The Plan (subject to change)
We have been in Almaty for five days, preparing for our 10-week bikepacking journey through Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia. The rough plan: from Kazakhstan through China and into Mongolia.
Originally, we wanted to start with a gravel route in northern Kazakhstan: the “Austrian Road”, a road built by Austrian prisoners of war during the First World War. The landscape is supposed to be breathtaking and the route accordingly challenging. However, our analysis of satellite images shows pretty clearly that there is still too much snow in the north, close to the Russian border.
So, for the first time, we have to completely change our plans.
Instead of taking the 30-hour night train north, we start directly from Almaty and plan to cross the Assy Plateau to Charyn Canyon. We had planned this section anyway, just in the opposite direction. Originally, it was supposed to be our warm-up tour before the north. A chance to find out whether our setup, which had only been mounted on the bikes for two days at that point, could actually handle the conditions in Kazakhstan. And if something didn't work, Almaty would probably have been our best chance to find a replacement or get it repaired.
But oh well. Let's start from Almaty!
Day 1: Almaty – Assy Plateau
For the first 60 kilometres, we fight our way out of the stinking city traffic. No matter how beautiful and green Almaty wants to be, the air is simply not breathable. On the busy road, people are constantly honking at us. It takes us a while to realise that these aren't European “get the fuck off our road” honks, but friendly Kazakh greeting honks. At the same time, the cars overtake us with distances you could only dream of in Austria.
We make pretty good progress and soon reach the turn-off to Ile-Alatau National Park. During a short break, we wonder why there are still so many cars, and especially sports cars, driving into the valley.
When we finally reach the entrance gate and pay around two euros to get in, we slowly begin to understand that national parks in Kazakhstan work a little differently than they do back home in the Alps. We mainly know national parks as protected areas. Here, they seem to be just as much recreational areas too. There are signs everywhere prohibiting fires. Right next to them: fire pits and Kazakhs arriving by car and competing over who can have the biggest barbecue.
We quickly realise that people here prefer to go only as far as their cars can take them.
We continue through the national park chaos until a ranger suddenly stops us. He forms an X with his arms: we can't go any further...
Using offline Google Translate, we unsuccessfully try to figure out what the problem is. Luckily, a young man comes to our rescue and translates for us. Apparently, the road is closed because of rockfall. It should somehow still be possible to reach the Assy Plateau, but we aren't allowed to pass through.
The young student immediately has a solution: we should bribe the ranger. Ten to twenty euros should do the trick.
We decide to go with the Austrian approach instead: wait. After several cars come out of the closed valley, at some point we simply continue.
In the evening, we pitch our tent and quickly cook something to eat.
What a first day.
Day 2: Assy Plateau
Since the sun already rises at 04:00 and sets at 19:00 in Kazakhstan in April, we get up early. The porridge wasn't our best creation, but we still have plenty of time to develop the perfect recipe. We pack up our things and continue towards the Assy Plateau.
Soon the road gets worse, and we also see a few smaller rocks lying on it. Probably the rockfall. Then the asphalt disappears completely and we continue on a bumpy gravel road. In places, it's so steep that we have to push our bikes.
For the first time, we get an idea of what we have signed ourselves up for over the next few weeks. Slowly but steadily, we fight our way up the mountain. The valley is deeply cut and the stream rushes below us. Secretly, we are still hoping there won't be any snow on the Assy Plateau. It has rained quite a lot in Almaty over the last few days, and we really don't feel like pushing our bikes through the snow.
Slowly, the valley opens up and the forest begins to thin out. Suddenly, we reach a small high plateau and are already pretty excited. We spot our first marmots and wonder how relaxed they are, despite birds of prey constantly circling above us.
We ride the last few hundred metres of elevation up to the pass. Luckily, the road is free of snow and we're super happy to have finished the climbing for today. We enjoy the view and greet a motorcyclist coming towards us from the observatory.
We ride a few more kilometres before hiding from a short rain shower in a metal shed built by nomads, where they store their belongings for the summer. After around 45 kilometres, we decide that we don't need to completely destroy ourselves on the second day and pitch our tent next to a stream.
We explore the abandoned houses in the area before crawling into the tent completely exhausted.
Day 3: Assy Plateau – Bartogay Lake
In the morning, we immediately have to master our first river crossings. In return, we see our first semi-wild horses, along with the herding dogs guarding them. So we make a big detour around the dogs and continue.
Today is actually supposed to be mostly downhill, but it feels like for every metre we descend, we immediately have to climb another two. We fight our way through the landscape towards the valley on a surprisingly good road. The dirt roads are a dream to ride, almost like floating on clouds.
Once we reach the valley, we take a short Haribo break and celebrate the fact that we weren't eaten by the dog that came running towards us from the only house for miles around.
Now it's time to climb again. The road gets significantly worse and we spend most of the climb pushing our bikes uphill. In places, it's so steep and the gravel so slippery that even while pushing, our shoes keep sliding out from under us. After what feels like an eternity, we reach the top of the pass. A herd of horses galloping past gives us the motivation we need to keep going.
From here, it's “only” downhill.
Anyone who thinks the 1,000-metre descent is going to be enjoyable is mistaken. The road is so bad that in places we even have to push our fully loaded gravel bikes downhill.
Finally, we reach Bartogay Lake, which we still have to ride halfway around before finding a suitable place to camp. I have to keep motivating Vanessa to ride just a few metres further. By now, she's pretty exhausted and would happily pitch the tent at the next available spot in the mud.
But eventually, we find the perfect spot, right by the lake.
Today's food creation, packet tomato soup with pasta, tastes especially good this evening. Our food supplies are slowly running low, though, because back in Almaty we were still really worried about every single gram.
Luckily, we soon abandon that approach.
Day 4: Bartogay Lake – Charyn Canyon
During the first few kilometres of the day, we get our first taste of the infamous washboard roads. Cars drive so fast on the gravel tracks here that countless small, regular ridges form over time. We constantly try to find the part of the track that is the least rough. In vain. Both we and our bikes get thoroughly shaken around.
It's a huge relief when we finally turn onto a paved road again. Soon, we see the first houses in the distance and hope that the tiny village, which actually looks more like a rest stop, has a shop where we can stock up on supplies a little.
Jackpot!
There is a minimarket with everything our hearts desire. We stock up on fried pastries, sweets and the essentials. We've only been on the road for three days and hadn't even realised how hungry we already were. From now on, our food bags are a little fuller and also contain more vegetables.
We continue towards Charyn Canyon, riding into the wind. Vanessa sets the pace and I try unsuccessfully to stay in her slipstream. Again and again, cars stop or drive alongside us for a while. People want to take photos and know where we're from.
When we finally reach the canyon, I'm completely exhausted and we treat ourselves to a Fanta, since there is no Coke. Once again, we pay a few euros to get in, lock up our bikes and set off into the canyon on foot. Most of the other tourists take the shuttle bus from the visitor centre.
The canyon is really impressive. You are even allowed to camp right down by the river, but it's so hot down there that we had already decided beforehand to continue a little further today. Unfortunately, we can't ride through the canyon either, as the path is a dead end and finishes at the river below.
So, as planned, we ride back out and continue a little further until we find a beautiful campsite next to a river and an old bridge. Lots of goats and cows are lying underneath the bridge, enjoying the shade.
The one hour from the canyon to the river takes everything I have left. I can barely keep up with Vanessa anymore.
So the next day is declared a rest day: washing clothes, organising things and, most importantly, figuring out where we're actually going next. We had only planned as far as here, and we haven't had any time to plan the next part yet.
