10 days in Kyrgystan
Our take
Exploring the majestic landscapes of Kyrgyzstan, as recounted in a recent travel narrative, reveals a captivating experience that resonates deeply with our innate desire for adventure and connection. The journey, centered around the stunning Issyk Kul lake—the second-largest alpine lake in the world—serves as a reminder of the beauty that awaits in less-traveled destinations. As travelers seek unique experiences that offer both excitement and authenticity, this trip highlights the importance of stepping off the beaten path. Similar to the enchanting tales from 3 days in Alsace, France and the surreal experiences in Walking through giant sand sculptures in Antalya, Turkey felt surreal, this story emphasizes how engaging with local cultures and landscapes can enrich our lives and foster deeper connections with the world around us.
The vibrant experiences shared by the traveler, from hiking the breathtaking trails of Altyn Asharan to riding horses through the Chaar-Archa pass, illustrate the thrill of embracing nature and the unexpected challenges it presents. These adventures foster a sense of camaraderie among fellow travelers, creating a “squad” that shares not just the physical journey but also the emotional highs and lows. This collective experience is crucial in today's world, where connection and shared moments can sometimes feel fleeting. The warmth and hospitality of the families running the yurt camps further enhance this adventure, underscoring the significance of human connection in unfamiliar settings. The joy of meeting local children and sharing time with them evokes the spirit of curiosity and friendship that Piper’s brand voice embodies so well.
Kyrgyzstan's rich cultural tapestry, highlighted through its traditional practices like eagle hunting, adds layers of depth to the travel narrative. The demonstration of generations-old techniques not only captivates the audience but also serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Adopting a playful approach to learning about local traditions and cuisines, such as trying ashlan-fu and various meat dishes, invites readers to embrace culinary adventures with an open mind. This blend of food, culture, and nature encapsulates the essence of an epic journey, where every experience is an opportunity to broaden our horizons and challenge our perceptions.
Looking ahead, Kyrgyzstan presents a compelling case for travelers seeking authentic experiences that go beyond mere sightseeing. As more people venture off the traditional tourist trails, the allure of discovering hidden gems like Kyrgyzstan will continue to grow. This shift also emphasizes the need for sustainable tourism practices that respect local communities and environments, ensuring that these breathtaking landscapes remain unspoiled for future adventurers. The call to “dream big” and embrace the main character role in our own travel stories is more relevant than ever. As we explore the world, let’s consider how we can contribute positively to the places we visit, fostering inclusivity and empowerment along the way. What new adventures are you planning, and how will you ensure that your journey leaves a lasting impact?
| | Our trip took us on a big loop around Issyk Kul, which I learned is the 2nd largest alpine lake in the world and never freezes due to its depth and salinity. We did a 7 day tour and our group was awesome; such a great mix of people and senses of humor. A stellar vibe all week. Bishkek - coming from Almaty, it felt a bit older and more Soviet. We visited Ala-Too square, the Osh Bazaar and the Central Mosque, which is a really amazing looking building. Altyn Asharan (via Karakol) - we hiked up to Altyn Asharan which is a breathtakingly beautiful alpine valley. The hike was \~15km each way along a gushing river that cuts between mountains and takes you through grazing sheep and dense pine forests. I also took what might be one of my favorite photos ever (#9) — the river was catching the sun which made it look like its glowing and its cutting through the deep green forest of tian shan spruce & juniper. No edits were made, only the recipe I use on my fuji (Leica X). We saw an eagle hunting demonstration that was incredible. The family who does it has been eagle hunting for nearly 5 generations. We learned that it is done in winter, females are the best hunters (bigger than males) and they catch foxes and hares. The humans use the skins for traditional clothing and the eagle gets the meat. Their claws are massive which they use to clench their prey to death. We all got to take photos holding an eagle which was way heavier than I expected (can’t post the photo here). Song Kul - we rode horses from a small village called Kyzart through the Chaar-Archa pass up to Song Kul. On the way up the weather was abysmal with rain and hail pelting us. Thankfully when we arrived the sun broke through the clouds and the views were stunning. We stayed in a yurt which was cozy. The stars that night were beautiful. Our ride out the next morning had better weather and we got to enjoy the sweeping views as we crossed the pass again. We had a good time on horses despite it being quite a challenge and physically demanding. I’ll be OK if I don’t ever ride a horse again, but very glad I got to experience it. The families who run the yurt camps and guesthouses in the mountains were so nice, warm and welcoming. We got to meet local kids along the way and see the different games they play, like Knucklebones (using sheep bones) and lots of futbol (Ronaldo is definitely the most popular). So many cute pups along the way too. The food was delicious. We tried a bit of everything since we stayed in yurts and guesthouses which had home cooking. Lots of vegetable soups, manty, fresh vegetable salads, various meat & noodle dishes (yes we tried horse meat a few times; tasty but not my flavor) and lots of different types of tea. My favorite dish was ashlan-fu which is a Dungan spicy, cold noodle soup with thick rice noodles and thin wheat noodles. Apparently it is considered a hangover dish and seen as the unofficial dish of Karakol. Highly recommend trying if you visit. All photos taken with Fujifilm XT30II + Tamron 17-70mm. [link] [comments] |
Read on the original site
Open the publisher's page for the full experience
Related Articles
- A Postcard from KazakhstanWe spent 10 days exploring the southeast region of Kazakhstan, from Almaty to Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes, Charyn Canyon to the Singing Dunes & Aktau Mountains in Altyn Emel National Park. Almaty is a sprawling, modern city with a vibrant, younger population. We visited Ascension Cathedral, the Green Bazaar and the Almaty Museum of Arts. Charyn Canyon felt like a mini Grand Canyon with centuries of erosion via wind and water to form these magnificent rock shapes in the red rocks. We camped at the bottom with a few other folks and were treated to a magnificent night of stargazing. Kolsai Lake 1 (didn’t hike to 2) is a stunning turquoise blue color surrounded by lush, green forests in the mountain foothills. The lake was dotted by people on peddleboats. If you didn’t tell me we were in KZ, I’d have guessed somewhere in the Alps or Austria. Kaindy Lake was rainy for us but combined with the fog & clouds it was quite a moody visit. The Aktau Mountains are beautiful and quite colorful; filled with reds, greens, beige and browns. The Singing Dunes are really awesome and one of the more unique things we’ve experienced. We saw it during golden hour; the light/shadows were amazing. We spent an hour just sitting on top of the dune taking it all in. Best of all, when you slide down on your bum you’ll learn why its named singing dunez. Between the aktau mountains & singing dunes (all inside altyn emel), we got 2 flat tires and had to get rescued by an old soviet 4x4 truck (photo 13) so we had quite an adventure. All photos taken on Fuji XT30ii + Tamron 17-70mm + Fuji 55-200mm. submitted by /u/Moist_Grade5942 [link] [comments]
- 1,5 weeks in Kyrgyzstan! 🇰🇬 (July 2025)July 2025 I spent about 1,5 weeks in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan! It was possibly the best experience I've had while travelling. This was part of a larger journey covering Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. This was my first country of the bunch, and my first time visiting Asia! We started out in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The city itself is not very beautiful, but it is interesting, and there is quite a lot to do. There are many great restaurants, museums, statues, etc. Everything there is incredibly affordable. We found apartments for €30/night, beers for €1 and a three course meal for €10. People are generally very friendly, and curious about what you are doing there. Only some of the younger people know some English, but you should assume you can't communicate in English there. Russian and Kyrgyz are the way to go. The Osh bazar in Bishkek is amazing. They have everything you could want, and it's a busy, colourful, tasty place. When I was there in the summer, it was incredibly hot though... After some days in Bishkek, I did a 7-day tour through the incredible nature that Kyrgyzstan has to offer. We were with 3 persons, and it cost about €100 per person, per day. Not too bad considering that renting a 4x4 (which you definitely need), is already €100/day. All dinner, activities and accommodation is included! We did a 2-day horseback trek, while sleeping in yurts, eating local food and enjoying the views. For me, this was one of the highlights of the trip. I had absolutely no previous experience with horse riding, but all went relatively well. I fell of my horse once after it tripped, but no serious injuries. After that we continued with the 4x4, visiting some highlights such as Kel-Suu lake, Song-Kol lake, Tash Rabat, Issyk-Kul lake, and Skazka Canyon. We had an incredibly friendly guide who was around the same age, so we could talk about anything. Some tips I have for if you want to visit: -Pick your season well: in the summer it's scorching hot, and in the winter it's insanely cold. -Use sunscreen, you will absolutely burn alive -Go to local restaurants, try local food, accept locals' offers for a drink. -Get am eSIM beforehand and download YandexGO (Russian Uber), so you can get to the centre easily. Alternatively, you can get the marschrutka for <€2. -Be adventurous; do the scary things, and do the crazy things. The people are incredibly hospitable, and tourism isn't yet very big, but it's growing rapidly. I would recommend visiting soon, to experience authentic Kyrgyzstan!!! Please, let me know if you have any questions. Pictures 1-6: Bishkek 7-8: views while horseback riding 9-10: Song-Kol lake 11-12: views while driving 13-16: Hiking to Kel-Suu lake 17-18: Skazka Canyon 19: horse who knocked me off 20: mosaic busstop submitted by /u/AdmiralCashMoney [link] [comments]
- Uzbekistan (April, 2026)We visited Uzbekistan with my partner earlier this month and I wanted to share some of our pictures with the sub. We did the usual route Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and the fortresses tour. Unfortunately we decided to cancel our Aral Sea tour due to the weather. Overall if you travel in spring I'd say that it is good to have extra days because we were unlucky with rain. We had booked a tour for the fortresses around Khiva, the guide was really nice and so proud of the culture of his region, the Karakalpakstan. We learnt so much. We both agreed that our favorite stop was Samarkand, and since it rained non stop for a day we would have liked to have an extra day there. Samarkand really blew our mind. On the other hand we think that one day is enough for Bukhara. If you can, don't go to Khiva on a sunday, it was packed! There were a lot of kids on school trips. The smaller kids were so cute though, saying hello to us all the time and giggling when we answered them. Khiva was much emptier on Monday. It was nice to not need to take taxis there. Taxis are really cheap! Always make sure to have cash and several cards with you. Sometimes some of our bank cards were not working and we were glad we had several cards and cash. It was our first time outside of somewhat more developed countries and it does require a bit more logistics and planning to transit through the country than we were previously used to. Going from one city to another can be tiring, the noise pollution also tired us because for some reason we were not expecting it. For light sleepers like us we recommend booking nice hotels with good isolation. Like in a lot of places, be aware of scammers. Even before boarding our train someone tried to make us pay more than what we had paid for our tickets, which were completely valid btw. I noticed that when I tried to speak Uzbek to buy bottles of water they were half the price. We had a mix of very good and more cold interactions with people. The food is pretty good too but can feel repetitive after a while. Their chicken shashlik is to die for. The most memorable for us was unsurprisingly, the architecture which is stunning! submitted by /u/SepticemicOxytone [link] [comments]