It is cold. It is really, really cold. It is also breath takingly beautiful.
A small group of adventurous travellers are standing beside me on the shore of Son Kul Lake, watching hundreds of horses kicking up the dust as they race by. A lone rider in a red shirt is herding the horses to winter grazing grounds in valleys far below.
Kyrgyzstan has never been on my travel radar, so I am still not sure how I ended up here. But this truly is an awe-inspiring destination – as was the bone rattling drive here. I suspect a few of my inner organs had traded places during the journey.
There were white-knuckle moments where the road appears to simply disappear over a crevasse. Towering mountainous crags surround us, and skies are so incredibly blue it felt like we were travelling through a post card. Beautiful, savage and vast beyond belief. And cold.
Winter is coming and the white yurts await our arrival. After storing ur packs, we head for sustenance.
Meals are shared in a central yurt. The food is simple but plentiful and we all soaked in the warmth of the dining yurt. Dinner began with a plate of sliced tomatoes and cucumber. A soup with potatoes, big chunks of carrot and beef was then served, followed by dumplings filled with meat and onions. Bowls of sweet grapes, peanuts, cookies and colorfully wrapped candy were placed on the table. Hot tea was served, and a bottle of Kyrgyz vodka appeared from someone’s pack.
Tired from our long journey and warmed by the substantial meal, we prepare for the night – but not before taking in the night sky. A blanket of stars appeared, unfiltered by man-made light. Silence fell as we take in the universe above us. Then the cold wind hit, and we all scurry to the warmth of our respective yurts.
A small group of women are sharing this yurt, which has 5 beds with layers of thick blankets. There is a small wood stove which had been lit earlier in the evening to warm the yurt before our sleep. (It must have had a malfunction, as many of us woke up in the middle of the night from the noise of chattering teeth …. or possibly my snoring).
Morning brought frost and a lone cow eating finishing off a bag of chips left outside the men’s tent. We all bundled up and headed to the dining tent for breakfast – plums and apples, oats cooked in thick milk and a fried egg. Plus the ever-present plates of cucumbers and tomatoes. A staple of every meal in Central Asia.
Kyrgyzstan (and Central Asia) is a must do if you want to take the road less travelled. It is not for the faint of heart. But it offers the kind of experiences that you will never forget.