Applying for a Russian Transit Visa in Bishkek

The process of applying a Russian Transit Visa was always an option but like every visa application there was always a chance of being rejected and this is stressful for a traveler especially if you really need that Visa to be approved.

I needed the visa to transit Russia from Kazakhstan to Mongolia. I would have love to obtain a full Tourist Visa allowing me to really explore at least a larger part of Russia but alas that path was much more difficult requiring invitation letter and help from tour agency to get documentation required for a full Tourist Visa. 

The alternative was a Transit Visa. Tourist Visa is relatively possible for Malaysian if applying in KL but then the Single Entry Russian Tourist Visa is valid for three months upon issued, hence for me, even if I got it, the Visa would have expired by the time I had visited Central Asia proper.

The other possibility was a Russian Tourist E-Visa which could be applied online from anywhere in the world. However this E-Visa had a list of borders that would allow its usage and non of the Kazakh – Russia Land border were on the list.

So back in Balykchy I submitted the online form for applying a Russian Transit Visa and booked my appointment slot two days later. The Russian Embassy in Bishkek appointment booking platform for Visa application was only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

https://kyrgyz.mid.ru/ru/visa/visa_issues/

The link above provided the information for Russian Transit Visa (which was in Jun 2024). Filtering the requirement for Malaysian, what I needed was as follows

1. Photocopy of Passport (no less than six months to expiry date)

2. Visa Application Form filled up online at https://visa.kdmid.ru

Note: Fill up all info and print out. The date of entry and exit determined the transit days requested and the maximum is 10 days. Transit type applied TR2

3. One recent photo of applicant (3.5x4.5cm) –

Note: I used the spare photo from China Visa application which was slightly different size and it was accepted

4. Photocopy of Drivers License (International)

5. Photocopy of Vehicle Ownership Certificate

6. Cover Letter indicating the border of entry and exit including route info.

Note: This was self written and no hotel bookings was done along the route. Just a simple write up requesting permission to transit Russia via border xx to border xx via motorcycle in xx days

7. Print out of Mongolian Website indicating Malaysian do not require Visa for entry.

Note: This is for onward journey to after Russia making sure that you have a Visa to continue travel to the next country.

https://visa.kdmid.ru/queue/visitor.aspx

The link above is to get the online appointment for Visa application at the Russian Embassy in Bishkek. Everything is in Russian but a simple google lenses translation works to go through the form.

I arrived in Bishkek a day earlier and next day early morning I took a stroll to the Russian embassy. I was early and took an early brunch but still reaching the gate at 1pm. 

My appointment was at 3pm and checking with the guard which had a lock grill door, he checked his list finding my name and made me wait to the appointed time before letting me inside.

Russia Embassy side Entrance Gate in Bishkek - Kyrgyzstan

The application process was straightforward in a sense. Submitted all the document and the officer only asked for medical insurance but I told him I had read online under visa issue that this requirement is only for citizens of EU, China, Iran and Turkey. Malaysian do not require this medical insurance to transit Russia. The officer continue on with his typing and I just stood there patiently.

Officer: Do you want express or normal ??
Me: Express

While I had the time to go the normal service, waiting one week would have made me more nervous everyday thinking if I would get the Visa or not hence I opted for the more expensive Express Visa service hoping to secure that Transit Visa early and have a peace of mind for a secured route.

I paid the visa fee of 14400 Kyrgyz Som for the express service and was told to collect the passport the next day morning. Next day I got a beautiful new transit visa for 10 days, which seal my route for Sep 2024 towards Mongolia

Traveled on: Jun 2024

 

Riding from Balykchy to Bishkek with a Detour to Burana Tower

Weather was gloomy from Balykchy to Bishkek and forced me to don the wet weather gear. I think I must have put on and took off the rain gear maybe four times on the way to Bishkek for it was too cold when it rains and too hot when its dry.

Along the way I had a glimpse of Konorchek Canyon on the left side of the road but decided to give it a miss with the bad weather. The food stop on the right however was a delight for usually riding during the day, lunch is the hardest to find in remote areas.

Rest stop along the main national road in Kyrgyzstan 

Canteen like Diner Rest Stop

Lunch at the Rest Stop near Konorchek Canyon

I made a detour to Burana Tower on the way to Bishkek. The tower is mostly what is remained of the ancient settlement and not something one would pay attention to but once obtaining heritage status and with the proximity for easy access from Bishkek, tourist makes their way for the daytrip just to view the tower.

Rich in history and unique on its own but my lack of Central Asia general history makes visiting the tower just another stop to look and go. It was still a great detour with vast view of the surrounding area from the top of the Burana Tower.

World Heritage Site - Ancient settlement of Burana 

Burana Tower

View from the top of Burana Tower

The rest of the journey into Bishkek city was uneventful. It was time to run multiple important chores in Bishkek. 

Traveled on: June 2024

Visiting Chon Ak-Suu Gorge and Riding on to Balykchy

Packing up camp in the morning I had to make a not so glorious dump. Luckily it was early enough that no beach goers was around and the plague of my camping glory is always the toilet scarcity especially No.2. 

Its something that campers don’t talk much about and usually just get the skim by answer of yea just go shit in the bush but the reality is its never fun to shit in the bush.

I made the detour to see Chon Ak-Suu Gorge and found it similar to the many gorge detour route that I took all around Issyk-Kul lake. Lovely landscape, beautiful rapids rivers and plenty of campground in the cold winds but large rock infested off-road. 

Detour to Chon Ak-Suu Gorge

Some Locals with their Yurt in Chon Ak-Suu Gorge

Freezing Cold Rapid Rivers in Chon Ak-Suu Gorge

It was good when you knew a good campsite but riding these off-roads looking for campsite was not the best at times when not knowing how much further the journey would take.

I stopped after a point and just lazed by the river eating bread and water for lunch. It was a favorite pastime now these days, detour to a Gorge to find a picnic spot for lunch. 

I decided to push on and skirting through Cholpon Ata. I decided to give this holiday beachside town a miss pushing on to boring little gateway town Balykchy.

Balykchy was boring indeed and I checked into the only hostel in town that I could find. No camping tonight as the weather turned to rain. Most times during travels it is actually like this and not the crazy adventure day after day. 

A lazy day with a lazy ride

Riding Through Cholpon Alta 

Little Boring Town Balykchy 

Traveled on: Jun 2024

A detour to Jyrgalan and Onwards to Camping by the Beach North of Issyk-Kul

While Karakol was nice to lay back and just chill doing chores like updating journal and laundry, the mountain was calling in Kyrgyzstan and little detours and potential camping site was all there was in my mind. 

Holy Trinity Cathedral in Karakol 

Karakol Weekend Flea Market 

Most free times was basically checking maps and more maps looking for roads that goes somewhere and nowhere. I rode towards Jyrgalan in the morning, not fazed by the lousy road it took me to get there for it was an exploration journey in a way. 

The view at every stop was breathtaking, never a dull moment. I reached Jyrgalan at noon squinting at the sleepy defunct once mining town and decided to snack my lunch near the monument.

Beautiful Nature en route to Jyrgalan

Jyrgalan Mining Monument

Jyrgalan little Town

Beautiful, but the weather was changing fast as I spy the little black clouds rolling in. It was very tempting to set camp but the little droplets in mid-afternoon made me decide to push on and hopefully out run the rain.

I manage to skirt it somehow leaving Jyrgalan with minimal spatter not requiring me to suit up but a message from Chye & May told me that Jyrgalan was snowing now as I left. I had no idea they were still there and thought they had left the day before.

Riding onwards towards sunshine 

Back to the dusty main road, I rode on for a while ending up somewhere near the northeastern side of Issyk-Kul lake near the little town of Chong Oruktu. 

A little path towards the lake which had a few swimmers around but going round the bush gave me some lovely shelter from the eyes as I set up camp, cook my dinner and watch the sunset.

Camping by Issyk Kul Lake (Northern Side)

Sunset by Issky-Kul Lake

Travelled on: June 2024

Seven Bulls & Karakol

Packing up camp is always a chore that I dislike and when it comes to camping, it’s this part that makes me want to stop camping altogether. Still there are places that you just can’t enjoy without camping and that’s what makes that few camping moment worth it, worth carrying all those camping gear weight.

Today was a relatively short ride with the aim of Karakol at the end of the day in a hostel where a good shower after a night camping makes all the different.

My plan for camping goes generally in this fashion. One night of camping and one night in hostel the day after. Very rarely do I plan to camp two nights in a row. The lack of toilet and shower is the massive deterrent on continuous camping if I can avoid it.

Along the way to Karakol, I did a detour to see the Seven Bulls rock formation. Going into the valley I saw a familiar Van. Roll up to the Van and nobody was home. Looking around, I found Chye & May by the river in a cozy shed eating fish for their brunch. Hello again. I joined them for tea, and we exchanged stories for the last few days where we all had different adventure and experience.

Seven Bulls Rock 

Less than half an hour later, Bern & Ita rolled up without plan and joined us for fish. More stories and adventure exchange and after brunch, we all parted ways again. 

No longer bound by a tour guide we did our own things now and if the plans cross path, we would meet up again traveling together for a short while and then move on. The three of us would do this all through Central Asia forming the little group after the big China Tour.

Seven Bulls was massive rock formation that jut out looking majestic among the grassy landscape. I decided to try going the longer detour way towards Karakol looking at the map, zooming in endlessly to find the small little path that winds around endlessly to finally exit back to the main road near Karakol.

Little Trail Path into the mountains 

Soft soil road Trail in Kyrgyzstan 

Time was of abundance and if I don’t reach Karakol today, there was always a possibility of camping again. The little road became quite small and while still possible, after an hour fighting the path and not being able to enjoy the beautiful scenery around me, I decided the thrill is not worth it. A turnaround and back to the main road it was.

Along the way to Karakol, Chye & May send me a message asking for the hostel I was looking at. We all met up at the same hostel and explored Karakol for a few days. I explored for a few days while Chye & May pushed on earlier to Jyrgalan to camp after extracting the info from me.

Find a Travel Buddy Notice Board in a Hostel at Karakol - Kyrgyzstan 

Jyrgalan was a possible campsite or daytrip to me from Karakol depending on how nice it was. I ended up with two nights in Karakol doing almost nothing other than updating my journal. 

It was a good city with cheap hostel to slow down a little and since I was hopping from place to place every-night since Naryn, this was a good break.

Travelled on: June 2024