NOMADLAND

IN KYRGYZSTAN'S FORMIDABLE TIAN SHAN MOUNTAINS LIES THE SARYCHAT-EERTASH NATURE RESERVE, A PLACE OF DEEP VALLEYS AND WILD RIVERS COURSING BELOW 6,000-METRE PEAKS EXISTENCE IN THIS REMOTE CORNER OF THE COUNTRY CAN BE INCREDIBLY HARSH. AT FIRST GLANCE, IT SEEMS DEVOID OF LIFE, BUT ANYONE WHO VENTURES HERE DISCOVERS A BEAUTIFUL AND DYNAMIC LAND, HOME TO RARE, ENIGMATIC SNOW LEOPARDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE THAT HIDES DEEP IN THE CREVICES

- DANIEL ALFORD

Kyrgyzstan’s landscapes are incredibly diverse and seem timeless.The capital Bishkek sits on the central Eurasian steppe, a vast grassland stretching from the east of Ukraine to Mongolia. Yurts have been used by nomads on the steppe for thousands of years. Packable, warm and sturdy, they are still used today, offering a perfect shelter in tough conditions. Ancient nomadic horse cultures thrived here, and you can still see it today — horses are a hugely important part of life. Looking out of your car window as you travel, you may spot a game of kok boru, a traditional competition in which two teams on horseback try to manoeuvre a goat carcass into the opposing team’s goal. Although the goat is replaced by a mould these days, it takes nothing away from the excitement and spectacle.