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| Bishkek is a green city. Numerous trees soften the ex-Soviet apartments, and the mountains are not far off. |
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| Surviving a crowded minibus (35people, 13 seats) for an hours ride is all the access needed to the National Park |
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| As we hitched the last few kms to Ala-Archa, we got waylaid by a generous picnic invitation! As we picnicking in the idyllic shady green land beside the tumbling mountain river, everybody helped with the work, including the preschoolers and the guests! The fire was for cooking the most delicious meat patties. |
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| Merigil and her son Arlsa share their picnic with us. Chai, kumiz, smoky meat patties, home made bread, home grown strawberries and cherries and salad. "Daam du!" "It is delicious!" |
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| Heading up the Ala Archa Canyon Track through the wild flowers in the late afternoon sun. |
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| One of our beautiful campsites, this one on the edge of the larch forest |
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| Ibex in the morning light, by the alpinists camp. |
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| The icefall by the hut |
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| Not so different from NZ, a simple tin alpine hut. |
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| At the valley head, so much to gaze up at! |
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| A small scramble gave us even greater vistas. Wonderful granite spires! |
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| Perfect plateau |
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| Back down to the green and the flowers, everything lush in the spring morning |
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| Pretty stoked on the Kyrgyz mountains!! |
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| And pretty stoked on this!! A Tajik visa! Pamir Highway here we come! |
Oh wow! Oh wow! I'm so excited for you that you're meeting all those cool people and experiencing snapshots of true kyrgyz life! And those mountains look magnificent and so beautiful! What fun! I can't wait to see more photos and hear more stories!
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