19. – 24. August 2023     From Kyzyl Oi to Bishkek we still had a long way to go. First we had to drive along a dusty road, from a narrow valley to a wide one.       The wide valley is called Suusamyr and is about 100 km long and 40 km … Continue reading Kyzyl Oi -> Bishkek – three Good-byes → Read more

18. August 2023     Kyzyl Oi has some tourism, which we saw on some guesthouse signs and another tourist couple. It is praised as one of the few villages that still have good structures from pre-Soviet times. The only village in this area on the old Silk Road, it was one of the rarer … Continue reading Kyzyl Oi – hiking day with little surprises → Read more

17. August 2023     Our driver Erik knew almost no English words. But one thing was very important to him: “asphalt”. And every time there was none, he looked sad: “no asphalt” and then when it was tarred again, his eyes lit up “asphalt!”. We joined him. So far, I had experienced very good … Continue reading Song Kul -> Kyzyl Oi – Amazing Rocking → Read more

15. + 16. August 2023     The horses at Song Kul are very numerous and look so pretty in the pictures that they get their own post. At a minimum, each family has so many that everyone can sit on them. They are needed to keep herds or individual animals together and to cover … Continue reading Song Kul II – a Horsepost → Read more

15. + 16. August 2023     We set off for Song Kul in the early morning. To do this, you first drive along a beautiful road, get closer and closer to the mountains and then turn off.       The road then continues roughly on a dust track, first over a small pass … Continue reading Song Kul I – Lake, Yurts and Animals → Read more

13. + 14. August 2023     From Kara Taala it was not so far to our next destination: Kara Suu, a village very close to Kochkor. What always amazes me here is the amount of (Soviet) monuments – besides the countless statues and busts of the deceased. It was again through great countryside, relatively … Continue reading Kara Suu – Camels, Felt and Thread → Read more

10. – 12. August 2023     On departure morning, our luggage was put into the panniers and ridden to the car by our driver. We followed on foot. Then we drove further along the valley through several villages. The villages always had asphalt road, in between was dust track.         At … Continue reading Tuura Suu + Kara Taala – Teachers, Communication and Walls → Read more

8. + 9. August 2023     I think I am too small for my luggage…..   We started by car and drove a few kilometres to a car park in Bokonbaevo.     A small car arrived there, the doors opened and a loud whistling noise was immediately heard. Two men got out of … Continue reading Bokonbaevo + Temir Kanat – Eagles, Flowers and Mushrooms → Read more

7. August 2023     The accommodation in Karakol had set up a yurt in the garden where meals were served. After breakfast, we started our onward journey to the south side of Issyk Kul. This route is not as busy as the north side, where there is more accommodation and holidaymakers. It was overcast … Continue reading Karakol -> Bokonbaevo – Bulls, Fairytale and Water → Read more

5. + 6. August 2023     We started early from Chon Kemin because a festival was to take place in Tamchy on the Issyk Kul. We drove back to the main road and then along the Issyk Kul, the huge lake 182 km long and 60 km wide at 1,600 metres. It is the … Continue reading Cholpon Ata + Karakol – almost repeats from the previous year → Read more