We are Jasper and Barbara and we created this website as a means to inspire anyone who likes to travel the same way we do. We prefer to travel low budget, staying in guesthouses and taking public transport.
While we love nature and mountains a city with a good antique market, book shops, brutalist architecture and local food is just as high on our list.
The images you see are our view on the places we have seen and the people we have met.
about
4 weeks
08.05.2025 ---- 05.06.2025
DUE TO THE altitude difference in Kyrgystan spring means all kinds of seasons. In Osh we were eating cherries from the tree, during our horsetrek green rolling hills were coloured with wild spring flowers and some of the roads were still snowed in. One thing that is constant are the heartfelt encounters with locals, and many animals on their way to the summer pastures. And once we found our way through the overwhelming amount of trekking opportunities, we recovered at the somewhat grubby but iconic Soviet sanatorium Aurora on the shores of lake Issyk-kul.
kyrgystan
4 days
Osh
3 days
Road to Naryn
3 days
Naryn Oblast
3 days
Son-Kül
1 day
Jeti Oguz
2 days
Karakol
4 days
Avrora Issyk-Kul
5 days
Bishkek
itinerary
01
Capital
Bishkek
02
Population
7.1 million
03
Location
Central Asia
04
Area
200 thousand km²
highlights
Hike to the valley of flowers
When leaving the starting point of this hike in Jeti Oguz, we thought it couldn't get better than that. A small village surrounded by magnificent rock formations, unique to Kyrgystan. Until we walked into the valley at this time of the year. We witnessed a green oasis covered with flowers of different colors. Absolutely surreal.
Horsetrek to Soň-Köl
In a country full of horses, it is virtually obligatory to do a horse trek. We opted for a two-day trek to a yurt camp near Son-Köl lake. Appropriate underwear and some vaseline to precent bottom chafing are no unnecessary luxury.
Soviet sanatorium Avrora
Our first experience in a Soviet sanatorium was a big hit. Something between a resort hotel and an old-timey health spa, it was the perfect place for us to unwind. Nothing better than some Soviet architecture to nourish the spirit. And the location in a pine-scented garden near blue lake Issyk Kul also does not hurt.
Kel-Suu lake
Or at least its surroundings, because the lake was empty in May. The easy hike from Kok Kiya valley to the lake rewarded us with beautiful vistas of snow capped peaks while we were surrounded by busy marmot families.
food
Ashlan-fu: a cold noodle dish with a vinegary, spicy broth that you can find allover Karakol. It was introduced by the Dungan people who fled China in the 19th century.
Piroshki: fried bread stuffed with potatoes as a side dish to ashlan-fu
Kumis: fermented horsemilk. From spring on it is sold along the road where locals reside with their horses.
Boorsok: Fried dough
Plov: rice dish with mutton, carrots and sometimes raisins and eggs
Shashlyk: meat skewers often combined with vinegary onions
Laghman: hand pulled noodles with meat and vegetables
Manti: large meat dumplings orr if you're lucky you can find a vegetarian version
Somsa: crispy pastries stuffed with lamb meat
USSR influence
Syrniki: cottage cheese pancakes served with smetana and jam
Solyanka soup: sausage soup with an olive, smetana and lemon
Borsht: red beet soup with smetana and dill
Salat Oliviye: mayonaise salad with potatoes, carrots, peas, pickles, eggs and sausage
Kasha: breakfasts porridge made from rice, millet or oats
architecture
Bishkek
Wedding palace
Kyrgyz State Circus named A. Izibaev
National Library of Kyrgyzstan
analog
