Kazakhstan Yurt
Kazakhstan | Country 36 | 6 day |
Imagine a country where almost everyone speaks Russian, is Muslim, and looks Asian. That was my surprise upon arriving in Central Asia for the first time.
- A very young country (1991), but a rich and very large one (relative to its neighbors), Kazakhstan was the last to break away from the Soviet Union and has developed from its oil, gas, and uranium resources.
- Not quite like Mongolia, Kazakhstan was part of the Golden Horde, but it has been Islamic since the early days of the Silk Road.
- The country is very safe, with great roads and infrastructure, and a low cost of living (the currency being the Tenge).
- The Ile mountains are on the opposite side of Xinjiang, China—the other side of the mountains from the stories of Chinese folktales.
- Most people in the country can understand and speak Russian, but Kazakhstan now wants to prioritize Kazakh as its primary language, with English as a second language. We quickly picked up that in Kazakh, you say ‘Salam’ for ‘hello’ and ‘Rahmet’ for ‘thank you.’
Day 1: Green Bazaar, Central Mosque and Ascension Cathedral
All over the streets, we observed that some folks in Kazakhstan look very Russian, some look very East Asian, and others lie somewhere in between.
Having arrived late in the evening, Ms. Q and I took a detour to visit Mixue, a popular Chinese shaved ice coffee shop in one of Kazakhstan’s modern malls.
We then checked into Hotel Kazakhstan for the next few nights, a symbol of the country’s earliest skyscrapers (it also appears on the 5,000 tenge bill).
We have a mountain view of Kok Tobe and the TV tower from the 22nd floor
Our first stop was the Central Mosque. The blue walls and decor were stunning.
We walked over to the Green Bazaar, an older-styled market building, with more local markets surrounding it.
The bazaar was sectioned based on what vendors were selling: meat (horse, goat, pig, etc.), cheese, produce, sweets, etc. Our highlight was, of course, the horse meat—it was a lot like beef, but with a gamier taste.
We had a very funny encounter with the lady selling horse meat. We tried a really good horse salami but forgot which one it was, so we ended up trying about 20 pieces of salami before buying the one we loved.
We took a break at the restaurant that overlooked the bazaar and had beshbarmak (horse + noodle soup).
We next walked over to the Kazakh war monument, celebrating the soldiers’ achievements in the Bolshevik revolution and WWII. In front of the soldier statue, there is a fire that never goes out as a symbol of the revolution.
Right next to the military museum, we found ourselves at the Orthodox Ascension Cathedral. In the 18th century, the Russian empire absorbed the Kazakh land and people; at one point, there were 40% ethnic Russians here in Kazakhstan.
We found ourselves in the middle of a religious service. Ms. Q wore her head covering, and we saw people bowing with candles, and listened to the songs and prayers even though we couldn’t understand the language.
Day 2: Medeu / Shymbulak and Kok Tobe
On the second day, we went to the famous Ile-Alatau mountain. Arriving at the ski resort, we took the cable cars up the mountains. With three sections, we went up higher and higher into the mountains, seeing the trees and landscape get thinner and thinner.
The cable car rides were very long—all three sections together probably took about 45 minutes.
At the very last station, we saw snow-covered mountains, and Almaty in the distance.
The views were breathtaking. We also accidentally learned that it holds the world record for the highest night-time ski resort.
The small puffy doughnuts are another Kazakh staple called Bauyrsaks, which tasted like fried dough.
After taking the cable cars back, we got a great look at Medeu, the huge skating rink. We had lunch and tried horse milk for the first time. Being fermented, it was extremely sour and gamey for milk. We tried four or five times, but couldn’t bring ourselves to finish the bowl.
We took the bus back to Almaty—it was a fully packed bus. We stopped right after we exited the resort and a ticket checker hopped onto the bus, asking every single person on the bus to show proof of their payment.
That evening, we went to Kok Tobe. We took the ‘health path’ up the mountain on an easy 30-minute hike.
There were many families at the peak. We sat with the kids and watched the Wall-E movie together in bean chairs in front of an outdoor screen.
The amusement park had amazing energy, and it reminded us of how safe and relaxed the Kazakh people are.
We ended the evening by going to the supermarket, where we bought some bread and saw horse sausage. This is the way and tradition of the nomads in the 21st century.
Day 3: Museum, Subway and Arbat Shopping
The independence monument and government building
Recovering from a hectic day, we went to the museum and learned about the Kazakh people’s history—the Khans and Sultans, yurts, and nomadic life.
In the afternoon, we made our way to the subway station. Although it only has a few stations, the Almaty subway is clean and full of gorgeous decor. We took the train to three different stations just to experience it firsthand.
- One station had decorations about the apple tree—Alma means apple in Kazakh, and Almaty means ‘the place of apples.’
- Another station had a picture of a Mongol warrior on a grassy plain.
- The last station we visited depicted the Silk Road, showing the full globe and the sheer span of it, from China to Rome, Egypt, India, etc.
We ended the day walking the famous shopping street of Arbat, visiting the many Chinese and Korean boba and food stores. Ms. Q and I ate more Kazakh food, including camel milk, onion pancakes, and beef brains.
Day 4: Tour to Charyn Canyon and Kolsay Lake
For the next two days, we went on a group tour to explore the natural attractions east of Almaty, with a group of about 15 people.
Jenis (Zhenis), our guide, works at the medical faculty of a local university and had time off during the summer to guide tours. Among the group were some women from the West, two couples from India, and Janelle, a travel YouTuber from Hong Kong.
Our first stop was Charyn Canyon. There are so many resemblances between the canyon and the Grand Canyon. The rock formations are rugged and beautiful, shaped by the centuries of erosion and weather.
We walked from one side of the canyon to the other in about 45 minutes, absorbing the colors and shapes of the rocks. At the end of the path is a river that flows through the valley.
Our group took a “taxi” (truck with open seats at the back) back to the parking area.
Following Charyn Canyon, our group stopped by Yellow Canyon and Black Canyon. Both had amazing views of valleys with rocks that showcased the ruggedness of the Kazakh landscape.
Yellow Canyon
Black Canyon
Our group then had lunch near a town called Saty, enjoyed some awesome traditional chicken plov, and played with a big, cute dog.
The last attraction of the day was Kolsay Lake. We walked down the meandering path and watched the turquoise lake unfold before our eyes.
Just look at the water of Kolsay lake!
We took a paddle boat all the way around the lake. The forest and the water blend in such harmony, taking you back to mother nature.
Ms. Q and I are not fans of the animal treatment, but what a sight to behold
Yurt Adventure
We concluded the first day of the tour at a yurt accommodation ground. Ms. Q and I had our very first stay in a yurt. The floor in the dome is elevated, and the inside is carpeted (except for the entrance). Although this particular yurt was built as a permanent structure, we felt closer to the Mongol ancestors who roamed the plains of Central Asia.
It was very cozy and fun :) Except for our bathroom break in the middle of the night.
That night, the staff at the grounds fed us some amazing plov, and the horse meat and rice were just what we needed to refuel after a long day.
We watched this cat catch a live mouse about an hour earlier and then snuggle up with the group during dinner.
After dinner, Jenis busted out the karaoke machine and sang his heart out in Kazakh. The group enjoyed a very fun set of bonfire games afterward, before ending an amazing night.
Day 5: Kaindy Lake and Horse Riding
The second day of our adventures started with a transfer to an old Soviet-style bus. We were going to Kaindy Lake, but had to go through some very, very bumpy mountain roads.
The driver put on some hearty and upbeat music as the bus shook left and right and crossed small rapids. The group started some rhythmic clapping, making it so memorable.
We paid our fees to ride horses to Kaindy Lake. The vendors helped us onto our horses. Luca from Serbia and I got on individual horses that walked around freely up front, while Ms. Q and the group of girls got onto a train of horses that were tied together.
I could really feel the personality of my horse: naughty and (overly) friendly. He kept walking around the mountain road’s edges and snuggling up to his friend’s thighs. Occasionally, he’d make very loud breathing noises.
After about a 15-minute walk, the horse and I suddenly had to go down a very steep slope. This scared me quite a bit, as it took a lot of effort to balance and make sure I didn’t fall off. The horse zigzagged left and right to reduce the angle of the slope. He was so funny that he even stopped mid-slope to pee—it was 30 seconds of nothing but the sound of gushing water.
After dropping off our horses, we hiked a bit before arriving at Kaindy Lake. There was an earthquake here in the early 20th century, which flooded many trees. This created a breathtaking view of turquoise water and white trees in the middle of this beautiful lake.
We hiked our way back, took the bus again, and had our last lunch with the group.
Left: Janelle and Luca
It was an awesome adventure to the rural side of Kazakhstan, and it reminded us a bit of the movie Borat.
Left: Saty town; Right: Dog from our wonderful lunch spot
Day 6: University and Malls
Ms. Q and I used our Marriott credit card annual certificate at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty. We were so blessed to look at Almaty from above the Esentai Mall.
It was amazing to see the skiing facilities, city center, and TV station all at once.
Right: We spent that evening enjoying some Kazakh food at Navat (a popular chain in Central Asia)
We spent the afternoon walking around the nearby Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and our final hours in Almaty at a mall.
It was so cool to shop like the locals, and we even stopped at the local McDonald’s (called ‘I’m’ due to Kazakh legal issues; McDonald’s only entered Kazakhstan in 2016).
We are so excited to come back to Central Asia in the next few years. The expansive landscape, the reserved people who warm up to you, and the culture are a perfect intersection of so many important aspects of our world history.
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