We were picked up at 9am by our guide and driver and headed out for Charyn Canyon. Our guides name was Alfiya and she was quite lovely she taught us more about Kazakhstan in a three hour drive than most guide books would tell you. Alfiya was Russian and moved to Kazakhstan when she was young, she spoke so passionately about the country and it's history you would think she was born here.
Driving out of Almaty and through the outskirts of the main city was quite interesting the scenery kept changing from tree lined streets to markets and farmlands then finally to what we had expected to see from all that Googling prior......the steppe and the endless stretching border of the Tian shen mountains bordering us with China and Kyrgyzstan.
I did ask about why there were so many Mitsubishi Galants around (my poor car that had been scrapped 24hrs prior to leaving) and Alfiya said they were cheap to run and it was easy to get parts........hmmm maybe I should have kept it then and sent parts home ;)
I never see them in Sydney maybe two or three if i'm lucky but here they are EVERYWHERE!!!!! Every second or third car is a Galant all different year models and the first one I saw when we arrived was identical to mine 94 model white but in much better condition :/
As we drove through the winding landscape Alfiya told us about why the apple was a symbol of Kazakhstan and Almaty in particular, there is a special tree that in endemic to Kazakhstan, one that grows wild up in the mountains. On these trees you will find wild apples just like the ones you buy at the markets they are pink on the outside with the typical white flesh inside speckled with pink dots, quite delicious. Scientists believe that as they were found nowhere else in the world growing wild that they were unique to Kazakhstan and became a national symbol, they were then exported throughout Europe and around the world and modified to the apples we have today.
She also told said that it was a little known secret of Kazakhstan that the Cathedral of Ascention in Panfilov park did in fact have nails and that it was a local legend that had spread because it had survived the soviet period and a huge earthquake. During the soviet period the pictures in the catherdral were painted white and covered. Currently it is now partly restored and the public are once again welcome there.
Truly the landscape here is a marvel, unbelievable beauty and it just keeps going! We continued winding through the mountains onto the steppe, we could see the heat rippling off the earth and dancing causing mirage like figures on the horizon.
When I say winded we only winded once really the way that Almatys design during soviet rule was similar to this symbol # straight lines everywhere this was so that should they be invaded or attacked this would be a better defence.....hmmm maybe Sydney should take some pointers. Another note for the parents reading in the lack of interest in seatbelts or more like they exist though there's nothing to clip them into.....our driver and Bec had one up front and Aimee had one sitting in the back middle so she didn't fly through the window, Alfiya and I had none though that appreared to be the norm really, it's like they just took the buckles out.......safety first!!!
We continued through the endless landscape past the Tian Shen mountains that bordered us with Uzbekistan and China. Apparently Uzbekistan's prices were three to five times less than what you would pay in Kazakhstan.....I don't understand how on earth they would make any money though.
As we drove there was one man on horseback rounding up stallions churning up dust, was quite beautiful to see. Alfiya told us that there were not many people still living the nomadic lifestyle however they still existed up near the mountains. As there is no water available for hundreds of kilometres on the steppe it's a hardly liveable place even for animals which is why it appears so desolate so isolated. All this landscape was only 100km from Almaty city, quite incredible that the landscape just continued to change from tree lined streets to forests and farms then onto the mountains and finally just steppe as far as the eye could see.
We reached the 10km road to Charyn canon........RUTTS RUTTS RUTTS!!!!!! Oh the poor driver's Camry being shaken to pieces slowly, break accelerate break accelerate. We did see a family of five with montrous packs on WALKING to Charyn Canyon in the searing heat in midday, mum and dad with two young girls probably aged 10 maybe twins and grandma bringing up the rear....CRAZY PEOPLE!!!!!!!
We reached the canyon finally and because we were feeling like an intrepid trio of explorers we decided to attempt the 2nd hardest descent......mistake. Slowly we crept down on the loose stones, I had had enough of the hard stuff by the second point and slid down like a surfer on my converse with my butt low to the ground.......much quicker!!!! The girls crept down slowly and we finally reached the bottom.
Charyn Canyon is approximately 14km long a baby compared to the grand canyon though I'm glad we saw this one first. Absolutely beautiful with rock formations millions of years old, we trekked down the path admiring the colours and the constant changing scenery. Alfiya told us that there was also a section of the canyon that was known as the white and yellow parts due to their colour.
We reached the river about half an hour later and desperate I used a free standing drop hole shed.....*vomit* .....I have used outhouses in my time but that one was something else entirely!!!!!
Alfiya led us to a pagola where we ate our little packed lunches and listened to the sound of the river rushing past below. After lunch we had to brave the trek back up the canyon....I used my powers of mind of matter and burned through the pain whilst behind me I could here Bec having a winge about sore legs and chopping them off, with some muttered profanities from Aimee :) It was not an easy trek up we clambered back up the steepest part where we had descended and 'Kooeed' as triumphant Aussies when we reached the top. Worth it? Absolutely!!!!
On the way back up the bumpy road we passed that same family again three hours later still a good few kms to go :/ We took a few steppe happy snaps and made the long journey back, the girls fell asleep and I chatted to Alfiya the whole way back. Once we arrived I dashed upstairs and retrieve a little clip on Koala with a boomerang for Alfiya which she really liked....Alfiya if you ever come to Australia please let us know!!! :)
We said our goodbyes and Aimee ad I ventured out to find dinner.....mmmmmm Doner Kebab!!!!!
Then we settled for a night of attempting to repack our bags for Astana the next morning.
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