The highlights of our journey through Kyrgyzstan include a crazy taxi ride with what we assume must’ve been a drug dealer making stops along the way to Osh, horseback riding in the high valleys of Song Kol Lake and following the ancient Silk Road trail and exploring the markets. I write about our three weeks in Kyrgyzstan in my second book “Backpacks and Bra Straps”. Below you’ll find an excerpt from the book about our time at Song Kol Lake.

“Not nearly ready to turn back yet, Mom and I continued uphill, surrounded by oceans of waving grass. The earth was smooth and completely devoid of gopher holes, rocks, protruding roots, or other debris. With no concerns about tripping or injury, it was pure bliss to be able to gallop so freely. For a while, we even got to canter side by side in the meadows and hills alongside free-roaming horses, imagining we were part of the wild herd. Upon reaching the top, we were rewarded with a magnificent view. This land that stretched farther than the eye could see was truly a horse’s paradise. Cows, donkeys, goats, and horses speckled the steppes below like sand flies, and a few yurts were nestled down where the grassy fields surrendered to the pebbly shoreline. Meandering streams flowing from the mountains nourished the fields and fed the lake, the water shimmering across the valley under the open sky. There wasn’t a single motor or machine to disturb this peaceful setting. The silence was broken only by the sounds we made: hooves brushing the short grass, occasional snorts, and the soft creaking of our leather saddles.”

My suggestion to you is, travel to Kyrgyzstan now while it’s still relatively untouched!

Driving through the beautiful landlocked country of Kyrgyzstan