Archa Canyon – a very grand, rugged but accessible gorge south of Bishkek, where you can sit by a waterfall all day, hike to a glacier, ski on it, or trek on the region’s highest peaks.  Arslanbob, one of the cities of Kyrgyzstan, is an elevated oasis, a vast tract of blossoming woodland and home to the largest walnut grove on earth.

 

Bishkek, the capital, has numerous buildings of note, such as the Philharmonia concert hall, the National Historical Museum, the Great Patriotic War Monument, the Manas Monument, and the Independence Monument, as well as many statues of akyns, manashi and local governors of different periods. The city is famous for being one of the greenest in the world, due to its countless parks and alleys, which make the town a nice place to live, even in the heat of the summer. The city is modern, with restaurants, cafes, casinos and night-clubs.

 

Besides the developed shores of magical Lake Issyk Kul, there are other lakes just as beautiful: Song Kol Lake, one of the loveliest spots in central Kyrgyzstan. This is the perfect place to camp and watch the sun come up, surrounded by lush pastures, favoured by herders; Sary Chelek, a beautiful 7km-long alpine lake, nature reserve and biosphere, lies hidden in the Ferghana Valley, amid groves of wild pistachios, walnuts and fruit trees. 

Publishing House Silk Road Media (SRM) was founded in 2002 in UK, and is registered at Companies House in England and Wales. The concept is to publish magazines and books that cover the social and economic development of Central Asian countries, the functioning of higher education, state policies, scientific advances in the region, as well as the history and culture of the peoples of Central Asia. The purpose is to inform the public about this little known region and thus foster the development of tourism and international relations.

One of the unique projects of SRM is the colorful and informative Discovery Travel Guide, first published in 2004. During its first four years, the Discovery Travel Guide was published as a special attachment to the Discovery Central Asia magazine and it then became a separate project in 2008. Moreover, at the initiative of Ian Claytor, Head of the Tourism Committee of the International Business Council and member of the Presidium of the Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators, the first edition was devoted to Kyrgyzstan.

SRM has published Discovery Tajikistan, Discovery Uzbekistan, Discovery Kyrgyzstan, Discovery Issyk Kul, and Discovery Kazakhstan travel guides. There have been 14 issues in five languages - English, French, German, Japanese, and Russian. They include the first travel guides about Kyrgyzstan in German, Japanese, and Russian.

The Discovery Travel Guide is a reliable travel guide, with special features, such as 100 essential pages about any one country, apolitical in style, with accessible language, large photos and rich text, good maps, a favorable price, and an exclusive pocket-size format.

The Discovery Kyrgyzstan Travel Guide is researched and written by professional travel writers and local experts. It contains up-to-date information on visa regulations, public holidays, festivals, sight-seeing, museums, stunning landscapes, trekking, skiing, entertainment, and the best hotels and restaurants.