Right now I need to share my Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan itinerary with you. These international locations in Central Asia are recognized for his or her wealthy historical past, beautiful landscapes, and deep cultural traditions. If you wish to journey to locations that transcend the same old vacationer locations, learn on for my information to the right way to spend 9 days on this superb a part of the world. I’ve included a map, too.
9 Days in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan aren’t on each traveler’s radar. Landlocked in Central Asia, they usually get handed over for extra visited locations. However the international locations are price a particular journey, and immediately I’m going to point out you why.
A latest journey to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan left me eager to see extra of the area. When a possibility arose to talk at a convention in Almaty, Kazakhstan, I jumped on the probability.
I wished to see extra than simply Almaty, so I partnered with G Adventures to assessment their 9-day Highlights of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan tour. Beginning in Bishkek and ending in Almaty, it appeared to be the right pre-conference journey. Spoiler alert: it was. Learn on for my story.
Day 1: Bishkek
My group of 16 vacationers convenes in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. After checking into the Grand Lodge, we attend a briefing with Nas, our CEO (that’s G Adventures’ identify for a tour chief). She spends an hour giving us an outline of the journey and answering our questions. She’s skilled, educated, and enthusiastic, and I can inform we’re in good arms.
Day 2: Bishkek & Chong-Kemin Valley
The subsequent morning we get up early and head out on a tour of Bishkek. Nas takes us in every single place from the Nationwide Historical past Museum to the opera home. Alongside the way in which we get to observe the altering of the guard in Ala-Too Sq., discover the town’s engaging inexperienced areas, and see the World Warfare II memorial in Victory Sq..
As we go, Nas tells us tales concerning the landmarks we see. A spotlight is that of Kurmanjan Datka, a Nineteenth-century Kyrgyz tribal chief often known as the “Queen of the South”. After refusing an organized marriage as a younger girl, she went on to wed an area ruler and change into a strong stateswoman in her personal proper.
After the tour we make a fast cease at a grocery retailer to choose up water and snacks for the following leg of our journey. Settling into two snug vans, we’re off to the Chong-Kemin Valley.
En route we take a detour to the historic Burana Tower. One of many nation’s oldest landmarks, this historical construction is a uncommon sight in a semi-nomadic tradition like Kyrgyzstan’s.
Whereas right here, Nas leads us via the small museum and tells us concerning the historical past of the tower. Courting again to the tenth or eleventh century, this massive minaret within the Chuy Valley was as soon as on the Silk Highway. Together with grave markers, earthworks, and the remnants of a fort and several other mausoleums, the Burana Tower is all that continues to be of the Ninth-century metropolis of Balasagun.
After climbing the tower to absorb the views of the countryside, we proceed our journey with lunch. It’s not simply any lunch, although. It’s lunch at an area household’s house.
The household is a part of Kyrgyzstan’s Dungan minority. This ethnic group of Chinese language-speaking Muslims is descended from individuals who emigrated from northwest China to Central Asia within the 1870s.
Dungan delicacies marries conventional Chinese language culinary strategies with Central Asian flavors. It’s recognized for hand-pulled noodles referred to as lagman, fried dough twists referred to as sanzi, and different distinctive dishes. The household we’re eating with has a backyard from which they’ve ready all types of contemporary greens for us, too. The nice and cozy garlic chives are my favourite.
After lunch we drive into the Chong-Kemin Valley. We cease at a viewpoint to take images of a surprising river valley earlier than persevering with to a family-run guesthouse operated by Karal Dobo villagers.
We’re greeted by Gulzat, the daughter of the proprietor, who welcomes us with a heat smile and reveals us to rooms in a model new constructing. Outdoors within the backyard there’s a conventional yurt company can use as a lounge.
Within the night we take pleasure in a giant outside dinner on the guesthouse. As we tuck into conventional Kyrgyz dishes, we study that native college students return from the cities to work right here through the summers. They get to earn cash whereas staying near their households. It’s an effective way to see tourism benefiting the local people.
Day 3: Chong-Kemin Valley & Music Kul Lake
The subsequent morning we now have a fast breakfast on the guesthouse earlier than heading out on a hike. We stroll via hillsides lush with purple wildflowers as we make our strategy to a viewpoint with beautiful panoramas of the countryside. It’s an exquisite strategy to begin the day.
After the hike our journey continues with a visit to Music Kul Lake, which is 9,895 ft (3,016 meters) above sea stage. The scenic drive alongside the Kalmak-Ashuu move is likely one of the most awe-inspiring I’ve been on. The layers of various colours and textures within the mountains are breathtaking, and our group is glued to the home windows the entire time.
After we arrive at Music Kul Lake, we examine right into a yurt camp. 4 of us share every yurt, and we sit up for experiencing an genuine nomadic keep.
We’ve free time within the afternoon. Most of us stroll alongside the lake, absorbing the mountain views and taking within the sight of horses ingesting from the shore.
Within the night we now have dinner within the eating yurt at our camp. We tuck into a conventional meal, popping outdoors to see a spectacular sundown over the lake as we eat.
At evening we now have a bonfire and watch the celebrities. There’s no mild air pollution right here, so we see every little thing from taking pictures stars to a meteor. Afterwards we retreat to our yurts, that are cozy and heat from the warmth of wood-burning stoves.
Day 4: Music Kul Lake & Tamga
The subsequent day we depart Music Kul Lake, drive again over the Kalmak-Ashuu mountain move, and make our strategy to Kochkor for lunch. This fast cease at an area household’s place provides us a filling mid-drive meal.
From Kochkor we proceed to Skazka Canyon, often known as Fairytale Canyon. This beautiful place is understood for its placing rock formations, and it jogs my memory of the purple rocks in Utah.
We’ve approach too little time to discover Skazka Canyon, however we rush round taking as many images and movies as we will earlier than we now have to depart.
From the canyon we drive to Tamga village. It’s within the shadow of the Terskey Ala-Too mountains and subsequent to the large Issyk Kul Lake. We take pleasure in a giant dinner at a village guesthouse right here earlier than spending the evening.
Day 5: Jety Oguz & Karakol
The next morning we head out to Barskoon village to go to the Ak-Orgo workshop. It’s a G Adventures-supported challenge working to protect Kyrgyz traditions and create employment alternatives.
We’re right here for a yurt-making demonstration. From the felt-creating course of to the precise meeting of a yurt, we get a start-to-finish information to the right way to make a conventional nomadic dwelling. It’s an effective way to study concerning the craft and assist a worthy trigger on the similar time.
From the workshop we drive to Jety Oguz, house to one in every of Kyrgyzstan’s most spectacular pure landmarks. The Seven Bulls are sheer cliffs composed of purple sandstone. Their identify derives from the rock formation’s resemblance to seven bulls and a legend a couple of khan’s spouse.
The Seven Bulls are superb to see, and their rocks as soon as once more remind us of Utah. We spend some time strolling across the trails on the customer middle, taking within the views as we seize them with our cameras.
Whereas within the space we additionally see a rock formation that appears like a damaged coronary heart and luxuriate in a picnic lunch with a surprising view over a river valley. It’s peaceable right here, and we watch the horses under us as we eat.
From Jety Oguz our day continues with a drive to Karakol. This multicultural metropolis is understood for every little thing from a Russian Orthodox church to a Dungan mosque. The previous was inbuilt 1895, and it’s mentioned to be one of many oldest buildings within the metropolis (and probably the nation).
The latter was constructed between 1907 and 1910. It resembles a Chinese language temple, and it’s distinctive in that it was made with no nails to carry it collectively.
After sightseeing we head to dinner and a cultural present at a restaurant run by the Uyghur ethnic minority. It’s one other nice strategy to get a glimpse into Karakol’s variety.
Day 6: Canyons & Saty Village
The subsequent morning we cross the border from Kyrgyzstan into Kazakhstan. After driving via the countryside, we discover ourselves at Moon Canyon (often known as Uzunbulak or Yellow Canyon). This place was as soon as on the backside of a lake, and a spread of minerals offers it a yellow colour.
From Moon Canyon we drive to Black Canyon. This spot is volcanic in origin (therefore the colour and the identify). It’s house to a customer middle and restaurant, too. We spend time strolling alongside the sting to absorb the deep gorge and Charyn River under.
From Black Canyon we head to lunch at an area relaxation cease. It’s a cafeteria-style place with a grocery store connected, and we gas up on each lunch and snacks whereas we’re right here.
When lunch is completed, we drive to the village of Saty. It’s within the Kolsay Lakes Nationwide Park, and it’s thought to have as soon as been a buying and selling village. Right now it’s on the coronary heart of the regional tourism business, and it’s house to various guesthouses.
After checking into one, we hop in a convoy of 4×4 autos for the experience to Kaindy Lake. From the busy car parking zone it’s a 20-minute hike to the lake, which is exclusive in that it’s house to a sunken forest.
Kaindy Lake is so otherworldly we now have to pinch ourselves once we see it. The spruce tree trunks rising up out of the water lend an ethereal really feel to the place.
Day 7: Charyn Canyon & Almaty
The next morning we take pleasure in a giant breakfast at our guesthouse earlier than driving to Charyn Canyon. One of the well-known websites within the area, this pure phenomenon is a 93-mile (150-kilometer) sandstone gorge.
Charyn Canyon options beautiful shades of purple, orange, and brown, in addition to placing rock formations which are usually nicknamed “castles”. There are climbing trails and panoramic views galore.
We spend a pair hours right here, strolling via the canyon and out to a river. It’s scorching outdoors, however there’s a pleasant breeze and the surroundings will get extra spectacular the farther into the gorge we go.
Within the late afternoon we arrive in Almaty. The previous capital of Kazakhstan, it’s essentially the most populous metropolis within the nation and a cosmopolitan one at that. We examine into our lodging, a Soviet-era behemoth referred to as Otrar Lodge. It’s in an excellent location within the metropolis middle.
From there Nas takes us on an orientation tour of the native space. She reveals us the place we will do laundry, change cash (though ATMs are frequent and bank cards are accepted just about in every single place), and get meals and low.
Within the night we’re on our personal for dinner. A gaggle of us goes to an area Indian restaurant (of which there are numerous close to the resort), the place we tuck into beneficiant parts of curry, naan, and different basic dishes.
Day 8: Almaty
The subsequent morning we head out on a strolling tour of Almaty with an area information named Madina. She takes us to Independence Sq., the place she tells us concerning the historical past of Kazakhstan.
Our subsequent cease is the Inexperienced Bazaar, an enormous indoor market promoting every little thing from nuts and fruit to horse meat (it’s common right here) and native sweets. There’s an excellent espresso store right here, too.
The market is close to the Rahat Chocolate Manufacturing unit, the place we cease to choose up souvenirs and presents for individuals again house. They promote nice reward packing containers, and we load up on them earlier than leaving.
From the store we stroll to the Army Historical past Museum, the place we admire the tanks outdoors. The museum is correct close to the World Warfare II memorial, which is a transferring tribute to those that misplaced their lives.
Behind it’s the Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Accomplished in 1907, it’s the tallest church on the planet constructed from wooden. With its fairly pastel colours, it’s beautiful to see. The within impresses us with its icons and incense, too.
The tour offers us an excellent overview of the historic areas of the town, and we really feel like we’ve hit a variety of the highlights. Afterwards I can’t assist taking a stroll within the park across the cathedral. It’s peaceable and filled with bushes that present welcome shade from the warmth of the solar.
Day 9: Almaty
The subsequent morning our tour involves an finish. The remainder of my group continues on as half of a bigger G Adventures tour to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, however I’m staying in Almaty for a couple of extra days to talk on the convention.
9-Day Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan Itinerary
That’s not all, although. After the convention I’m happening one other tour to one of the vital spectacular locations in Kazakhstan. Keep tuned for extra.
Within the meantime, I hope you’ve loved my itinerary and that it’s impressed you to go to Central Asia. I actually loved Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and I assumed the G Adventures tour was an effective way to see the highlights.
Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan Map
As promised, I’ve created an interactive Google map of all of the locations on my itinerary. You’ll be able to see it right here. I hope it helps you get a really feel for the place issues are in relation to at least one one other!
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