Lakes and mountains. Try Issyk-Kul, that's probably one of most amazing lakes I've ever seen. I would rather go climbing and hiking - wouldn't go to bigger cities, they're still a bit, let's put it this way, under-the-influence-of-communism-past, unfortunately. They've got a few interesting museums there though.

I agree with lakes an Mountain, to see the Dschailoo culture it is best a Song Kul Lake, you can reach from Kochkorka. CBT (Community Based Tourism) is all over Kyrgyzstan and can provide you accomodation and driver, all locals of course. Tash Rabat is nice to see (old caranvanserai) in the south near to Torugard / Chinese boarder. It is a nice experience to stay in the first yurt camp and go to tash rabat by horse the lady in the house next to ist has the key (entry fee about a dollar). Momuments are few like the Burana Tower near Tokmok (near Bishkek) and the mausoleen in Uzgen (between Dschalalabad and Osh). In Osh you may climp the Sulayman Too ( a hill in the middle of the city. Karakol is a nice city to with a wooden orthodox church and buddistic style mosque, outside the town near Issyk Kul you find the Preshewalsk memorial parc, he was an russian explorer of asia. The amir hotel there is nice and modern, in Djamillas hostel you will be welcomed in great hospitality. In Bishkek you find a great range of cheap hostels and expensive hotels like the Hyatt, to travel it is easiest to go to the Awtowaksals (Car and bus stations), you can go by private cars in buying one seat, that the fastest and easiest options to travel. Between Bishkek and Osh there are flights. To visit the mountains you can go to the basecamps of Khan Tengri/Pobeda Peak or Lenin. The best company for this is Ak-Sai (www.ak-sai.com) travel as they are the owner of the basecamps and the own the transports (helicopter/plane) to get there. It is a great country, have fun exploring!

I think you should visit Bishket and Osh two main cities in Kyrgystan and of course Issyk-Kyl and mountains..they are amazing (there are some peaks about 7000m).

I live here and will be here for two years.