Kyrgyzstan – The Wild & Distant
It’s solely 3 years in the past since I first visited Kyrgyzstan for the primary time. I keep in mind looking pictures of the nation earlier than that and I couldn’t discover so much. Now, a number of years later, I actually discover the rise of recognition. Each time I visited I teamed up with my mates of Go to Karakol who’ve the identical spirit as me: go to new locations, discover, and seize the fantastic thing about this nation. Collectively we found so much. All through the years we go to a unique space of the nation each time: some areas that we by no means ever visited, and a few that my mates had explored themselves. Two years in the past I explored new canyons scouted from Google Earth and introduced CNN journey with me for per week on the journey. Now, a type of canyons that we named ‘Canyons of Forgotten Rivers’ is a scorching spot and native tour businesses even organise day excursions from it from the capital of Bishkek. It is nice to see the recognition of my work rising within the nation and this time I even gave some TV interviews on in style channels.
Additionally, it was nice to see the brand new Novotel in Bishkek (top-of-the-line motels in Bishkek) was lastly completed and opening. They’re utilizing a few of my photographs of their rooms. It was nice to collaborate on this and particular because of proprietor Jodar for making this occur and alluring me and Bermet to all of the festivities.
My in style picture if an enormous eagle above the Ala-Archa mountain vary close to Bishkek, with mild hitting in between the ridges, utilized in a few of the enterprise rooms within the Novotel Bishkek.
You too can discover plenty of my pictures within the stunning Greenyard Resort in Karakol (owned by my mates of Visitkarakol) We’re nonetheless placing new ones there each time!
It’s a pleasant feeling once you instantly play half within the improvement of tourism your self. After my first ‘viral’ picture sequence of Kyrgyzstan, that additionally appeared on CNN and Lonely Planet, Lonely planet instantly added it to the highest 10 record of nations to go to. Coincidence? Possibly. However I may see the nation was getting extra in style by the yr. Now, a number of years later, we will see many extra vacationers and photographers visiting to see the sweetness themselves. Locations in Kyrgyzstan have a particular ambiance to them. Some are solely being visited by a handful of individuals every year. You want effort and dedication to get to them, and in lots of circumstances particular permits as they’re on the border with both China or Kazakhstan.
This yr I spent about 1.5 months within the nation. For the people who don’t know: That is the nation the place my girlfriend Bermet is from. Each time I mix household time with exploring new locations. It’s a pleasant steadiness of on one facet very energetic exploring and taking pictures, and on the opposite: rest with the household.
Kyrgyzstan had a tough time final yr throughout COVID. We and particularly the household acquired hit by a number of deaths, and Bermet sadly misplaced her mom that she was very shut with. These have been (and nonetheless are) very tough instances for the household and little by little we begin to decide up day by day life once more, with a gap within the coronary heart. Although Bermet’s mom Begayim’s English wasn’t nice and my Kyrgyz isn’t the perfect both, we nonetheless communicated. She would additionally all the time touch upon my pictures, usually saying one thing in Russian that I didn’t perceive. However her favourites have been all the time my pictures with flowers. That is one thing we actually had in widespread: our love for flowers. And once I take a photograph of lovely flowers, I consider her.
This yr my essential plan was go to a distant space within the south. My mates of Go to Karakol had been there a few instances and needed to indicate it to me. It’s a valley close to the border of China that’s very distant. Simply me, Timur and Parhat and our Toyota Landcruiser, for 1 week within the wilderness. It was a wild journey with not the perfect climate for pictures. Days of rain, or pure sunshine with out a single cloud. However we had a good time. We didn’t see any individuals for per week, no web, no electrical energy, nothing. Wild mountains, loopy roads (truly you possibly can’t actually name them roads), crystal clear lakes, and good firm.
That journey was actually an expertise. We slept in our tent with typically temperatures under zero levels. We crossed passes and rivers with the Landcruiser that I assumed was merely unattainable. We drove hours fully offroad to get to the glacier of Peak Kyzyl Asker and one way or the other made it with out getting caught or perhaps a flat tire. We crashed drones and one way or the other discovered them once more. Ultimately, we made it again with none problem. I’ve to say that some instances I actually had my doubts, however my mates knew what they have been doing. And if we actually wanted assist (that may be days away) we all the time had the satellite tv for pc telephone.
Subsequent to this I additionally did many small different journeys, to typically locations I already visited, or day journeys to new areas. I’ll present all of them on this article. I additionally visited Khan Tengri Basecamp (that I’ve been wanting to go to for years), house to climbers that climb the unimaginable mountains round, like Khan Tengri (7020m) and Peak Pobeda (7439m). Flying right here with an outdated soviet helicopter (from Aksai Journey) and staying right here for a number of days was a loopy expertise. On daily basis we skilled all 4 seasons, waking up in a white wonderland after an evening with snow, adopted by getting burned by the sturdy solar, after which rain, that got here in from the valleys across the space day-after-day. Staying right here with my brother (that came over for per week) , taking pictures and speaking with all of the climbers was one thing particular.
As regular, I needed to prolong my keep right here as a result of I merely didn’t have sufficient time. And whereas COVID circumstances have been very excessive within the Netherlands in some unspecified time in the future, I additionally actually didn’t have any urge to return any time quickly. On prime of that, household stored inviting us to go to some locations, see their roots and eat good meals. Who may say no to that?
Please take pleasure in this new picture sequence from Kyrgyzstan : The Wild & Distant.
Spectacular sundown colors above Kyzyl Asker peak (5842m) with an countless sea of wildflowers.
On the best way to the Kyzyl Asker valley we handed this spectacular panorama with somewhat yurt in entrance of it. Native households spend the entire summer season in simply their yurt and the wilderness to care for the cattle. This was one of many final types of civilisation we noticed earlier than going to Kyzyl Asker.
At first of our journey to Kyzyl Asker we had 2 days stuffed with rain and dangerous climate. We nearly couldn’t see something, however this was a clearing in between the place the clouds shortly lifted from the mountains.
After crossing Barskoon valley we crossed this move with near 4000m altitude. On the finish of the afternoon there was some final mild hitting the valley. We determined to camp right here earlier than we continued our means.
We camped at this lake near Kyzyl Asker (on the left) with spectacular mountains round. On some uncommon moments the lake was fully nonetheless. The cranium you see is from a Marco Polo sheep. They’re very large sheep that may solely be present in some excessive altitude areas of Central Asia.
Layers of mountains, land and water. Staying right here for a few days, the afternoon usually introduced dramatic clouds above the peaks.
The highest of Kyzyl Asker (5842m) hit by the final daylight and surrounded by clouds.
When the climate lastly cleared up and we may see all of the mountains round us, we celebrated the attractive night after a spectacular sundown proper subsequent to the lake with Kyzyl Asker within the background. We made a campfire , had good meals and drank some Kirghiz cognac, which is of nice style.
In the identical mountain vary of Kyzyl Asker, we discover these 2 triangular mountains (once you method them from a sure facet). The very best one (proper) is peak Dankova (5982m). On a really clear night we photographed the sundown right here with the sunshine hitting the mountains. The colors within the sky have been surreal that night.
After taking pictures the sundown at Peak Dankova we waited for the total moon rise. I knew the place it was going to rise so we shortly made a 20 minute drive after sundown to align the moon proper on prime of peak Dankova.
I all the time actually take pleasure in to see what sort of flowers develop in every single place. And we weren’t upset. It was attention-grabbing to see that at actually dry areas little flowers have been coming out of the bottom between the cracks and the rocks.
In Kyrgyzstan one can find a number of Edelweiss flowers. The Edelweiss flower is a logo of alpinism. It’s thought-about fairly a uncommon flower within the European Alps that you just discover on larger altitudes. However in Kyrgyzstan you discover them in every single place, typically with tons of if not 1000’s on one hill!
After visiting Peak Dankova and Kyzyl Asker we drove left to an space known as Naryn. Right here we lastly arrived again at ‘civilisation’. This lake named Kölsuu is a spectacular lake surrounded by large steep mountains and rocks. To get there by automotive it’s good to cross a number of deep rivers and rocky terrain. Through the years it grew to become fairly in style with the locals they usually come to the place to ‘get away from civilisation’, however in actual fact: for us it was getting again to civilisation. It was crowded with even faculty buses visiting the yurt camp close to the lake. A well-liked summer season vacation spot for the area for positive.
The valley in entrance of Kölsuu might be much more spectacular than the lake itself. Flying excessive with the drone you possibly can see all of the swirling rivers coming from the glaciers of the mountains round. This valley is named the Kok-Kiya valley and has some yurt camps the place you possibly can keep (look intently and also you see them proper under the mountains).
A mini journey that I needed to do for years since I first visited Kyrgyzstan: Visiting the Khan Tengri Basecamp at an altitude of 4200m. You are able to do a 7 day trek to there, or ‘merely’ take the helicopter. Nicely, it’s not ‘that’ easy as the primary time I needed to do that the helicopter crashed (no casualties, only a dangerous touchdown) and it was out of enterprise. Years later (on this journey) I lastly managed to go together with the ‘new’ helicopter (an outdated soviet beast) by Aksai Journey. On this picture you see Khan Tengri (7010m) on the proper.
In Khan Tengri Basecamp we stayed in these yellow tents. It was common for snow to come back in later afternoon or at night time, and one morning I wakened and that is the primary picture I took: winter wonderland. At night time it will get under zero however surprisingly, the chilly was not that excessive. We (me, my brother and his good friend) have been the one vacationers round, as this basecamp is generally for climbers. It was very attention-grabbing to spend some days in basecamp, each for the surroundings and assembly and speaking to all of the climbers about their adventures.
It was tough to seek out foregrounds for spectacular pictures in Khan Tengri Basecamp because it was principally simply rocks and stones. However I found that within the morning after the chilly nights, the little water puddles close to the camp have been frozen and had these good icy textures. So I used these to create some frames, like this one. The entire basecamp was surrounded by spectacular mountains, and on the left of this picture you see Peak Pobeda a.okay.a. Jengish Chokusu. It’s the best mountain within the Tian Shan mountain vary at 7439m
David standing in entrance of the huge Peak Pobeda and it’s glacier (7439m)
It was not all the time simple to see the height of Khan Tengri. It was usually within the clouds and a few days we didn’t see it in any respect. However on this explicit night it was peaking simply above a layer of clouds. I let my digicam take a sequence of pictures for half-hour to take this star path picture with the alpenglow nonetheless casting some mild on the height.
Throughout mornings in Khan Tengri BC I loved seeing the primary mild hitting the peaks and sure areas of the mountains round me. I used the lengthy telephoto lens to seize all these particulars. I made a full sequence of those photographs for mountain mild particulars that yow will discover HERE.
Our yellow tents in Khan Tengri BC below the tremendous clear starry sky. You may see Khan Tengri within the background peaking simply above a layer of clouds.
Earlier than occurring my ‘greater’ a number of day adventures in Kyrgyzstan I did some little journeys. One in every of them was a sundown at this very stunning little tree. Timur of VisitKarakol introduced me right here. It’s in a good looking little valley with the large Issyk-Kul lake on one facet (that you just see within the distance on this picture) and exquisite mountains on the opposite.
I visited Boz-Uchuk lakes (close to Karakol) with Timur and spent the night time there. We have been handled with an excellent clear night time with no wind, creating stunning reflections of the milky means. The Boz-Uchuk lakes are usually not essentially the most spectacular, however they’ve a really calming ambiance and exquisite surroundings round them.
After photographing the night time sky at Boz-Uchuk lakes I wakened early to seize the primary morning mild hitting the mountains. There have been plenty of attention-grabbing wildflowers across the lake to create vibrant photographs like this one.
I really like spending hours on Google Earth to seek out attention-grabbing areas. This can be a good instance of that. I noticed this river delta on Google Earth and had the thought of flying the drone right here. What you see right here is rivers coming all the best way from the mountains round Issyk-Kul lake, making their means finally to the lake. Issyk-Kul lake is a big lake in Kyrgyzstan and has a really stunning tropical color, particularly when its dampened by darkish clouds. On this explicit afternoon thunderstorms have been hitting the mountains round creating this dramatic ambiance. If you look intently, you possibly can see town of Karakol on the highest left.
The Valley in entrance of Peak Eltcin is a spot I already visited as soon as earlier than. However I liked to go to this valley once more and spend a day right here. Due to Lida (Karakol Native lady, very adventurous and type) for bringing me and driving up the bumpy highway all the best way to the tip so we didn’t need to stroll too far. On this valley one can find Kyrgyz native life with the native shepherd household controlling their cattle.
I actually liked photographing this little boy on his stunning white horse along with his German shepherd canine. Children develop up right here in summer season with out a lot expertise, however who wants expertise when you might have this magnificence round you?
Skazka Canyon (Fairytale canyon) is a ‘touristic’ place in Kyrgyzstan. It’s a spectacular canyon with rugged peaks that appears prefer it’s popping out of Lord of the Rings. I had already visited this place 2 instances however each instances I didn’t get spectacular mild. This time it was totally different, and I additionally actually loved flying across the peaks with my drone discovering this viewpoint and composition.
The final mild hitting the Skazka Canyon with its rocky towers.
On one afternoon I visited Peak Vera with my good friend Ibraim (from VisitKarakol). We hiked up this mountain subsequent to Issyk-Kul lake with a spectacular view of the realm round. However what I preferred most have been the countless flowers we discovered right here!
I visited the valley of Altyn Arashan, near Karakol with driver Roma and his UAZ hunter. A bumpy highway to get there, however value it. From this valley you possibly can see Peak Palatka (within the shade within the again). This valley has yurt camps to remain and even has scorching springs. It’s a valley principally used for hikers after they come again out of the mountains from the opposite facet.
An summary picture of the bushes within the Valley of Altyn Arashan. They nearly appear to be sharp pins on this summary picture created by shortly shifting the digicam up and down whereas urgent the shutter.
Within the valley of Altyn Arashan peak Palatka (4730m) confirmed itself within the late afternoon with good mild hitting the height, after some dramatic afternoon climate.
I visited Karakol Basecamp for at some point. Having been there earlier than for mountain climbing to Peak Karakol and Ala Kul Lake, this time was a unique expertise. It was very wet however the ambiance was very attention-grabbing. I began to note how attention-grabbing the bushes on this space have been, and requested my good friend Ibraim to face subsequent to it so you possibly can see how large they have been.
I hope you loved this new physique of labor. I’ll proceed to go to, discover and promote this stunning nation. You could find my earlier work of Kyrgyzstan HERE.
In case you’re excited by my gear throughout this journey, examine THIS article on SonyAlphaUniverse.
Checklist:
Sony Alpha A7RIV
Sony 14mm GM
Sony 24mm GM
Sony 24-105 G
Sony 100-400 GM
DJI Mavic 2 Professional
Be happy to ask me any questions as all the time.
Thanks for studying,
Albert
Supply hyperlink
