We’re currently still in Kyrgyzstan, part of our Central Asia trip. My original plan was to also travel to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, if possible. But that’s not happening, so it’s plan B!
Plan B
Why not plan A? First of all, because my car isn’t designed for unpaved roads; it’s not an off-road vehicle. Gravel roads quickly turn into a washboard. This is a corrugated road you bounce over, shaking everything loose in your car. The roads in Tajikistan are just as bad as those in Kyrgyzstan. In Uzbekistan, a major border in the west is also temporarily closed, which means a 2,500 km detour in the tropical heat of 40-45 degrees.
Plan B: We’ll begin our return trip to Europe via Kazakhstan (KZ), which means we’ll drive about 1,600 km back the same way. It’s currently an average of 35 to 40 degrees Celsius in Kazakhstan, so we have long, hot days ahead of us.
Taraz city
Near Bishkek, I cross the border into Kazakhstan; it’s a relaxed crossing. In Kazakhstan, the campervan goes through the scanner, and I meet some nice tourists and friendly border officials. No insurance agent anywhere? Luckily, I still have one day left on my previous KZ car insurance. I drive 3.5 hours to Taraz, and after a long wait and no fewer than four different advisors, I get car insurance! Yeah š
We take a walk through the park in the morning, where I find some fake Balbals. Cycling, and anything resembling a bicycle, is prohibited in the town square. The prohibition sign hangs so high you can barely see it!
Sunaq Ata Mausoleum
Driving with the air conditioning on proves to be a pleasant experience in the heat. After a six-hour drive, I unexpectedly find a nice place to stay overnight at Sunaq Ata Mausoleum. We’re right in the sun, very hot, but the surroundings are beautiful!
A lot of driving, buying a sandwich, refueling, and more driving. We covered 480 km in about 7 hours. We spent the night at a truck stop.
On the way in the steppe
We’re back in the flat steppe. Wild horses! I’m so happy to see herds of them free in a vast landscape. A little further on, by a waterhole, horses, cows, and camels are free to roam. It’s wonderful to see them together like this.
The paved road is occasionally lousy, and there have been terrible accidents while overtaking. A Land Cruiser crashed into a truck, and a collision with a camel, a horseā¦ I drive past them. Grateful that I was able to drive so many kilometers safely. Cars often break down, at the many rest stops along the way, a bridge is usually available for repairs.
From Aktobe in the north, we head southwest. I drive through oil and gas fields, a long, flat steppe with horses, camels, and cows, I’m repeating myself! Some locals drive like lunaticsā¦ honking signals and overtaking when absolutely impossible. It’s antisocial, but above all, extremely dangerous. I have respect for the international truck drivers who have to deal with this over and over again.
Atyrau on the Ural River
A stop for lunch in Atiraw! A pleasant stroll through the city and along the Ural River. I also visit the many war memorials.
Oil and gas extraction
Last day in Kazakhstan, we’re on our way to the Russian border. We’re driving straight through the oil and gas fields. While I’m filming these fields, a group of camels unexpectedly appears. Check out the video!
Tips & tricks
Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan Locals:
The people of both countries love their sweets. In every local supermarket, you’ll find an aisle full of different sweets!
The people are super friendly. Even if you don’t speak the language, they’re happy to wave, help, and smile, it’s really nice!
Dogs: They don’t like dogs, and Leo is not welcome anywhere. Not in shops, restaurants, or patios, nor in some parks or on hiking trails.
Traffic: It is strictly forbidden to overtake across a solid line. There are many police and speed checkpoints. I’ve certainly accidentally driven too fast, but I haven’t been stopped or received any fines.
Toll roads are relatively new in KZ, and as a foreigner, it’s not (yet) possible to pay. I drove out of KZ and back in, but the police didn’t raise the issue at the border. So I didn’t pay any tolls.
The border crossing goes smoothly, I can drive past the trucks, hardly have to wait and cross the river into Russia! Kazakhstan is so different from the countries I’ve visited before; it was really FANTASTIC!
We’re on our way to Georgia and will continue our journey through Russia. Would you like to travel with us?
