From Turkey, we passed through the border post of Bazargan in Iran, just after Dogubeyazit. After the paperwork and waiting in line, we crossed the Iranian soil, on foot, for a period of three weeks. In this article oriented "practice", we hope to answer the questions that can be asked before organizing such a trip.

1. Our itinerary in Iran over 3 weeks

1. Tabriz, time to acclimatize
2. Isfahan, discovery of the Iranian way of life and a jewel of Persia
3. Kashan, the city on the edge of the desert
4. Yazd, its alleys, badgirs and our favorite
5. Shiraz, Persepolis and Necropolis

2. To move

Buses and trains

It is very easy to find a bus or a train to get around Iran and jump from city to city. At the bus station, we are quickly taken care of, just out of the taxi. Then just say where you want to go and take you to the right ticket office.

There are two kinds of buses: standards and VIPs. These are very comfortable with air conditioning, space for the legs (especially in version 2 + 1) and reclining seats to sleep well. A snack is always provided on the bus with a drink, all for free. When we took the night bus between Tabriz and Isfahan, a meal was included in the price of the ticket.

We also took a night train between Shiraz and Tehran. We paid for the meal in addition to the price of the ticket but a snack with biscuits is distributed free of charge, just like tea. Our compartment was composed of 4 berths, it was a very comfortable trip.

Summary of our travels in Iran:

• Maku - Tabriz: bus (145,000 rials / person)
• Tabriz - Isfahan: night bus (720,000 rials / person)
• Isfahan - Kashan: bus (175,000 rials / person)
• Kashan - Yazd: train (325,000 rials / person)
• Yazd - Shiraz: bus (320 000 rials / person)
• Shiraz - Tehran: night train 1,150,000 rials / person with meal)

Taxis and the Snapp app

In town, there are many taxis, yellows, whites, officials, unofficial. Generally, they all come to you before you know for yourself whether you are taking a taxi or not! If you walk quietly in town and are waiting to cross, a taxi will always be there to say "Taxi?". Many Iranians also offer driver and guide to get to the tourist spots (like Persepolis from Shiraz). Feel free to negotiate the price if you do not go through an agency. If your driver speaks English, he can also act as a guide. As a general rule, even for a small race, negotiate the price and fix it before getting into the car. When we had a good feeling with a driver, we left more than expected and there you will be entitled to the most beautiful smile!

There is also an Uber-style application in major Iranian cities called SNAPP. The price is fixed in advance via the app and is usually half as much as an official taxi. We pay the driver in cash at the end of the race. No ambiguity possible.To download the application must do a small manipulation because it has been removed from the stores because of sanctions. Follow the instructions in this article to have Snapp.

The Imam Square in Isfahan

3. Staying

The main cities offer many accommodations, from the luxury hotel to the hostel. There is therefore for all purses, for all desires. You can also stay with Iranians (even if it's not allowed) thanks to the Homestay website (a kind of Airbnb) or free thanks to the Couchsurfing network or Warmshowers (for the cyclo-travelers). Small note about Couchsurfing: many Iranians charge their guests, some are very explicit in their announcement as our host in Kashan, others are less so. They also often offer guide services, so we do not know if it's the money or the meeting that takes over. It's up to you to make your own opinion via the different ads, but Couchsurfing in Iran is not the same as in other countries.

Booking does not work in this country and very little hosting is referenced on Google. We have worked a lot by word of mouth or by searching blogs and forums. Now we have to give you our good addresses:

1. Isfahan: Ragrug Hostel
2. Yazd: Kalout Hostel
3. Shiraz: Taha Hostel

Shiraz Bazaar

4. Feeding themselves

This is the point where we had the most trouble. Coming from Turkey, where the country is teeming with restaurants, terraces, picnics and lahmacun, it is disenchantment when one wants to eat on the run, or even find a small restaurant. In some cities, we walked long enough to find a place to eat something other than ice. There is a lot of fast food with burgers and pizzas not very good and very fat. To eat more typical, we had more trouble. But all is explained: in Iran, we rarely go to the restaurant and even less family. Cooking is a mark of respect for its guests (especially when it comes to stepmom!). In youth hostels we sometimes cooked ourselves: pasta, tomato salad and cucumbers,

But do not be discouraged, we also ate very good food and made some great culinary discoveries: Dizi, Ghormeh Sabzi, Kabab, carrot jam. Jerome tested the national drink, the Doogh (a yoghurt drink) but he preferred the Turkish Ayran (difficult to compete with Turkish cuisine in this region of the world!).

We also like to sit on the terrace and have a drink. It was done in Yazd, on a roof and in Shiraz on the square of the Vakil mosque.

Our addresses (not very many):

• Shiraz: Qavum for a good Dizi / Joulep for a drink
• Yazd: Baam cafe / Tourist free library (for a tea on the roof of the terrace)

Sunset from the roof of the tourist library in Yazd

5. Buy a sim card in Iran

We bought our SIM cards in Tabriz. This was not necessarily obvious because not all phone stores sell SIM cards to tourists. First we went to Irancell who sent us to a shop next door. Anyway, there will always be a solution and we will direct you to the good shop. On the spot, the seller will activate the sim card and you can come out with your new package. You have the choice between several packages in a credit call + data internet package (2, 5 or 10 GB). We took a sim card with 10 GB of internet data (the eyes of the salesman when he knew it was a 20 days!) And another sim with 2 GB.

Rate of sim cards: 400 000 rials for 10 GB of internet and 250 000 rials for 2 GB.

Before you arrive in Iran, make sure you download a VPN on your smartphone. It will serve you to go to blocked sites: Facebook, twitter, Netflix etc ...

Roof of Kashan Bazaar

6. Dress

Let's start with men because it's faster, it will just put in pants. You can stay in a t-shirt (we still avoid the tank tops). For women, the list is longer, it will take:

1. Cover your legs with pants or a long skirt. I had read several times that it needed something wide, but on the spot I realized that many Iranian women were wearing slims jeans. So, I had the impression of looking like a potato bag with my clothes wide. Sometimes I swapped my pants for leggings;
2. Cover the buttocks with a tunic, a vest or other that comes to half of the thighs;
3. Have long sleeves that cover at least half of the forearm. Under my long-sleeved tunic, I put on a merino t-shirt for less heat and to avoid sweating too much. Rather effective;
4. Cover your hair with a veil. Think of a light and fine material so as not to be too hot. So that the veil does not fall at the slightest breeze, I made a high bun;
5. For shoes, you can show your feet. I stayed in sandals the whole trip and I was able to polish my tan with beautiful zebra marks!

Once there, you will see that Iranian women perfectly combine fashion with their clothing restrictions. They are very tasteful, are very classy and also very pretty. Some also have the veil very far back and let a good part of their hair appear (I noticed that it was much the case in Shiraz).

7. The detailed budget

We were in Iran in the low season, from 4 to 24 July 2018. At that time, the exchange rate was 1 € = 90 000 - 92 000 rials. Since the new American sanctions, the rate has completely changed and is only changing (for the greatest misfortune of the Iranians). To keep you updated, you can consult this conversion site (price in toman, I explain you just after the difference), XE does not have the right rate.

Toman, rials, how to cope? The official currency is the rials but everyone speaks in Toman. Fortunately 1 toman = 10 rials, so conversion is easy. A little gymnastics to have when we announce a price (convert to rials, then euro!).

As it is impossible to withdraw from vending machines in Iran, we share our detailed budget, so as to have a rough idea of ​​the cash to be had. Do not change all your money at once, because you will come out with a 70 L bag of tickets! We had no problem changing money in banks, on the street (even if it's supposedly not recommended) or in a bazaar. Sometimes we paid directly in euros too.

• Transport (bus and train): 5,670,000 rials
• Transport (taxi and snapp): 2,244,000 rials
• Accommodation: 10 350 000 rials + 137 €
• Outings / Visits: 7,210,000 rials + 20 €
• Meals: 7,715,000 rials + 18 €
• Various (races, souvenirs, sim cards ): 4,389,000 rials

Amounts are for two people over a period of 21 days.

Read More

Former stronghold of debauchery Australian backpackers, opinions are rather mixed on Vang Vieng. Today, the city has cleaned up the image of a giant nightclub where drugs and spirits reigned.

Our experience in Vang Vieng is very positive. Not for the rafting on the Nam Song River or the buggy rides that fizzle in the villages, yet quiet. However, we were attracted by the nature that surrounds the city and its karstic rock landscapes. As well as being direct, Vang Vieng offered us one of our most beautiful visual slaps.

It is also in this city that we met Krystel, from the blog Part Part Du Monde . The moments spent sweating together on our steps, getting completely wet from a shower, or just sitting in a hammock are memorable. In short, Vang Vieng has more and we even stayed one more day.

But what do we do in Vang Vieng?

Climb to the peaks of karstic peaks

The karst peaks around Vang Vieng are the undisputed charm of the region. We were captivated by this scenery, but especially the views offered by some hills on which we can climb: Pha Ngeun Viewpoint and Nam Xay Viewpoint.

We rent bikes with Krystel to go to the foot of the hill and climb on foot. We are still in the rainy season and the humidity in the air makes us perspire to have the clothes soaked. The ascent is not easy, but taking the time, it is easy to get there. Three views are offered and the panorama from the highest point is incredible. We take the time to go down in temperature, but especially to appreciate the sight, before beginning the descent on a muddy and thus slippery ground (I finish 4 times on the buttocks).

Admission fee: 10,000 kips

Nam Xay Viewpoint

We ride alone, Krystel and I to the Nam Xay point of view. Jerome being migraineux, he passes his turn for today. The ascent to the summit is faster than the day before (between 20 and 30 minutes) but also steeper and the ground is again muddy. Walking shoes are strongly recommended (we have however seen people in flip flops). We climb in this overwhelming heat that enkyloses our muscles but the arrival at the summit filled us with joy thanks to the beauty of the places. The view is one of the most incredible I've seen ( Ala Kul in Kyrgyzstanstill in top position) and just for this visual slap, you have to come to Vang Vieng. I was so excited that we went back Jerome and me the next day, so that he too could enjoy this panorama. We stayed more than 1:30 on the platform.

Admission fee: 10,000 kips

Ride a bike or scooter

It was by bike or scooter that we moved around Vang Vieng. By bike, we joined the two points of view, passing by the rice fields still green and sparkling.

For our last day in vang Vieng, we rent a scooter and go through the Laotian countryside. To cross the river, we did not take the paying bridge of Vang Vieng but another further south. We cross the bridge unhindered and the road turns into a perforated track where the goal of the game is to slalom around the holes. Some puddles suddenly flood our way and we splash when we roll in, as quickly as possible, to avoid putting a foot on the ground. We almost miss our face because of the mud. The road is painful, tiring but we can say that we were "off the beaten track". The return on the asphalt is a blessing, but this day to cross small villages, to meet young Laotian schoolchildren all smiles, bombarding us with "Sabaidee".

Chill in a hammock

We bask several times in the hammocks of Smile Beach, facing the Nam Song River. In the off-season, the place is quiet, only a few tubing fans finish their race around the fire concocted by the bar. Sometimes, we see nostalgic residues of the old Vang Vieng, those who stagger again and have not desaoulé since 2012.

Useful information

Getting to Vang Vieng

We took a minivan from Luang Prabang with a pickup truck to our hotel. Price: 120,000 kips per person.

Sleep

Chillao Hostel: Hostel more than average. Shabby room with a mattress on the floor as a bed, pool on the street (no barrier to hide), average breakfast. Yet it has potential, but I have a theory, an inn that has had its glory years during the Vang Vieng festive and mantenant indulges like the nostalgic of the city!

Eat

Happy Mango: great restaurant;

The sandwiches in the bui-bui of the main road: we enjoyed these sandwiches, very well supplied for a ridiculous price.

What we did

Pha Ngeun Viewpoint - 10,000 kips

Nam Xay Viewpoint - 10,000 kips

Bike ride and scooter

What can we do more?

Caves and lagoons: Tham Phu Kham Cave and Blue Lagoon, Tham Nam, Tham Chang Cave ...

A balloon ride. Tubing, buggy, all that, all that!

Read More

Signs along the highway to Munich, that's all we had seen in Ulm, a city in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Well away from the motorway, we reach Ulm by bike from the Donau Bodensee Radweg cycle route. First city where we take a whole day of rest after 9 days on our saddles and 565 kilometers. First city of our bike trip where we take the time to visit.

The heart of the city and its majestic cathedral

The cathedral of Ulm (or more precisely, the main church) dominates the city and the world thanks to its arrow, with a height of 161,53 meters. Impossible to miss the emblem of the city as its architecture is imposing. We sit for a moment on a bench facing her, watching her details and listening to the chime melody.

The cathedral that we see everywhere

Inside, we are surprised by a concert that resonates inside the building. The atmosphere is captivating, we let ourselves be seduced by the music.

Going up the 768 steps, you can have a view of the city and the surrounding area thanks to the platform located 150 meters high. In good weather, the Alps are also visible.

The fishing district, Fishviertel

That it is good to stroll in this district where the charm of half-timbered houses, small alleys, take us to another time, plunge us into a medieval atmosphere.

Beautiful half-timbered houses

We wander through the small streets, the bridges, without following a precise route. Only our instinct serves us as GPS. We pass next to the leaning house (Schiefes Haus), one of the curiosities of the city located at the edge of the Blau river. It would be today the most leaning hotel in the world with a slope of 9 to 10°. Even the rooms are tilted, but fortunately not the beds!

Along the Danube

If there is one thing we particularly like about a city, it's the shoreline for pedestrians and cyclists. In Ulm, you can easily walk along the Danube or on the ramparts that mark the entrance to the city. On weekends, friends and families meet on the grassy corners to picnic or play Mölki. In short, the frame invites relaxation.

To see the city from another angle, we crossed the Danube to walk to the side of Neu Ulm, his Bavarian little sister.

On the other bank of the Danube

The banks of the Danube are also the crossing point of Eurovelo 6, the European cycle route from Nantes to the Black Sea. It is one of the best-known cyclotourist routes and we have traveled to Bulgaria.

Read More

5 days in Novi Sad and Belgrade we are ready to hit the road, even in the rain. This morning, it's raining a little, but we go to the train station to take the train to Belgrade and leave on our bikes from the Serbian capital with the goal: Istanbul. But before you get there, the road is still long and the possibilities of numerous itineraries: the perfect wedding for the changes of plans!

The Belgrade exit is not the most fun. We cross a bridge with heavy traffic. Fortunately, the sidewalk allows us to roll on it to avoid some useless frights. To our surprise, the signs of the Eurovélo 6 are rather present and also offer alternative routes with always a short description or quote. To avoid the road, we take the track between the fields and small villages where the free dogs bark on cyclists who dare to enter their territory. A storm surprises us while we are in the middle of nowhere. At the first lightning a little close we go to take refuge in a hunter's cabin and abandon our bikes to a hundred meters from us. Sitting in the cabin, we wait for the storm to pass before we go to Pancevo.

Waiting for the storm to pass

The next day, the day begins with a puncture for Jerome because of a piece of glass. Time to disassemble the wheel, realize that we do not have the right tubes, put the patch and put it all together, we leave Pancevo around 11 o'clock. Between dogs that bark and try to run us, we walk without much motivation and alert, whistle in the mouth and ready to draw the stick. Smederevo and its surroundings do not leave us a good image, even if the seller of the bike shop (where we buy new tubes) saw the match Strasbourg - Lyon. What a coincidence ! Fortunately, the hospitality of the Serbs and their respectful behavior quickly make us forget these misadventures. In Pozarevac, we are invited to have coffee on the terrace and we talk about cycling during this break.

The road is improving and we do not cross any more dogs. At Veliko Gradiste we find the Danube and the Eurovelo 6 that we had left the day before. From Golubac and after crossing its majestic fortress, we enter the Djerdap National Park on a sparsely populated road along the Danube. On the other side of the bank is Romania, a route often used by cyclo-travelers. But we wanted to stay in Serbia to avoid the line of trucks to Drobeta-Turnu: a choice we do not regret.

The fortress of Golubac

The hills make the scenery sumptuous and we climb with boundless energy. This itinerary with these panoramas reminds us why we love cycling. We take the time to stop where we want and we offer a lunch break overlooking Romania. Further on our way, we can see the sculpture of Débécale in the middle of a Romanian hill. 40 meters high and 20 meters wide, it is impossible to miss the face of the last king of the Dacians, facing Serbia. We could not dream better as a road for our last days in Serbia.

The sculpture of Décebale

In Negotin, the last Serbian town before Bulgaria, we sleep in the paradise of cyclists. A guesthouse having welcomed a good number of travelers by bike and for good reason, the owner is the little care. As usual, we arrive relatively early in the afternoon to our destination. After a good shower, we are offered drinks and cupcakes. Everything is thought for the comfort of the fighters: a garden furniture, a kitchen and a washing machine. The address was given to us by an Englishman riding a bicycle along the Danube which was pedaling towards Vienna. In Negotin, we also met Paul, a young Austrian from Vienna to Istanbul, also by bike. Paul is one of those people with whom the current passes immediately and with whom we enjoy discussing.

Changes of plans in Bulgaria

From Negotin, we take the road towards Vidin, the first Bulgarian town after the border. We booked a hotel for two nights to rest the legs before crossing Bulgaria which looks more mountainous. Vidin is nothing exceptional. Some terraces to the Danube and that's it. We sit down with Beer and Sommersby when we see Paul speeding past his trusty steed. He is already far away when he sees our message and our paths are no longer supposed to cross before Istanbul.

Third day in Bulgaria. We always ride along the Danube but we see that very rarely. We cross some villages where we feel a high poverty, especially in this gypsy town where only the main road is more or less paved, the rest is only earth, pebbles and dust. And in this shambles, the villagers are outside, sitting in the shade of the sun, in front of their houses made of odds and ends. Children play, dogs sleep in the middle of bags and bottles lying on the floor. On the course, we also have an appointment with some dogs: some more aggressive than others, even down the bike. Some who see us coming from far and waiting for us in the middle of the road. Arrived in Lom, our motivation is at the lowest. We no longer have the strength, the desire to continue to find a bivouac spot, so it will be hotel. And what a hotel! A slum left in decay: dilapidated walls, unpleasant smell, a mattress on a wooden board as a bed. We leave the bikes in the place where there used to be, an indoor pool. Today, it is empty, the tiles are broken in places and a dead pigeon drags in a corner. Fortunately, the lady of the reception is adorable, it is already that. Lost in our thoughts, we navigate each of our side on the internet, without knowing that we thought the same thing: not to continue on Eurovélo 6 as we had previously organized, but to find a way to make this stay in Bulgaria more exciting. And what's more exciting than visiting cities? The decision is made, we leave by train to Sofia and will also pass by Plovdiv. To close this holiday of loose in Lom, we offer a restaurant. The card is in Bulgarian, we recognize "chicken" thanks to our translator. No bowl, we both ordered chicken livers. Fail ... we go back to sleep on our board!

Extended stay in Sofia and blow of heart for Plovdiv

5:18. We are on the train from Lom and towards Sofia. 4 hours of train waiting for us, time to dream, think and sleep. The night was short and noisy with Bulgarian music until midnight. If we had to redo these last days, we would certainly have taken another path: continue to Nis in Serbia to reach Sofia. But the past does not change and the most important thing is to bounce back in the present moment to enjoy the rest of the adventure. The train sneaks into the Bulgarian mountains, the landscape is sublime with the mist that covers the trees. For a moment, we imagine in the show "Trains like no other" with Philippe Gougler. Eyes staring out, we listen to the sound of the train, smile and impatient to get there.

By train to Sofia

In Sofia, we have an appointment with Hassan and Tania who have an apartment to lend us. We take the time to have lunch together at the trendy Made in Blue restaurant. So hip that Gerard Butler ate there at the same time as us. Fatigue invades us in the afternoon. We return to the apartment to rest, because in the evening we are out with Hassan, Tania and their Bulgarian friends. The atmosphere is good, very festive and we drink every minute with the Bulgarian. 2:30 in the morning, we are ordered a taxi to return. Lack of luck, the driver drops us in the wrong place. When you realize it, he's already gone. We will end the evening with a walk of 2.5 kilometers!

Best burger in town by Made in Blue!

The two nights we should have spent in Sofia are finally transformed into 4 to spend the weekend with Hassan and Tania in their mountain home. The other days were devoted to visiting the Bulgarian capital, strolling the streets, shopping in "Second Hand Shop" and the terraces of the city, including one with Paul (we knew he was in Sofia in same time as us).

In the streets of Sofia

To reach Plovdiv, we take the train again to gain 1 day. We had read on different blogs and seeing several photos that the city was very attractive. And we confirm, Plovdiv is beautiful. An open-air museum with many Roman remains, a beautiful architecture and neighborhoods totally different from each other. The city is one of the oldest cities in Europe, anterior to Rome or Athens and well deserves its status as Capital of Culture 2019. City to the seven hills, it is easy to take a little height to admire the sunset. We did it both nights, including one with Paul. Ah yes ! We met Paul by chance in the streets of Plovdiv, he thinks we're following him!

Bulgaria is soon over and ends much better than it started. We leave Plovdiv following a beautiful bike path that ends in the district of Stolipinovo that we cross to find the road 8. And what a shock! After some research, we learn that we were in one of the largest Roma ghetto in Europe. The difference between the center of Plovdiv is this neighborhood left us speechless. Blocks of buildings of the communist era in a row in a dubious state, a main road and unmaintained streets where pile up waste. We roll without saying a word but our eyes can not help but look at the slightest detail of this surrealist scene. She is far away the beautiful Western Europe!

First steps in Turkey and our itinerary from Edirne to Istanbul

It is through Greece that we enter Turkey with a memorable border crossing: warm welcome from the Turks, big smiles, laughter and especially tea at the time of passport control. At Edirne we stay at Can's, which we contacted via Couchsurfing. We take the time to visit the city together, the bazaars and the wonderful Selimiye Mosque. We also discover local cuisine and morning tea, noon, day, evening. What a treat, Turkey promises beautiful taste sensations. Here we are, finally, in one of the most welcoming countries in the world. Arriving in Turkey is a turning point in our cycling journey. We feel like closing a chapter of our adventure and opening another. In these new pages we learn to live with new smells, new sensations, new noises. The singing of mosques during calls to prayer, the "cling-cling" of teaspoons to stir sugar in tea, the incisive horns and the big male voices of street vendors.

The streets of Edirne

To get to Istanbul, we take the less direct path but avoid entering the city by road that seems chaotic. We go down towards Çanakkale and follow the Aegean Sea and the Sea of ​​Marmara. What a pleasure to see this infinite blue, especially after a beautiful coast and its descent that leads us right on the sea. We stay all along the E87, a kind of 2 times 2 lanes with wide band of emergency stop . Horns of encouragement are omnipresent. A small wave of the hand and we continue our way listening to podcasts. We also meet great people: this man who wants to give us money to eat, this family who comes to give us meat pieces of their picnic and with whom we spend the rest of the evening.

Altinyazi

Çanakkale is a young and tourist town on the coast. Bars, cafes and other restaurants are numerous. We stayed here for one night to catch the ferry the next morning to go to the island of Bozcaada, whose beauty, clear water and sweetness of life we ​​were told: the perfect place to do nothing , holidays in the holidays. And what a pleasure to have taken 2 days OFF where our only question was to know on which beach we would put our towels. Between bike rides along the coast, strolling through the streets of the city with the charming mixture of Turkish and Greek influences, the time has stopped and we would have liked it not to resume so quickly.

The Greek influence in Bozcaada

Return to the mainland at Geyikli. The wind has risen and it faces us during the three days on the road towards Istanbul, with an intensity more and more strong. It is exhausted by gusts, we arrive at Bandirma where we take the ferry to Istanbul. Finally we are there, in this megalopolis. We stay more than a week to make and recover our Iranian visa and wander in this lively, noisy but so attractive city. The arrival in Istanbul with a chaotic traffic!

Our steps:

• J 38: Belgrade - Pancevo / 41 km / Hostel
• D 39: Pancevo - Udovice / 65 km / Hostelche
• Day 40: Udovice - Veliko Gradiste / 75 km / Camping Silver Lake
• D 41: Veliko Gradiste - Donji Milanovac / 81 km / Hostel
• Day 42: Donji Milanovac - Kladovo / 65 km / Guesthouse Sipi
• Day 43: Kladovo - Negotin / 56 km / Guesthouse for cyclists (a great place)
• J 44: Negotin - Vidin / 45 km / Hotel
• J 46: Vidin - Lom / 55 km / Hotel
• J 48: Lom - Sofia / Train / Hosted thanks to Hassan and Tania
• D 52: Sofia - Plovdiv / Train / Guest Rooms Contact
• J 54: Plovdiv - Alexandrovo / 99 km / Camping Alexandrovo (Great)
• J 55: Alexandrovo - Svielengrad / 58 km / Guesthouse
• J 56: Svielengrad - Edirne / 57 km / Couchsurfing
• J 58: Edirne - Türkobasi / 89,5 km / Bivouac
• J 59: Türkobasi - Koruköy / 78 km / Camping Saros
• Day 60: Koruköy - Çanakkale / 75 km / Airbnb
• J 61: Çanakkale - Bozcaada / Ferry / Hotel Alize
• J 63: Bozcaada - Umurbey / 75 km / Bivouac in a petrol station
• J 64: Umurbey - Biga / 74 km / Hotel
• J 65: Biga - Bandirma / 75 km / Hotel
• J 66: Bandirma - Istanbul / Ferry / Airbnb

Read More

We were fortunate enough to stay in Kyrgyzstan for one month and make the most of this beautiful country. We went cycling, horse riding and walking, staying in hostels, guesthouses and yurts, camping wild. In parallel with the travel diaries, we have concocted a practical guide that contains all the information you need to organize your trip to Kyrgyzstan.

Before you start, the first thing to know is that, as French, we do not need a visa for a total of 60 days. No more excuses not to walk on Kyrgyz lands in the next few years!

Our itinerary

Our trip started cycling until we got sick and went backpacking for horseback riding and hiking. We concocted a small map with our bike route, as well as the towns and points of interest we went to.

Part of Kyrgyzstan

You can find our travel stories under the following links:

1. Cycling in Kyrgyzstan
2. Song Kul Lake on horseback
3. Hiking at Ala Kul Lake
4. Stroll in the Skazka Canyon
5. 2 days riding on Lake Kul Ukok

Move By bike

Kyrgyzstan is a country much appreciated by cyclists because the landscapes are grandiose and one can easily find oneself alone when one ventures through the mountains. The only difficulties lie in the different passes to pass (Yes, Kyrgyzstan is not flat, it is a series of climbs and descents it easily passes the bar of 3000 meters of altitude) and tracks of lands, of small pebbles or corrugated iron that hurt your bike (remember to tighten the screws regularly!). But if you come to Kyrgyzstan, that's also why.

Outside main roads, cars and trucks are few. We tried to focus on yellow roads or small red on our road map (Gizi Map bought in Bishkek in the geoID store). The driving of the Kyrgyz is rather rough, they drive fast and sometimes do not take enough safety distance to overtake. Nevertheless, high traffic portions are in the minority. For Issyk-kul, focus on the southern part of the lake rather than the north.

Before getting sick in Chaek, we wanted to do everything by bike. The route we had in mind was: to join Song Kul Lake, go back down Naryn and cycle through the valley, reach the southern part of Issyk-kul and return to Bishkek. But that was before our changes of plan, so we tested other means of travel to complete this guide.

1 month in Kyrgyzstan - Between the Kyrgyz mountains by bike

In marshrutkas

The marshrut what? It is the public transport par excellence in Kyrgyzstan. A kind of minivan, where you crowd inside. Some are even equipped with a bunk to spend the night. The marshrutkas roam the country, you can easily move using this means of transport and besides it is not expensive.

To find the right marshrutkas is simple, just go to the bus station (or a semblance of bus station in the smaller cities) and ask if it goes to your destination. We never got to know the schedules, we never booked in advance, we always went there and we were always brought back to the good marshrutkas, giving priority to the departures in the morning in case There was no transportation in the afternoon. We also noticed that there were not necessarily rules according to the filling: sometimes we were better sitting than at other times.

On some portions, as between Balykchi and Kochkor, there are no marshrutkas but shared taxi. A driver takes you in his minivan and leaves when the vehicle is full. The price is cheap and is the same for everyone.

Rent a 4 × 4 or Russian van

Many people rent 4 × 4 with or without a driver to be as independent as possible. It is a good solution for not being dependent on public transport and can cover a good part of the country. We met several people who rented a vehicle without a driver and did very well alone, provided you know at least change a tire! The only thing to know is that you will often be stopped by the police for any reason and you will have to drop a small ticket. According to a couple to meet at Tunduk, it is necessary to prepare a good bundle ticket of 200 soms, it is what they must give according to them, no more (they often negotiated not to pay more and it worked).

Another couple, also met at Tunduk, had rented a Russian van (you can see their pictures on their facebook page ), it looked really nice and the advantage of being able to sleep inside.

The stop

In Kyrgyzstan, everyone becomes a driver at the slightest thumbs up, but rare are those who will take you for free (sometimes it works anyway, but ask before the driver so that there is no confusion). In the more remote villages, the stop is a means of transport like the others also used by the locals.

We hitched up to Tosor to go to Skazka Canyon and join Kochkor. But also to Bishkek to return to our hostel and from Ak Suu to Karakol after our trek to Lake Ala Kul. Even at 5, we have always found a vehicle.

In the city

To spend as little as possible, the solution is the marshrutkas that costs 10KGS regardless of the destination. You just have to find the right mini bus and for that you can use the BUS.kg application.

Otherwise, another solution is the taxi which necessarily costs more or you can use the application Namba Taxi, the local UBER.

Housing

Kyrgyzstan is probably the country in which we have made the most of different housing. Hotel, hostel, guesthouse, yurt, bivouac or tent in a garden, everything is possible. In town, it will be more hotel, hostel or guesthouse and in the mountains it will camp or sleep in a yurt.

Traveling to Kyrgyzstan

The yurts are usually provided with blankets, but we slept all the same dressed because at more than 3000 meters of altitude, in August, it is very cool (I also put my cap to warm the head). We also had a silk sheet with us. For the more cautious, plan a sleeping bag and more. Our last night on Lake Kul Ukok was particularly cool, even with the blankets. I really missed my sleeping bag and my down jacket that stayed in Bishkek. Since yurts are not BBC, there is a risk of drafts, especially if you sleep at one end. Rates, a night in a yurt with breakfast costs 450KGS.

In bivouac, it's almost like a yurt but cooler. Our highest camp was 2500 meters above sea level. It is therefore necessary to provide quality material and keep warm, also for clothes.

Summary of our accommodations:

1. Bishkek: Tunduk Hostel - $ 20 per double room; $ 8 tent in the garden
2. Sosnovka: Guesthouse
3. Chaek: Guesthouse Eco Tour (to flee)
4. Kyzart: tent in the garden - free
5. Kochkor: Jailoo - 350 soms the bed in dormitory
6. Karakol: Karakol Issyk Kul Otel (to flee) - 17 € the double room with breakfast
7. Karakol: Duet Hostel - 250 som futon in the yurt
8. Altyn Arashan: Eco Yurt Camp - 900 soms / people (meals and breakfast included)
9. Tosor: Eldos Ata Eco Hotel
10. Kochkor: Saikal Guesthouse

Eat

Food in Central Asia is not known to be the finest in the world. Composed mainly of rice, mutton, fat and sometimes bowels, it is not easy every day!

Our best culinary memories are those on horseback rides or at the Saikal guesthouse in Kochkor. We could taste many specialties, sometimes as amazing as fish and pasta for breakfast. Apart from that, when you are taken in hand, you rarely die of hunger. The tables in the yurts are always filled with breads, jams and sweets, and we enjoyed tea time with fresh bread and homemade jams.

When one wants to be autonomous, there is the possibility to make some races in the towns and villages more or less large and one will always find pasta and bread, but especially of the Vodka (to 1 € the bottle) or snickers ! The choice will be quickly limited and not very diverse, especially in small villages. Vegetables are also rarer. Cycling, plan reservations because we are quickly cut off from the world.

Where it gets complicated is when you want to eat at the restaurant, because we must focus on cities. Even in Kochkor we did not have much choice.

Specialties: Laghman, Manty, Buckwheat, Kumis, Kourouts

Good addresses and tips:

• Karakol Restaurant in Bishkek
• Supermarkets with catering party: Bishkek or Sokuluk Globus. They have the advantage of offering prepared and varied dishes.

SIM card

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be offered a free prepaid sim card and there is no trap! The sim card is indeed free everywhere, just pay the credit we put on it. Several operators are on the market: O, Beeline and Megacom. We had at first O and Beeline, then I changed to O too, because Beeline has a much smaller network.

To charge your credit, go to a terminal that can be found in supermarkets or directly to the operator:

1. Choose your operator
2. Enter your phone number
3. Put a 100KGS ticket
4. Confirm and you will receive a confirmation by SMS

With 100KGS you have the right to 10GB of data internet, 5 minutes of communication for 1 week. If you do not feel comfortable with the terminal, go to your operator and ask that it be done for you.

Dress and equip yourself

By bike, it is necessary to have all the equipment to be fully autonomous, knowing that you can be several days in a row in the mountains, without going through towns or villages. You can find the complete list of equipment in our article dedicated to camping equipment for a bike trip. Regarding clothing, plan warm clothes for the evening when you are in the mountains because as soon as the sun goes down, it is quickly cold. The day, pedaling we were hot: shorts and t-shirt were sufficient. In the evening we put on the trousers, the fleece, the jacket and the hat (and even the gloves).

On horseback, we did not have special outfits, just pants in which we are comfortable and closed shoes. I favored my sports leggings because it has the advantage of being flexible and without embarrassing seams. As on a bike, you need to wear warm clothes for the mountains. I did not have my jacket with me and it was a shame, because it would have been useful several times in addition to my fleece, my long-sleeved merino and my windbreaker. If your horseback riding is organized by an agency, you do not need camping gear, however, take at least one silk sheet, at best your sleeping bag if you are afraid of getting cold.

Kul Ukok

On foot, we had the same equipment on horseback because we did not need to be totally autonomous. If you go on a trek for several days and you plan to camp, in these cases, it will obviously all the camping equipment. Even if on your way you will pass next to yurt camps, they can be full in high season and will therefore have no places to welcome you (there is not always against the possibility of planting the tent next to the yurts and share the meal). Plan good walking shoes, snacks, water and you Kyrgyz mountain.

The simplest solution is to go through an agency that will organize the horse riding from beginning to end, with a guide. Several agencies offer horseback rides, the best is to compare the prices and benefits of each. We passed by Jailoo (in Kochkor) the two times we went horseback riding. CBT is also famous. It takes between 90 and 150 € for a horseback ride of 2 or 3 nights. The price will depend on the number of people in the group (up to 4 people maximum for 1 guide) and the duration of the trek. For example, we paid 135 € per person for Song Kul Lake: 4 days of horse (3 nights) to 5 people (2 guides).

It is also possible to rent a horse by the day from the peasants and leave alone. Being completely novice in the practice of the horse, this solution was really not made for us!

Read More