Almaty – Kazakhstan

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“The south capital”

Almaty, the largest and most important city in Kazakhstan ever since its foundation, and a very much awaited destination to travel to for being the best spot to start a Central Asia tour across part of the original Silk Road in this side of the world. Fair enough it will not be a complete tour this time through the 5 Stans due to time limitations, but that will be a good sign for return in the near future and complete over all, the grand cities of Uzbekistan. This time, the trip will take me through the nature and incredible landscapes across steep mountain passes, canyons and lakes once upon a time filled with merchants navigating their ways connecting the Far East with Europe.

After being to that many ex-Soviet cities in the past, here is no exception to find the very same architecture, urbanism, similar food blend of Russian, East European and that touch of Chinese and Arabian. Signs difficult to even understand, hard to communicate in English to anyone and that unique feeling of a bygone Soviet era. You can feel it anywhere in the city and that is without doubt part of the excitement for reaching countries like this, a bit more unusual.

The city itself is not the prettiest, definitely no, nor is the kind of place you come for holidays or spend the time as a cultural trip. It is in the other hand one of the most common place to start a Silk Road tour. Its location could not be any better, not to mention the incredible beauty and landscapes that lie merely few kilometres south and visible from most parts of the city, the famous Tien Shan Mountain range, an UNESCO World Heritage Site in its full length. And so, not many kilometres towards the east the incredible Charyn Canyon, nicknamed the Grand Canyon’s little sister, is the second largest in the word. Then the many lakes few minutes’ drive away, especially these with the dead trees inside the water, and plenty more. But for a day, the city alone is great and certainly has great architecture to admire and stunning food to enjoy. All very worth it. (more…)

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