Bishkek

Leaving the high mountains behind this morning we set off on the long drive to Bishkek. For the first part of the journey the road is bad but the scenery is fabulous. Before reaching the capital we stop outside Tokmok to visit Burana Tower and Kugan stelae.

In Bishkek we have a short tour of the sites around Ala Too Square (formerly Lenin Square) but as it's undergoing a major renovation we don't see it at its best. Although it was moved from the main square in 2003 this is one of the few places in Central Asia where a statue of Lenin remains in the heart of the city.