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 Stading post on the Great Silk Road
MOST FOREIGNERS who visit the city of Naryn in the center of Kyrgyzstan are travelers retracing the steps of merchants and traders along the Great Silk Road. Arriving from the capital Bishkek, they spend a night, and after an early morning start, continue their journey onto the Torugart Pass and the Chinese border. The fact that they fly in means that they miss out on an interesting part of Central Asia that rewards the traveler with time to relax among spectacular scenery and wildlife. There are also sights steeped in history, and the atmosphere of the ancient Silk Road gives them a chance to experience an age-old nomadic way of life preserved over the centuries.
The city of Naryn itself lies in the center of Kyrgyzstan, in the Central Tien Shan Mountains, at an altitude of 2800m. It is a small city with a population of just 45,000, nestled in a fong narrow valley, along the Naryn River (which in ancient times was called the Syr- Darya), with roads stretching out to the North, South, East and West. The modern city began as a garrison town, established in 1868 by the Russians, although most of the city is postwar architecture.
It is the administrative center for the Naryn region, which occupies about a quarter of the territory of the country but is home to just 6% of the population, most of whom are still engaged in agriculture. In the summer, shepherds accompany their livestock, (flocks of sheep, herds of horses and yaks), into the high mountain meadows (jailoo) and spend the season in traditional yurts, following a simple life that has changed little over the years.
Yurts often serve as accommodation where it is possible to sample koumiss (fermented mare's milk) and traditional nomadic hospitality. They are found in, many places including Lake Son Kul, lying on a treeless plateau over 3000m above sea level, surrounded by a ring of mountain peaks. The beauty of the lake has enraptured both locals and tourists alike. Legend has it that when one of the local Khans, Ormon Khan, saw it for the first time, he imposed a fine of forty horses (no small sum, then or now), on the local tribe because they had hidden such a miracle from him!
JUST A FEW kilometers off the main road to the Chinese border is the Tash Rabat caravanserai. A massive stone shelter "set in a valley so perfect that it leaves you flailing for superlatives" (according to one travel guide}, is embedded in the hills that rise behind. It has been described by one travel writer as one of the best preserved buildings associated with the Silk Road - and the one which best preserves the original atmosphere. For those tourists with imagination, it is possible to sit by the side of the bubbling stream and visualize the caravans crossing the crest of the At Bashi mountain range and descending to this ancient inn.
THE REGION has more to offer than just reminders of the Silk Road. Wildlife is protected in a number of national parks; the area is a center for traditional crafts such as the manufacture of shyrdaks (Kyrgyz rugs); the river Naryn is suitable for rafting and spectacular scenery, such as along the valley of the Little Naryn river from Ece Naryn.
FOR THE MODERN day traveler along the Silk Road and other visitors to the region, there are various forms of accommodation available ... from traditional shepherd's yurts, home stays (Bed and Breakfast) with a local family, and in Naryn itself, hotels and guesthouses. One of these is "The Celestial Mountains Guesthouse" (also known as "The English Guesthouse"), which was established by a group of British investors in 1998. It offers comfortable rooms, good food and service and it has established itself as a favorite with many locals and foreigners alike who visit, serving both as an "oasis" on the Silk Road and also as a base from which to explore the surrounding countryside. |
