The Great Outdoors - UK (2021-08)

ESSENTIAL

INFORMATION

[left]Riding out [below]

Tyok Boto Valley on

the old Silk Road

to me. However, being worried about the
unknown was something I needed to learn
to accept. I’dmanaged to do that previously

• so whynot now?

RIDING HIGH
I stood eagerly in the middle of the yurt
camp,drinking tea with the group. We
watched the horses ledout with pensive
anticipation. I secretly hopedfor a gentle
creature. “You go withthis one,”said our
guide, Berdiba.
I mountedmy horse – but,despite my
best efforts, I remainedstationary. Looking
around, I witnessed other group members
disappearing offin different directions.
Our nomadic friends saw the funny side of
the chaos.
Berdibabrought order to proceedings
by calming down each straying horse; he

START:Meder’s Yurt Camp, Kok

Kiya Valley

Duration: 4 - 6 days

Difficulty: Challenging walking with

some steep attitude climbs. No

horse riding experience necessary.

Terrain: Generally good with

well-maintained paths. No

scrambling required.

i

Further information:

Maximum altitude: Mountain Mama

(4021m).

When to go: June to September.

Tour operator: nomadsland.ch/en/tours

Hiking group: meetup.com/GO-London/

How to get there: Turkish Airlines

fly from London Heathrow to

Bishkek Manus International (via

Istanbul). Pegasus Airlines fly from

London Stansted to Bishkek Manus

International (via Istanbul).

Kyrgyzstan Kok Kiya

Valley trek

told the group to showmore authority

in the saddle. Gradually our confidence

increased.Once my horse started

walking in the right direction, my posture

improved. e reins began to relax in my

hands and myfeet easied more comfortably

into the stirrups. Myhorse and I weren’t

best buddies yet – but, once I picked up his

trotting rhythm, we could both begin to

enjoyourselves a little more.

By now, the spirits of the group were

high. ere were plenty of smiles and

laughter as riders broke into a canter or

the occasional gallop. Weentered the

Tyok BotoValley, an areaso infinite that

I felt a contradictorysense ofindividual

insignificance and group belonging. Tyok

Boto wasonce a thriving trading route. It

was our first direct encounter with the Silk

Road, adding plenty of icing to whatwas

“I mounted my horse – but, despite

my best efforts, I remained stationary.

Looking around, I witnessed other group

members disappearing off in different

directions. Our nomadic friends saw

the funny side of the chaos.”

KYRGYZSTAN

August 2021 The Great Outdoors 55