Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan – Cycling Off-road in the Tien Shan Mountains

It’s the end of August and we are heading to Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia, for a couple of weeks cycling rough tracks in the Tien Shan mountains.  We spent a two days in Bishkek getting over jetlag and putting our bikes together before heading off towards Lake Issyk Kul, where our cycling adventure starts.

Central Bishkek with the snowy peaks of the Tien Shan Mountains rising behind.  It might be hot down here but it looks cold up there.
11th century carving near Burana Tower
The 11th century Burana Tower. It used to be twice as high but was reduced somewhat by an earthquake
We were driven up from Bishkek (800 m) to Issyk-Kul lake which took 3.5 hours. The incredible rock colours of the hills
Cycling towards Kochkor on our first day. Unusually for us we have booked a group tour (with Red Spokes). Normally we cycle as independent travellers so we are not sure how we are going to get on with a regimented time table and pre-planned route! The other 8 cyclists are lovely but seem to be treating this as a race which is very different to our usual meandering and didn’t combine well with us stopping all the time to take pictures. I am sure we will get the hang of it, although not sure if I want to get used to it.
We had stayed in the small village of Kochkor overnight. That day was down as a big climb from 1700 m to 3006 m. I didn’t really think about the altitude much at this point as I have cycled at over 4500 m in the past with no problems. Back drop of Tien Shan mountains
We were on tarmac for the first 47 km and had a nice tail wind and with a steady 1% to 3% climb
It was really very pretty as we were following a river.
The valley on either side was green and fertile where the local Kyrgyz people were very busy cutting and bailing their hay before the winter sets in and they move back to lower ground.
The good thing about an organised tour is you get fed regularly wherever you are. At lunch time we found our vans in a field by a river with a long trestle table full of water melon, cold meat, cheese, salad and bread with delicious ginger and lemon tea.  Quite a few of our group are already ill with upset stomachs and this includes our cook, so although they are following a strict hygiene policy I am still worried.
After lunch we were on gravel, still climbing sometimes up to 9%, and as this road is used by traffic it could be dusty and had a washboard surface. Also our tail wind was now a head wind and getting stronger
The cyclists in this picture puts the height of the mountains in perspective
We were now nearly at 3000 m and the locals were moving large herds of horses and cows on horseback. There were also long horned cows and donkeys. As we climbed and our energy faded, our young 24 year old guide, Ayman, would shoot past doing wheelies and bunny hops over obstacles. At nearly 70 I was one of the youngest of the group!
As we got higher breathing got harder and I was obviously struggling. So an older Kyrgyz man stopped and offered to tow me along with a rope tied to his saddle. I would see this would put me very close to the horse’s hooves so regretfully declined and did eventually make it to the top. It probably would have been fun but I was so tired I don’t think I could have held on.
Near the top we turned off and rolled down across pasture land
We found the first van had set up 5 bright orange Chinese tents, a food tent and kitchen as well as digging a deep latrine under the toilet tent and a shower tent. Bliss, what luxury.
The whole cycling group. Uncle Eddie, our chef, had made a lovely soup and supper of creamy chicken and mash with salad. The night sky was completely clear and full of stars. It was also very cold, about 2 C. This is definitely the good side of group touring.
A summer yurt with their yaks. They will head lower soon as it gets cold
Bernie near the top of Jal Pak Bel Pass at 3337 m. Unfortunately I developed AMS (acute mountain sickness) at the top and felt ill for the rest of the day, despite heading down a bit immediately. This is the bad side of an organised tour, we went up too quick and my Diamox was in my luggage in the van and not with me on the bike. We made sure to carry our full first aid kit after that.
Wonderful views on the descent
A yak
Following the river down between the hills
There were a lot of what initially looked like ruined houses up here. In fact they are graveyards. Ironic, they live in yurts when alive and houses when dead.
The fertile river valley lined by rocky cliffs
We started the next day through a lovely gorge. The big difference here is that there are trees growing on the rocky hills that have been bare up to now.
Initially we were following the rushing river, which had a cooling effect on the hot day
The first 14 km were rough but stunning
We were criss-crossing the river, but we had been told that we would have to detour up over a pass as a bridge had collapsed under a lorry with tragic consequences
We were cycling a long way behind the main group, almost like we were one our own tour!
Once the detour started it was very hot, very deep dust/sand and very steep.
We passed more remote yurt communities up here, each with their own herd of horses which they rely on for transport, food and milk which they ferment into kumis.
Horses on the mountainside near the pass. Normally, earlier in the year, Kyrgyzstan is much greener and there are flowers everywhere. You can see the remnants of the flowering plants here. I was sad to have missed them.
The road was endless, hot and unforgiving
The top of the pass. You can just see Bernie cycling over the top. 2966 m high.
The van we were with gave this young lad a lift to the next village. He was sitting next to the dust road on the mountainside hoping for a lift. He was carrying mares milk to sell in the village.
The young lad had walked up from one of the yurts we could see below
You can only get a feast on the top of the world when travelling with a group.
A farm, not far from the top, with tall hay stacks
The small village in the fertile plain with the wonderful shapes of the hills behind
Cycling down the other side was a very dusty affair. We left a big gap so it had a little time to settle, but even with my buff over my mouth it was getting into my lungs and left me coughing for the rest of the trip. We were in a large hotel in Naryn that night that luckily had an ensuite as it was our turn to get the stomach bug that had gone around the whole group.
We decided to take a day off and stay in the hotel for the next day as we were both ill. We then took a taxi up to Son Kul Lake yurt camp to catch up with the rest of the group at around 3000 m
Luckily our taxi was a 4WD so was able to cope with the steep, loose, dusty roads. You can see we are coming up to a hairpin bend ahead. Instead of following the road around our driver took a sharp left and plunged down a short cut to meet the road below. I would have expected this on a mountain bike but not in a taxi!
We had the occasional walk enroute to stretch our legs and see some butterflies
Arriving at the yurt camp at Son Kul Lake which was enormous
Some tiny flowers sheltering from the wind under the dry crunchy grass
Our yurt was very comfortable. They come round just before bedtime and light a wood burning stove, which turns the yurt into an oven. It is very cold up here at night. They did offer to come back at 2 am to top up the fire but we thought this was a bit OTT.
Bernie, wrapped up warmly by Son Kul lake
The sunset was wonderful, probably made more so by all the dust in the air.
Thankfully the group had a day off here as I was still suffering from the altitude. So we spent the morning going for a hike. Some calves by a yurt
We were able to have a conversation of sorts with the farmer. He only spoke Kyrgyz and our guide only spoke Russian. I found they understood my beginners Russian better as I spoke slower and only used easy words.
All the horses are very skinny as there is very little for them to eat at this time of year.
The weather looks like it might change. We are hoping not as the dust roads would become very difficult if they got wet
Gull trying to make headway against the strong wind.
Keeping an eye on their horses
We walked to the top of the hill were there were petroglyphs
I was thankful I had brought a warm jacket as it was freezing in the strong wind
The next day, although still staying at the yurt camp, we set off on the bikes to visit 33 Parrots Pass. Some of it was quite steep
Local horses
Although I was still struggling with breathing I managed this ride OK, so I was hoping I would be able to cycle up to the higher pass the next day.
33 Parrots Pass. This is named after a Russian childrens program with a Parrot and a Snake. To help with counting they measured the snake in parrot lengths and it was 38 parrots long. As this pass has 33 switchbacks it was called 33 Parrots Pass
View over the mountains from the pass
Across the valley we could see remote yurt farms near the water source
This lady is milking the mare. To preserve the milk it is fermented into kumis, humans cannot digest mares milk raw.
The next day we cycled up to 3373 m. Luckily it was a gradual climb, between 1% – 3%, so despite sounding like a steam train I made it to the top
Horses running across the steppe near the top of the pass
We passed the second largest coal mine in Kyrgyzstan, a bit of an eyesore after all the lovely mountains but one of their main forms of income
Of course there were plenty of coal trucks
And the trucks kicked up even more dust
The first part of the descent was through a lovely gorge
But then we had a long and boring washboard ride against a strong headwind to Chaek.
Leaving Chaek and heading for Kyzyl-Oi was a much easier day of mainly gentle descent past incredible multi-coloured mountains
Halfway down we stopped by a river for lunch. As usual we were given a big spread but I haven’t been able to eat anything for days since getting the altitude sickness. This hasn’t helped my ability to cycle up mountain passes.
We were still being occasionally passed by dusty lorries which was unpleasant
The colours of the hills were amazing
The valley was very green because of the river
These graves were more ornate than others we have seen and have rooves
A few coloured rock photos
It wasn’t all rock, there were some insects too!
We stayed in a lovely homestay in Kyzyl-Oi. She cooked us wonderful food that I finally managed to eat
Some of the farm buildings behind the homestay.
As we were descending the landscape became less rugged
The power of water during the snow melt
To get to our last night camping we cycled across this river. Here our young guide, Ayman, is doing his trademark wheely across the river.
Some young primary school children heading home
We challenged this horseman to a race. He won hands down!
Traditional Kyrgyz plov made in the tent kitchen, with the central large garlic, eggs, horsemeat and rice. It was delicious, our last night treat
Last night in the tents
The team who looked after us while we were on the trip. They were all heading back to Uzbekistan, while we went back to Bishkek over a very high pass in the van.

I am not sure that I really enjoyed this trip as much as I should have, as I felt ill for most of it, although I think Bernie enjoyed it. We would probably not book another group trip as it doesn’t really suit our way of travelling. If I were to come back to Kyrgyzstan I would certainly come earlier in the year when it would be greener and the thousands of flowers it is famous for would be in bloom. It would probably be less dusty then.

5 thoughts on “Kyrgyzstan – Cycling Off-road in the Tien Shan Mountains”

    1. Hi Brenda, We have several places in mind at the moment, which is always the case. We might head back to South America again to finally cycle the Carretera Austral. I am going to be 70 in January and thought it would be fun to be cycling up a mountain on my birthday.

      Reply

      1. Do it. Since I turned 70 , 5 years ago, different health problems have reared up out of nowhere. I’ve seen it so often in my professional life . You don’t think it will happen because you live healthily but genetics jumps in . Still cycling though

      2. I agree and we are trying to cram in as many interesting but difficult places while we still can. Although after my experiences in Kyrgyzstan with altitude I have probably crossed Tajikistan off my list as it is much higher.

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