Travel. Kyrgyzstan Sor. Central Asia.
Jyrgalan: The Phoenix of Kyrgystan
The Village that is, Quite Literally, Rising from Ashes.
I stayed in Jyrgalan for a week during the summer of 2018, enjoying my homestay at Salamat Guesthouse and taking in the beauty of the area. My day hikes took me through landscapes that reminded me of the Colorado Rockies — meadows, clear rushing rivers, and the aroma of pine forest.
When Kyrgyzstan was still part of the Soviet Union, Jyrgalan was a coal-mining town and its economy depended on the mines. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and the Russian mine owners pulled out. With no jobs available and their property worthless, the Russian workers moved away. But before they left, many families did something inexplicable — they burned their homes to the ground. The only people left were the ethnic Kyrgyz.
Slowly the village began to die.
Then in 2016, a group of people, with the help of USAID Funds, began Destination Jyrgalan. The assistance they received included tourism and guide training, upgrade of town infrastructure (like plumbing and wi-fi), and renovations of homes into guesthouses.
Some residents were brought to the United States to attend training conferences. One summer, Nazira, my host at Salamat Guest House, was sent to Pagosa Springs, Colorado for her tourism training. I wondered if that location was chosen because of the similar landscape and tourism possibilities. The idea was to provide an atmosphere and attractions that would draw international travelers.
And it is working!
People built new homes on top of the burned-out foundations the Russians left behind. The home of the Destination Jyrgalan office and the Alakol-Jyrgalan Guest House were erected on such foundations — a Phoenix from the ashes!
Every year, more guesthouses open. Summer visitors trek to the highlands on well-maintained trails and local guides lead tours on horseback. In the winter, freeride skiers and snowboarders arrive to take advantage of the powdery snow and warm Kyrgyz hospitality.
You can also learn a great deal about Kyrgyz culture. Cultural tours and activities are available to introduce you to the food, folklore, handcrafts, and amazing horsemanship. I timed my stay to take in the annual Summer Festival in which the villagers to have an opportunity to share their customs and traditions with visitors.
As of yet, there are no cafes and only a couple very basic shops in Jyrgalan. I am sure that will change someday, but for now everything is provided by your host, including all your meals. If you are going hiking or horseback riding for the day, she will prepare a box lunch for you. And the food is freshly made and plentiful! Let me tell you from experience, if you are hungry at the end of the day, it is your own fault.
If I found anything to complain about Jrygalan, it would be that there was too much food. I finally had to learn that it is okay to leave some food on your plate, which goes against my upbringing. The Kyrgyz traditionally eat a simple breakfast of tea and bread. Lunch and dinner tend to include dishes heavy with meat. But the hosts have adopted changes so that eggs are available for breakfast, and they are happy to prepare vegetarian options.
Families are still tied to their livestock — lots of horses, cattle, and sheep. They keep their traditions alive. The young people are put on a horse about the time they can walk. A large herd of mares are milked five times a day in the summer. The fat-tail sheep and cattle are taken up to the high jailoos (grazing lands) for the summer. Many people still live in yurts.
It will be a while before Jyrgalan approaches the likes of Pagosa Springs. Frankly, I hope they never become that developed. It is a fine line they walk to hold on to their beauty and traditions, and to find a comfortable economic niche without succumbing to the allure of the almost-inevitable over-crowded tourist destination. It will be interesting to revisit in ten years.
There is certainly hope for the future. Walking through the streets, the visitor encounters lots of children, smiling and yelling “Hello!” “Hello!” wanting you to talk with them. Children mean young families are staying, not moving where jobs are more plentiful. The Kyrgyz are finding meaning as well as economic well-being in this new/old life.
I will hold good wishes for this young Phoenix.
Jyrgalan (pop. 1,014) is the most eastern village in Kyrgyzstan. You will find it about 60 kilometers east of the city of Karakol in the mountains, where it sits at an altitude of 2260 meters (7400 feet). It is easy to take a marshrutka from Karakol and the journey only takes about 90 minutes.
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