Public Holidays in Kyrgyzstan
Statutory public holidays in Kyrgyzstan, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Kyrgyzstan at a glance
Kyrgyzstan’s public holidays blend Soviet-era dates with national and Islamic observances. Nooruz, the spring equinox festival in March, is the largest celebration.
Because several dates are lunar or equinox-based, the calendar shifts slightly each year, and the summer nomadic festivals draw visitors to the high pastures.
Kyrgyzstan public holidays 2026
Kyrgyzstan has 21 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| New Year Holidays | Jan 2Fri | National |
| New Year Holidays | Jan 3Sat | National |
| New Year Holidays | Jan 4Sun | National |
| New Year Holidays | Jan 5Mon | National |
| New Year Holidays | Jan 6Tue | National |
| Christmas Day | Jan 7Wed | National |
| International Women's Day | Mar 8Sun | National |
| Eid al-Fitr | Mar 20Fri | National |
| Nooruz Holiday | Mar 21Sat | National |
| Labor Day | May 1Fri | National |
| May Holidays | May 2Sat | National |
Showing 12 of 21 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Kyrgyzstan
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Kyrgyzstan.
Bishkek
A green, grid-planned capital of leafy boulevards, bazaars and Soviet monuments.
Osh
A Silk Road city beneath the sacred Sulayman Mountain, with a vast bazaar.
Karakol
A low-rise town near Issyk-Kul, gateway to the Tian Shan trekking routes.
Jalal-Abad
A spa city in the Fergana valley known for its mineral springs.
Naryn
A small, high town on the route to the Torugart pass and high pastures.
Top attractions in Kyrgyzstan
The places that draw most visitors to Kyrgyzstan.
Issyk-Kul
One of the world's largest alpine lakes, never freezing despite high altitude.
Sulayman-Too
A sacred mountain above Osh, a pilgrimage site for centuries.
Ala Archa National Park
A glacier-carved valley of peaks and pine forest just south of Bishkek.
Song-Kul
A 3,000-metre lake ringed by summer pastures where herders pitch yurts.
Alay Valley
A wide valley beneath the Pamirs, with yurt camps and high passes.
Burana Tower
A truncated 11th-century minaret, all that remains of the city of Balasagun.
Festivals, food and getting around Kyrgyzstan
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
Orthodox Christmas Day
Falls on Jan 7
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🎉
Ramadan Start
Falls on Feb 18
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🎉
Defender of the Fatherland Day
Falls on Feb 23
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🎉
International Women's Day
Falls on Mar 8
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🎉
International Women's Day observed
Falls on Mar 9
Food & drink
Getting around
Shared taxis and marshrutkas reach most towns; 4×4 hire is the practical way to reach the high pastures and lakes.
Travelling around Kyrgyzstan’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Kyrgyzstan tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Kyrgyzstan's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year โ and the busiest.
Kyrgyzstan public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Kyrgyzstan have?
Kyrgyzstan has 21 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Kyrgyzstan is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Kyrgyzstan's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Kyrgyzstan typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Kyrgyzstan?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Kyrgyzstan?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Kyrgyzstan
School term dates in Kyrgyzstan
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.