{"id":30407,"date":"2021-05-17T13:53:35","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T13:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/?p=30407"},"modified":"2021-05-17T13:53:38","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T13:53:38","slug":"postcard-from-the-road-a-visit-to-remote-villages-in-kyrgyzstan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/postcard-from-the-road-a-visit-to-remote-villages-in-kyrgyzstan\/","title":{"rendered":"Postcard from the Road: A Visit to Remote Villages in Kyrgyzstan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Happy villagers. Photo credit: Michel Behar<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Tour Manager\u00a0Michel Behar<\/a>\u00a0shared some photos from the road while on traveling on MIR\u2019s\u00a0Pamir Highway: From the Tien Shan to the High Pamirs<\/a>\u00a0small group tour a few years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While journeying through remote villages on \u201cthe Silk Road Less Traveled,\u201d Michel and his tour group met with several families of semi-nomads in\u00a0Kyrgyzstan<\/a>. Michel shared details of the group\u2019s visits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We met a family with 4 children in Kurtka, some 30 miles away from Son Kul Lake. They offered us homemade bread and kymyz<\/em> (fermented horse milk). Kymyz<\/em> is known for its positive health benefits; some locals go on straight kymyz<\/em> diets for weeks because they believe that kymy<\/em>z is good for cleansing the body. <\/p>

Our host was a 43-year-old man, who was intrigued by everyone\u2019s age (he\u2019s the man in the red sweater in the top photo). He had a weathered suntanned face and a broad smile, and told us that he usually spends his time herding hundreds of sheep up in the hills. <\/p>

We also visited another family in nearby Ak Tala. Our host wore a traditional kalpak<\/em> (a pointed white felt hat symbolizing the snow-capped mountains). It was a delight to meet with the families here. The kids were especially charming \u2014 they were quite curious, and intrigued by the sight of foreigners passing through. <\/p>

During these visits to remote Kyrgyz villages, we were able to get a glimpse of some the families\u2019 daily routines, such as milking the animals and making felt carpets. Afterwards, we went to a local yurt camp for the night.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Kyrgyzstan is often considered “Central Asia\u2019s Best-Kept Secret.”<\/strong>\u00a0The country\u2019s dramatic beauty is balanced by deep-rooted cultural traditions and warm hospitality. Although tourism there has been heating up, Kyrgyzstan remains an unspoiled and adventurous place to explore.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Kyrgyz man stands outside of his yurt, wearing a kalpak. Photo credit: Michel Behar<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Here are some more photos Michel shared with us from his time visiting remote Kyrgyz villages:<\/h4>\n\n\n
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  • \n \"Rolling <\/li>\n
  • \n \"Fresh <\/li>\n
  • \n \"Warm <\/li>\n
  • \n \"The <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n