Day 93: Kyrgyzstan

Overview

Driving duration: 4:40 h
Distance: 123 km
Avg Speed: 26 km/h
Start: No man’s land
End: Peak Lenin Basecamp
Night Location: 39°27'21" N 72°54'54" E

Kyrgyzstan

Only yesterday in the evening we realized that we already crossed the timezone border and now have +4 hours to home. This led to a small jetlag this morning when we got up at 07:00 (so 06:00 old time). Because we had a bit more driving planned, we wanted to start early. First was the border, which was super easy and relaxed. It took maybe 20 minutes and everything was efficient and good. After that we drove a road that was sometimes ok, sometimes bad until we reached the main road to Sary Tash, which was excellent. I think it was over two weeks ago that we had a road that good.

Before noon we were at Sary Tash, there we first got us some Kyrgyz Som from the ATM. After that I grabbed a physical SIM at a store, it was 5 CHF for 80 GB. An eSIM would have been 18 CHF for 3 GB… what a crazy difference. We also bought some fresh vegetables, but the stores were quite limited. We are both eager for some real grocery shopping and restocking.

After Sary Tash we started the drive towards Peak Lenin Basecamp. The first 70 km were super good and we took two times some hitchhikers (locals) with us. Always just to the next small village. Then after Sary Mogol the offroad track to the Basecamp started. Sometimes it was a decent gravel road, then it was super bumpy and washed out tracks. About 10 km before the Basecamp we also picked up two bikepackers. Fabi took the two bikes and we took the bikers.

We offloaded them at the Basecamp and then drove another 3 km to a place called “Onion Field”, it’s above the Basecamp and provides a beautiful view of the mountains. Currently it’s cloudy, so no mountain pictures today, but hopefully tomorrow.

Pictures

Activities