Welcome to Kyrgyzstan, my 134th Visit and 129th Run UN Country out of a total of 193. As usual, after the last lot of photos below is a brief summary of the country of Kyrgyzstan and ten interesting facts that set this country apart.
This post focuses on my last day (Day 6) on the Pamir Highway M41 leaving Lake Karakul in Tajikistan and finishing in Osh City in Kyrgyzstan.
PAMIR HIGHWAY M1 – DAY 6 OF 6:
LAKE KARAKUL TO OSH CITY.
283km from 8am to 630pm and 3,971m to 4,282m to 1,042m
I woke to two phenomena. Snow and a splitting headache !!! Serves me right for drinking a bottle of rose at 4,000m elevation. But it was worth it. I downed 4 asprins and this was enough to get me packed and into the truck for an on-time departure at 8am. Surrounded by snow covered mountains we travelled across a flat plain and into the mountains to head towards the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border only 53km away. At exactly 31km north of Lake Karakul towards Osh I took the classic Pamir Highway photo that most travellers take and post on the internet – it is featured last in this post !!! We then entered a vast valley at 4,200m completely covered in snow. This place was similar to the valley we had crossed yesterday under sunshine. This is the magic of the Pamir. It has so many faces. Hardly a monologue.
At around 945am we reached the highest point of today – The Kyzylart Pass at 4,282m which is right on the border making it the 2nd highest border post in the world !!! Exit from Tajikistan was smooth with no inspection of bags required. Then it was 21km of no-mans-land to get to the Kyrgyzstan border post. It is here that we had our second truck stuck !!! Around 1130am we stopped and reversed to take a hairpin turn on descent and bang – the two back twin tyres sunk in the icy mud. Then it was all hands-on deck in the snow and mud to get us out. Some shovelling and the rest fetching stones. Once holes were dug in front of both pairs of tyres we placed the loose rocks inside for grip. Then our second calculated miracle – with all the bigger younger guys pushing behind the truck we spun the rear wheels ferociously and the truck emerged free and victorious. What a relief. If we could not get out and needed to call for help, who would come ? We were in no-mans-land !!! From here it was a slow and steady descent to the Kyrgyzstan border at 3,466m arriving at 1245pm. This border was quicker, leaving at 145pm with 206km still to go for a hot shower in Osh City. I was stuck in my shorts and freezing by this stage.
Just after the border there was a sudden change in landscape as if the border magically caused it. Wide open rolling green plains with yurts and herds of goats. Yurts are common in Kyrgyzstan. The best part of the trip was entering a maze of gorge filled mountains covered in green with horses grazing on their steep sides under snow-covered peaks. The crowning moment was the Taldyk Pass at 3,615m – with its snake-like roads reaching down over 500m in mist and fog, reminiscent of the Transfagarașan Pass in Romania or Trollstigen Way in Norway. Once we got to the bottom we continued through many gorges and valleys, all green and all completely different from what we had seen in Tajikistan. All part of the same multi-dimensional Pamir. It was a long stretch into Osh arriving at 630pm. It was all action to get settled, shop for the next 4 days in the bush and post one of the greatest sights on earth – the Pamir Highway !!!
The Pamir Highway is NO HIGHWAY. It is wild, unpredictable but simply stunning in real life. I was so mesmerised and moved by the Isolated beauty of the Pamir that I have admitted it into my personal top 10 all-time most beautiful places on Earth !!!
I hope I have done it justice in Post 23 and this Post – feast feast feast… make sure you look at the LAST PHOTO at the very bottom of this post...
KYRGYZSTAN IN A NUTSHELL
Kyrgyzstan's history spans a variety of cultures and empires. Although geographically isolated by its highly mountainous terrain, Kyrgyzstan has been at the crossroads of several great civilizations as part of the Silk Road along with other commercial routes. Inhabited by a succession of tribes and clans, Kyrgyzstan has periodically fallen under larger domination, for example the Turkic nomads, who trace their ancestry to many Turkic states. It was first established as the Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate. Later, in the 13th century, Kyrgyzstan was conquered by the Mongol Empire and under several Mongol dynasties; it regained independence, but was later invaded by the Dzungar Khanate. After the fall of Dzhungars, Kyrgyz and Kipchaks were an integral part of Kokand Khanate. In 1876, Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian Empire, and in 1936, the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic was formed to become a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. On 31 August 1991, Kyrgyzstan declared independence from the USSR and a democratic government was established. After independence, Kyrgyzstan was officially a unitary presidential republic. It is a developing country and is the second poorest country in Central Asia after neighbouring Tajikistan. The country's transitional economy is heavily dependent on deposits of gold, coal and uranium.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KYRGYZSTAN
1. Known as “The Switzerland of Central Asia” since 94% of it is mountainous: most famous is the Pamir Range featuring Lenin Peak (7,134m).
2. Heavily influenced by Russian occupation (1936-1991) with many abandoned Soviet-style apartment buildings.
3. Famous for drink KUMIS: fermented horse milk.
4. Famous for dish BESHBARMAK: hearty stew made with boiled meats and potatoes.
5. Most people are nomadic herders using YURTS just like the Monguls.
6. Inventors of the KOMUZ (a three-stringed lute) and the DOMBRA (a long-necked lute).
7. Captured its history & culture in the UNESCO protected MANAS: a very long, epic poem.
8. Famous for petroglyphs dating back to the Paleolithic Era (2.5 million BC to 10,000BC).
9. One of the smallest railway networks globally at 370km because country is 94% mountains.
10. Lowest density population in Central Asia.
KYRGYZSTAN SUMMARY
The photo on the bottom is the iconic shot of the Pamir found everywhere on the internet.
The photo on the top is my version of the top photo, taken 31km north of Lake Karakul towards Osh. This is now the classic Marco Golfo shot of the Pamir !!!
END OF PAMIR
END OF POST
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