🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan Ala-Kol and a little Kazakhstan
In May, combining my paid time off with two public holidays, I went to Kyrgyzstan (or "Xbox country" as I call it due to the flag[1]), with two other friends.
Among the central Asian countries, you might have heard of Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan is very similar, though some may say it has more to offer in terms of nature.
This was a trip filled with many ups and downs. Apart from the elevation gain, I also brought my friends to a hike we were sorely underprepared for, but it's so, so, beautiful.
Itinerary
Packing Notes
Costs
- Accommodations
- Flights: $1143.50 (AirAsia)
- Food, purchases, tips: I spent roughly $70
Total: $650, give or take. Prices in SGD.
if you decide to pay for added services:
- Motorcycle rides up to Pos 2 from Sembalun: ~200K IDR
It may be cheaper if you settle the itinerary yourself, probably saving up to $100. I also feel like I could've gotten a better deal with the flights. Nonetheless, it was well worth it for all the people I got to meet.
(Notice how the above paragraph needed no modifications when I copied this post's template over from last year's Bromo/Ijen post)
The flag represents the tündük of a yurt (the opening at the roof), and the 40 rays of the sun represent the forty historical Kyrgyz clans. ↩︎