Kyrgyzstan dreaming

Kyrgyzstan, the mountainous and remote country in Central Asia, home to the PEdAL ED Silk Road Mountain Race is home to many more exceptional memories. I travelled its unspoilt mountainscapes, colourful canyons, clammy walnut forests and rolling jailoos in Spring 2018. I hitchhiked along with semi-nomadic, yurt-dwelling shepherds for a couple of days and found a safehaven, a memory that brings peace to mind whenever needed. Kyrgyzstan, the land that lives in a traditional way hand in hand with the seasons.

Central Asia has been charming me for some time now. The final push to book my ticket was given by Frederik Buyckx, one of my favourite Belgian photographers. He has been exploring the isolated majestic mountain landscapes and documented the connection between man, nature and horse. His book Horse Head shows the overwhelming beauty of the country and its vulnerability to the ruthless power of nature. When I asked him what comes to mind when he thinks about Kyrgyzstan, he referred to the infinite landscapes and the feeling of really being away from everything. Just you, as a little dot, on a big white canvas.

One of my best friends has lived in Bishkek for a while to study Russian. She brought me in contact with Nuraly Turganbaev, Professor at the University and owner of Eco Nomad, an Ecotourism Agency. I spent some time with his son Ulan while travelling the country. On the way to Ulan’s granny who lives in At-Bashy, we passed by the Kyrgyz miniature Grand Canyon called Konorchek. It’s always nice to stretch your legs in surroundings that make you wonder whether you are still on Planet Earth. The highlight of the trip was spending time with his semi-nomadic family in a secluded summer pasture where they take their herds to graze, jailoo kamandy where the stunning yurt forms the centerpiece.

I mounted Thorat, a small horse of the traditional Kyrgyz breed, to wander through rivers and valleys, tiptoe on steep mountain flanks and cliffs, galop on plateaus to return trotting to our jailoo. I also spent many kilometers on foot admiring colourful sandstone canyons and dazzling alpine lakes. My goal is to go back and acquaint my bike with this enchanting country. I reached out to Ulan to ask him how the cycling community looks like in Kyrgyzstan.

Ulan, as you guide tourists throughout Kyrgyzstan during summer, you must be very familiar with the most remarkable places in your country. What are Kyrgyzstan’s charms when it comes to cycling?

There are many trails located in the majestic mountains of Tian Shan. High passes, summer pastures, beautiful lakes, canyons. Following the trail of the Kyrgyz nomads, cyclists will be able to admire the enchanting and unspoilt nature of places. Given the terrain and the elevation (1000 m to 3500 m), it is recommended to be in good physical condition though. I would also recommend using a mountainbike to explore the country.

Do you cycle yourself?

I started cycling myself last year since normally I am on a horse or snowboard. Thanks to tourism however, I was motivated to start cycling. I organized a mtb trip last year for some guests. We cycled 300 km up in the mountains, crossing over high passes. At first, the mountains were a big challenge for me. I have strong legs but when it comes to cycling up to 3000m of altitude I couldn’t feel my muscles anymore. But I love it so much. Practice makes perfect! If you are a good cyclist in a strong physical condition, the only thing you need to do is adapt to the altitude.

Can you pitch your tent anywhere in the country?

Yes, there is no problem with that. Wherever you stop you can pitch your tent and camp wild, always while respecting nature of course. The Kyrgyz people are also very warm-hearted and invite you to stay over. Homestays are a typical way to travel in our country.

Where would you definitely take me if I were to come and visit you by bike?

Kol-Suu lake, Song-Kol lake, Eki Naryn valley… too many places on my mind! My favourite place is the Pamir range and the many lakes (Song-Kol, Kol-Suu, Ala Kol,…).

Quite some foreigners cycle across Kyrgyzstan, however knowing that the horse is the most common ‘vehicle’ in Kyrgyzstan, is there also a local gravel or cycling scene?

The horse is the cornerstone in our culture and way of life. During their childhood, Kyrgyz nomads were taught how to be excellent horse riders. Even today, in Kyrgyzstan, more than anywhere else, the horse has a great place in the traditions and way of life of the semi-nomads. Children, although on school holidays, don't lack work in the pastures and help their parents taking care of the animals. When they complete their tasks, they can’t wait to have fun around the yurt and to ride a horse as soon as they have the opportunity. The horse is something sacred for the Kyrgyz, in particular for semi-nomads. Therefore, the cycling scene is not as in other countries. However, we see more and more, that the local population is trying to ride a bike. Tourism and foreigners passing by on a bike motivate the Kyrgyz to do the same.

Kyrghyzstan has its own famous sports, the most peculiar being the Dead goat polo. Can you tell us about that?

Well, the game is called “Kok-Boru”. Kok-Boru is a combination of a race and a game. Riders are fighting for the carcass of a goat — it is necessary not only to take possession of it, but also to hold it, and then throw it into the "Kazan" (gate) of the opposing team. One team consists of 8 to 12 riders with horse, but only four horsemen from each team enter the game at the same time. Participants have the right to change and even change their horses.

Tell us a bit about Eco-nomad.

EcoNomad is a travel agency founded by Nuraly Turganbaev who is my dad. He is also a Professor teaching French at the Kyrgyz National University in Bishkek. EcoNomad aims to be an agency that listens to the longings of its clients by offering them tailor-made tours in the fields of ecotourism and culture. EcoNomad offers responsible travel and specific stays focused on ecotourism in Kyrgyzstan. One of the things that sets us apart is that we are able to let our guests discover and immerse in the traditional way of life of the nomads by offering overnight stays with the locals, in the yurts on remote jailoos. EcoNomad doesn’t only focus on tourism. We also inform the local population about the depletion of natural resources and try to encourage people to take the right actions in that regard. Our educative and informative role also focuses on the preservation of biodiversity, which is increasingly threatened.

That sounds like a great initiative. Is a big part of the population still semi-nomadic? Can you tell us a bit about the transhumance?

Actually, I am in At-Bachy now. Tomorrow we are leaving the village to go to the pasture. My uncle lives a semi-nomadic life. In May they go to the summer pasture and come back in October to the village. So 5 to 6 months per year, they spend their time in the jailoo. They take everything with them (yurts, kitchen appliances etc.). EcoNomad provides transhumance tours, to make the tourist really get a feel of this semi nomadic life.

And that’s where I want to end since my most vivid memory of this beautiful country is lying awake in the yurt at Jailoo Kamandy, my head struggling to grasp the beauty I experienced during the day. It’s nice to realize that you are at the heart of one of the most precious moments in your life.

Words: Sofie Schuer

Photography : Frederik Buyckx