Kyrgyzstan - Yurts, horses and mountains

Local Kyrgys enjoying a day out

Moving a yurt to lower pastures

Campsite at 3100m

With two weeks in Kyrgyzstan we have been able to slow down and enjoy the spectacular scenery. Apart from a couple of cloudy days, when we have had brief  thunderstorms, the weather has been warm and sunny with a hint of Autumn in the air. The first snowfall on the mountains above 3,000m, the nomads packing their yurts they have lived in during the summer and bringing their sheep and horses down from the high pasture, and the leaves starting to turn golden yellow in the higher areas. Driving the main road between Bishkek - the capital - and Osh the second city entails climbing up two ranges of mountains and crossing passes at over 3,000m with the roads winding 50kms up spectacular valleys. Apart from the stretches of potholed road and the slow lorries regular stops had to be made to negotiate flocks of sheep and horses. This is not a country in which to hurry!


Yurts in Summer Pastures

Making the most of the off road capability of the van we have found some spectacular places to camp in the mountains. When it is near time to stop we drive up a minor road, then look for a track heading off into unused land, and drive a kilometre or so looking for a level place to stop. With one or two exceptions this has resulted in very quiet overnight stops with spectacular views. In the 400kms from Bishkek we have been through an amazing variety of scenery, from 4500m high snow capped mountains, along valleys with cascading rivers, across steppe like grassland, alongside lakes and through forest. The locals are friendly and inquisitive and wear colourful costumes. Most notable are the felt hats worn by many men, particularly the older men, and the lacy bunches worn by all the tounger schoolgirls, and which have been a feature in all the Stans.


Kyrgyz Schoolgirls
 



Kyrgyz women



Bringing down the flocks