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As the truck journeyed out of Osh toward the final stretch of their overland adventure, Alexis reflected on the concentrated beauty and rich traditions they encountered throughout Kyrgyzstan. Each stop offered sweeping landscapes, nomadic hospitality, and moments of spontaneous wonder - from camping beside the sparkling Toktogul Reservoir to tasting bubbling kumis in the high-altitude Suusamyr valley. With every kilometer, the travelers drew closer to the end of their time on the truck and the beginning of a new chapter through China. But before crossing the border, there was still magic to experience - yurt camps, eagle hunters, canyon sunsets, and a memorable lakeside farewell. This part of the journey stood as a heartfelt tribute to Kyrgyzstan - a fitting sendoff. OSH TO TOKTOGUL RESERVOIR BUSH CAMP Toktogul is the largest water reservoir in all of Central Asia. It is a major source of electricity for Kyrgyzstan and its surroundings and is a hugely popular spot for recreation due to its beauty, warm waters and proximity to both Osh and Bishkek. Unfortunately, its creation in the 70s led to the displacement of tens of thousands and buried treasures of antiquity along with it. The drive in, following the striking blue of the Naryn River, was epic and the reservoir far more beautiful than I expected. The shores were overflowing with families and friends making the most of the warm weather, which added a ton to our bush camp location. Gorgeous sunset, a nice meal and an unfortunate rendition of the Australian Nutbush (I can’t believe I’m allowing this video to be seen!) rounded out this lovely day. TOKTOGUL TO SUUSAMYR Every year people make a pilgrimage to the high-altitude Suusamyr valley to have a taste of the country’s best kumis. This fermented mare’s milk is said to have a myriad of healing properties and one can do multi-day kumis treatments here. The valley, surrounded by the epic Tian Shen Mountains, is a vivid green and dotted with wildflowers. Nomadic families come here every spring and summer with their animals and set up stands with kumis, kaymak, kurut, fresh honey and more. It’s a beautiful place. We stopped here because a planned overnight in Ala Archa National Park wasn’t possible due to new regulations, and I was looking for a worthwhile stop close to Bishkek. A yurt camp run by a woman who competes in equestrian archery competitions allowed us to camp there. I won’t say it was the best yurt camp in the world, but the family came through with a last-minute dinner when violent wind hit and—who could be mad at anything with these views? As always, Kyrgyz hospitality shines. Kumis was far less popular! And this version was more complex than others I’ve tried. I’m not sure that made it better, but it is something important to try and a real taste of place. (Unfortunately, I forgot to photograph the still bubbling kumis I bought that was poured into an old Fanta bottle.) SUUSAMYR TO BISHKEK Oh Bishkek. There is something about this city. I arrived here 2 years ago about to embark on a brand-new adventure, a little bit terrified and uncertain, and it all ended up changing my life in many ways. It is a city I feel sentimental about. A city I’m so happy to be back in. It is a big, very much alive capital with anything and everything you could ever want, but it also feels small. It isn’t claustrophobic. Its wide avenues and countless green spaces make sure of that. It is very pleasant and has a kind of Soviet charm. Bishkek somehow makes brutalist architecture soft and charming. It is not ostentatious like many big Central Asian cities (looking at you Ashgabat, Dushanbe and Astana). It isn’t a city with a million things to do, but it also isn’t a place where you can easily get bored. So many people to meet, life to watch, cafes to linger in, art to consume. Speaking of consumption, I started my visit with taking the group to my favorite brewery, Save the Ales. I was deeply saddened to learn that the government has claimed their building and they are closing in a few days. A group meal to bid adieu to a few at the best Georgian restaurant in town followed. As much as I love being here, I couldn’t exactly enjoy it as much as I would have liked as I had a to-do list as long as the Ruhnama to get through. But I did manage to finally see a performance inside the Opera and Ballet House. It was everything I had dreamed of and more. We went to see Vivaldi by candlelight—so not actually inside the main stage—but it was so atmospheric, and the detail in the building was fantastic. I loved that the trim on the ceiling and floors is a classic Kyrgyz pattern and that the walls are lined with portraits of Kyrgyz artists. It was pretty magical for me and the musicians were really fantastic. Have I mentioned I love this city? I did manage a few walks and my favorite cafe as well and can’t wait to come back! Bishkek and I have a long date in August. BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN TO ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN Almaty is a world-class city that begs one to stay. It is very alive, very cosmopolitan, very beautiful, very grand—without being ostentatious like some other cities of the region (Ashgabat comes to mind). The food scene, the nightlife, the arts and culture are all top-notch. The parks, flowers, green spaces and the mountains that surround add so much life. It is also an extremely walkable city, which I love. I really like it here. The border crossing was relatively smooth and we arrived quite handily. Our hostel didn’t have enough rooms so I booked myself into a hotel—and there on the counter, as if there was a spotlight on it, was a flyer for a Cuban play. A Cuban play written by a Kazakhstani Cuban. I mean. The date on the flyer was that day! I got deeply excited, but unfortunately the date had changed to September and I was unable to see it. My life is a lot richer though, knowing there are Kazakhstani Cubans! This one also has a dance school providing Central Asia with cubanidad. I had several errands to run on our free day, but I learned that Al had never been to Panfilov Park or the Green Bazaar! So off we went. Being that it was Sunday, there was a service at the Ascension Cathedral which was quite interesting to witness. Not surprisingly, Russian and Greek Orthodox services are very similar. I had often said it was a shame not to be able to cook group shop in places like the Green Bazaar, but now I had the opportunity! It is so much fun and the produce and products are superb. That evening I attended a play at a very small, community theater type thing. It was a Russian version of Some Like It Hot and wow—it was awesome. Exactly how you would picture such a thing. We couldn’t understand a word but it was hilarious and the actors brought serious energy. Over the top. Excellent short stop in Almaty. ALMATY TO ALTYN EMEL NATIONAL PARK Beautiful scenery on the drive today (every day is beautiful driving in Central Asia). The difference today is visiting a national park where the famous Kazakh steppe meets sand dunes. On the way, we stopped for roadside shashlik—one of my favorite lunch stops on the trip because it cannot get more local, and it is delicious. Surprisingly, almost everyone was willing to try some roadside meat, which made me very happy! Altyn Emel is most famous for its Singing Dune, so named for the sound it makes when hit by wind. I heard a legend that says an angry monster was turned into sand as punishment for his sins and he expresses his anger in song—and I like that story better! On to the guesthouse, where I had arranged for musicians and dancers to come over for a birthday celebration. Apparently, this had never been requested before, so it was an experiment—but they were brilliant! It was so much fun. ALTYN EMEL TO CHARYN CANYON BUSH CAMP Today we took a small detour because I wanted the group to see the 19th-century Chinese mosque in Zharkent. This city is less than 30 km from the China border and historically was a small Uighur settlement, once administered by the Qing Dynasty. It is a fascinating and beautiful merging of Central Asian and Chinese styles. On we went to 12-million-year-old Charyn Canyon. The canyon is spectacular and it felt great to move. Gorgeous scenery and some camels as we drove to our bush camp. The spot was absolutely spectacular with wild horses and incredible layers of landscape and colors of sunset. Al and I had found bacon—a rarity in these parts—so we did a mashup of bacon and eggs and arroz con huevo frito y frijoles. Big hit! CHARYN CANYON, KAZAKHSTAN TO ALTYN ARASHAN, KYRGYZSTAN Incredible driving as we crossed back into Kyrgyzstan. The fields were just exploding with wildflowers. The Tian Shen mountains stretching out across the border post were a welcome sight, and it was quite possibly the quickest crossing of all time! We were in Karakol very quickly as the road works of the last couple of years had finally been completed. I, of course, had to have a bowl of Ashlam Fu, the Dungan cold noodle soup often served with Pirozhki. I love it so much. Karakol has great vibes. It is always a welcome stop, but this trip we weren’t here to stay the night—we were here to get picked up by the biggest, gnarliest Russian off-road vehicle and taken across what is considered to be one of the world’s worst roads. The destination: deep into Altyn Arashan where our mountain hut home awaited. How these vehicles can do this drive I will never know. It was absolutely insane but outrageously beautiful. Another magical spot in this magical country. The family that runs it are wonderful and made us feel so welcome. The landscape around is unbelievable and famously dotted with hot springs. Most people elected to ride horses while some hiked through the majestic scenery. Kyrgyzstan hits it out of the park once again. ALTYN ARASHAN TO JETI OGUZ Another wild, death-defying ride down the mountain and back to Karakol for some shopping before heading to Jeti Oguz. Mountains, horses, pastures, yurts, hiking. What can be better? This was my first ever yurt camp a couple of years ago and it’s a special one. Our free day here was spent hiking to a waterfall and the hike reveals such magnificent views. The waterfall ain’t bad either! Al and I popped into a tiny yurt camp and asked for some food. They didn’t have much, but they were lovely and we dined in a beautiful yurt—complete with a kitten. Happy days. JETI OGUZ TO ISSY KUL BUSH CAMP Today we left the mountains and headed to the second-largest mountain lake in the world! On the way, we stopped in Karakol again for our final official cook group shop and visited Skazka Canyon. The legend of “Fairytale Canyon” and the surrounding lake involves a beautiful woman and a dragon spurned. This country likes a legend involving a sleeping monster. The canyon is beautiful, especially as you climb and see subtle color variations and the view of Issy Kul. We bush camped at the shore and it really feels like looking at a vast ocean. There are parts where the water is a Caribbean blue even. Being surrounded by the snow-capped Tien Shen Mountains and looking out at fantastical rock formations while you swim in the waters makes it especially magical. Sunsets and sunrises here are perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better place to have our last night in the tents. ISSY KUL BUSH CAMP TO KOCHKOR Eagle hunting—that is, hunting with eagles—is an ancient tradition in Kyrgyzstan and there are about 50 hunters keeping the practice alive. Today we met one of them and were able to experience a demonstration to learn about the history and techniques used to train these incredible birds. You could tell how bonded man and animal were and it’s truly an amazing thing to witness. Also, they weigh a ton! (Up to 7 kg. They only hunt with females as they are much bigger than the males.) For an entirely different local experience, I then took the group to a wonderfully bizarre Soviet-era hot springs before arriving in Kochkor. Our first stop was Altyn Kol—a woman’s cooperative that produces traditional felt pieces and where we get to learn and participate in the making of them. Our homestay here is one of my favorites, just such a charming place run by the kindest family. It is nice to feel at home and be fed home-cooked food and slow down a minute before hitting the road again. Son Kul is next! KOCHKOR TO SON KUL Son Kul remains one of my favorite places on earth. It is sprinkled with magic. It isn’t only the outward beauty of the place—it’s the people, it’s the vibe. The beauty though is outrageous and impossible to fully capture or properly express with words. Even the entire drive there is magic. Mountain passes, wildflowers, nomadic families, and open pastures teeming with animals as the alpine lake reveals itself. I mean, what could be more magical than horses running free with this backdrop? Our arrival was met with a bit of freezing rain, but otherwise we got extremely lucky with the weather and the sun was shining bright. I love this place. I love their yurts. I love the family that runs it. And I love the view over all of Son Kul. I couldn’t possibly contain it to one post—so there is another coming! SON KUL Our full day here started with Kok Boru, the Kyrgyz national sport. To say watching this is unreal is an understatement. The level of horsemanship and athleticism on display is wild—and these are amateurs! Basically, there are two teams on horseback and the objective is to get the “ball” from the center of the pitch to your team’s goal. The “ball” is a decapitated goat carcass. The winning team gets to consume the very tenderized goat. I’ve seen this twice before, and this time came with two new and unexpected experiences. Unfortunately, the first was arriving to find the goat was still alive—it was a bit unnerving to see the wildflowers turn a bright red with blood. The second new experience was the players getting so into the game they often charged into us—so there was a lot of adrenaline-filled running away involved. Just an extra level of excitement to this wild game. We witnessed some other horse games as well: wrestling and picking up money off the ground while going full speed. It is crazy what these guys and their horses can do. Son Kul is the stop before our very last day on the truck and last night before China, and so I tasked the final cook group with party planning (as the end of truck trip certainly calls for it!)—and they really hit it out of the park! They decorated the dining yurt and designed an elaborate quiz game with questions about the trip—it was so much fun. They even did a relay race! I was super impressed with them and with everyone for bringing real spirit to the festivities. After the winning team was announced, Al and I were asked to leave. When we returned, we walked into something neither of us had ever experienced on a trip before—a song written especially for us, performed by the whole group. And wow. Between the party quiz and this, I was blown away by the thought and effort. New prized possession: a book with the lyrics to the song and beautiful notes written by everyone. This trip has truly been special and a pleasure to run… but it’s not over yet! One more day and we start our public transport adventure across the whole of China. SON KUL TO NARYN That’s it. Last day on the truck. What a journey this has been. Three months ago we set off from Istanbul, and now we are in Naryn—a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Chinese border. Not just any border—one of the wildest one can cross in the world. But first came Naryn, which ended up being a quite pleasant small city surrounded by mountains and friendly people. We had a lovely homestay here, and the universe aligned when we were served plov while I was wearing my "All You Need is Plov" shirt! The stop, though, was mainly a place to pack up and prepare for China. The Torugart border and Kashgar next! View the full article

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