Kyrgyzstán – nomádem na tři týdny / Kyrgyzstan – Three Weeks as a Nomad
Author: Michaela Lederová, Tomáš Matz
Published: 1 November 2021
Kyrgyzstan has, in recent years, become an increasingly attractive destination for Czechs—especially thanks to its stunning mountains. When I told people at home that I was going to a summer school in Kyrgyzstan, I still encountered the usual mix of ignorance and concern—where exactly is that country? Somewhere among those other “-stans”? Is it safe there? And what will you be doing? Wouldn’t it be better to go somewhere else? Despite all this unsolicited advice, I went to the summer school anyway and set off to explore the unknown. It proved enriching not just for me, but for those around me too, as I returned able to dismantle their distorted assumptions and share something real about the people and the country.
We had the opportunity to learn about local history and culture—and to observe it for ourselves over the course of three weeks. Personally, I noticed a big difference between the city dwellers, who mostly saw us as a nuisance or a delay and were sometimes a bit grumpy, and the people in the countryside, who were hospitable and kind. Often, someone would approach us and ask where we were from—and to our surprise, many of them knew about the Czech Republic. Another surprising observation was that, at least in the cities, children seemed to be running around everywhere, yet we never saw any parents nearby. It was as if no one feared for their safety. As for our own safety, we never encountered any problems. We moved about freely—even at night—and everything went smoothly. Another curious discovery was the local price level. Everything was very cheap, so we could eat, drink, and enjoy various activities without a second thought. After three weeks, it became slightly addictive. Returning to the Czech Republic was tough overall, and the higher prices certainly didn’t help. Local driving was also… unique. Because of the low prices, we often used taxis. The drivers were maniacs—there’s no other word for it. Most of them drove ancient, half-dismantled cars—and when I say “old”, I mean truly old. Every ride felt like an adventure with an uncertain ending.
Looking back on my summer school in Kyrgyzstan, I find it difficult to single out a few key moments. The whole three-week stay was packed (often overflowing) with experiences and impressions. Everything flowed naturally, and there wasn’t much time to stop and reflect on the “why” and “how”. Only in hindsight do I realise how lucky we were to experience such things. It’s not that I didn’t recognise the uniqueness of those moments at the time—but looking back, they somehow stand out even more. It was like being cut off from reality for three weeks and sealed inside a travel bubble where all the everyday annoyances ceased to exist. For instance, mobile phones often had no signal (despite using local SIM cards), so after a while, we simply set them aside—they served more as cameras than anything else.
The start of the summer school was very uncertain for me. I decided to travel alone and had to integrate into a group of twenty new people. It was a major step out of my comfort zone—and I’m really glad I did it. All the students in Kyrgyzstan were friendly, each with their own personality. It was fascinating to get to know every individual. We began the summer school in Bishkek—the capital of Kyrgyzstan. We spent the first week attending school there, with classes focused on the history, politics, economy, and culture of Kyrgyzstan and neighbouring Central Asian countries and their development. We also had intensive Russian language lessons. Outside of class, we spent that first week getting to know the city—and each other.
The first weekend brought a three-day trip to one of Kyrgyzstan’s larger lakes—Son-Kul. It was our first time leaving the city and a chance to experience the local culture more intimately and in a natural setting. We stayed right by the lake in traditional dwellings—yurts. The yurts were beautiful, and the whole trip had a slightly adventurous, romantic air. During the excursion, we rode horses across the local plains, climbed nearby hills, or got up early to watch the sunrise. Each of these moments left a vivid impression. The horseback riding was especially memorable. Since many of us were riding for the first or second time, the horses often did whatever they pleased. Getting them to obey was usually a superhuman task. Nevertheless—or perhaps precisely because of this—it was an unforgettable experience. Besides riding, we also had our first longer hike around Lake Son-Kul. The Kyrgyz landscape and mountains are breathtaking—it was a truly restful escape.
On our way back from Son-Kul, we added a little adrenaline to the mix—because clearly, we hadn’t had enough already. We rafted down a section of river. Trying to agree on the rafting commands with our local guide was an adventure in itself. In the end, we managed—but still, at least a few people (mostly me) were paddling in the wrong direction or completely out of sync.
After the lake trip, we returned to Bishkek for two more days of classes, followed by our second longer trip—this time for six days. This journey took us around Kyrgyzstan’s largest lake, Issyk-Kul. The first day by the lake felt like a holiday in Croatia. We stayed in a fairly nice hotel complex with direct access to the beach and the lake. As soon as we arrived, we changed into swimsuits and went off to enjoy the beach and the lovely weather.
During our second excursion, we undertook what turned out to be our longest trek. Originally planned as an 11-kilometre hike, it ended up being 25. It happens. We spent virtually the entire day traversing mountains and valleys, pausing only occasionally for lunch or a quick snack. The nature – and especially the mountains – in Kyrgyzstan is truly breathtaking. I was utterly enchanted at first, second, and third glance.
One of the highlights of our trip was witnessing a falcon hunt a rabbit. Although the falcon seemed rather domesticated and clearly accustomed to tourists, it did eventually succeed in catching the rabbit.
In the capital city, we also had the chance to visit local markets. It felt like an entire world within a world. The city beyond the market seemed to vanish, and we found ourselves meandering through narrow lanes crammed with all manner of goods. Every purchase involved a two-way negotiation.
Since we were in Kyrgyzstan at the height of summer – late July to early August – we decided one afternoon to cool off at a local water park. That, too, proved to be quite the experience. To this day, I’m not entirely sure I trusted the structural integrity of the slides and chutes, but we all survived unscathed and had a great deal of fun.
For our final evening together, a farewell dinner was organised for everyone. Some of our teachers and local organisers from the school joined us as well. The restaurant was set in a beautiful location, and we dined in a space that resembled an enormous yurt.
And since we’re on the subject of food – one of my favourite Kyrgyz dishes was plov, a delicious combination of rice, meat, and vegetables. In general, we were never short of food. The locals were incredibly hospitable, and on several occasions, our lunch was arranged in someone’s home.
To me, Kyrgyzstan is a land of many faces. It is undoubtedly a fascinating and diverse country that I would wholeheartedly recommend visiting. I look back fondly on my summer school experience, and I am quite certain I shall return to Kyrgyzstan one day!