Driving from Toktogul to Osh

Toktogul Kyrgyzstan

We drove along a curvy, long mountain road  until we reached the Toktogul reservoir.  It was named after a famous poet, Toktogul Satilganov. The scenery was stunning.

Kyrgyzstan scenery

Musicians, Biskek. Kyrgyzstan

We were very fortunate to be shown the traditional instruments of Kyrgyzstan during a performance by some very talented players.

Monuments of Uzgen, Kyrgyzstan

The 3 mausoleums and the minaret here date from the early eleventh century. The rulers of  Kharakhanid were buried here.
Today they are on the periphery of the city of Uzgen.

 Below is the detail of the door.

 And these are details from the mausoleum (below)

Here is a video.

Petroglyphs at Cholpon-Ata,Kyrgyzstan

These petroglyphs are in a field in the open. They date from around 1500 BC to the first century AD. The site was used for sacrifices and other rites to the sun god. There are images of ibexes, wolves, deer and hunters.

The village of Djety Oguz close to Karakol in Kyrgyzstan

  

Driving to and from the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

We reached a high altitude and saw some stunning scenery, including lots of horses, mountain ranges and steppes.

Charyn Canyon near Karakol, Kazakhstan

This is a canyon on the Sharyn River close to the Chinese border. The canyon is compared to the Grand Canyon.

We climbed down many stairs to the bed of the canyon, and waked quite a way.

......it was a lovely relief to see the river

 All along the canyon floor there was this heath which smelled of honey  but there were no  bees.....

Fashion in Almaty, Kazikhstan

At the market in Almaty

 

Zailiyskiy Alatau mountain range

Almaty is located in the northern foothills of this mountain range in Tien  Shan region. They extend for 360 km on the border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Ascension Cathedral, Almaty, Kazakhstan

A beautiful cathedral in a green park. It was created between 1903 and 2007. It is made of wood, and has virtually no nails.

From the train from Astana to Almaty, Kazakhstan