Today’s main plan is to go to Ala Archa National Park. Several 4k+ meter peaks are there covered in snow, the photos of which looked amazing. Half-day tours to the national park are offered at $70 which is expensive for my budget. So decided to go there myself using public transport. Shouldn’t be a problem according to my research. I need to get on Masrutka no. 265 which goes to Kashka-Suu Village near the national park, from where I can get a taxi to the park. Easy!
Wrong Bus Stop!
Routed by Yandex Map, walked to a bus stop 5 minutes walk from my hotel and waited for Bus no. 265 to arrive. But that bus did not arrive after waiting for more than 30 minutes. So chose another route from the Yandex Map to get on Bus # 103 and ride 9 stops. That bus arrived immediately and I got on it and got off at the designated stop.
Masrutka # 265 should arrive at this stop, and the minibus number is written on the bus stop signboard. But after waiting about an hour, the Masrutka never arrived. The bus stop looked like it was located inside a quiet neighborhood and it felt odd for being an interchange. Looking at the map, it seemed like there was a big intersection at the end of the road, in which direction the bus left after I got off.
So I started walking toward the intersection and arrived there in 15 minutes. Indeed it was a big intersection. I probably got off one stop early. Haven’t had breakfast yet and it was about midday. I didn’t have a good sleep last night, so woke up late and started for the park late. Looking around, I couldn’t find any restaurant offering local dishes. Everything was either fast food or snacks. The same thing happened near my hotel. Couldn’t find a single local restaurant within 15 minutes walking distance in any direction from my hotel. Everything was simply fast food!
Where is that Mashrutka?
So I postponed the plan for lunch and decided to go to Kashka-Suu, thinking I’d probably find some nice local restaurants there. Now, finding the stop for Mashrutka # 265 was a challenge! The shop was shown in different places on the map as I started walking toward it every time! I could see the snow peaks of some mountains from the intersection, which must be the national park. So came to the right side of that road and indeed people were waiting there and a Mashrutka # 265 arrived immediately! Asked the driver if he was going to Ala Archa, to which he replied no. Got confused!
Back to the station and circled the intersection. Double-checked on the map if it was Mashrutka #265 I was looking for, which it was indeed! Gathered more confidence and returned to my previous position. Another Mashrutka # 265 arrived and asked the driver if he was going to Kashka-Suu instead of Ala Archa, to which he replied yes! So I got on the Mashrutka and it started immediately. It was full of people, so I had to stand behind the driver’s seat, unable to see anything in front or on the side. Arrived at the last stop in about an hour and the driver said finish! I was able to get a seat ten minutes ago.
To Ala Archa Then!
There was a guest house and a restaurant there. But the restaurant was having some renovation work done, so no food. Checked on YandexGo and found taxis are available, which was good! Called a YandexGo Taxi to the Ala Archa National Park, which arrived immediately. The fare was 237 som. A girl was waiting to go in the park’s direction. The driver asked me if I’d mind if he gave the girl a lift, which I replied was not a problem at all! So we got the girl in the car, dropped her off in front of her village, and arrived at the park entrance shortly afterward, which was about 4.5 km.
There was a queue of cars to enter the park. The paved road continued after the entrance. Using Google Translation, the driver told me it was a tolled road after the gate. He can go inside for another 500 som. Not knowing how far we could go for that fare, I disagreed and got out of the taxi.
Scammed by an Old Woman?!
I thought there would be some restaurants and shops at the park entrance, as it must be a popular tourist attraction, being located just a 30-minute drive away. But there was nothing at all! No restaurant, no shop. Only an old woman was selling some biscuits, chocolates, water, and Coca-Cola. It was 2 pm by now and I was starving. So asked her in sign language if she had anything solid to eat. From under a cloth, she got out a small snack, a roll with a sausage inside.
The price she showed on the calculator was 60 som. I gave her a 100-som note. She returned me a 20 and couldn’t find another 20 som note change. So I got a chocolate which was also 60 som, totaling bill 120 som. I returned her 20 som note, got some coins out of my purse, and told her to take 20 som from there. She got them all without counting and said OK, OK! I told her to count and she counted just a few and said again OK, OK, and kept them all! There were probably 30 or 40 som in total. I did not mind. I was just sorry to see an old woman like her scamming me for this little money!
Whatever it takes!
I had 1 liter of water and a little food with me now. With that, I entered the gate. A few people in some kind of uniform were sitting inside the gate. When I entered, they asked if I wanted a taxi, to which I replied no and asked if I needed a ticket to enter. They said in English, walking is free, and laughed. I started walking. I had no idea what was ahead. There were no tourists there at all, which felt a little weird. A sign board ahead showed there was a hotel 2 km ahead and a few other interesting places after 10 km. I thought I’d walk to the hotel. I’ll probably find a restaurant there for lunch and the option to move ahead from there.
At Ala Archa, Finally!
So I started walking ahead. After about 10 minutes a car stopped from behind and asked if I needed a taxi. A passenger was already sitting in the front seat. I asked how much. He said 300 som. I asked again how long and showed him the road again. He said in English, 12 km. That sounded like a good offer for going that long. Still, I offered him 200 som. He hesitated, and when I said no for 300, he agreed. Got in the car and arrived at the end of the road in a short time where dozens of cars were parked and lots of people were enjoying their time! So, this is where everyone just comes directly with their cars! Gave the driver a 500 some note. He said he didn’t have change, and went to the coffee shop, and changed the 500 note. I did not get out of the car until getting the change, as he started to say 300 again! I didn’t want to be scammed again!
After getting my 300-som change, got out of the car. The road continued after another gate and it looked like cars were not allowed after this point. The driver showed me that direction and told me to go ahead and turn left. I started walking in that direction with lots of other people. A sign ahead showed there was a waterfall 1.5 km ahead. Also, have longer trails to a camping ground and other places. Kept walking and arrived at the waterfall after a hike, which actually was a wide stream. A beautiful place surrounded by hills, but the snow peaks looked far away. That was the end of the paved road, from where the longer trails began. Had a good look at that place, took some photos, and returned to the place where the driver dropped me.
How to go back now!
It was about 5 pm now. Time to get back. But I couldn’t find any option to do that. No taxi around. Tried to get a YandexGo Taxi. The app couldn’t find any car in half an hour. Seeing me waiting there, two backpackers from Spain approached me and asked if I was going to Bishkek. Said yes, and tried to find a taxi. They said they also are trying to find one, but no YandexGo so far. We can go together and share the rent. After waiting for a while, those two said they better start walking and would signal cars on the way to stop. They left. It was 12 km from the park entrance. Too long!
Back to the Civilization!
After trying for another half an hour, I also started walking and trying to stop all the old cars, that might be interested in making some money. Got lucky within 15 minutes! A very old car, almost falling down, stopped. Two young men on it. Told them I wanted to go to Kashka-Suu. They said something else I did not understand. Told them anywhere in this direction was fine, and showed them the road ahead. They opened the door and I got in.
Arrived at the park entrance shortly and they asked if I wanted to go more. I said yes. Kept driving and they asked something else I did not understand. I said Masrutka to Bishkek. They said something else and kept driving. Then I recognized the Masrutka Stand and told them to stop. They dropped me there. Tried to give them some money, but they wouldn’t take it at all! Thanked them, shook hands, and got off. Back to civilization again!
Best Meal in Two Days!
An old man was waiting beside the Masrutka in the shed, but there was no driver on it. Asked if it was going to Osh Bazar, to which he replied yes. We had some more conversations without understanding each other. The driver arrived in a few minutes and opened the door. We got in and started shortly afterward. Arrived in Osh Bazaar in about an hour as the last stop. The old man I had a meaningful conversation with at the beginning, signaled me while getting off to get off as this is Osh Bazar. I got off.
It was a lively and vibrant place and was on my list of places to see in Bishkek. Found a restaurant here that had local dishes, which I really hoped I’d find here. Had a Kurdak (beef with too much potatoes on it), a nun, and Coca-Cola. It was the only good meal in two days!
Ran Out of Internet!
Got on Bus # 103, which should drop me off in front of my hotel. Got a seat and needed to go about 10 stops or so. Then I got a message from my mobile phone operator, Beeline, that my 7-day package just expired and I was out of the internet. I need to recharge 170 som to re-activate it. Got off the bus when I arrived, and found a Beeline shop at the big mall at the intersection. Went inside it and showed them the message. They checked my number, verified my name to make sure that I was the owner of it, and asked for 170 som. Gave him a 500 som note, which he refused, and asked for the exact change. I told him to keep the 500 note and give me the change. He showed the cash – no money there. I told him to give me from his purse, said no money!
Pretty annoyed, went to the supermarket nearby, got a bottle of water, changed the 500 som note, and returned to the Beeline Shop with exactly 170 som change. He got the money and said the 20-som note was an old version and was not recognized by the machine. I need a new version. He checked his cash, but no 20-som note. Another man from the shop just arrived from somewhere and he handed me to him to handle the matter. That man took the 20 som note from him, went to a shop nearby, got a new version of the 20 som note, found out my number, and recharged it from the Kiosk. I thanked him, walked to the hotel, lay on my bed straight, and called it a day. Enough stress for one day!