Two Days in the Kazakh Steppe

Leon and I spent the weekend on a trip to the Kazakh Steppe. From Almaty, we headed east, almost to the Chinese border – a journey that took the entire first day.

Our first stop was a waterfall in the mountains where we had a picnic. After that, we drove on to Tuzköl Salt Lake, which offers a breathtaking view of the Tien Shan mountain range, with Khan Tengri in the center. The “Lord of the Sky” at 7010 m is the highest mountain in Kazakhstan and lies right on the border with China and Kyrgyzstan. At Tuzköl, we set up camp and spent the night.

The next morning, we were rewarded with a sunrise that is hard to put into words. The mountains, which had been hidden in mist and clouds the evening before, were now clearly and sharply outlined against the sky. The snow on the peaks shimmered in various colors: first pink, then gold, and finally white-blue. Even when I see them right in front of me, I sometimes find it hard to believe that such places truly exist in the world.

After a hearty breakfast, we set off for a small canyon, which we reached around noon. There we took a break before heading back to Almaty.

We were both completely overwhelmed by the landscapes and the people and returned with many new impressions. Here are a few of them:

• The nature around Almaty is incredibly diverse. There are wide steppes, gentle hills, green river valleys, and rugged mountains with rock faces where Tien Shan firs grow.
• Along the way, we repeatedly encountered nomads who live in yurts in the summer and keep animals: sheep, cows, and surprisingly many horses. The animals often roam freely yet reliably return – lured by small portions of salt. For me, that would rather be a reason to run away, but apparently, the animals can’t get enough of it.
• I learned that a yurt can be set up or taken down in less than an hour and packed so compactly that two camels or a small off-road vehicle are sufficient for transport!
• In the steppe, there is a pleasant silence. Only the chirping of grasshoppers, the wind, and occasionally birdsong or the sounds of livestock can be heard.
• The contrast between Almaty and the surrounding area is enormous: In the city, running water, internet, and air-conditioned rooms are taken for granted. You can shop at Dior and Hermès, stay at the Ritz Carlton, and occasionally a stylish sports car zips through the streets. In the surrounding villages, however, much of that is not available – at least not on a wide scale. Our friendly tour guide explained that this is mainly due to the sheer size of Kazakhstan, which makes it nearly impossible to build stable infrastructure everywhere. Internet is mainly available along the main traffic routes with transmission towers, and outside the large cities, there is mostly no sewage system. However, I wonder if that is the only reason.

Back in Almaty, we collapsed into our hotel beds, exhausted. Since Leon caught a nasty cold along the way, we are spending the rest of our week together mainly in and around our hostel. We read a lot, indulge in the diverse cuisine of the city, and allow ourselves some relaxation. Tomorrow evening Leon flies back to Germany, and the day after tomorrow morning Philipp arrives – then we will make plans together for the next leg of the journey :)

PS: Sorry for the flood of pictures – I couldn't for the life of me decide which ones to leave out.