At the end of 2015 I was sitting in the Almaty Backpackers in Kazakhstan trying to plan my trip across the border into Kyrgyzstan. I had no idea where to stay in Bishkek, no idea where to even go next, but then I saw a flier in that hostel for the Apple Hostel in Bishkek.…
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This article might actually need a quick introduction. Mainly because most people I have met have never heard of a “country” called Gorno Badakhshan. In fact, even some Kyrgyzs people I have met this week were unaware of the existence of this disputed state, an autonomous region that has been claimed by China, Russia and…
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So I arrived into “the Stans” in late December 2015 after a brief spell in southern Kazakhstan, where I toured Ile Alatau, Almaty and a few bars, then I crossed the border into Kyrgyzstan. I didn’t need a visa for Kazakhstan (15 days on arrival on a British passport) nor for Kyrgyzstan (60 days on arrival…
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At the end of December 2015, I crossed the border from the Kazakhstani town of Korday into the magical world of Kyrgyzstan. After initially touring some cool sights in the north of the country, like Ruh Ordo, Ala Archa National Park and the Petroglyphs at Cholpon Ata, it became obvious that I would use the…
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Following on from my incredible morning hiking to the Alpine Cemetery in Ala Archa National Park in Kyrgyzstan, I decide on the easier waterfall and gorge trail in the afternoon. I say easier because the trail is obvious and even has better markings on route, plus a clear path. This was in my first week…
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“It’s easy to fall into something new that shines” – Ben Paulley (2005). So a week ago yesterday I arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan having crossed overland from Kazakhstan. On arrival I received a 60 day entry visa stamp, so yes I can stay legally as a tourist here for a brace of months. At the…
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The country of Kyrgyzstan seems to hide shyly in the back streets of the backpacking world. It’s not so much a “sleeping giant”, but an “awake baby”. It’s crying to be found, and sometime it will be. While the “self-professed cool crowd” backpack their way through Bangkok, Ulun Danu, Siem Reap and Chiang Mai on…
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“Happiness is not a dream, it is a reality…” – Quote at Ruh Ordo. When backpacking in Kyrgyzstan, myself and two dorm buddies from the hostel decided on a trip to the stunning Lake Issy-kul. It can be done on a day trip from Bishkek and in winter, this is a good option as the…
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Kyrgyzstan continues to surprise the everyday backpacker and with a blast from the past we ended up visiting some cool Petroglyphs near the lakeside town of Cholpon Ata. I say blast from the past because back in 2013, we visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Qobustan in Azerbaijan and there we saw many ancient…
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Before I decided on doing the border crossing between Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan, I did a bit of research into it. The reason being, I was travelling alone, it was my first time in this region and I wanted to make sure everything ran smoothly. In the winter time in the Stans, you also have to…
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