Ala Archa National Park

Must be that someone up there loves me and hears my wishes.

On my last trip I left Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan after spending just one day there and wished so much that I could come back in the summer for a longer stay. I could see the impressive Tian-Shan mountains from the airport runway and wanted so bad to get there.  Summer was going away fast. It was beginning of September already and I got my wish just two days later. Instead of being sent home from Germany I was sent back to Bishkek for 71 hours.

Finding this out, I began researching travel agencies for tours offered outside of the city. All of the offers I received from two different agencies were two or three day tours with prices going up for less people in the group. I could not convince any of my colleagues to join me and I did not like the idea of going alone with a guide and driver just by myself, for a high price. As a result I researched things to do on my own.  Willing to take public transportation no matter if by bus or train or even a bike if needed, willing to walk a lot or even hitch-hike, too, I discovered marvelous places.

The experiences I enjoy when I let the fears lift away and push myself against comfort and laziness always prove to be exciting, refreshing, new and well worth it. Not to mention inexpensive. One tour company was asking for US$200 for a day trip that on my own using public buses (“mashrutca”) cost me less than US$6.

Any mashrutca in the city is just 10 Som (1$=49Som today so 10Som is about 20 cents). From the intersection just before the Osh Bazaar in Bishkek I took another mashrutca to Kashka-Suu (25 Som). This one was mashrutca number 265. There might be other numbers going there as well. Just ask for Kashka-Suu as it is the furthest you can go with public transportation towards the entrance of the Ala-Archa National Park. There is still quite a distance to cover from there on and the view is not yet that great so I stopped a car. It was a week-end and I knew there would be no shortage of cars. Caution advised when doing this, but if a family with small kids stops you know you are very likely the safest you could be. And with many cars on the road you can pick and choose.

No two experiences are alike as you meet different people in your travels. In my case the first car that stopped was a family with an 8 year old shy boy. They went past the car entrance of the park but stopped before the gate to the trails. There are many kilometers between the entrance for cars and the gate for hikes, and as I was invited to accompany the family to their party, I decided to join them for a while. There were a few big tents set by the river and their friend had rented one for his birthday party. Four families with children sat around a lot of food and drinks and we joined them. They had no alcohol around and this made me feel even safer.  I was watching my plate being filled again and again. They were such nice and friendly people and some spoke English well.

At some point I knew I could not eat one more thing (I already had a big breakfast at the hotel) and realized that they will stay in the same place for hours. I apologized for leaving and hit the road again. I did not get to walk far before another car stopped, even without having a thumb out. I knew right away the driver was English speaker and it turned out he was going into the park for a work related barbeque party, and I was invited to that one as well. No way I could eat more!

He took me all the way to the gate and I began walking the trails from there on. The sign posted nearby was giving info for three different trails. I will post the picture below in case someone wants to read it and choose their trail ahead of time. One trail is for parents with small children and I saw people in their mid 20’s carrying kids on their backs – a bit too adventurous for the frozen river we had to cross and the rolling stones under our feet. But then again, I am not sure what trails they have followed versus I, and if they did not go further than advised.

I loved the view and the experience. These pictures do not capture the fresh air, soft sun, smells of cooked food, the colorful amazing people around, and the majesty of the mountains and surrounding nature- not to mention the grateful feelings one can have experiencing it all. I would return again and recommend it to anyone.

Ancestry of nomads, I found the Kyrgyz people nice, friendly, hospitable and helpful. I love the yurts they travel with and their building fascinates me. Is this because I resonate with such a nomadic life? Could they sense that and is this why I was invited to all these parties? Who knows? Fact is that I could have eaten myself into oblivion going from party to party in the park. Yet, I preferred to hike a bit and enjoy the view. Next time I will leave earlier and plan my hike better. I would love to go to the water fall on one of the trails and maybe even do the 6 km trail for advanced hikers as they say it would only take 3 hours to complete the whole loop.