The recent news of the turmoil in Kyrgyztan, a land-locked country in the heart of Central Asia, nestled in by the towering Tien Shan mountains, was heartbreaking. Protests and riots have erupted around the ongoing political unrest regarding the elections. This crisis, coupled with the economic impacts from the pandemic, has proved to be devastating for this nation.
It feels like a different era compared to the time I visited the beautiful countryside inhabited by nomadic herders and sparsely populated towns and villages. I still remember standing in awe admiring the snow-capped peaks of the Tien Shan range reaching for the azure skies.
I do hope that, for the sake of the amazing people I met in Kyrgyzstan, that things return to normalcy.
Arslanbob
Kyrgyzstan
Abode of the mountains
"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world"
The warm afternoon sun was shining brightly over a remote village nestled of Arslanbob in the southern reaches of the mountains country of Kyrgyzstan. The jagged snow-capped peaks of the Krebet Babash-ata mountain range rose from behind the foothills, anchoring the beauty of the alpine village. Fresh montane breeze flowing down from the mountains was a soothing relief after the hard climb to get here.
This remote village at the heart of the largest naturally occurring walnut forest was perhaps one of the most picturesque and relaxing villages I have every stayed in. Time and people proceeded slowly, and with surroundings like this, I don't blame them. While I didn't stay in this place for long, I got to experience a slice of this peaceful life.
Arslanbob
Jalal-abad, Kyrgyzstan
Horses of Kyrgyzstan
High in the Tienshan lies several beautiful grassy meadows that serve as the summer pastures for the majestic Kyrgyz horses. Life in this terrain yields one of the most hardiest breed of horses, walking on treacherous terrain with an unparalleled ease. But the one thing they lack in this high terrain is salt.
While in Arslanbob, I hitched a ride with a local herder who maintained his stock in the high alpine meadows. Crammed into SUV with 8 other folks wasn't a pleasant experience, but I was grateful for his hospitality as it saved a precious few hours of hiking. Upon reaching his pastures, the herder opened up bags of salt and spread it around. And all it took was a whistle to attract a few dozen horses galloping in from all over the valley to eat salt. To see the majestic equine beasts thundering about the thin mountain air was like nothing else.
Arslanbob
Jalal-abad Region, Kyrgyzstan
Hidden in the Mountains
I almost didn't make it here. Between a kerfuffle caused by lack of information about road conditions, and my own planning overzealousness, I was about to make the choice of not hitting this destination. But I changed my mind at the last minute. And after two days of hiking in absolutely serene surroundings in an alpine landscape, I absolutely fell in love with this place that I almost missed going to. This place was Arslanbob, a hidden village nestled in the shadow of snow-capped peaks reaching to 4000m and above.
The magic started right with the drive to Arslanbob. The sight of mountains all around as soon as I left Osh behind calmed my rattled min. The rolling green hills that seemed to stretch endlessly, dotted with a few oak trees and scattered farmsteads, reminded me of the Palouse in USA, except for the backdrop of the snow-capped Pamir range in the distance. And this blissful scenery gave me company all the way through to my destination, and erased away any second thoughts I had about my destination.
One of the biggest lessons I learnt was just to follow your gut instincts while traveling, and make the best of what you are offered. Had I not, I would have missed this beautiful vista where the afternoon sun glinted on the snow-capped peaks rising above the village, while fast-moving clouds created ever-changing lighting conditions on the grassy slopes.
It's Giving Tuesday. Join me in supporting these two wonderful organizations WildAid and NRDC. You can purchase my 2018 Calendar whose proceeds will directly go to these two non-profits.
Arslanbob
Kyrgyzstan