Throwback to winter 2024, I visited the 3 Stans countries with Cici, and two of my good friends from office, from teammate turn to friend and finally they become my 2nd and 3rd daughters. It was a girl trip to Central Asia: Kazakhstan (KZ), Kyrgyzstan (KG) and Uzbekistan (UZ).
I really want to write a long post before I forgot all the details, hope I can do it very soon. For now, this short post should work.
My curiosity with Central Asia began in 2014-2015 when I read Agustinus Wibowo’s book : Garis Batas, Perjalanan di Negeri-Negeri Asia Tengah (A Journey in Central Asia Countries). The book transported me to the ex-Soviet Union countries, painting a vivid picture of their sweet and sour post the freedom, and I’ve been dreaming of visiting them ever since. My dream was to embark on a backpacking adventure using public transport, slow travel from one place to another with end point in Urumqi region of China.
Though, it will be a long journey that was not easy to fit in 20 days leave a year plan. Back then, the visa application process was also complicated. It wasn’t until 2019 that most of the Stan countries (excluding Turkmenistan) introduced free visa or e-visa policies for Indonesian.
As usual it was DIY trip except in KG we rented a car with driver, and he also helped us with hotel arrangement and all the tour. We started the journey from Kuala Lumpur and we flew into KZ before cross border to KG, spent few days there, back to KZ, and then took a flight to UZ and flew out from Tashkent, UZ to Kuala Lumpur. Total 13 days trip with additional 1 day due to flight delay.
I was not exactly on the backpacking trip or slow travel I had envisioned, still it was an amazing trip, and I love it so much. Let’s take it as a recon visit with the hope of returning in the future, InshaAllah.
The flight from KL to Almaty took 8 hours. As usual, I had to finish my work before the trip, so I didn’t sleep the night before. I literary packed my bag an hour before booking a taxi to the airport, haha). Because of that, the 8 hours felt super short. I slept through almost the entire flight.
Until about an hour before landing in Almaty, we began to see a stunning view of the Central Asian mountain ranges. It was so beautiful that I couldn’t stop taking photos. These mountains are home to a rich cultural heritage, shaped by nomadic people who have lived there for centuries, even though there is little written documentation about their history.
KAZAKHSTAN #1
After the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan’s oil and gas reserves brought rapid growth and modernization. Almaty International Airport is a shining example, with modern and clean facilities. It took less than 5 mins for the immigration process and welcome to Kazakhstan (free visa for Indonesian). We arrived in Almaty at 6 PM and directly crossed into Kyrgyzstan via Korday, the closest border to Bishkek. The drive from Almaty took 6 hours due to heavy traffic and slippery roads.
KYRGYZSTAN
In KG we went on a road trip with our friendly driver, Baiysh. We started from the capital, Bishkek. Spent a night at Beltam Yurt Camp, experienced eagle hunting in Bokonbayevo, and made short visits to Issyk Kul Lake and Skazka Canyon, also a winter wonderland Jeti Oguz. KG was extremely cold with heavy snow everyday, but it was incredebly beautiful and magical.
We spent our last night in Karakol before crossing the border into KZ. Three days in KG felt far too short, I would recommend spending at least a week there.
KAZAKHSTAN #2
We visited Kolsai Lake and stayed overnight in Saty Village. We stayed at the homestay owned by a local family, and it was truly beautiful. We also visited the famous Charyn Canyon which many people describe as a “mini Grand canyon”. I’ve to admit, it is true. Having been to the Grand Canyon in the USA, Charyn Canyon reminded me of it in many ways. We trekked down to the base of the canyon, and it was a really enjoyable experience.
In Almaty, we spent a day at Shymbulak Ski Resort because we wanted to learn how to ski. It was the first time for both Cici and me, and off course, Cici loved it so much. Shymbulak is very beautiful and skiing there is very affordable. The next day, Cici and I visited the Arasan Bath Spa. Honestly, it was fun but a bit weird at the same time haha. I should probably write a dedicated post about that spa experience.
In total we spent four days in KZ before flying to Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Christmas Day.
UZBEKISTAN
Uzbek was much warmer compared to KG and KZ, with almost no snow. We arrived in Tashkent at 6 PM and continued our journey to Bukhara on an overnight sleeper train. We spent about 1.5 days in Bukhara before taking another train to Samarkand where we stayed for another 1.5 days and then moved on to Tashkent.
Once again, it felt too short. Even though we weren’t rushing, it would have been nice to have more time.
Long story short, alhamdulillah our trip went well. We managed to visit many places and experienced so many new things. Central Asia is truly extraordinary, and I hope I can return one day.
Thank you Central Asia, rahmah !.
