DAY 1 - BISHKEK TO ALMATY
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| Medeo District @ Ile-Alatau National Park |
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| 8.30 am, Christoph sending us off as he stayed back at My Hotel. His flight out of Bishkek is in the afternoon |
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| Getting off our minibus with our bags at Kyrgyzstan side. Many porters were disappointed we did not use their help |
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| 9.30 am @ Kyrgyzstan border |
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| Kyrgyzstan CIQ |
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| Pedestrian walkway towards, Kazakhstan CIQ @ 9.45 am |
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| Chu River |
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| Kazakhstan CIQ |
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| Money changer, convenience store and toilet located right after the Kazakhstan CIQ |
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| Kazakhstan CIQ in the background @ 10.15 am |
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| Old Russian bike @10.40 am, still waiting for our minibus |
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| Mini market at Korday to stock up on snacks |
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| After picking up some snacks from a mini market and a toilet stop at a petrol station in Korday, we set off close to 11.30 am with rain setting in 2 hours later. Cup to collect water @1.45 pm |
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| Toilet stop @ 2 pm, 160 km from Korday and 15 km from Samsi. In photo is "free" toilet with Angkana taking the left side while Kok Teng and Mr Lim took the right side. |
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| Across the road is a highway restaurant with paid toilet |
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| Relatively good roads with some ongoing road works; Korday to Almaty |
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| Driving into the city, traffic was horrendous. We finally reached our lunch stop in Almaty at 4 pm!!! |
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| Settling down for lunch |
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| Kishlak on Seyfullin Avenue is an Uzbekistan restaurant |
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| Dumplings |
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| Horse meat |
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| Noodles |
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| Monument of Independence @ 5.20 pm, on the way to Medeo District |
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| Almaty TV Tower at Kok Tobe Hill |
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| Medeo Ice Skating Rink @ 5.45 pm |
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| All ready for our walk up Medeo Dam |
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| Gushing river near the skating rink |
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| Part of the Ile-Alatau National Park |
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| View of dam's water treatment plant and skating rink |
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| 12% slope drew quite a few cyclists here as well! |
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| Located near the Shymbulak ski resort, Medeo also has cable car service |
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| Imitating The Beatles at Medeo Dam |
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| Medeo |
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| Crazy karaoke session as we walked down the dam |
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| Touristy |
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| Almaty walkabout @ 9.30 pm |
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| Almaty walkabout |
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| Almaty walkabout |
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| Almaty walkabout |
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| Almaty walkabout |
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| After our supermarket snacks |
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| Almaty walkabout |
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| Kuaci @ 10.45 pm |
DAY 2 - ALMATY TO BISHKEK
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| Almaty walkabout |
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| Berries in the park, Tolebaev St |
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| Playground, Tolebaev St |
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| Arasan Wellness and Spa, Soviet bath house |
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| Bike friendly, Kunaev Street |
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| Pedestrian friendly, Panfilov Park |
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| Zenkov Cathedral, Russian Orthodox cathedral is claimed to be the second tallest wooden building in the world. Completed in 1907, it is built without nails |
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| Statue of Panfilov's 28 guardsmen who gave their lives in defense of Moscow, a controversial propaganda |
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| Kazakh State Philharmonic |
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| Kadalyakov Street |
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| Kadalyakov Street |
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| Kadalyakov Street |
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| Bike cafe |
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| Goofing around! |
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| Kok Tobe cable car station |
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| Cheating run through the fountain for USD1 challenge!!! |
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| Taking the cable car , at 2000 Tenge (RM21) per person |
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| View from cable car |
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| Upside down house at Kok Tobe |
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| Still goofing around @ Kok Tobe |
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| Free mini zoo at Kok Tobe |
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| Beautifully segregated bike and pedestrian path |
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| Bike rentals |
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| Monument of Independence |
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| Lunch break for most of us @ Entrecote Restaurant... |
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| ...These 2 prefers to have lunch on the go while they visited the subways! |
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| Whiling away the time as we wait to regroup and set out for our early dinner |
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| Sending postcards at KazPost @ 3 pm |
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| Modern post boxes for rentals |
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| Philatelic club at Kazpost |
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| Almaty Airport @ 7.40 pm after our early dinner |
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| Sending Angkana off @Almaty Airport |
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| Supper time, midway to Bishkek @ 10.20 pm |
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| Oven baking Camci |
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| Camci and yoghurt drink...she still dare!!!! |
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| DIY !!!!! |
Geographically, Bishkek is linked to Almaty via Route A-2
over a distance of 233 km. Chu River which flows north of Kyrgyzstan and south
of Kazakhstan, forms the natural border separating the 2 countries. Korday, a
border town in Kazakhstan is 25 km away from Bishkek.
Crossing the border is quite an experience. Locals have the
habit of cutting queues. To prevent such bullying, one should behave like the
locals. Blocking queue jumpers with elbows or legs can only go so far. Voicing our
resentments and “adopting” each other with a family structure of father, mother,
second wife and daughter works wonders!
Getting the passports stamped at Kyrgyzstan’s CIQ was fast. Entering
Kazakhstan was tougher with the minibus requiring close to an hour’s check.
Once through, another short wait is required for insurance registration.
How to get from Bishkek to Almaty :
By Taxi :
Fare per person – 700 som
Western Bus Station, Bishkek to Sayran Bus Station, Almaty
Option to buy up all the other seats in the taxis if you are
in a hurry.
One taxi takes 4 passengers
By Minibus (long distance mashrutka)
Fare per person – 400 som
Western Bus Station, Bishkek to Sayran Bus Station, Almaty
Runs daily from 7 am to 7 pm
Our Option
Minibus for 13 pax with driver and “free guide”
2 days hire for journey between My Hotel, Bishkek and Mildom
Hotel, Almaty
Complimentary drop off and pick up at Kishlak Restaurant, our lunch stop
Complimentary excursion to Medeo (Medue Ice Skating Rink)
Total fare to be shared by 13 pax : USD 400 (not including the 2 appreciation treats for driver and guide)
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Kishlak restaurant
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Mildom Hotel, Bogenbai Batyr Street 128
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| View from balcony |
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| Changing rooms @ 1 am after aircon kept tripping |
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| New room |
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| New room |
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| New room |
