We’re on our way in Kazakhstan, located in Central Asia, my dream trip! We’ve now reached southern Kazakhstan, the Silk Road!
Medieval city of Sauran
It’s the hottest day yet, hot, hot, hot! Our first stop today is the ancient city of Sauran, located on the Silk Road. Sauran was once a major city along the Silk Road and an important trading center, now only ruins remain.
Silk Road in Turkestan
The city of Turkestan offers a mix of historical, cultural, and natural attractions. Fountains and ponds are scattered throughout the city. On this hottest day, even Leo takes a dip. We visit the 14th-century mausoleum of Hodja Ahmed Yasawi. It’s quite impressive! There are many interesting buildings and monuments to admire and there’s also a park dedicated to the history of Kazakhstan.
Back at the car, the dashboard temperature read 51 degrees Celsius, OMG! Honestly, I feel so overheated. I drive around with the AC on to cool down!
Taraz city
Taraz is one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan. I admire the architecture of the buildings, the clock tower, and the mosques. At the same time, it’s also a modern city. That’s convenient because I need to visit the shopping center, or “the mall,” which is large and luxurious. The mall reminds me of Dubai!
Countryside, hamlet of Jambil
Today we park in the countryside. Locals help me find a nice spot among the trees, super kind!
We’re walking along the river where boys are fishing. They arrive on horseback without a saddle, which I think is cool; it’s perfectly normal for them. They use horses here instead of bicycles! Here in the village, I see the typical Kazakh blue and red truck, which you see driving around everywhere.
Navel of the earth, Ungirtas
A spiritual tour, we’re going to the navel of the earth. A place where the earth and space connect. I think it’s a fantastic place, with a wonderful energy and special stones where Leo stands in the shadow. There’s a cave and from there an amazing view!
Modern city Almaty
On to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city. This city is hip, bustling, and Westernized, and I feel like I’m in Russia. An expensive mall with Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, and the most expensive cars on the parking right outside.
We stroll through First Presidents Park, and I do some Western shopping again. Baguette, blue cheese, and dry white wine.
If you are a lover of dry wine, a tip: note that the labels in Kazakh are illegible and almost all wine (white and red) here is sweet or semi-sweet!
Charyn Canyon & Black Canyon
The road to Charyn Canyon is stunning! Just how I imagined Kazakhstan, vast steppe and mountains in the background (see main photo).
First, we pay KZT 3000 (€5) for the parking and then suddenly there are loads of tourists. The first tourists I’ve seen in a while! Leo and I hike to all the viewpoints and back, wow, it’s hot! Lots of photos, this is so much fun!
Black Canyon is also beautiful! The river flows through a very deep gorge, the stunning green water, and the black canyon walls. We met a Kazakh family who hugged Leo, took our picture, and strongly recommended a visit to Kolsay Lake.
Kolsay Lake
The road to Kolsay Lake is a pleasure to drive, so wonderful. Here too, you have to pay KZT 3,000 (€5) to enter. This is indeed a picture perfect lake, highly recommended!
We find for a spot for the night by the river where cows and horses are roaming freely. We’re at 1680 meters and it’s a bit cooler, fantastic!
We go to the border crossing at Kegen and return (partly) via the same route, and that’s no hardship; the route is sooo beautiful! Halfway, I stop for coffee and the most delicious potato roll I’ve ever had in Kazakhstan.
Wild Przewalski’s horses
On the way to Kegen, it rains heavily, and the temperature even drops to 14 degrees Celsius. What a change! We drive across a stunning plateau, and the scenery is magnificent. I see so many wild horses, it’s a fantastic day! They run in herds through the fields, splendid, I’m completely happy.
Fun fact: Przewalski’s horses, the only remaining wild horse species in the world, live on the steppe. These horses are adapted to the steppe’s extreme conditions, such as wide temperature variations and sparse vegetation.
We’re at the easternmost point of our journey, still 100 km from China! In two months, I’ve driven 10,000 km. What a trip 🤩 tomorrow to Kyrgyzstan. Amazing Kazakhstan, we had a great time. See you soon!
