Are you looking for the best things to do in Shymkent, Kazakhstan? This guide will give you details on what to do in Shymkent! During my time living in Kazakhstan last year, I made it my mission to go to Shymkent to see what the third-largest Kazakh city and Silk Road hub had going on […]
Category Archives: Central Asia
Kazakhstan is easily one of the most beautiful countries on the planet and the country constantly flies under the travel radar when it shouldn’t. Especially when places like Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan’s famous sunken forest, exist. This is a travel guide to Lake Kaindy, part of the Kolsai Lakes in southeastern Kazakhstan, discussing how to visit […]
I have all the components that would make up a terrible trekker. I am afraid of heights. I am claustrophobic, which comes into play when trying to stuff me into a tent to sleep. And all animals distract me, which can be a horrible problem when trekking during spring, and all the baby animals are […]
“They are building a road to the mountains here,” the cordial local from Balykchy said optimistically to the three of us. We were standing in front of a statue of two snow leopards and Sayakbay Karalayev. I gazed away fixated on the street art on the side of the building across the street as […]
Kyrgyzstan, Soviet History & Architecture, Things to Do
Issyk-Ata: A Soviet Sanatorium in Kyrgyzstan
My first experience with a Soviet sanatorium was back in Sukhum, Abkhazia in 2013. I had booked a place on Couchsurfing to stay that ran me $1 (free accommodation was illegal at the time in Abkhazia so the hosts were mandated to charge something) and upon my arrival in the city, I was unable to […]
If you were to ask me what my favorite region in the world is, I would likely shout out ‘Central Asia’ every time, even though my travels in the region have focused on solely two countries. The mountains, people, food, and hospitality keep me coming back. This is a guide of the best places to […]