After spending a few days in the Issyk-Kul region, we left Kaji-Say and drove westwards towards the end of the lake, then southwards to Naryn. There, we’d have dinner, relax and start early the next day. That was the plan. Lake Song-Kuul (or: The Road to Song-Kuul) Some 80 km before Naryn, there’s a turnoff…
Category: Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan: Higher and Higher From Lake Issyk-Kul to the Seouk Pass
Barskoon Valley From the small town of Barskoon on the southern shore of lake Issyk-Kul, a road leads away from the lake and into the mountains, following the river through the beautiful valley. Barskoon was once an important trading post on the Silk Road. Crossing several mountain passes, the route connected the region with China….
Issyk-Kul: The Big Mountain Lake Kyrgyzstan: Karakol & Issyk-Kul Region
The Karkara border crossing between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is only open during the summer months. This is not surprising considering its remote location in the mountains. There are no facilities, shops, or money changers, and the road on both sides of the border is unpaved and at times in bad shape. Thanks to this place’s…
Kazakhstan: Land of Landscapes & Lakes Kolsay, Kaindy & Tuzkol Lakes
We left the Charyn Canyon when the sun was already setting over the orange-red cliffs of the canyon, intensifying the colors even more. That night, we planned to stay in Saty, a small village close to Kolsai Lakes National Park. The drive there took us through a steppe plain of rare beauty. In the distance,…
Aktau Mountains & Charyn Canyon: Kazakhstan Rocks Altyn-Emel National Park & Charyn Canyon, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
How to get to Altyn-Emel National Park On a map, Altyn-Emel National Park doesn’t seem to be far away from Almaty. It’s about 260 km – a 4 hours drive – from the city. It’s possible to go with a tour operator but having your own wheels is always great. A 4×4 is not essential…
Almaty: The Big Apple Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the largest Central Asian country as well as the world’s largest landlocked country – it’s the size of western Europe. It’s also Central Asia’s richest nation, generating 60% of the region’s GDP, thanks to its oil and gas reserves. The country’s official language is Kazakh, a Turkic language currently written in Cyrillic script…