What a Difference A Month Can Make

March 19

April 21

Taukum Desert Camping

A few weekends ago Nic and I kicked off the camping season with a solo trip into the desert. We went to an area we had gone last year, about 2 hours outside of Almaty. Turning off the main highway for a bit, then onto a dirt road that cut through empty land, we found a nice flat spot to settle for the night. 

 As we drove the dirt road, I was seeing these bright yellow flowers everywhere. I didn't realize until we stopped that they were tiny tulips!

 As good a spot as any...

 Nic took up on the latest fitness fad...camel track desert running. 

 I spotted this fat little guy, and he posed for me while I got pretty near him. 

 After Nic's run, I set out on a photo-wander. When I came back this is what I saw. A hole in the ground and Nic lounging and reading in the back of the Subaru. 

 The evening was nice so we set up the tent without the rain fly. Around 2 am we began to feel the drops on our faces and threw on the rain fly. Falling back asleep to the fresh smell of the newly-wetted desert was heavenly. 

 Along the drive back to Almaty there were more patches of yellow tulips. 

A typical scene on the steppe: old Soviet tractors and a shepherd and his sheep. 

Ancient Ash Groves

Spring has officially arrived in Almaty with warm, sunny days and clear nights. It is truly the best time of year here. Spring also means exploring season, and though we weren't able to camp last weekend, we did get out of the city for a drive and an adventure. 

Tien Shan mountains beyond the steppe outside of Almaty. 

 A typical Kazakhstan highway scene: a road in poor shape, a donkey cart on one side and a Muslim cemetery on the other. 

After cresting a small hill, we had this fantastic desert landscape to gaze on. That green stripe in the distance is the Charyn River and our picnic spot.

 Our destination was in view, we just had to figure out how to get to it. After a few kilometers on this road, it was time to turn around and try the other side of the river. 

 But, before rushing off, why not drop down into the forest for a little exploring?

 Nic examines the construction of the fence. Fences are so rare in the open spaces around Almaty, it was strange to come across such a long fence. It seemed to follow the length of  the river. 

 But we guessed at the purpose of the fence: to protect the sogdian ash. These trees were the whole reason we came here. Scientists believe this species of ash are remnant from the last ice age, and are endemic to this area of Kazakhstan. They grow in thick groves in the floodplain of the silty Charyn River, with some trees hundreds of years old. 

 Spring growth along a side channel of the river. 

 Looking down river. 

We headed to the other bank of the river, hoping the road would be better and we could maybe find a break in the fence. Though the road was better, we only found locked gates. We decided to gather the picnic gear and try to find the river on foot. 

Though not riverside, not a bad picnic spot either. The grove on this side of the river was a labyrinth of limbs and trails, extending further the further we went into it. Wild iris shooting from the soil hadn't yet budded but we had a pale pink flowering tree to lay our sheet near. 

A post-lunch walk led us to the river in 100 meters! 

 Skipping stones. 

 I would love to see this grove in summer and fall....

Signs of spring were everywhere...blooming trees, wild flowers, butterflies and even what we think was a pair of demoiselle cranes headed to Siberia after a winter in India. 

 View from the gate, with the grove behind us. A stark contrast, making this ancient place even more charming.

It was a long drive for a picnic (3 hours one-way), so before long it was time to pack up and head back. On a warm Sunday afternoon, the villages and towns were full of people and activity. Though I would've loved to stop and chat and take more controlled photos, I was happy snapping out the car window.