We will brighten up the five-year anniversary in Kyrgyzstan with the construction of a Tourist Center in Kyrgyzstan. Right in the center of the city of Karakol we bought a piece of land 2 years ago. With help from the Ryce Travel Foundation and with the sale of the local ski rental, Maksat Aitkulov has succeeded in designing this building. We cannot wait until the opening.
Tourist Center
The building is primarily intended to bundle tourist activities. More and more tourists come to Karakol, but the facilities in the city or still undeveloped. Most (Western) tourists use the city as a starting point for outdoor activities in the surrounding mountains. There are hike trails, mountain bike tours, jeep tours and horse riding tours that start from Karakol. Almost nobody stays in the city for a long time. This is mainly because there are few places where tourists can meet and talk about each other’s experiences. That is the reason that why we want to build a meeting place.
Café, hostel, rental and meeting place
The building will have several functions. There will be a rental and a café on the ground floor. Skis are rented here in the winter. Tents, sleeping bags and backpacks in summer. There will be a spaciously designed café with workspaces. Here you will often bump into our photographer Ruslan, but also digital nomads can come here. On the roof we make a huge terrace where activities are regularly organized. Think about barbecues, movie nights and salsa evenings.
In addition to the building, we manage a green belt over a length of almost 100 meters. Tourists can set up their own tent here, but we will also build a number of tents ourselves. This site will become the so-called Ryce Hostel and guests can use the bathrooms in the new building. It will be a place where everyone feels at home and where the locals can mix with tourists. Moreover, you can go there for questions and experiences about the various tours in the area. A new multifunctional building with lots of fun.
Opening
The aim is to fully open our doors in the summer of 2019. From the beginning of July several volunteers will help with the start-up. The construction is very simple but extremely effective. A solid building will be erected from two sea containers. The front is very accessible with large windows and a deck. On the first floor is a huge roof terrace with a view of the Himalayas. We will have to work hard to create a cozy atmosphere. That is why we are pleased that a number of volunteers have already registered.
