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🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan /Culture & Society

Kyrgyzstan Trekker Walks Across Country to Showcase Its Beauty

From 24.kg · () Russian

Translated from Russian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Urmat Kylychbek uulu, 23, is walking across Kyrgyzstan to showcase the country's beauty.
  • He has been traveling for 25 days, covering about 30 kilometers daily, and plans to visit all regions.
  • The journey, initially postponed due to a broken jaw, highlights his determination and desire to explore his homeland.

A 23-year-old from Naryn, Urmat Kylychbek uulu, is undertaking an ambitious 25-day trek across Kyrgyzstan, driven by a desire to explore and showcase the natural beauty of his homeland. He has already traversed the Naryn and Issyk-Kul regions, covering approximately 30 kilometers each day, and intends to continue through the Chuy, Talas, Jalal-Abad, Osh, and Batken regions before returning to his birthplace.

My goal is to walk through all of Kyrgyzstan and show the beauty of our country.

— Urmat Kylychbek uuluExplaining his motivation for the extensive trek.

Kylychbek uulu, who works online, is an avid runner and football player. His journey, which he prepared for over several months, was initially planned for early summer but was delayed due to a serious jaw injury sustained during a football match. Despite the setback and subsequent surgery, he remained committed to his dream.

She didn't want to let me go at first. But I managed to persuade her and now, wherever there is a connection, I try to tell her about my day.

— Urmat Kylychbek uuluDescribing his mother's initial worries and their current communication.

His mother expressed initial concern but now stays in touch regularly, receiving daily updates. Kylychbek uulu carries a 20-kilogram backpack containing essentials like a tent, sleeping bag, and first-aid kit. He has stayed with relatives, leaving behind excess clothing. The trek has offered him unique perspectives, allowing him to appreciate the details of rivers, mountains, and villages that might be missed during car travel.

When you travel by car, a lot just flies by. But when you walk, you notice every river, every mountain, every gorge. You wake up in the morning and know that today you will see something new.

— Urmat Kylychbek uuluComparing the experience of walking versus traveling by car.

Memorable encounters include a night spent with an elderly couple in a yurt near the Dolon Pass, where he shared tea and heard stories. He also described a challenging, solitary walk near Balykchy as darkness fell, a stretch where he was warned of local ghost stories.

Come in. We drank tea, and he told stories from his youth. It is precisely these meetings that are most memorable.

— Urmat Kylychbek uuluRecounting a warm welcome from an elderly couple in a yurt.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by 24.kg in Russian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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