Horse Trek in Kyrgyzstan

When we began our 2-week horse trek in Kyrgyzstan, I didn’t know what to expect. I had only my desire for an adventure on horseback and my imagination to fill in the blanks.

The trek was far more wonderful than I imagined. The Tian Shen Mountains (Celestial Mountains) are breath-taking and expansive. Every moment of every day was filled with an ever-changing vista of rocky canyons, steep mountainsides, river crossings and
meadows of vibrant-colored wildflowers.

    

The first day we were accompanied by the Eagle Man, the last remaining eagle hunter in Kyrgyztan. He hunts on horseback with his golden eagle hooded and on his arm. We stayed in his home in the countryside about 3 hours outside of the capital of Bishkek. His home was comfortable and warm, with its own unique charm and decoration. His wife is a deeply peaceful, aware, heart-centered woman, and they share their home with their children and grandchildren.

Of the ten of us on the trek, everyone else was European, mostly Brits. They are such wonderful people, and we enjoyed one another immensely. We worked together to find rocks to hide behind for bathroom breaks in the mountainside and deeply enjoyed the delicious, healthy food we were fed throughout the trek. Everyone thought they would lose weight on this trip. No one did.

There were also immense grasslands with yurts and herds of sheep, goats, horses, cows and yaks, grazing freely with no fences separating them. Someone watched the herd, usually a young person or two. Often these herders were so entranced by us, a group of 10 Westerners, our Italian guide Dom, and two Kyrgyz riders that they walked out to greet us and rode with us if they had a horse.

One of our truly special experiences occurred at mid-day after a morning of light rain, when it was raining too much for us to easily have our usual picnic lunch. Our guide said he hoped we found a yurt. We were blessed to spot a yurt in the distance with smoke rising from its stove pipe. Heat!

Our guide and the two Kyrgyz riders rode up to the yurt and explained our situation. We were immediately invited inside, all thirteen of us, where the mother and older daughter (7 years old) served us delicious tea, warm home baked bread, and bowls of sweet cream. We were invited to dip the bread into the cream. Delicious!

It was amazing and delightful to all of us to be so warmly welcomed into their small yurt, bringing in our wet rain gear and boots. There were four young children in the family plus their father and an uncle, who owned the yurt. As our way of saying, “Thank you,” we shared our food with them and left them all the food we brought that we did not eat.

We learned later that this is the tradition among the nomadic people in Kyrgyzstan. Hospitality is extended to anyone passing by who needs it. They are a warm, heart-centered generous people. We didn’t take any photos here out of respect for their generosity. Here is a photo of a yurt where we stayed in a few days later.

One other important note needs to be added here. The horses are incredible! They are the size of large ponies in the West and have endless endurance, carrying us all safely over rocky terrain at elevations often above 10,000 feet. We rode about 7 – 8 hours every day, often trotting or loping delightedly through the trail-less mountainsides. They are wise horses who pick safe paths through the rocks and numerous treacherous marmot holes.

Here is a photo of my horse whom I named Prince Charming. He is a stallion who consistently picked the best path through the rough terrain and who safely carried me over approximately 200 miles. He loved to run and we had such great times together.

I felt sad at the end of our trek, heading back into “civilization.” The beauty of the land, the people and the horses touched me profoundly, and I am enriched by having known them so intimately.