Ru
Huge thanks to STRANNIK for the wonderful “Around Lake Baikal in 11 Days ” tour. Everything was organized at the highest level, without any delays. The transfers were accompanied by guide-drivers Roman, Alexey and Anton. They didn’t just let the group doze off on the road — they truly accompanied us.
The meals on the tour were excellent: everything was delicious and plentiful. We thank the cook on the ship Verny, Olga, for her kind attitude toward the group and for the tasty dishes (with second helpings). Big gratitude to captains Alexey and Yuri and their assistant Grigory for their care of the travellers. They organised the crossing to Olkhon on a high-speed boat across restless Baikal (it was storming heavily).
Special thanks to the guide Alyona Babintseva for her love of her work. With her the journey along the route was very interesting and educational. In her excursions Alyona used a great deal of visual material. Her knowledge of Buddhism and other religions captivated the group. In the guest houses and on the route she was always right there with the tourists. To the entire Strannik team — huge success in organising tours, good health to the staff, and prosperity to the company.
This journey through Kyrgyzstan completely changed and greatly expanded everything I thought I knew about the country! I am so grateful to Nina, the manager, who suggested combining this tour with the Pamir tour. Thanks to that, I experienced two very different sides of Kyrgyzstan and came away with an incredible range of emotions, impressions and knowledge. The Grand Journey itinerary is wonderfully balanced, and Anatoly and the team did an outstanding job! The very first thing that comes to mind is the 50 "shades" of the mountains))) I have never seen such an incredible variety anywhere else! Deep red, rounded mountains that somehow reminded me of the Grand Canyon. Lush green slopes covered in vibrant grass and fragrant flowers. Snowy peaks, rugged and dramatic. Soft, velvety hills and countless other landscapes. My eyes, and my phone, could barely keep up with it all. I felt as though I had stepped into a fairy tale. I arrived with modest expectations but left with an overwhelming collection of wonderfully diverse, yet always positive, emotions.
The second thing was the food. Lots of food... soooo much food, sometimes even too much)))) But it was always delicious, hearty and varied. I especially remember the Dungan dinner!
And the third thing, though certainly not the least important, was the people. They were so warm, welcoming, caring and generous, always happy to share their knowledge and make you fall in love with their country. Thank you! Come and fall in love with Kyrgyzstan, just as I did. I'm sure it will surprise you in the best possible way.
