From the General Director
Welcome to www.celestial.kg, the corporate website of the Celestial Mountains companies in Kyrgyzstan.
There are two companies: The Celestial Mountains Tour Company and the Celestial Mountains Guest House (Naryn). Both were established in 1997 and although they are, actually, two separate companies - they had the same three investors. One came to Kyrgyzstan at about the time of independence and immediately fell in love with the country, its people and culture. He has since married a Kyrgyz woman, started a family and is now living in Australia. The second is based in the UK. I originally came to Bishkek to help to open an office - and just stayed. I am now based in Bishkek and run the two companies.
The tour company is based in the capital, Bishkek, and was established to offer tours and other services to travellers. The tours would cover the regions of Kyrgyzstan and throughout the region. At first, the company chose to specialize in motor tours.
The Guesthouse in Naryn was the first of a number of hotels and guesthouses planned as part of our strategy. Naryn was chosen as the site for the first investment because it has an important place on the road to the Torugart Pass - the only border crossing to China then available for passenger traffic. Drawing upon our experiences in Naryn we then planned and built a new hotel in the centre of Bishkek - The Silk Road Lodge - which opened in August 2000. It has quickly established itself as a small, friendly, hotel - popular with tourists, businessmen, consultants and visiting dignitaries alike.
Although they are separate companies with different staffs, they cooperate closely with each other and seek to maintain the same commitment to levels of service.
Ian Claytor
General director