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Hello everyone!

I’m back from two weeks in southern Kazakhstan. I went with a friend, and we organized everything ourselves. We came back enchanted by this trip: stunning landscapes, lots of animals seen in the parks, and above all, top-notch hospitality and welcome... All of this makes me really want to go back and explore the other countries in the region. In the meantime, I’m sharing the story of these two weeks of travel... Don’t hesitate if you have any questions. And if you want more practical info and/or see more photos, you can check out my blog: https://smilingaroundtheworld.com/category/kazakhstan/

Day 1: First Kazakh steps in Shymkent

So here we are in Kazakhstan for two weeks. We had an excellent flight with Air Astana, which instantly made it into my top 3 best airlines! From the airport, the service was top-notch, with very friendly staff who went out of their way to ensure we both got vegetarian meals (my order hadn’t been taken into account when booking the tickets online). The flight to Nur-Sultan (the new name for the capital, formerly Astana, renamed last month in honor of the resigning president) was three-quarters empty, and we each got to stretch out over three seats. We were given an incredible travel kit, including a reversible sleep mask with phosphorescent writing: “Do not disturb” or “Wake me for meals.” Awesome! As for the lighting in the plane, I think the interior cycled through every color to simulate evening, early night, pitch-black night, and then dawn. It was even a bit surreal—those lights and everyone’s glowing masks ^^ The flight was a bit early and too short for us to sleep well, but it was still pleasant :-)

Upon arriving in Nur-Sultan, the atmosphere was a bit colder. There was staff everywhere, and we were under heavy surveillance. A camera even filmed us as we entered the terminal. We got our passports stamped and settled in to wait for our second flight. We eventually realized we were waiting in the wrong place... We were still in the international terminal, while our next flight was domestic. We finally found the right spot—saved! We started our trip in Shymkent, in the south of the country. We dropped our bags at the City Hostel, a super modern youth hostel offering double rooms. The decor is industrial-style, with very high ceilings—we loved it. When we arrived, it was too early for check-in, so we just left our luggage and went for a walk around the neighborhood. There was quite a bit of traffic, and the avenues were very wide. Despite that, there was also a lot of greenery and green spaces, which lightened things up a bit.

We had lunch (pizza + smoothie) on the top floor of a shopping mall, then headed to the pre-Russian quarter, a much quieter area with its little streets and individual houses.

Back at the hostel, after checking in, we treated ourselves to a two-hour nap—it felt great! In the late afternoon, we set out to find the Salman Bazaar. It wasn’t easy to organize—we realized Shymkent isn’t a very touristy destination—but we eventually managed with the help of the hostel receptionist, who called us a taxi. This bazaar is huge and has everything you could need for daily life: clothes, food, household products, toys... We did some shopping for dinner, then took another taxi to Independence Park, inaugurated in 2011 for the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. We really liked this park—it’s very wooded, and the late afternoon light was, as always, beautiful and pleasant... In the center, a large monument resembles the center of a yurt.

We then walked back to the hostel via Independence Square and several parks. We wanted to grab a drink along the way but didn’t find anything inspiring—oh well. We had dinner at the hostel and went straight to bed. Tomorrow, we’re getting up early... We’re heading out for two days to explore Aksou-Jabagly National Park. This park is famous for its landscapes at this time of year—it should be in full bloom, especially with tulips. We’ll see!

Days 2 & 3: Canyon, tulips, and wildlife in Aksou-Jabagly Park

Located two hours from Shymkent, Aksou-Jabagly Park is reputed to be one of the most beautiful in the region. We took a taxi from Shymkent, and upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Ruslan and his mother. They live at the entrance to the reserve, at the foot of the mountains, in a house surrounded by poplars. The setting is exceptional, and we immediately fell in love with the place. For our first day, we set off to explore the Aksou Canyon. Ruslan arranged a 4x4 with a driver and a ranger. The ranger speaks a few words of English, and with Coralie’s few words of Russian, we should manage! After a “viewpoint” stop, the road turns into a dirt track. It’s rained a lot lately, and the track is sometimes very muddy—at one point, we even had to cross a river. Four-wheel drive was definitely needed! The ranger pointed out some marmots by the side of the path—they were adorable.

We finally arrived at “Inspector’s House No. 1,” which overlooks the canyon. The view is magnificent, with high cliffs, wildflowers, conifers, and the Aksou River winding far below. While the driver chatted with the inspector, we descended to the bottom of the canyon with the ranger. The tulips I’d been hoping for were there—I was so happy! There were red, yellow, and even bicolor ones...

At the bottom of the canyon, we took a little break by the river. “Aksou” means “white waters” in Kazakh—the water does indeed have a very special color, a blue that’s both very light and very intense, like some South American lagoons. It bubbles around the rocks. The climb back up was easier than we feared. Once at the top, we continued along the canyon. The perspective changed as we progressed, and we never got tired of the view... Eagles circled above us.

After about 2 km, the driver picked us up, and we continued to a small kiosk at the foot of the mountains, where we had a picnic. Ruslan’s mother had prepared vegetarian “lunch boxes”—it was delicious and felt good to eat. However, it had gotten noticeably colder, so we put our jackets and scarves back on! After the meal, the driver walked off with a bucket—we figured he was going mushroom picking with Inspector No. 2, who had a house nearby.

We enjoyed the spot a bit longer while the driver gathered mushrooms, and then we headed back toward Ruslan’s place. Or so we thought... The return trip turned out to be quite long—the park wasn’t as deserted as it seemed, and the driver stopped every five minutes to chat with people we passed. At one point, we ran into Inspector No. 2 on horseback—it looked like there was a problem with a car further ahead... The driver and ranger bolted out of the car, headed toward the other vehicle, and we heard raised voices... When they came back, we tried to figure out what had happened, but no luck. We stopped again at Inspector No. 1’s house (are you following?), and they made us get out, telling us Inspector No. 2 needed the car for a few minutes... They left us stranded with Inspector No. 1, who went home, leaving us in the garden :-D We kept busy with the puppies, and I even took a little nap in the sun... Three-quarters of an hour later, we finally left—we didn’t fully understand what happened and never found out!

We got back (almost) without stopping to Ruslan’s house. Our room was ready, and we settled in quickly before dinner. It was already 6:30 PM, even though we were supposed to be back by 4 PM. Mushroom picking really slows things down ^^ Ruslan’s mother had prepared a delicious meal: vegetable soup, raw vegetable salad, and a mushroom, carrot, and potato stew. We loved it!

We spent the rest of the evening planning the rest of our trip while sipping tea. At one point, Ruslan and his mother signaled that there were wild boars right across from us—we could see them clearly! There were three adults and three piglets. We also took a little walk in the garden, watched the sunset, I did some blogging, and Coralie read... A lovely evening, and an equally lovely ten-hour night! The next morning, after a good breakfast, we set off on foot into the park. The trail starts right next to Ruslan’s house—so convenient! Today, we were with another ranger, two Germans (brother and sister), and their English-speaking guide (who didn’t guide much). We walked on a dirt road—there were even more tulips than yesterday, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance were stunning. After 5 km, we reached a small cabin, then continued another kilometer to Kishy Kaindy, a viewpoint overlooking the Jabagly River waterfalls (Jabagly means “year-old foal”). It was spectacular! We stayed a good while admiring this natural wonder. Like yesterday, the ranger didn’t rush us at all—it was really nice. We also saw eagles and an ibex perched on a ridge.

We had a picnic at the cabin before heading back the same way we came. This time, the snow-capped peaks were facing us—so beautiful! We picked up our bags and said goodbye to Ruslan’s mother. She was really happy today because her granddaughter was there. She told us she was a “babushka”—I understood that! Ruslan then drove us to Turar Ryskulov, where we took a shared taxi back to Shymkent.

In Shymkent, we struggled a bit with our Airbnb. We waited half an hour for the person who was supposed to let us in, then discovered the Wi-Fi wasn’t working—but we had a lot of bookings to make that evening. The lady finally lent us a Kazakh SIM card with data, which Coralie put in her phone in “hotspot” mode so I could get some internet too. All of that took nearly two hours. Phew! We then rushed to do some shopping at the supermarket. On the way back, some lights caught my eye—it was a pedestrian street all decorated with a funfair next to it. It was very lively, and we spent a good while strolling and people-watching! The rest of our evening was studious, between preparing dinner and booking our next stops.

Day 4: Turkestan, Yasawi Mausoleum, and Sauran ruins

This morning, after one last stroll in Shymkent, we headed to Turkestan. When we arrived at the bus station, we were told the next bus was in nearly three hours, but there were minibuses leaving when full. The system was well-oiled, and in just fifteen minutes, our minibus was ready to go. We each had a seat (and one for our luggage since there’s no trunk!), and the minibus was quite new—nothing like Madagascar ;-)

The trip went well despite a few driving scares—the driver was going a bit fast for my liking! Along the road, the fields were full of poppies—so pretty. When we arrived, we headed straight to the Edem hotel, where we wouldn’t be staying (we had a train to Almaty at midnight) but where we wanted to leave our luggage for the day. They agreed easily—great! Once we’d dropped off our bags and suitcases, we started our visits.

We began with the architectural gem and largest pilgrimage site in Kazakhstan: the mausoleum of Khodja Ahmad Yasawi, a great Sufi sage. Yasawi’s original tomb was already a pilgrimage site when Tamerlane ordered the construction of a larger mausoleum in 1390. It’s decorated with white and blue tiles and has a turquoise dome (currently under renovation). The main facade, unfinished at Tamerlane’s death, was left in earth with visible scaffolding. Impressive! The site is UNESCO-listed. Inside, the main hall displays a large cauldron, and other small rooms showcase plates, ancient coins, belts... Yasawi’s tomb is visible via two adjacent corridors.

We then strolled through the park, which includes many other mausoleums and tombs. We visited the old baths, the Friday Mosque, and then the history museum. The underground mosque, where Yasawi’s cell is located (where he retreated at the end of his life), was unfortunately closed for renovations.

We then went back to the Edem hotel to have them call us a taxi, and we set off to visit the ancient fortress of Sauran. This Silk Road city, once prosperous, is now reduced to ruins, with thousands of poppies blooming between them. High walls once surrounded a bustling and pleasant city. Many foundations remain visible. The place is vast, quiet, almost deserted, and imbued with a certain melancholy... The deep red poppies swayed in the wind, between the remnants of this city, reminding us how fleeting things are.

Back in Turkestan, we had dinner at the Edem hotel’s restaurant (we had to thank them somehow ;-)) and then rushed to the station to catch our train... 18 hours of travel awaited us to Almaty!

Day 5: From Turkestan to Almaty, 18 hours by train across the Kazakh steppe

We traveled from Turkestan to Almaty by train. We booked our tickets the day before departure, and only six seats were left: three in second class, not together at all, and three in first class, also not together but in the same carriage. We opted for first class! It was more expensive, but for such a long trip, a little comfort wouldn’t hurt... We wondered if we’d manage to switch cabins to be together, but it resolved itself: when we boarded, the conductor/carriage chief immediately noticed we weren’t together. He literally kicked a young man out of his berth so we could travel in the same cabin. We felt bad for the young man, even though he seemed to take it well... we thanked him with dried fruit (and I can confirm he took it well—the next day, he came to chat with us). In any case, we were really happy to have our own little cabin for this long journey, especially since we were the only foreigners and the only women in the carriage.

Eighteen hours by train might seem long, but these long trips while traveling aren’t wasted time—they’re the breathing space of the journey. They’re the essential moments for digesting what we’ve already experienced and preparing for future discoveries. They’re also privileged moments for reflection. Traveling slowly, to the rhythm of the train, means falling asleep in Turkestan’s outskirts, lulled by the train’s rocking and creaking, and waking up in the steppe. It’s feeling the train slow down and stop, stepping onto the platform for a moment, and watching the women sell food to passengers. It’s taking the time to write, read, think. It’s chatting with our neighbors and, despite the language barrier, managing to communicate a little. It’s picnicking at the little table in our cabin, with the landscape rolling by outside, and listening to music. It’s feeling privileged, imagining ourselves on the Orient Express or the Trans-Siberian. Reminding ourselves that one day, one day for real, we’ll take that Trans-Siberian. And smiling, thinking that in the meantime, in a few months, there’ll be the Trans-Canadian...

Days 6 & 7: Almaty, the “little apple”

The former capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty is known as the most Western and lively city in the country. At first, we had a bit of trouble identifying the city center—it’s more spread out and less dense than what we’re used to in Europe—but once we got our bearings, we really enjoyed strolling along the wide avenues lined with cafés and in the few pedestrian streets. The city’s emblem is the apple, which you’ll find in various forms around the city, from benches to statues to fountains. The original apple, from which all the apples we know today descend, is said to come from the mountains of Kazakhstan.

For nature, Almaty is a pretty green city. It has large parks, like Panfilov Park, which houses the Zenkov Cathedral. Some streets are also very tree-lined, so much so that they almost look like gardens. Often, high mountains peek out from behind the streets...

For shopping, traditional boutiques sit alongside big international brands. We really liked the Green Bazaar, a large market that sells everything. The food section was great, with stalls of pickled vegetables, dried fruits, and beautifully stacked fresh fruits... A feast for the eyes and lots of temptations for me!

For culture, Almaty has several museums. We visited two: the Fine Arts Museum and the National Museum. Both are housed in very Soviet-looking buildings on the outside, but the Fine Arts Museum turned out to be quite modern inside, with a pleasant museography. The National Museum, on the other hand, has stayed true to its roots ^^ Just walking through it was an experience in itself. And we did quite a bit of shopping there... The hall is a giant shop with lots of handicrafts—we treated ourselves.

The Arasan Baths are a must in Almaty. They’re said to be among the most beautiful baths in Central Asia... Architecturally, I didn’t find them amazing (nothing like Budapest’s, for example), but wow, did it feel good to relax there after a day of sightseeing! I happily moved between the sauna, hammam, and Russian sauna, with a preference for the latter—less dry than a traditional sauna and less humid than the hammam. You can buy bundles of leaves to slap yourself (or get slapped) with to boost circulation. The prices are very affordable too... On a weekday evening, we paid 1,800 tenge, or 4.5 euros, for an hour. Note that they add 20 minutes for changing, so you really get a full hour in the baths.

For restaurants, we didn’t try many because we preferred to limit our food budget by cooking ourselves. However, we did try and highly recommend Daredzhani, a great Georgian restaurant where we feasted. We didn’t know Georgian cuisine before, but we really liked it—vegetables cooked in various ways, cheese-filled breads, potato and/or egg-filled breads, and very thin fruit pastes made from grapes. We actually ate there twice because it was so good! We also loved Coffee Delia, where you can enjoy delicious pastries in a very cozy setting.

Besides being a pleasant place to live, Almaty is also a great base for exploring the surrounding area, and we were happy to stay eight days to discover more of the region!

Days 7, 8 & 9: Getting green around Almaty: Kok Tobe, Shymbulak, Medeo, and Big Almaty Lake

During our stay in Almaty, we used a rather unusual means of transport several times: the cable car! Here, it’s called a "gondola," and it allowed us to gain some altitude and breathe in the fresh mountain air surrounding Almaty ;-)

First cable car ride: Kok Tobe. The cable car starts in the city center and takes you to the top of a hill overlooking Almaty. At the top, it’s fairground vibes with an upside-down house, a Ferris wheel, rides, and the inevitable eagle trainer... There’s even a little corner dedicated to the Beatles, complete with music and a statue!

Second ride: Shymbulak. This time, you take a bus to Medeo, then three cable cars to the top of the mountain, at 3,200 meters altitude. Shymbulak is the largest ski resort in Central Asia. We went there to hike, but there was still snow and skiers, so we settled for admiring the view... With the blue sky and sun we had, it was gorgeous! We then treated ourselves to tea on the terrace—chalet vibes... At Paul’s, we weren’t completely out of place ;-)

Before taking the bus back, we stopped by Medeo, where there’s a large ice rink. With 10,000 m², it can host a thousand skaters in winter! This season, it’s closed; part of it is used as a go-kart track, and the other as a landing strip for paragliders.

Located an hour’s drive from the city center, Big Almaty Lake reveals itself at the last moment, around a bend, nestled in a setting of mountains and greenery. With the recent cold snap, it’s frozen, and the edges are snowy—a beautiful winter atmosphere! The ice was starting to melt, though—we could hear the water moving underneath, and when Coralie tried to walk on the ice, it collapsed under her feet. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to walk around it—a ranger keeps an eye out and blocks the adventurous (including us ;-)).

Days 10 & 11: Excursions around Almaty: Charyn Canyon, Issyk, and Turgen

Almaty’s tourism office is very active and organizes outings on weekends and holidays. We went to Charyn Canyon and then to Issyk and Turgen. A great way to discover the Almaty area at a modest cost (the outing costs about 6,000 tenge, or 15 euros per person).

Formed over millennia by erosion and wind, Charyn Canyon is reminiscent of the Colorado and the Grand Canyon. The most touristy part we visited is called the Valley of Castles, referring to the rock formations that resemble towers. We first walked along the ridge, where there are many viewpoints, then descended into the canyon. A three-kilometer walk leads to the banks of the Charyn River. The place seems to be a favorite relaxation spot for Kazakh families, who picnic, play ball, sunbathe... There’s also a hotel, bungalows, yurts, and a restaurant. Issyk is famous for its burial mounds and its Golden Man—maybe even a Golden Woman—found there. A small museum displays some artifacts. A little further on is Issyk Lake, once dried up but now reappearing... Whether naturally or not isn’t very clear!

As for Turgen, it’s a natural park known for its gorges and waterfalls. We didn’t have time to explore it in detail, but the bus drove through some beautiful landscapes, and we still walked to Bear Waterfall. It’s not incredible, but it’s still a nice little hike.

Besides the practical side of these organized excursions from Almaty, we appreciated being able to do an activity that Kazakhs do on weekends. During the Issyk/Turgen excursion, we really hit it off with Karina, a young student dragged there on vacation by her mother. She’s currently studying computer science at the best university in Astana and hopes to go to Europe eventually... A brilliant young woman, and a chance for us to chat in English ;-)

Days 12 & 13: The spectacular landscapes of Altyn-Emel Park

The last stop on our Kazakhstan trip was Altyn-Emel Park. This park is quite hard to access, so we opted for a car with a driver for two days—pure luxury!

Our driver’s name is Andrei. We met him at 7 AM outside our apartment on Wednesday morning. He doesn’t speak English, but a young man from the agency we booked through was also there, and we went over the itinerary together before leaving with Andrei.

Our first stop was Tamgaly Tas, two hours from Almaty. It’s a site where you can see 16th-century petroglyphs depicting Buddha. The place is also known for climbing—there were lots of young people harnessed up and/or climbing. It’s right in the middle of the Kazakh countryside, and we had a bit of trouble finding it!

Even with the language barrier, Andrei turned out to be very friendly. He suggested photo stops from time to time, didn’t rush us, and pointed out animals he saw... We even backed up on the road to see and help a tortoise cross!

It took another two and a half hours to reach Bashi, the “gateway” village to Altyn-Emel Park. After a quick stop at the rangers’, we arrived at the hotel. Our guidebook mentioned modest guesthouses, but things are changing... The hotel is large, brand new, and still being expanded. It reminded me of some Chinese hotels in Laos.

We had a quick lunch with Andrei—he explained that he’s a truck driver normally, delivering clothes and fabrics between Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Russia. He also showed us photos of his wife and son and told us he’s recently become a grandfather! We then headed to the park, grabbing a ranger on the way. Like in Aksou-Jabagly, he was dressed in full military gear. We first headed toward the Katutau Mountains. The rocks are reddish, sculpted by wind and erosion—the place reminded us a bit of Charyn Canyon. We had some “free time” to explore—we didn’t need to be told twice... Meanwhile, Andrei and the ranger chatted nonstop—it looked like they’d hit it off!

We got back in the car and continued along the track to the Aktau Mountains. Change of scenery! The mountains weren’t red anymore but white... Or so they appeared from afar. When we got closer, we realized they were actually multicolored, striped with yellow, pink, and ochre veins... It was magnificent, even more so with the late afternoon light. We had time to explore on our own again, and we walked with delight in this almost dreamlike landscape. We thought we’d made the right choice coming here ;-) We made one last stop before heading back to see a 700-year-old willow. It’s in an oasis where other tourists were camping—very tempting... I got the coordinates of their guide for next time ;-) The way back was in beautiful light, between sunset and a distant storm. Nature even treated us to a gorgeous sunset!

It was past 8 PM when we got back to the hotel, but our dinner was still waiting for us. We ate with Andrei, chatted a bit with a Polish woman who spoke both Russian and French (we put her to work chatting with Andrei ;-)), and then had a quiet evening with Wi-Fi, a shower, and reading in our room.

The next day, after breakfast, we met up with the same ranger and headed toward the singing dunes. These dunes are supposed to make a sound when you slide down their slopes. I was more than skeptical, but okay! When we arrived, we discovered a beautiful landscape—the main dune is gigantic, and when we reached the top, the view was extraordinary: it was the first time I’d seen a dune in the desert, snow-capped mountains, and a river all in one glance! A group of Chinese tourists was ahead of us on the dune, but they turned back quickly, and we were alone. After studying the terrain, I chose a slope that seemed good, and I started sliding down on my bottom... Quickly, I heard and felt a strong vibration, which turned into a hum. The dune really sings! It’s completely crazy... We did several tests—the most effective was sliding down side by side. But it works as long as there aren’t too many tourists doing it and the dune has time to rebuild between slides... There are about thirty singing dunes in the world. This phenomenon, already described by Marco Polo, comes from the synchronous movement of sand grains, which must be very round and covered with a varnish called “desert glaze”...

Covered in sand but delighted, we headed back to Bashi. The ranger stopped at a small spring so we could wash up, but it was almost dry. Along the way, we also saw the “Oshaktas,” a place where Genghis Khan’s expedition is said to have camped in 1219 during his conquest of Central Asia. The stones were apparently used to support the cauldron where food was prepared. A little further on, the ranger made us stop: there were antelopes!!! We saw one up close and a herd further away.

When we got back to the hotel, I took a quick shower to get rid of the sand—I felt like I had it everywhere! We had a quick lunch and then hit the road back to Almaty. Andrei drove very well, had a nice playlist, and I let myself be lulled while watching the landscape roll by outside...

For our last night in Kazakhstan, we booked a yurt in the hills above Almaty, not far from Medeo. For one night, we pretended to be nomads... The bed was a bit hard, and the air was a bit chilly, but we loved it! And the welcome was kind, the meal very good—only downside: the horse milk and camel milk, still warm... I almost threw up. Well, it was an experience, and all of this beautifully concluded our Kazakh stay!

Salut à tous !

Je rentre d'un voyage de 24 jours au Kamtchatka (du 6 au 29 Juillet 2018), et comme c'est pas toujours facile de trouver des infos sur cette région, je vais écrire un "petit" compte rendu.

AVION

À ma connaissance, seul Aeroflot vole vers le Kamtchatka. Étrangement, les prix oscillaient entre 1400 et 1600 pour un Lyon-Petropavlovsk ou un Paris-Petropavlovsk avec escale à Moscou, mais en découpant en 2 billets (Lyon-Moscou et Moscou-Petro avec 24h de battement) ça coûtait 600 euros...

PETROPAVLOVK ET YELIZOVO

Ce sont les 2 villes principales. On trouve à peu près tout ce qu'on veut dans chacune de ces 2 villes. Yelizovo est plus pratique car tous les commerces sont à proximité, c'est plus proche de l'aéroport et de la plupart des départs de randos (Nalychevo, Kliouchevskoi...), mais il y a moins le choix qu'à Petropavlovsk (restos, ...) et pas la mer. Nous on s'est basé au Kamtchatka Still Hotel de Yelizovo, 26 rue Beringa, 4000 à 4500R la nuit pour 3 personnes.

Les gens semblent utiliser l'appli Maxim's pour trouver des taxis pas chers, environ 900R le trajet Petro-Yelizovo.

COUT DE LA VIE

Au moment de notre voyage, 1 euro = 73 roubles.

Dans les hôtels, on a payé chaque nuit entre 3000 et 4500 Rb pour 3 personnes. Dans les cantines, on mangeait pour environ 400 Rb par personne, et pour 1000 à 1500 Rb/pers dans les restos un peu plus classe. Le bus coûte environ 300 Rb par heure.

LA RANDO

On trouve des magasins de sport à Petropavlovsk (Sportmaster par exemple), et des magasins de chasse et pêche dans Petro et Yelizovo, où on peut acheter bouteilles de gaz, lacrymos pour ours, fumigènes pour ours... Il y a des supermarchés où on trouve à peu près ce qu'on veut (fruits secs, pain, avoine etc).

Difficile de trouver des cartes... On trouve quelques cartes utiles mais peu précises à la maison du parc de Nalychevo, 33 rue Zavoyko, Yelizovo. J'avait acheté une carte au 1:1 700 000 au vieux campeur, bien pour une idée générale du Kamtchatka mais pas pour la rando. Le mieux reste les cartes militaires russes. On peut les trouver sur http://loadmap.net/en, et ce qui nous a le plus servi c'est l'appli Soviet Military Maps. La version Pro (12 euros) permet de télécharger les cartes soviétiques au 1:100 000e pour consultation hors ligne, mais on peut aussi télécharger les couches de open cycle map (très utiles car elles incluent des sentiers actuels), open street map... On avait aussi téléchargé des traces GPS sur Wikiloc, qui sont gérées par l'appli.

On a aussi utilisé Maps Me, très utile pour les villes, mais aussi pour les randos (étrangement, même les petits sentiers étaient indiqués).

J'avais aussi mon GPS Garmin Inreach Explorer +, dont les cartes étaient vraiment pas top, mais qui présente l'avantage de pouvoir envoyer des SMS et mails de n'importe où. Dans une zone reculée comme le Kamtchatka, c'est pratique !

Niveau équipement, on n'a pas prévu de crampons. Attention à la neige ! Je ne sais pas si c'était une année spéciale, mais autour du 10 Juillet, il y avait de la neige dès 600m d'altitude à Nalychevo, autour du 15 Juillet dès 1600m au Kliouchevskoi, et autour du 25 Juillet on nous a parlé de 4m de neige vers le Mutnovsky (et on n'y est donc pas allé). A Nalychevo, on a marché des journées entières dans la neige, ne pas oublier les rondelles à neige de ses bâtons, et des guêtres peuvent être utiles. Partout, il faisait chaud la journée, et la température ne descendait pas en dessous de zéro la nuit.

On trouve des topos pour les ascensions de volcans sur https://www.summitpost.org

LES MOUSTIQUES

Nous avons eu énormément de moustiques. Il peut y en avoir des centaines qui tournent autour de nous en même temps, et ils piquent à travers les vêtements les plus fins. Pour ma part, j'avais une casquette, moustiquaire de visage, buff pour le cou, t-shirt à manches longues + t-shirt, gants. Parfois, en altitude, il y en avait moins, mais pas toujours. La fumée ne les dérange pas, les répulsifs chimiques ont peu d'effet, seul le vent réduit considérablement leur nombre. Il paraît que c'est la 1ere fois depuis 30 ans qu'il y a autant de moustiques... Fin Juillet, un autre nuisible fait son apparition : la moshka, une petite mouche apparemment pire que les moustiques, mais on en a croisé quelques unes seulement. Bref, soyez prêts !

LES OURS

On a vu beaucoup d'empreintes et de crottes, mais on a vu seulement un ours, à 20m de nous. Apparemment, ils sont pacifiques, sauf si on les surprend, ou si on s'intercale entre la mère et les petits. On avait des grelots sur nos sacs pour les avertir de notre présence, une lacrymo achetée à Yelizovo (magasin de chasse rue Beringa) et un gros fumigène donné par le gérant de notre hôtel. Apparemment, mieux vaut dormir avec la nourriture dans la tente (ils n'oseront pas venir) qu'à l'extérieur (dixit un gare parc). Les petits ours grimpent aux arbres, les grands ours peuvent atteindre 3m debout sur leurs pattes, alors attacher la nourriture dans un arbre n'est pas toujours évident. Honnêtement, on ne s'est pas vraiment senti menacés par les ours.

1ER TREK - NALYCHEVO

Nalychevo est une vallée coincée dans un demi-cercle de volcans d'environ 40 km de diamètre, très proche de Yelizovo. Le fond de la vallée est à une altitude de 400m, forêts de bouleaux, très luxuriant, parfois marécageux, et les sommets atteignent jusqu'à 3500m. Début Juillet, il y avait de la neige dès 600m !

Pour trouver des informations sur le parc de Nalychevo, il faut aller au 33 rue Zavoyko, à Yelizovo. Là, on peut trouver des cartes, et acheter les permis nécessaires (800R/pers).

J1 - De Yelizovo, on a rejoint le village de Pinachevo, en taxi, pour 760R. La route était en bon état, pas besoin de 4x4, elle doit être particulièrement inintéressante à pied. À l'entrée du parc, personne... Le sentier est bien marqué, dans une forêt de bouleaux. Il avait beaucoup plu la veille, on a traversé des zones assez boueuses, avec quelques traversées de rivières. Après 20 km environ, on arrive dans une zone dégagée avec 2 petites maisons et un abri pour faire un feu. Une des deux maisons et l'étage de la 2e sont ouverts, il y a pas mal de place pour dormir à l'intérieur.

J2 - On a continué vers le col de Pinachevo, évoluant principalement dans la neige. De l'autre côté du col, redescente sur le camp central de Nalychevo, avec plusieurs zones assez marécageuses. Dans le camp central vit un garde parc, il y a plein de maisons fermées et payantes pour dormir (au moins 400R/pers) et 3 piscines thermales. Des touristes y viennent en hélico. 1km plus loin se trouve un abri pour faire du feu, gratuit, on a dormi là après environ 20 km ce jour là.

J3 - 12 km le long d'un sentier bien marqué jusqu'au camp de Talovski. Une traversée de rivière difficile à signaler. On arrive d'abord à une vieille baraque, et 200m plus au Nord, on trouve une maison en bon état et une piscine thermale. Notre objectif était de gravir le Dzendzur, et il existe 2 chemins pour y aller : un qui passe par le Sud, et va d'abord vers des fumeroles : le chemin part de la vieille baraque. Et un qui passe par le Nord, qu'on nous a conseillé, et qui part de derrière la maison en bon état. Il commence par remonter une rivière rive droite, puis on finit par la traverser pour monter dans la pente. Tout était en neige, on a eu du mal à trouver le cheminement. Des arbustes impénétrables bloquent souvent le chemin, mais il existe toujours des trouées plus ou moins artificielles qui permettent de les traverser. On a campé à une altitude d'environ 1000m, au pied du Dzendzur.

J3 - Ascension du Dzendzur, il faut monter par le bon sentier sous peine de se retrouver coincé dans les arbustes. Pas d'autre difficulté à signaler, tout en neige mais crampons inutiles. Le véritable sommet est environ 20m de deniv plus haut que là où on s'est arrêté, mais l'arrête rocheuse n'était pas engageante. Jean Marc à décollé avec son parapente pour atterrir aux termes de Talovski, alors que Damien et moi sommes descendus à pied. De là, retour au camp central, puis on a marché encore environ 7 km en direction du col d'Avachinsky.

J5 - Long cheminement dans la neige jusqu'au col d'Avachinsky (30 km ?). On a campé là bas à environ 1100m d'altitude.

J6 - Ascension de l'Avachinsky (2741m). Pas besoin de crampons. Pas de difficulté à signaler. JM est redescendu au camp de base (900m) en parapente. Du camp de base à Yelizovo, la piste est mauvaise. Des 4x4 peuvent faire le trajet (on nous avait proposé 8000 depuis Yelizovo, là on nous a proposé 4000, puis 1000/personne dans un camion qui y allait de toute façon, puis on nous a finalement pris en stop dans un autre camion.

On n'a pas eu de problème d'eau dans ce trek, on en trouvait toutes les 2h maximum. Attention toutefois en altitude, toutes les rivières étaient sous la neige, il n'était pas toujours évident de trouver de l'eau qui coulait.

On a croisé très peu de randonneurs. L'Avachinski est assez fréquenté, le reste très tranquille.

Beaucoup de moustiques dans la forêt au centre de la vallée, moins en altitude.

Très joli trek ! Il ne faut pas être ambitieux sur le nombre de kilomètres. La neige, les marécages, les sentiers sinueux, les rivières à traverser rendent la progression assez lente, ce trek de 6 jours nous a bien entamés physiquement !

2E TREK - AUTOUR DU KLIOUCHEVSKOI

Le Kliouchevskoi est le point culminant du Kamtchatka (4700m). Il trône sur un plateau à plus de 1000m d'altitude, avec très peu de végétation, et il est entouré de plein d'autres volcans de 3000m à 4000m. On trouve infos + permis au 33 rue Zavoyko, Yelizovo. Sur ce plateau, il n'y a presque aucun sentier ; pas d'arbres, pas de broussailles, peu de rivières, il est assez facile de naviguer à vue.

ATTENTION : LA ZONE AU NORD DU PARC EST INTERDITE AUX ETRANGERS. Aucun souci pour Kozyrevsk, mais les villes de Klyuchi et Ust Kamtchatki sont dans une zone spéciale militaire, y aller, c'est prendre le risque de se faire arrêter, passer 4h au poste, empreintes digitales, 2000R d'amende. C'est ce qui nous est arrivé. A priori, si on veut y aller, il faut faire la demande au préalable dans un poste de police, et on obtient un permis gratuit. Le sentier de rando Klyuchevskoi-Klyuchi arrive droit dans une base militaire, impossible à éviter, vous êtes sûrs de finir au poste sans permis. A noter que les militaires ont été très sympas avec nous.

J0 - Départ de Yelizovo vers 9h, arrivée en bus à Kozyrevsk vers 16h, pour 2220R/ pers. Dans ce village, il y a 2 tout petits magasins, et une pension (chez Maria, 1000R/pers), pas d'autres commerces.

J1 - On a payé 20 000R pour se faire emmener en camion au pied du volcan Tolbatchik (77km de piste dans la forêt), arrivée dans un camp qui s'appelle Klechya, altitude environ 1400m. On a marché environ 5 km (pierre volcanique, coulée de lave, pas d'eau) jusqu'à arriver vraiment au pied du Tolbatchik, à 1800m, début de la neige, eau.

J2 - Ascension du "flat Tolbatchik", 3000m. Le vrai sommet se grimpe en crampons. Joli cratère, ascension facile. Redescente au campement puis marche vers le col Tolud, entre le volcan Tolbatchik et le Bolshaya Udina. Lave puis prairies.

J3 - Passage du col Tolud, puis cap vers le col Tolbatchik, dans les prairies, c'est magnifique. Après le col Tolbatchik, on a bifurqué à l'est pour dormir dans une cabane au pied du volcan Bezimiani.

J4 - On devait grimper le volcan Bezimiani, mais il fumait trop à notre goût, alors on a marché vers le glacier à l'Ouest du Kliouchevskoi. Marqué comme glacier sur les vieilles cartes soviétiques à partir de 1500m d'altitude, le glacier commence en fait bien plus haut, et même alors, il est couvert de terre. Beaucoup de montées/descentes pour arriver au col à 2700m, c'est plus long que ça en a l'air. On a campé dans la montée, à environ 1900m.

J5 - On a passé le col à 2700m. Attention : les traces GPS passent toutes à l'Ouest du glacier, mais nous on est passé à l'est, et c'était une mauvaise idée, on a dû traverser des zones avec crevasses et séracs, sans matériel. La redescente vers le Nord est elle-aussi assez longue. On arrive à une cabane en très mauvais état vers 2000m d'altitude, mais plus bas, vers 1700m, il y a une superbe cabane en pierre.

J6 - Redescente sur Klyuchi, prairie, puis dans le lit d'une rivière (trop de végétation ailleurs) puis quand on arrive dans la forêt on trouve une piste 4x4. Beaucoup de moustiques ! Cueillis par la police à notre arrivée à Klyuchi, 4h au poste, amende. Nuit à l'hôtel Svetlana pour 1000R/pers.

Un bus part ensuite vers 10h pour Petropavlovsk.

AUTOUR D'ESSO

De Klyuchi, on a pris un bus pour Petropavlovsk, et on s'est fait déposer à la bifurcation peu après Kozyrevsk. Là, on a attendu 4h qu'un bus nous prenne !

Esso est un village de 2000 habitants, assez charmant (jardins, fleurs, ...), avec pas mal d'infrastructures pour touristes : office du tourisme, hébergement, tours en jeep, en fait, pêche... Une grande piscine d'eau chaude à ciel ouvert se trouve au centre du village. Comme on n'est pas très fan des tours organisés, on est parti sur une boucle de 2j, 28 km, au Nord d'essai (départ du village, montée raide sur le plateau au Nord, puis boucle sur le plateau). Balade balisée, mais sans grand intérêt. Au milieu, on devait trouver une cabane, c'était en fait un vieux container rouillé, on a préféré dormir en tente.

On est reparti d'essai avec le bus de 7h pour Yelizovo.

KAYAK A PETROPAVLOVSK

On a fini le voyage par une balade de 2j en kayak de mer. On a pu louer ces kayaks (2500/j le simple, 3500/j le double) chez Kamtchatka freeride communier (on peut les trouver dans une pension branchée au 48 sovietskaya, petropavlovsk). Pour 2000R, ils nous ont avancé au Sud Est de Petropavlovsk. De là, on a ramé jusqu'au 3 gré des (des rochers à l'entrée de la baie d'Avacha), on a traversé la baie pour camper sur une petite plage de galets, et on est rentré à Petropavlovsk le lendemain.

CE QU'ON A PAS VU

A cause de la neige, on n'est pas allé dans la zone Mutnovsky/Gorelt au Sud de Petropavlovsk. Ça à l'air d'être assez touristique.

Beaucoup d'agences proposent en des tours payants, souvent très chers, et impliquant parfois des hélicoptères : réservé de Kronotsky et vallée des geysers, lac Kouril, survol de volcans...

De Klyuchi, il semble possible d'aller voir le volcan Shevelush.

Nous n'avons visité aucun musée, il y en a un ou deux à Esso.

LES TOURISTES

La plupart des touristes semblent être Russes, et semblent voyager via des agences. On croise parfois des groupes de 20-25 personnes (on a vu 2 groupes comme ça à l'Avachinski, un au pied du Tolbatchik, et un autre vers le Bizimiani). Autrement, on ne rencontre pas grand monde dans mes treks !

POUR CONCLURE !

J'ai beaucoup aimé le Kamtchatka. Points forts : volcans +++, bains chauds dans la nature, kayak dans la baie d'Avacha, 2 longs treks différents, gentillesse de la plupart des gens rencontrés. Points faibles : moustiques --, zones marecageuses. Les treks sont assez exigeants, mais c'est ce qu'on était venu chercher ! Il n'est pas toujours évident de voyager sans passer par une agence. Mieux vaut baragouiner quelques mots de Russe, ou alors télécharger la langue russe dans Google translate !

Le Kamtchatka est un bout du monde qui vaut vraiment le détour !

Florent

Bonjour à tous,

Après avoir erré sur le net sans succès, je viens demander votre aide concernant notre 3ème voyage dans l'ouest qui arrive à grands pas et donc vous trouverez la description initiale ici :

http://voyageforum.com/discussion/planning-notre-3eme-voyage-dans-ouest-americain-d6767837/

Le problème est que je me suis méchamment rompu les ligaments de la cheville il y a 2 mois et que l'évolution est défavorable. Du coup il me sera impossible de faire plus de 1-2 h de marche. Or, je ne suis pas du tout prête à annuler ce voyage et nous allons donc tout de même partir même si ça peut paraître idiot c'est une nécessité pour nous. Donc je me demandais si vous auriez des idées de comment aménager ce voyage / trouver des idées d'activités / modifier les trajets / etc parce que personnellement je reste totalement bloquée sur notre parcours final qui est celui-ci :

J1 - 13 juin : Arrivée à Las Vegas à 22h30 (Nuit à LV)

J 2 -14 juin : Strip + cirque du soleil (Nuit à LV)

J3 - 15 juin : Trajet pour Zion, arrêt au Snow Canyon SP (Jenny’s canyon & Btterfly) + Yant Flat (Nuit à Springdale)

J4 - 16 juin : Emerald Pool + Canyon overlook trail (Nuit à Springdale)

J5 - 17 juin : Cedar Breaks NM, Alpine Pond trail et Spectra point / Ramparts overlook trail (Nuit à Kanab)

J6 - 18 juin : Trajet pour Vermillon cliffs NM + The Wave ou rando Edmaier’s Secret ou White rocks et Yellow rock (Nuit à Page)

J7 - 19 juin : Jetski ou bateau au Lake Powell (Nuit à Page)

J8 - 20 juin : Upper Antelope canyons + Thousand Pockets + Stud horse point(Nuit à Page)

J9- 21 juin : Trajet pour Monument Valley + Goosenecks SP + Valley of the Gods (Nuit à Mexican hat)

J10 - 22 juin : Trajet pour Capitol Reef avec arrêt à Little Egypt (Nuit à Hanksville)

J11 - 23 juin : Capitol Reef (Nuit à Hanksville)

J12 - 24 juin : Trajet pour Moab + Arches NP (Nuit à Moab)

J13 - 25 juin : Canyonland, the Needle (Nuit à Moab)

J14 - 26 juin : ATV dans la région + Negro bill canyon (Morning glory bridge) (Nuit à Moab)

J15 - 27 juin : Trajet pour Fantasy Canyon puis Vernal (Nuit à Vernal)

J16 - 28 juin : Trajet pour Jackson (Nuit à Jackson)

J17 - 29 juin : Grand Teton (Nuit à Old Faithfull)

J18 - 30 juin : Région OF (Nuit à Old Faithfull)

J19 - 1er juillet : ? (Nuit à Roosvelt)

J20 - 2 juillet : ? (Nuit à Roosvelt)

J21 - 3 juillet : Départ de Bozeman

Je m'en remets donc à vos suggestions... Que faire ? Garder le même itinéraire (les hôtels sont réservés mais la plupart peuvent être annulés) et se contenter de mini ballades ou changer en sachant que nous sommes contraints d'atterrir à Las Vegas et de repartir de Bozeman... Tout en ayant la possibilité de prendre des vols internes.

Merci d'avance pour votre aide...