A pleasant cycle from Almaty to Charyn Canyon and on to the Kyrgyzstan border.
Almaty – Kokpek – Charyn Canyon – Kegen – Kyrgyzstan border
306 km cycled
July 2024
Watch the video!
Third time lucky!
This was our third attempt at cycling Central Asia. Covid put an end to the first one and cross-border conflict between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan put paid to the second plan. And while Kyrgyzstan was the real draw, we had good reason to start the trip in Kazakhstan.
Irish and Swiss citizens can enter Kazakhstan visa free for 30 days. This was not going to be an issue for us as we knew we could easily cover our planned 300km in less than a week.
Almaty: A soft landing
Almaty, Kazakhstan’s former capital of two million, is a thriving city with wide tree-lined boulevards, spacious parks, pedestrian streets, bike lanes, countless fountains and trendy cafes. With the snow-capped peaks of the Tien-Shan mountain range towering overhead, Soviet-style architecture and Cyrillic script, you would be excused for thinking you were in Sofia, Bulgaria.
About 70% of the Kazakh population is Muslim, while 25% are Eastern Orthodox Christian. Both boast magnificent prayer houses in the city.
Where it all happens!
Apart from wandering around the wide leafy boulevards, the Green Market is certainly not to be missed, where horsemeat has a prominent place alongside sheep heads and all the innards your heart could yearn for!
And for your next table quiz!
Kazakhstan is the largest land-locked country in the world and Almaty (Alma-Ata) means “the grandfather of apples” and is actually where apples originated!
If Borat is your only reference point for Kazakhstan, we can assure you that the sophistication of Almaty couldn’t be further from the backward, ignorant image depicted in Borat’s movie about this oil-rich country. It was a perfect starting point for our first ride in Central Asia.
Time to hit the road!
After stocking up on supplies, we headed ENE out of Almaty, joining a lovely quiet (closed) road (Kb49) along the Almaty Canal after 35km of city traffic and busy roads. This turned out to be blissful cycling with endless camping possibilities and a constant supply of water. Temperatures were hovering around 30°, so even Darina was happy with early starts!
Kokpek Gorge
When we joined the main A351, the Kokpek Gorge awaited us as did a few steep climbs, exaggerated by the intense heat. Drivers were respectful on this busy stretch and horses grazed gracefully in the rolling hills.
But it was another special gorge that prompted our gander in this direction …
Charyn Canyon
The real reason for starting our trip in Kazakhstan was a 12-million-year natural wonder: The Charyn Canyon. This beautiful red-sandstone canyon including the Valley of the Castles is small but impressive and is locally know as Kazakhstan’s Grand Canyon. Definitely worth the short detour!
Last leg
There were a few climbs after the canyon, and then we hovered at around 1,900 masl cycling through alpine meadows all the way to the Kyrgyzstan border. It was pleasant riding with the snow-capped peaks of Kyrgystan beckoning in the distance.
Communication
While the official language of Kazakhstan is Kazakh, Russian is also widely spoken; both using the Cyrillic script. As neither of us excel in either, communication was challenging at times but we didn’t go hungry and Kurt even figured out how to order a beer! The locals were very friendly and with a few key words we were able to get our message across! Of course, Google Lens was wonderful for translating menus, and Google Translate aided our conversations when we had internet access.
Cyclists
We weren’t the only cyclists out there! Ana, Meg and Josh from Australia (@continentalcommuting) were cycling from China to Istanbul; while Stone (China) and Adrian (Singapore) were exploring Central Asia by bike. Then there were a couple of local Kazakh mountain bikers leaving no stone unturned on their home adventure.
Food
Tasty soups, salads, noodles and dumplings dominate the menus in Kazakhstan, and portion sizes amply satisfy cyclist appetites. Horse, beef and lamb are the most typical meats on offer. Main courses cost between 1,200 and 1,500 Tenge (2-3 Euros). Rye bread, cold meats, tomatoes, cucumbers, dried fruit and nuts were typical lunchtime picnics on the road.
Beer was low on the ground outside Almaty with tea being the preferred beverage, and Darina got to taste something new: a milky panicum/panicgrass tea reminiscent of Japan’s mugicha (barley tea).
Accommodation
We splashed out in Almaty and had a wonderful view of the Tien Shan mountains from our room in the Kazakhstan Hotel (double ensuite with mega breakfast buffet for 60€). Our simple room in Kegen cost around 10€. Otherwise, there were ample wild camping possibilities en route.
The verdict!
Our short ride through this tiny part of Kazakhstan exposed us to a happening city, varied landscapes, delicioius food and very friendly folk. It would certainly prompt us to return to see more of this huge country.
