Kyrgyzstan is a nation defined by its natural beauty. Joyously unspoilt mountainscapes, stark craggy ridges and rolling jailoos (summer pastures) are brought to life by semi-nomadic, yurt-dwelling shepherds - Lonely Planet Central Asia
An eagle hunter in Kyrgyzstan
I was always fascinated about remote and unknown regions of Central Asia’s highlands. Even when there is not so much a thing called ‘unknown’ in today’s world of air travel and internet, the mountainous regions far north of the Himalayas seemed to be away from everywhere. The region always sounded exotic, with its fables of Silk-Route and of marching armies of Chengiz Khan and Timur Leng. Their nomadic settlements in the mountains and fascinating eagle-hunters on their Central-Asian horses were stuff that made for exotic stories.
Kyrgyzstan — Central Asian horses roaming in the landscapes of Song Kul Lake.
In the past two years, I have spent several weeks travelling in Kyrgyzstan, immensely enjoying its natural beauty. I have spent nights in the yurts of shepherds of Tien-Shan mountains, enjoying their hospitality and watching them herd sheep through the jailoos. I have made friends with their fascinating eagle-hunters who train golden eagles and go hunting with them in the mountains. I have wandered among the snow-covered mountains and crisscrossed the fast-flowing rivers in the valleys. I have walked along its high-altitude lakes that seem to compete with each other trying to determine who has the most azure waters. Kyrgyzstan is a small piece of heaven that just happens to be on this earth!
Every year, we conduct a mentored photography tour in Kyrgyzstan, which takes you through the brilliant landscapes and gets you up-close with semi-nomadic lifestyle of Central Asian shepherds. In the eleven days that we are on the road, we will be part of breathtaking mountain landscapes and be among brilliant blue lakes, have the privilege to interact closely with shepherds in the highlands, watch magnificent Central-Asian horses at play, see & photograph some amazing traditional games and witness everyday life of people in the summer-pastures. We will also have a chance to interact with traditional falconers / eagle-hunters who have kept centuries-old hunting traditions alive. This tour is full of incredible photography opportunities that few places and few itineraries anywhere in the world can offer within such duration in such a small region. The tour is a excellent window to the life and landscapes of Central Asia. The mentored photo-journey also equips you with a keen understanding of life in the country and takes you through the art of telling stories with your images. Discover what it takes to create unique images that stand apart from cliche, have your own unique signature and makes a strong visual impact. For more information and to be a part of this carefully curated unique photography tour, visit “Kyrgyzstan Photography Tour — The Best of Central Asia”.
Magnificent mountain landscapes of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan Images — Central Asian Horses and Riders
It’s not so much of an exaggeration to say that a Kyrgyz child will learn to ride a horse before she learns to get on two feet. Horses are seen trotting everywhere in the mountains, sometimes used to herd sheep along the grasslands and sometimes for short-distance commute. These powerful animals roam the highlands of Central Asia with a grace that puts the glitziest ramps to shame. Herds often roam free, bringing alive the hills and the lake shores with an excitement that only a pack of Central Asian horses can infuse into the landscape.
Central Asian horses in the mountain landscapes of Kyrgyzstan
Just as horses are an integral part of lifestyle in the mountains, they are also part of Kyrgyzstan’s sports and games. Not surprisingly, many of these games are packed with action and requires excellent riding skills. In Kok-Boru — a form of polo played with a sheep carcass — horses from opposing teams forcefully push their way through, while the rider has to carry a 20+ kg cargo that needs to be placed in a basket at the end of the field. The speeds and aggression of their movement during the game can alarm a first time spectator, but the players are surprisingly adept on horseback.
A game of Kok-Boru in progress in Kyrgyzstan. The dog incidentally has no role in the game.
It’s even more pleasurable to watch these graceful horses wander around on their own, sometimes in a small team and some times on their own. As a photographer, I have relished watching them through the viewfinder as they run along the edge of a lake or stand still on the top of a ridge.
A colt dashes through the landscapes of Kyrgyzstan, at Song Kul Lake.
Kyrgyzstan Images — Brilliant Mountain Landscapes and High-Altitude Lakes
Much of Kyrgyzstan is mountainous. Venerable Pamir mountains have some of their tallest mountain in the country, with Peak Lenin raising well above 7,000m to the south, and Tien Shan mountains standing over 6,000m in the north. Spread along several locations of the country are high altitude lakes, most of them so blue and so large that they could be taken for seas. Often, I was amazed to see Kyrgyz nomads setting up their yurts high up in these mountains, faraway from roads and every form of connectivity, in places just below the snowline. While it is possible to assume that living here may be tough and the choice of such settlements are a necessity, it is intriguing to know that many of them have come here as a preferred way of life against finding employment in urban areas.
Magnificent landscapes of Kyrgyzstan — Tien Shan mountains. Would a yurt-life in such landscape appeal to you?
Landscapes of Kyrgyzstan
While higher mountain slopes in the country bear snow or remain barren, the mid-altitudes host jailoos, fertile summer pastures that are home to large grazing populations of horses and sheep. Some lower valleys, especially around Lake Issyk-Kul are surprisingly verdant and are known for their many beautiful gorges.
Kyrgyzstan Images — Life in the jailoo
The shepherds start setting up their yurts in the first days of summer when the grass is green and edelweiss start blooming on the mountain floor. The four months of yurt-life, until the first snowfall signals the end of summer, is spent busy herding the sheep, milking the mares and extracting cream from cow’s milk. The yurts are spacious comfortable dwellings with plenty of space and decorations inside. They appear dull-white from the outside — mostly of sheep skin, but the insides are often vibrant and cheerful.
Inside a colourful yurt in the jailoos of Song Kul, Kyrgyzstan
If you step into a yurt, expect to be welcomed from friendly faces who are happy to pause for conversations and feed you with some kumuz and boorsok (kumuz: fermented mare’s milk; boorsok: a form of fried dough, a snack generally served with any meal)
Kyrgyzstan’s shepherds in the jailoos
Kyrgyzstan Images — Amazing falconers / eagle-hunters
Perhaps the most fascinating of all things I have seen in Kyrgyzstan are the eagle-hunters, who train golden eagles to hunt small game.
An eagle hunter in Kyrgyzstan.
They train eagles from the time they are very young, picking them up from the nests and caring for them until they are able to hunt on their own. They often develop an intimate bond, like a man and his pet-animal would. Its usually female birds that are engaged in hunting, as they are larger and powerful than the male counterparts. With a wing span as much as human hands stretched wide and talons longer and powerful than a man’s fingers, you will develop tremendous respect for them the moment you see them spread their wings. When they swoosh down on the hands of a trained hunter, the whisper of the wings and sudden currents generated from the flapping wings will alarm you and make you step back. These majestic birds, which may appear unexceptional from a distance, are of power and caliber that is only understood by standing in their vicinity.
An eagle hunter in Kyrgyzstan.
Everywhere I go, everywhere I turn, I see something spectacular and extraordinary in Kyrgyzstan, be it in the way of life, in its people or in its mountainous landscapes. For a country of just six million that would take less than 90 minutes to fly end-to-end, it’s amazing how much beauty it possesses along its length and breadth.
Every year, I lead a mentored photography tour Kyrgyzstan, which takes you through the brilliant landscapes and gets you up-close with semi-nomadic lifestyle on Central Asian shepherds. In the eleven days that we are on the road, we will be part of breathtaking mountain landscapes and be among brilliant blue lakes, have the privilege to interact closely with shepherds in the highlands, watch magnificent Central-Asian horses at play, watch & photograph some amazing traditional games and witness everyday life of people in the summer-pastures. We will also have a chance to interact with traditional falconers / eagle-hunters who have kept centuries-old hunting traditions alive. This tour is full of incredible photography opportunities that few places and few itineraries anywhere in the world can offer within such duration in such a small region. The tour is a excellent window to the life and landscapes of Central Asia. The mentored photo-journey equips also you with a keen understanding of life and takes you through the art of telling stories with your images. Discover what it takes to create unique images that stand apart from cliche, have your own unique signature and makes a strong visual impact. For more information and to be a part of this carefully curated unique photography tour, visit “Kyrgyzstan Photography Tour — The Best of Central Asia”.