Every tour page on this site carries its own packing list, because a rafting day and a horse riding day need different things. This is the common core — what belongs in the bag whichever day you have booked.
Practical
What to pack for a day tour from Bishkek
A short list with no mountaineering equipment on it — what actually matters on a day out of the city.
01 Shoes
One pair of trainers or light hiking boots with grip. This is the single item worth thinking about. On the Kol-Tor trail there are stream crossings on wet rock, and smooth soles turn a good day into a nervous one.
02 A layer more than you expect
It is reliably five to eight degrees colder in the gorges than in Bishkek, and colder again at the top of a chairlift or under a paraglider. A light jacket that stops wind is enough for most of the year. In the shoulder seasons add a fleece.
03 Sun
At altitude there is more ultraviolet and less warning, because the air feels cool. Sunscreen of factor 30 or higher, sunglasses and a hat are not a nicety. Sunburnt faces are the most common souvenir of a first day in these mountains, and the most avoidable.
04 Cash
Cards are not accepted in the mountains anywhere. Small purchases — a drink at a roadside cafe, a souvenir, the Sky Bridge ticket at Chonkurchak — are cash only, in som. Change money in Bishkek before you leave.
05 A snack, sometimes
Some tours include lunch and some do not; the tour page says which. On Alamedin in particular there is nowhere to buy anything once you leave the car.
06 What not to bring
Trekking poles, helmets, life jackets, wetsuits and riding helmets are all provided where the tour needs them. You do not need to arrive in Kyrgyzstan carrying equipment.
If you are unsure about one specific item, ask your guide when you book. They know what the weather has actually been doing on that route this week, which beats any general list.
