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3-Day Almaty Tour: Assy Plateau, Turgen Waterfalls & Nomad Experience
I recently made my third visit to Kazakhstan, but it was the first time I truly had the chance to explore the country. My first visit, in 2014, was just a short layover in Almaty, while my second, in 2020, was a work trip to Astana. Each time I left disappointed that I hadn’t been able to experience the incredible landscapes and rich culture this vast country is known for. More than anything, I wanted to see the traditional nomadic way of life and the breathtaking scenery that so many travelers rave about. With a long weekend in Beijing, I decided to book a short 3-day tour with Trekking Club.…
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Backpacking Tajikistan – Traveling the Pamir Highway
“Tajik-ah-what?” “Why? “Where is that?” These are the responses I received when I told my friends I was traveling to Tajikistan for vacation. To be fair, I couldn’t blame them. When most people hear a country end in “Stan,” they immediately begin to associate that place with war, terror, and lawlessness. Of course, that isn’t the case with every country ending in Stan, and I set out to show my friends the opposite, and check off one of my bucket list goals – backpack the Pamir Highway. The Pamir Highway is a road traversing the Pamir Mountains through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with a length of over 1,200 km. It…
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Traveling Through Astana, Kazakhstan: The World’s 2nd Coldest Capital City
Astana is Kazakhstan’s capital city and the second coldest capital on earth after Ulaanbaatar. Though probably not the best idea, I went in January, right in the middle of the winter. Compared to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s second largest city, there is considerably less to see in Astana, despite it being marketed as “futuristic capital.” This was my second trip to Kazakhstan (first one back in 2014) and my visit was much better. Being in Astana was the closest thing to stardom I’ve ever experienced. Everywhere I went I was greeted with smiles and asked for a photo. I’m not sure who they thought I was, but I enjoyed the love. If you…
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Trekking Jyrgalan: Boz Uchuk Lakes
Jyrgalan is a town most people traveling to Kyrgyzstan have never heard of, even the locals in Kyrgyzstan! Jyrgalan was once a prosperous mining town during the Soviet era, but suffered financially in the 90s and 2000s. Years ago, Jyrgalan had absolutely 0 tourism, but in 2016, six families came together to form the Jyrgalan Destination Management Organization (DMO). Their mission, according to Jyrgalan.com is to: Build a tourism industry that would bring economic opportunities to the local community, create jobs, and increase the quality of life for local residents. Together, with the assistance of USAID (United States Agency for International Development), Jyrgalan has turned into an off the beaten track…
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A Day Trip to Burana Tower
Burana Tower is a large minaret in the Chuy Valley, which lies very close to the city of Tokmok. Built in the 11th century, Burana is one of the last remaining pieces of the ancient city of Balasagun, which was established at the end of the 9th century. Legend says Burana was constructed to protect the local king who was told his newly-born daughter would die once she reached the age of eighteen. To protect her, he had a tower built where his daughter could live alone, only allowing a servant to bring her food. The daughter grew up and became a beautiful young lady. At the age of eighteen, a poisonous spider…
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How to Get to Jyrgalan From Karakol
Getting from Jyrgalan from Karakol can be done in two ways, taxi or marshrutka. The distance is 47 kilometers and takes roughly an hour and a half by marshrutka. By taxi, it will cost around 1,300 soms. You can have your hotel book the taxi for the best rate. To get to Jyrgalan from Karakol by marshrutka you’ll need to head to the Ak-Tilek Market (the Big Bazaar) bus station, which is located at the intersection of Bektenova and Zhamansariev streets. There are 3 buses per day. In the summer, buses leave at 8:30, 13:30 and 17:30, and in the winter, 8:30, 13:30, and 16:30. Take marshrutka 331, which costs 80 soms. Accommodation here is limited, so it’s best…
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A Backpacker’s Guide to Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a rugged country in Central Asia along the ancient Silk Road. Dubbed the “Switzerland of Central Asia”, Kyrgyzstan is a backpacker’s heaven and the MOST naturally scenic country I have been to so far. Kyrgyzstan is jam-packed with adventure and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone that says otherwise. This is one of my favorite countries and one you must visit. Here’s a backpacker’s guide to Kyrgyzstan. Map created with Wanderlog, a road trip planner app on iOS and Android Visa Process: Kyrgyzstan has the most liberal visa policy in Central Asia. In 2012, Kyrgyzstan introduced a visa-free regime for citizens of 44 countries up to 60 days. These countries…
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Trekking Ala-Kul in One Day
Coming to Kyrgyzstan, trekking Ala-Kul was one of my main goals. Although it was the beginning of June and the lake was still frozen, I wanted to trek Ala-Kul to prepare my body for the 3 day trek that would lie ahead in the upcoming days. Getting to Ala-Kul was fairly simple, I organized a tour with Visit Karakol for the 1 day trek, which cost $160. Getting there…. The next morning, two men picked me up from my hotel and we made our way to the base camp. The route was so scenic, hands down the most beautiful route I have ever seen in my life! I knew Kyrgyzstan…
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Day Trip from Tashkent: Chimgan Mountains and Lake Charvak
Most travelers coming to Uzbekistan fly into Tashkent and continue onward to the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and if time permits, Khiva. While those cities are beautiful and special in their own unique way, some wonder what options exist for those wanting to escape this route and see something off the beaten track in Uzbekistan. I, like many travelers, flew into Tashkent with some extra time to spare and wanted to see something different. While Tashkent is a nice city, there isn’t much to keep you entertained beyond a day. I did a bit of research and stumbled across Chimgan Mountains and Charvak Lake located about an hour and…
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Backpacking Through Bukhara and Samarkand
No trip to Uzbekistan is complete without a visit to the ancient Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Samarkand. Compared to the rest of Central Asia, which is rich in backpacking trails and rugged mountains, Uzbekistan has an abundance of architecture and Bukhara and Samarkand are arguably the best two cities to witness this. Although Bukhara and Samarkand are located just two and a half hours away from one another by the high-speed Sharq train, they are completely different and unique in their own way. Bukhara Recommended Time: 2 days minimum Bukhara is smaller than Samarkand, but is a city you should dedicate more days to. Unlike Samarkand, it feels like…
