For the next leg of our travels in Kyrgyzstan (Кыргызстан), we made our way to
the Bel Tam Yurt Camp on the south shores of Issyk Kul Lake (Ысык-Көл).
We used this as our base for 3 days and from there, we took a few different side trips
to some of the most popular sights and attractions in the area.
Here’s a taste of what we got up to:
Well good morning.
It was only a few days ago that we finished our three day horse-trek and today we are
getting back on horses again.
For this half-day trek, we drove from Bokonbayevo (Бөкөнбаев) to the Boz Salkyn Jailoo.
Once we arrived at the yurt camp, we met our horses and set off on an incredibly scenic
ride.
So we have reached our first lookout point of the day.
Over here we have the town of Bokonbayevo (Бөкөнбаев) where we spent our first
night before we went horse-trekking for three days and then over on the left hand side we
have Bel Tam which is the yurt camp where we've been staying.
Yeah.
For the last two days.
Two familiar spots.
Yeah, it is amazing to get that perspective because from this high vantage point you really
get the a great sense of the layout.
Yeah, the geography.
Of course we have the Lake Ysyk Köl.
Issyk-Kol lake (Ысык-Көл).
Yep.
Which is massive.
And there are our horses.
Update.
So we've got back on the horses and we are going up this next mountain and apparently
that is going to be our picnic location.
Picnic lunch.
I love picnic lunches.
Really excited about that.
So yeah, just chilling out for a few minutes here.
Letting the horses eat.
The second stretch of the trek involved riding uphill through the forest, but once we broke
through the tree line, we were treated to amazing views of the surrounding area.
The horses got a little break to munch on wildflowers, and we sat down to enjoy a picnic.
And we've got um sweet wafers, cherries, more bread, juice.
So we're well set.
Thank you.
Oh, and the dog is here for a snack.
Haha.
(Fire crackling)
So next up we're visiting Skazka (Сказка) in Russian or Jormok in Kyrgyz.
And this is basically the land of the fairytale.
The Fairy Tale Canyon.
It is a Fairytale Canyon and if you look at these landscapes you'll see why.
It is just like surreal almost.
The canyon’s name is very fitting as the landscapes really do look straight out of
a fairy tale.
There are parts where the hills look like they’ve been painted in shades of terracotta,
rust, and ochre, and then you also have natural rock formations that rise from the ground.
It’s a really nice place for a light hike and a bit of photo taking.
Alright so this morning we are visiting Manjaly-Ata and this is a sacred Muslim site and here
you're going to find seven different wells and people come and pray here and also drink
water from the wells just to treat different problems and also ask for a miracle.
There is a really popular well for people who can't have children so we're just going
to be walking around.
There is a path to follow and visiting these wells.
While the water of the sacred springs may be the main draw for pilgrims, for us, this
attraction was more about the scenery.
Narrow trails wind up, down, and around the hills and it makes for a fun hike through
some pretty surreal landscapes.
Just don’t forget to bring some water, because the sun can be really strong.
So this week we're going to be staying in some yurts but first up we need to learn how
to assemble them.
Yeah, exactly.
And we've actually stayed overnight in yurts before.
Yeah.
We've had meals in yurts but we've never seen them made so this is going to be amazing to
see if basically being constructed from the ground up.
Assembled right from the ground up.
Yeah.
And we're going to actually be able to help out a little bit I think.
The yurt-building workshop was located in Kyzyl-Tuu Village (Кызыл-Туу).
Here we met Tolosun and his family, who all work together to bring the yurts to life.
Everything you need for the yurts from the wooden poles that make up the ceiling to the
felt that provides insulation, is made here by different members of his family.
So we're not doing too much to help build the yurt but we've been given the task of
helping to decorate it.
Decoration.
That is important.
I like this it kind of reminds me of putting ornaments on a Christmas tree.
Look at that.
And I'm dropping a few of them but that is okay.
Sam the interior designer.
We also learned that this family holds the record for fastest yurt-building time clocking
in under 10 minutes.
They did it a bit slower for us so that we could understand and help out with the process,
but needless to say, they’re pros at this.
And this afternoon what are we up to?
And this afternoon we're learning a bit more about Kyrgyz culture.
Yeah.
So we're going to see an archery demonstration and also some traditional music and maybe
even some eagle hunting.
Woo.
There is a lot of cool stuff coming up.
(Speaking Kyrgyz)
Back in town, we made our way to Federation Salburuun, which is a group focused on keeping
alive the tradition of eagle hunting that’s been passed down to nomads for centuries.
Eagle hunting happens during the winter months, but during the summer months you can attend
demonstrations to learn about this tradition and watch eagles training with furs and hides.
Aside from eagle hunting, the group also practices archery and horseback archery.
Last but not least, we can’t talk about our visit to Issyk Kul’s South Shore without
also mentioning the Bel Tam Yurt Camp.
Not only was staying in a yurt pretty cool, but we loved the friendly staff and the camaraderie
amongst travellers at the camp.
They had a massive dining tent where everyone gathered for communal dinners.
The highlight was getting to know other travellers and swapping tips and stories about Kyrgyzstan
(Киргизия).
And now for the last activity we couldn't come all the way to Issyk-Kul (Ысык-Көл)
and not take a dip in the water.
That is true but one of us had to volunteer and no one was willing to so I lost rock,
paper, scissor bet meaning that I'm going to be the one going in.
Alright.
Let's do it.
(Waves sounds)
How cold is it?
(Splashing)
Hahaha.
Oh my gosh.
That is cold?
That is way too cold to go swimming.
What?
Way too cold.
That is as far as I'm going in.
Womp womp.
Anyways, yeah it I tried it.
I tried it.
To be fair it is early June maybe if you're here in like July or August it might be a
little warmer.
That is a little bit too refreshingly cold for my taste anyways.
But yeah so that is basically a wrapping it up here from Issyk-Kul Lake (Иссык-Куль).
We had a really good time and we're moving on to Karakol (Каракол) next so stay
tuned for adventures from there.