Central Kyrgyzstan and Song Kul
Days 83, 84 and 85, 14530 km
Day 83 - Today, we embarked on a roughly 200 km journey heading west into central Kyrgyzstan. The landscape shifted significantly from the European mountain vibe we experienced the last couple of days here to a distinctly Central Asian feel, featuring rocky terrain in various earthy tones, reminiscent of what we saw in Afghanistan. The road was a mix of gravel track and dirt, but it was flat and much easier and quicker to ride than in Afghanistan. Of course, falls can occur, but fortunately, most of the time they happen while standing, just losing our footing and balance on the steep sections. The biggest challenge is getting the heavy bike back upright, but it’s nothing to stress about. And let’s not forget the horses; they are very much present here in Kyrgyzstan. Before you can walk, you definitely need to know how to ride a horse here. By the end of the day, we discovered one of the most stunning camping spots yet, tucked away in a valley with no signs of civilisation in sight. We road across the steppe and grasslands to set up camp. So far so good, but unfortunately, there was no water flowing in the riverbed close by so we couldn’t cool the one beer that survived today’s falls. But honestly, the view was all we needed.
Day 84 - Some days of riding are simply about getting from point A to point B, but today was quite the opposite. The views were absolutely breathtaking. We traversed through deep valleys, gaining more elevation until we finally reached the summit of the Kara-Koo pass at 3600 meters. This pass is located in the Tian Shan mountain range, and its name translates to "Black Valley," which reflects its stunning natural features. The rocky cliffs surrounding the area cast deep shadows, adding an air of mystery and dramatic beauty. The road over the pass is known as Kyrgyzstan's most scenic route, and it's easy to see why. Once we descended into the valley below, we followed sandstone-colored rock formations until we arrived at Jangy-Talap. We refueled and enjoyed lunch before heading north, climbing steeply through picturesque mountain scenery reminiscent of Switzerland towards the Moldo Ashuu pass, again high up at 3300 m. And then, everything transforms. The views open up for kilometers and kilometers, revealing only green pastures, yurts, and thousands of sheep, horses, and cows, all surrounded by lush hills and mountain peaks. It feels a bit like being on another planet, I imagine Mars, but in green. We are at an altitude of 3000 m and soon arrive at Song-Kul, where we will spend the night in a yurt.
Day 84 - Song Kul. We are finally reaching the Song-Kul plateau, and although the lake isn't visible yet, the scenery is absolutely stunning. On one side, we have the pass we just rode up, and on the other, the vast plateau. This is my second visit here, and just like the first time, it never fails to take my breath away. For me, it's one of those magical places on earth. Perhaps I just have a soft spot for wide-open spaces. And here, there's an abundance of it—a vast expanse of emptiness. Aside from the pastures and animals, all you see are the rolling hills and the dirt path that winds down towards Song-Kul lake, which sits at an altitude of 3000 meters. Time to ride down and find a place to sleep.
Day 84 - Here are some shots from our camp at Song-Kul. It gets chilly quickly up here, and we settled into a cozy little yurt camp for the night. The camp was also home to a cow, lots of horses, and a lively young sheep that kept running around everyone baaa’ing. Imagine your new baby dog you just got; it was just like that. We soon discovered that the young sheep is great friends with the white stallion, and we enjoyed watching them play all evening before being served Kuurdak, the traditional Kyrgyz potatoes and mutton. After dinner, we checked to see if our little lamb was still around and are pleased to say it didn’t end up on our plate.
Day 85 - Rain fell overnight, but the skies cleared up quickly, revealing a beautiful crystal clear view. We set off on the trail, primarily riding on dirt and gravel paths across the plateau as we descended the Kara Keche pass, located to the west of the lake. We traversed the valley on endless stretches of fast-driving washboard piste before making our way back up to Kyzyl-Oi for camping. On days like this, we cover 150 km of off-road dirt track riding over plateaus and through valleys, exploring some of Kyrgyzstan's most stunning landscapes. We feel a total sense of freedom. At least until when the mosquitoes began to eat our very bodies at the camp later that night. We started a camp fire, creating plenty of smoke to ward off these agressive vampires. Our reasoning was that smoky clothes were a small price to pay on our already sweat-soaked and stinky garments, but it effectively kept the mosquitoes at bay. And it did.
