September 24, 2008 "Unforgettable Moments in Kyrgyzstan"
Before noting down my own travel notes from my latest trip back to Kyrgyzstan (as well as Turkey and Kazakhstan), I'd like to share this great story of my Czech colleague who spent some time in the mountains in Kyrgyzstan this summer. It's always interesting to see your country from the eyes of the foreigner. And what a trip he had!!
"Unforgettable Moments in Kyrgyzstan"
by Katerina D.
David Cemus isn"t someone who likes to talk about himself and it was only by chance that I found out about his recent trip to Kyrgyzstan.
Following his return, I sat down with David and asked him to share some of his impressions of this little-known, mountainous country.
David was born and raised in Prague and graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague with an IT specialization. In 2006 David joined IT Services Europe in Prague as a graduate and then spent six months working at IT Services Americas in Scottsdale. He was later hired on a permanent contract as an ITS Process Change Management Coordinator.
David made his first trip to Central Asia in 2005, when he and some friends travelled through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Following that trip, David longed to return to Kyrgyzstan and complete the trek across the Southern Inylchek glacier that he and his friends had started on their first expedition.
At the end of July David, his girlfriend and three other friends flew to Almaty, Kazakhstan, via Kiev. From there they traveled to the Kyrgyz town of Karakol on the other side of a 4000-meter mountain range.
They travelled in a so-called “marshrutka”, or shared taxi, which departs only when its capacity (~15 people) is full. Though that can sometimes take hours, David’s group had to wait about a half an hour before continuing their journey.
The trip was certainly not a pleasant one; not only was the small bus full of people, the bulky backpacks and equipment carried by David and the rest of his team made it difficult for anyone to sit comfortably. David’s pack for example, weighed some 30 kilograms.
Roads up the mountain pass were practically non-existent. After exiting the marshrutka, the group climbed into a Russian Volga, whose driver opted for a death-defying route over the mountain pass.
David’s description of Kyrgyzstan also included the ubiquitous herds of horses and their herdsmen. In this remote country, almost everyone learns to ride in childhood. Kumis, a slightly alcoholic drink made from fermented mares’ milk, is another important part of life in Kyrgyzstan.
Arriving in Karakol, the third largest town in Kyrgyzstan, David and his friends found accommodation at Valentine’s, the owner of a travel agency who is passionate about Czech slivovitz and old motorbikes. The group had found out about Valentine from other Czech friends and made sure to bring him some motorbike magazines.
As foreigners staying in Kyrgyzstan for more than 72 hours, they all had to register with the Visa and Registration Department or OVIR. After two days of getting the necessary permits and buying supplies, the group left Karakol in an UAZ-469 jeep and after some six hours following an off-road trail, they finally reached the military base at Echkili-Tash (2800m) in the Tian Shan mountain range.
After making a climb to 3300 meters to acclimatize, the group returned to Echkili-Tash and bedded down for the night to rest ahead of a 60-kilometer trek to the base camp on the Southern Inylchek Glacier.
The group spent the next two days approaching glacier. That meant crossing the Tüz saddle (4010m) and making a steep descent to reach the foot of the glacier (2800 m). High elevation and a lack of potable water made for tough going, but the group was overjoyed at having finally reached the glacier.
Nevertheless, they still had to travel 38 kilometers to traverse the second largest glacier in the world before reaching the base camp. The group moved very slowly on rough terrain as ascending and descending the uneven, rock-covered glacier was extremely exhausting.
The Central Tian Shan mountain range is well known for its bad weather. Fortunately, David and his party enjoyed mostly sunny weather and temperatures of around 15 degrees Celsius. At night the temperature dropped to below freezing, but that is something to be expected on a glacier, even in late July.
Meals were prepared on a gas stove with use of water from the melting glacier. As the group got closer to base camp, the appearance of the glacier began to change. The seemingly ever-present rocks and stones began to give way to more and more ice. The group was well prepared and was outfitted with crampons. However, the ice-axes, harnesses, ropes and carabineers proved to be of little use and ultimately only added
unnecessary weight.
After five exhausting days, the group finally reached the base camp (4100 m). However, the uneven terrain and a lack of GPS coordinates made their ultimate destination difficult to find.
Nevertheless, the toil of the journey was soon forgotten. The base camp offered exquisite views of two 7000-meter peaks: Khan Tengri, a 7000-meter mountain that resembles the Matterhorn and Peak Pobedy, a difficult 7439-meter climb. Having accomplished their mission, David and his friends were now able enjoy the view as well as a well deserved beer.
The next day they boarded a helicopter that taxied them to Maida Adir military base from where they hitch-hiked back to Karakol. After two days of relaxation on the beaches of Lake Issyk Kul, they head off to the mountains again. This time their destination was Son Kul Lake (3000 m), which is surrounded by beautiful mountains and is known for its horseback riding.
David ended his trip with a hike in Ala Archa National Park near the capital Bishkek. There, he and his team reached the mountaineers’ camp at 3400 meters after a 1300-meter high ascent.
David’s fascination with this remote part of the world is clearly visible, as is his passion for mountains and untouched nature. The trek along the glacier and the beautiful views of Khan Tengri made for an unforgettable experience. David returned to Prague not only with a full beard and a few good stories, but also a deep admiration for this remote country and its warm-hearted people.
------------
"Unforgettable Moments in Kyrgyzstan"
by Katerina D.
David Cemus isn"t someone who likes to talk about himself and it was only by chance that I found out about his recent trip to Kyrgyzstan.
Following his return, I sat down with David and asked him to share some of his impressions of this little-known, mountainous country.
David was born and raised in Prague and graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague with an IT specialization. In 2006 David joined IT Services Europe in Prague as a graduate and then spent six months working at IT Services Americas in Scottsdale. He was later hired on a permanent contract as an ITS Process Change Management Coordinator.
David made his first trip to Central Asia in 2005, when he and some friends travelled through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Following that trip, David longed to return to Kyrgyzstan and complete the trek across the Southern Inylchek glacier that he and his friends had started on their first expedition.
At the end of July David, his girlfriend and three other friends flew to Almaty, Kazakhstan, via Kiev. From there they traveled to the Kyrgyz town of Karakol on the other side of a 4000-meter mountain range.They travelled in a so-called “marshrutka”, or shared taxi, which departs only when its capacity (~15 people) is full. Though that can sometimes take hours, David’s group had to wait about a half an hour before continuing their journey.
The trip was certainly not a pleasant one; not only was the small bus full of people, the bulky backpacks and equipment carried by David and the rest of his team made it difficult for anyone to sit comfortably. David’s pack for example, weighed some 30 kilograms.
Roads up the mountain pass were practically non-existent. After exiting the marshrutka, the group climbed into a Russian Volga, whose driver opted for a death-defying route over the mountain pass.
David’s description of Kyrgyzstan also included the ubiquitous herds of horses and their herdsmen. In this remote country, almost everyone learns to ride in childhood. Kumis, a slightly alcoholic drink made from fermented mares’ milk, is another important part of life in Kyrgyzstan.
Arriving in Karakol, the third largest town in Kyrgyzstan, David and his friends found accommodation at Valentine’s, the owner of a travel agency who is passionate about Czech slivovitz and old motorbikes. The group had found out about Valentine from other Czech friends and made sure to bring him some motorbike magazines.
As foreigners staying in Kyrgyzstan for more than 72 hours, they all had to register with the Visa and Registration Department or OVIR. After two days of getting the necessary permits and buying supplies, the group left Karakol in an UAZ-469 jeep and after some six hours following an off-road trail, they finally reached the military base at Echkili-Tash (2800m) in the Tian Shan mountain range.
After making a climb to 3300 meters to acclimatize, the group returned to Echkili-Tash and bedded down for the night to rest ahead of a 60-kilometer trek to the base camp on the Southern Inylchek Glacier.
The group spent the next two days approaching glacier. That meant crossing the Tüz saddle (4010m) and making a steep descent to reach the foot of the glacier (2800 m). High elevation and a lack of potable water made for tough going, but the group was overjoyed at having finally reached the glacier.
Nevertheless, they still had to travel 38 kilometers to traverse the second largest glacier in the world before reaching the base camp. The group moved very slowly on rough terrain as ascending and descending the uneven, rock-covered glacier was extremely exhausting.
The Central Tian Shan mountain range is well known for its bad weather. Fortunately, David and his party enjoyed mostly sunny weather and temperatures of around 15 degrees Celsius. At night the temperature dropped to below freezing, but that is something to be expected on a glacier, even in late July.
Meals were prepared on a gas stove with use of water from the melting glacier. As the group got closer to base camp, the appearance of the glacier began to change. The seemingly ever-present rocks and stones began to give way to more and more ice. The group was well prepared and was outfitted with crampons. However, the ice-axes, harnesses, ropes and carabineers proved to be of little use and ultimately only added
unnecessary weight.
After five exhausting days, the group finally reached the base camp (4100 m). However, the uneven terrain and a lack of GPS coordinates made their ultimate destination difficult to find.
Nevertheless, the toil of the journey was soon forgotten. The base camp offered exquisite views of two 7000-meter peaks: Khan Tengri, a 7000-meter mountain that resembles the Matterhorn and Peak Pobedy, a difficult 7439-meter climb. Having accomplished their mission, David and his friends were now able enjoy the view as well as a well deserved beer.
The next day they boarded a helicopter that taxied them to Maida Adir military base from where they hitch-hiked back to Karakol. After two days of relaxation on the beaches of Lake Issyk Kul, they head off to the mountains again. This time their destination was Son Kul Lake (3000 m), which is surrounded by beautiful mountains and is known for its horseback riding.
David ended his trip with a hike in Ala Archa National Park near the capital Bishkek. There, he and his team reached the mountaineers’ camp at 3400 meters after a 1300-meter high ascent.
David’s fascination with this remote part of the world is clearly visible, as is his passion for mountains and untouched nature. The trek along the glacier and the beautiful views of Khan Tengri made for an unforgettable experience. David returned to Prague not only with a full beard and a few good stories, but also a deep admiration for this remote country and its warm-hearted people.
Labels: Kyrgyzstan
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