Kyrgyzstan is for those seeking a new understanding of freedom and life.

When we first visited the country with a group of travellers, no one suspected exactly what they would find there – villages that seem from another era, mountains that have never been mapped, and lakes that don’t even have a name. Here, in this forgotten corner of Asia, every step unveils a new wonder, and nature seems to embrace you, making you feel both small and part of something great. Kyrgyzstan is for those who dare to leave the beaten path and discover something much more than just landscapes.

Our favourite Rumyana Boseva was in our first group (as always among the boldest adventurers) who dared to get lost in Kyrgyzstan, without suspecting what they would find. And they discovered not only new horizons but also something much deeper – a sense of freedom and connection with nature that is hard to describe in words, but we have taken on the task of at least trying.

If you had to describe Kyrgyzstan with just one word, what would it be and why?

There’s no single word. Kyrgyzstan is an incredible blend of fantastic, untouched nature, genuine people, and a forgotten way of life, far from the consumer values of modern society.

If you had to choose a moment from the trip that changed the way you see the world, what would it be?

At 3000 metres above sea level lies Lake Song Kul. It is surrounded by vast pastures where local people herd their flocks from early spring to late autumn. By mid-March, they move up to the mountains and set up camps with traditional yurts. There is no nearby shop. No mobile signal, no roads, no cars. Just the frozen surface of the lake, which never completely melts, endless herds, low vegetation, and a very simple and genuine life. I think it’s in such places that I realise how much we complicate our lives, how much we focus on our material possessions, and how we have completely lost touch with nature. We have lost knowledge that, unfortunately, I don’t think we can regain.

What moment will you remember for a lifetime?

We were supposed to go to some warm mineral springs. Instead, three of us decided to spend this time in an abandoned town. Once, Engilchek was built for the workers from the nearby mine. More than 5,000 families lived there. After the Russians withdrew, the mine was abandoned, and the town became deserted and sacked. Now, less than 20 families live there. When our bus left us above the town, I thought we’d wander for 2 hours in the desolation and dust. I imagined it like some old American western. And suddenly, out of nowhere, dozens of children rushed towards us. They shouted, jumped, laughed, pulled us, and told us stories. In the centre of the town, someone had parked an old Lada. Music played from the open doors and windows, to which the children danced, and the women gathered and washed carpets. It turned out they have a school, a playground, a health centre, and countless abandoned and gutted buildings that the children used for play.

Was there something in Kyrgyzstan that made you stop and rethink yourself or your life?

We talked with an old man in Engilchek and asked what happens if someone gets sick since the nearest town is two and a half hours away on a very bad road. He replied that they don’t wait for an ambulance. Everyone organizes to take him to town as quickly as possible. That’s the right thing to do. If they didn’t help, then how would they drink tea together afterwards? You see, you don’t help with the hope that they will help you back if needed. You help because these people are part of your life. Not just neighbours or friends. They are your life, and you walk down the path together.

What did the people you met in Kyrgyzstan teach you?

The true meaning of the word community.

If you could bring one thing from Kyrgyzstan into your life, what would it be?

The simple life. But that’s so, so difficult in our society.

If you could describe Kyrgyzstan not with words but with a feeling, what would it be?

Peace. We were coming down from the mountains at sunset. That feeling I had looking at the pinnacles, already from the valley, the roaring river nearby, the free horses grazing in the unreal green meadows, I can’t express it in words, but I will always associate it with Kyrgyzstan.

How did this journey make you see nature and your life in a new way?

Nature always makes you look at yourself in one single way – it makes you feel insignificant and at the same time absolutely whole and filled with meaning.

What would you tell someone who is hesitant about embarking on such a journey?

This journey is not for everyone. But if you are the type of traveller who does not look for the convenience of all-inclusive packages and the colourful cocktails with plastic umbrellas, perhaps it is for you. If you are willing to spend a few nights covered with a heavy quilt in a yurt, but see some of the most astounding views in the world, perhaps it is for you. If you don’t mind sitting on the ground around the table, drinking tea, and spending hours talking and laughing with others, warmed by the fire burning in the stove, this journey is for you. I would personally go back. There’s some incredible magic in this place.

As Rumi says, „Nature doesn’t just watch you – it changes you, without asking.”

And in Kyrgyzstan, you truly feel that every part of this world is part of you before you even realise it. This journey is much more than just a geographical point on the map – it’s a rediscovery that changes the essence of how we perceive ourselves and the world around us.

Our next trip to Kyrgyzstan is in May – 26.05. Are you coming with us?

Photos: Konstantin Chervenkov