Results for "Yasawa+et+hébergement+|+11+>+238"

Bonjour à tous,

Est ce que l'un d'entre vous aurez des bonnes adresses d'hôtel bien situé à Kyoto (et pas trop cher), ainsi qu'un Ryokan ?

Pour les Ryokan j'ai trouvé ceux la : - http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/ryokan-single/?ryokan=Kawashima+Ryokan - http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/ryokan-single/?ryokan=Gion+Fukuzumi - http://www.motonago.com/fr/room.html (j'arrive pas à voir le prix...)

En avez vous testez d'autre ? (moins de 200 euros la nuit) Nous voulons vraiment en choisir un parfait vu que ce sera notre seul Ryokan qu'on testera durant le voyage !

Merci d'avance et très bonne journée !

Je n'ai pas eu encore l'occasion de détailler nos journées, voici donc le détail:

Samedi 12 novembre: arrivée en fin d'après-midi à l'aéroport d'Osaka, train Haruka pour Kyoto, achat de bentos dans la gare pour manger, métro et installation dans le studio.

Dimanche 13 novembre: Arashiyama Momiji Matsuri. Train le matin pour Arashiyama (16mn de train depuis Kyoto), nous avons assisté au matsuri au bord de la rivière, promenade dans la ville, petit temple Horin-ji, petit temple en haut d'une colline Daihikaku Senko-ji et colline aux singes en fin d'après-midi.

Lundi 14 novembre: petit tour dans notre quartier tôt le matin, temple Bukkoji à 5mn à pied du studio, Shijo-dori puis Gion, Sanctuaire Yasaka et parc Maruyama, Temple Kenninji, un petit musée miniature en face (aller tout au fond du jardin) http://www.rythmes-croises.org/...?/26518/category/426 http://www.rythmes-croises.org/...?/26518/category/426 puis la pagode Yasaka et enfin le Kyomizudera. Nous avons vu juste l'entrée, car il était tard nous avions rendez-vous pour payer notre loyer (en espèces) et de toute manière, les érables n'étaient pas encore rouges.

Mardi 15 novembre: Hikone le matin (musée, château et vue sur la ville et le lac, jardin et vieille ville puis tour en ville, passage chez un disquaire...) et l'après-midi à Nagahama pour voir le château (transformé en musée) et la belle vue sur le Lac Biwa du sommet du château, et superbe coucher du soleil.

Mercredi 16 novembre: le matin 3 bonnes heures de randonnée à Fushimi Inari. Nous avons quitté les sentiers touristiques pour suivre quelques touristes japonais plus dispersés, c'est vraiment agréable, nous y serions bien restés toute la journée si nous avions eu un pique-nique dans le sac. L'après-midi, Uji, le Byodo-In, un rapide tour dans la ville et le musée du Genji, magnifique. Si nous avons l'occasion de revenir passer 2 semaines à Kyoto dans quelques années, Uji méritera bien la journée entière avec une longue promenade au bord de l'eau.

Jeudi 17 novembre: Kyoto, bus puis passage rapide devant le temple Ninna-ji, puis le Ryoan-ji (1h30 le temps de bien faire le tour, ce n'est pas le jardin zen le plus intéressant, il y a trop de monde, mais le parc est superbe et les peintures du temple aussi). Puis le Kinkaku-ji (pavillon d'or), éblouissant! Là encore 1h30 et beaucoup de temps pour l'admirer, ce pavillon est magique, les photos ne sont rien à côté du choc de se trouver devant. Les nombreux touristes ne nous ont pas gênés, là, nous n'y avons même pas fait attention tellement le pavillon d'or est beau. L'après-midi, le Daitoku-ji, on a fait le tour puis choisi 2 temples à visiter: le Koto-in au milieu d'une petite forêt de bambous et le Ryogen-in pour ses petits jardins zen qui nous ont ravis, bien plus que celui du Ryoan-ji le matin, car bien plus calme avec peu de touristes.

Vendredi 17 novembre: grosse journée à Osaka. Heureusement nous avions acheté notre unlimited pass pour la journée à l'aéroport en arrivant. Départ tôt le matin, arrivée à la gare, 3 stations si j'ai bonne mémoire pour aller à Umeda (plus long qu'à Paris les trajets), beaucoup de temps pour trouver où sortir, il y avait des travaux en plus. Nous sommes allés admirer le Umeda Sky Building et le marché de Noël allemand ou alsacien qui était dessous (pas encore ouvert). Vu le temps gris, nous avons préféré attendre le soir pour monter car le pass donnait droit à une seule visite et le building ferme après les autres monuments. Ensuite, métro pour le Château et le parc, nous avons visité l'intérieur (musée) et admiré la belle vue de la ville d'en haut, puis fait un tour dans le parc, et le jardin qui n'est pas terrible. Pour manger, en sortant du château nous sommes allés tout droit, 5mn après nous avons trouvé un petit restau dehors pas cher et bon bol de nouilles. Sinon il n'y a que du sucré à manger. L'après-midi, nous sommes allés jusqu'au Théâtre Bunraku acheter un calendrier (les places sont 4 fois moins chères à Paris, on attend donc leur venue chez nous...) puis nous avons marché jusqu'à un petit temple et le musée Kamigata Ukiyo-e à côté. Nous avons passé + d'une heure dans le musée, nous y étions seuls! Et il est très beau. Ensuite, encore le métro direction du port pour voir la Cosmo Tower (world trade center). Que les distances sont longues! C'est loin de la grande roue, dommage! Nous avons tourné un moment en rond pour trouver la tour, nous n'avons pas regretté: superbe vue du 55e étage sur le port et sur la ville. Et nous n'étions pas nombreux, la tour est décentrée et les touristes ne vont pas si loin apparemment. Nous avons mangé dans un restau coréen, puis métro jusqu'à Umeda Sky Building et le marché de Noël animé. Belle vue du 39e étage sur la ville. Et retour à Kyoto par le train vers 22h45, tassés dans les wagons comme un jour de grève à Paris. Je n'en croyais pas mes yeux, tant de monde à cette heure tardive! Et nos pieds souffraient!!! Mais nous étions contents de notre journée.

Samedi 19 novembre: grosse pluie sur Kyoto, repos, temple Sanjusangendo, tour de la gare pour chercher le musée Osamu Tezuka qui n'existe plus, tour dans les rues pour aller jusqu'au musée du costume qui est fermé jusqu'en mars pour rénovation, et retour pour laver le linge et faire une sieste bien méritée et réparatrice pour les pieds.

Dimanche 20 novembre: Nara: le vieux quartier Naramachi, la résidence koushi no ie (visite gratuite d'une maison ancienne, on vous demande en japonais d'où vous venez et on vous donne une doc dans votre langue) retour vers le Tofuku-ji et concert en plein air d'un groupe de tambours avec une guitare électrique (groupe Nakoza, pas de CD, dommage). On est passés devant le Tofuku-ji et on a visité le Todai-ji pendant qu'il pleuvait. On est ressortis avec un beau ciel bleu et on a marché dans le parc pour voir les daims et le sanctuaire Kasuga Taicha.

Lundi 21 novembre : train pour Kurama, tour du village et nous sommes montés jusqu'au Kurama-dera (45mn de marche en montée + arrêts photos), arrêt au temple puis randonnée jusqu'au village de Kibune avec quelques japonais courageux et quelques averses. La randonnée n'est pas difficile, on peut la faire avec des enfants. Ce n'est pas très long, nous nous sommes beaucoup arrêtés pour faire des photos et admirer le paysage, superbe! 2h avec beaucoup d'arrêts. Puis tour du village de Kibune et sanctuaire Taicha, marche de 30mn le long de la rivière pour aller jusqu'à la gare. Repas dans un petit restau à la sortie de la gare à Kyoto. Soirée à Gion Corner puis retour à pied par les petites rues.

Mardi 22 novembre: bus, promenade sur la colline Yoshida d'où on a une belle vue, puis chemin de la philosophie. Ginkaku-ji (pavillon d'argent), superbe jardin, nous y sommes restés au moins 1h30, puis petit temple Honen-in où il y avait un concert du flûtiste Kosei Yamamoto (musiques et flûtes du monde). Puis sanctuaire Otoyo et enfin les illuminations au Kyomizudera. Grandiose!

Mercredi 23 novembre: Sagano-Arashiyama. Temple Daikakuji et tour de l'étang le matin. Marche dans la ville en bordure des champs, superbe champ de fleurs au passage, puis vieille ville. Temple Adashino Nenbutsuji, puis maisons Rakushisha. Et enfin la forêt de bambous où il y avait beaucoup de monde avant de rejoindre la gare.

Jeudi 24 novembre: le matin château Nijo et ses jardins à Kyoto, nous y avons passé toute la matinée tellement c'est superbe! L'après-midi le sanctuaire Kamigamo et le musée Nishinji où on voit comment on fabrique les kimonos entre autres et un défilé court de kimonos.

Vendredi 25 novembre: bus pour Ohara. Temple Sanzen-in, promenade jusqu'à la cascade silencieuse puis grand tour du village avec les champs à côté, superbes paysages de la campagne japonais là aussi, différents de Kurama et Kibune.

Samedi 26 novembre: Osaka. le matin le parc Hattori Ryokuchi et le musée ryokuchi koen des vieilles fermes, vraiment très bien. L'après-midi America-Mura pour dévaliser des disquaires (sinon ça ne vaut pas le coup si on a pas un but précis je trouve) puis le soir Dotombori.

Dimanche 27 novembre: les 2 temples près de la gare de Kyoto Higashi-Honganji et-Nishi Honganji puis le marché Nishiki et Teramachi pour des achats de souvenirs et le soir Pontocho.

Lundi 28 novembre: Kyomizudera puis la rue commerçante jusqu'à Gion et retour au studio pour finir les sacs, prendre une douche, nettoyer le studio et prendre le train jusqu'à Osaka, vol pour Doha puis Paris.

Sylvie

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!