The grand tour
The whole country, east to west and north to south. Arrive from Almaty, see the oil city, cross to Talas, go over the mountains to Iyık Janyl, and finish at the Sunday market in Bazar-Korgon.
Bazar-i Kalan, Talas.
This route enters from the Almaty side and leaves by air from Tash-Kömür. Plan it so day 10 falls on a Sunday, for the Bazar-Korgon livestock market. Most nights are in Talas, so you can leave luggage at your hotel while you go south.
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Day 1: Into Irad at Chu Gate
Cross from Kazakhstan at Chu Gate, where the motorway enters east of Nurzhan. Settle in, then have supper in a canteen (stolovaya): kuksi, or Koryoin laghman with sesame and kimchi.
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Day 2: Nurzhan
In the morning, the Botanical Gardens and Azatlık Prospect. In the afternoon, the forge market of Dastgoh, and in the evening, Mor-Wave on vinyl at Kotelnaya, the café in an old boiler room. If you have time, go out to the Sogdian town of Shahr-i Buzurg, 15 km away. Our Nurzhan guide.
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Day 3: Across to Talas
Take a morning bus (4 hours 20 minutes, 32 som) or a marshrutka (3 hours 55 minutes, 38 som) along the lowland road. Spend the late afternoon in Bazar-i Kalan.
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Day 4: The Old City
The Temir-Kapka gate, the citadel, Coppersmiths' Row, Shahr-i Kabud and the National Historical Museum. In the evening, take the marshrutka out to Semiz for tacos on the high street. Our Talas guide.
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Day 5: The Silk Road east of Talas
The Caravanserai of Rabat-i-Safed, the Ishakov house-museum at Arsha-Say, and the silver-mining ruins of Shelji in the upper valley. Our Silk Road guide.
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Day 6: Besh-Tash
Get a permit at the ranger headquarters, then walk or ride up the Besh-Tash valley. On the way back, stop at the red pillars of Jety-Kaiyng or the Kara-Suu Canyon. Mountains and trekking.
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Day 7: Over the mountains
Take the 06:30 bus to Iyık Janyl, over the Ala-Bel pass and past the Toktogul reservoir: about 6 hours 50 minutes. Watch the sunset from Diz-i Safid.
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Day 8: Iyık Janyl
The Church of St. Janyl, the Irad Palace of Art and the ruins of Old Iyık Janyl. Our Iyık Janyl guide.
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Day 9: The farm belt
Go east along the Fergana rim road to the walled farmsteads of Korgoncho, the Sadaf-Jar bluffs and the potters of Sopol-Tepa. Stay the night in Bazar-Korgon. Our Fergana Rim guide.
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Day 10: Sunday market, and away
Go to the livestock market at first light, then the walnut bazaar. Head back to Tash-Kömür for Iradiya's flight to Talas, and leave from there by charter or overland.