Kyrgyzstan, a miniature Mongolia

Part 1

Visiting Kyrgyzstan in late summer 2024. The weather and climate were not as hot and humid as I had imagined, but the dust was everywhere, as the streets here are not yet fully developed or renovated. Potholes appeared in many places, much like Vietnam 20 years ago.

Unlike Vietnam, here the vehicles are not motorcycles, but many different kinds of cars. From old Soviet-era vehicles to newer ones, but there is no electric car or fancy, expensive sports cars. Most vehicles here run on gasoline, so the air in the capital city of Bishkek is not very fresh, and it wouldn't be an interesting stop for tourists. To see the true beauty of Kyrgyzstan, one needs to travel for hours or even days outside the city.

Kyrgyzstan's infrastructure is still developing, so most travel involves renting a car with a driver or self-driving since public transportation is quite limited. There is no metro, and the train system is still incomplete—only buses are available, but with very limited stops.

I prefer independent travel, exploring untouched places, so I didn’t choose any tours here. As usual, I prioritized spontaneity, planning only 50% of my trip and leaving the rest to fate. In the early days, I found a group to rent a car with, and we road-tripped along the southern road of Issyk-Kul lake. We started from Bishkek, heading to Burana Tower, Song-Kol Lake, then to Fairytale Canyon "Skazka," and finally to Barskoon Spring. The last stop on this journey was the city of Karakol.

Our vehicle was a jeep camper, very old but still perfect for traveling along winding, rugged stone roads and crossing streams when necessary. Renting it wasn’t cheap at about $100 per day, but fortunately, fuel here is quite inexpensive.

The highlight of the trip was the road up to Song-Kol Lake, located 2,000 meters above sea level. The air here is very fresh, and temperatures drop sharply at night, feeling like autumn in Norway. When night falls, everything becomes quiet—only a few yurts, herds of sheep, and horses remain. At night, everything is peaceful, and the best part is the opportunity to see the Milky Way in the night sky. Although this didn’t happen for me, I couldn’t sleep early and spent about an hour standing outside the yurt near the lake, gazing at the countless stars. I told my friends before the trip that I would "upgrade" my hostel, turning it into a sleeping-under-thousand-stars experience when I reached Kyrgyzstan.

During the tourist season, from May to September, many small families gather here to provide services for visitors and then return to the city when the peak season ends. However, there are also families who live here year-round. I was quite impressed with the typical yurts, the sheep and horses—some herds numbering up to a hundred. You know, Kyrgyzstan is truly a land of livestock! 😊

The mothers would serve us breakfast and dinner, while the fathers would guide us and observe us as we interacted with the horses. They also took care of heavy tasks like hauling water up the mountain or slaughtering sheep for dinner. They did these things with skill and agility. What caught my attention was that they didn’t waste any part of the sheep; even the fat was used as fuel for heating. I could feel the simplicity and beauty of their lives, true farmers, especially impressed by the young shepherds who were so full of character as they guided their horses.

The nature here is magnificent and stunning, making me feel like I had stepped into the era of the Mongols, with vast, endless grasslands. I didn’t dare sleep along the roads for fear of missing the untouched, breathtaking beauty of this land. The towering mountains, with their many colors—green, yellow, brown, gray, black, and white snow—were extraordinary.

I’ve shared some pictures on Instagram, so you can take a look and experience the beauty of this place!