Filming in Central Asia: which country for which shot?

Kyrgyzstan is the most mountainous of the four and the easiest to cover in one shooting period: Ala-Archa glaciers are 40 km from Bishkek, the red Konorchek canyons about two hours away, Issyk-Kul three hours and the Son-Kul plateau about five. The country also holds Silk Road sites on the UNESCO list, Soviet-era towns and summer pastures with yurts.

A 12-hour shooting day with a local crew of 13 and a standard ARRI Alexa Mini LF package costs about $2,600, with camera, lighting and grip rented in Bishkek. Citizens of the EU, the UK and the USA enter visa-free for 30 days in every 60-day period.

Kazakhstan's film agency promotes the Charyn canyon, the Ustyurt plateau and the singing dunes of Altyn-Emel; the limestone cliffs of Bozzhyra in Mangystau were chosen as a main location for Jackie Chan's Armor of God: Ultimatum in 2026, and the French series Infiniti filmed in the steppe and the Soviet-era towns of Priozersk and Kapshagay.

On paper Kazakhstan offers a rebate of up to 30% for foreign productions through Kazakhcinema, but in September 2026 the Committee of Culture told NewTimes.kz that no foreign company had applied in 2019-2025 and that amendments are being prepared. There is no single national filming permit: public locations are agreed with the local akimat. EU, UK and US citizens stay visa-free up to 30 days per visit.

Uzbekistan has the region's great historic cities, all on the UNESCO list: Samarkand with the Registan, Bukhara, the walled Itchan Kala of Khiva and Shakhrisabz, plus desert and the western Tian Shan. The US historical film Rise of the Conqueror, about Amir Temur, was shot in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

A rebate adopted on 8 July 2026 (Cabinet Resolution No. 372) refunds 10-25% of local spend depending on its size, up to UZS 4 billion per film, through the Film in Uzbekistan platform due to launch by November 2026. EU, UK and US citizens enter visa-free for up to 30 days.

Tajikistan's Pamirs are the wildest mountains in the region: the Tajik National Park (UNESCO) has peaks over 7,000 m and 1,085 glaciers, the Pamir Highway runs across them and the Fann Mountains hold Iskanderkul lake. We found no film incentive and no official filming permit procedure for foreign crews, and the Pamirs need a separate Gorno-Badakhshan permit. US and EU citizens enter visa-free for 30 days; UK citizens need an e-visa.

Bishkek and Almaty are about 237 km apart, roughly three hours by road plus 30-60 minutes at the Ak-Jol / Korday border crossing, and Air Astana flies the route daily. Bishkek has direct flights to Tashkent (Uzbekistan Airways, Centrum Air, Aero Nomad) and to Dushanbe (Somon Air). A production can base itself in Bishkek for mountains and lakes and add a Silk Road city block in Uzbekistan or a desert block in Kazakhstan.