We stopped renting the UAZ Buhanka in 2024. Reason: the vehicle is unreliable and breaks down often.
Legends about the toughness of Soviet and Russian cars, unfortunately, often remain just legends. The Lada Niva is an exception: little comfort, but a good choice. For your trip around Kyrgyzstan, however, we recommend a car from a well-known brand – Toyota, Nissan or Mitsubishi. These vehicles are reliable, comfortable and made for Kyrgyzstan’s roads. You will find all models in our fleet.
A short history of the UAZ Buhanka. The UAZ-452 is a family of off-road vans built by the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant (UAZ) since 1965. Because its shape resembles a loaf of bread, it is called “Bukhanka” (loaf) in Russian; the ambulance version is nicknamed “Tabletka” (pill). A typical feature is the engine placed between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.
Useful information for your self-drive trip in Kyrgyzstan: