I visited Bokonbaevo during my three plus weeks backpacking across Kyrgyzstan. Arrived by a shared taxi to this small town on South shored of Issyk-Kul to attend Birds of Prey Festival organized by CBT Bokonbaevo
The Birds of Prey Festival is not a local folk festival but rather it’s organized for tourists, you need to buy tickets to enter, still worth a visit if you are in the area during August, The festival contains demonstration of hunting with a Golden Eagle, folklore show, exhibition and sale of handicrafts & souvenirs, tasting of Kyrgyz cuisine.
Once again I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Below are the photos form the festival
A breathtaking landscape in Kyrgyz countryside. A breathtaking landscape in Kyrgyz countryside.A Kyrgyz horseman demonstrating his horse riding skills. Kyrgyz traditional horse game, the rider needs to pick up a small money pouch (red) from the groundKok Boru, the most popular Nomadic game, where each team needs to pick up a goat or a sheep and drop it on the opposite side. Kok Boru is now on a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.I love this frame, a truck in the background while tourists enjoying the nomadic horse games at the festival A kyrgyz hunter with his Eagle.I love Lada, my favorite Soviet era car.A handsome Kyrgyz boy and his ride.Beautiful girls in traditional Kyrgyz costumesBeautiful girls in traditional Kyrgyz costumesA Kyrgyz princessLittle boys wearing Ak-kalpak, traditional Kyrgyz hat. Ak-kalpak craftsmanship, traditional knowledge and skills in making and wearing Kyrgyz men’s headwear is inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Little girls in traditional Kyrgyz nation costumes swinging on a traditional Kyrgyz swing (Selkinchek)Watermelons and other fruits, enough for everyone who is attending the festival.Kyrgyz woman preparing traditional Plov for the festival-goers. Traditional Kyrgyz Yurt. Traditional knowledge and skills in making Kyrgyz yurts is now on a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.Kyrgyz women making Shyrdak, a traditional felt carpet of Kyrgyzstan. The art of making Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdak, Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets, is inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. An old Soviet era truck, still performing its duties.
After spending a week+ around Issyk-kul, I took a marshrutka back to Bishkek to visit Ala-ArchaNational park.
In May 2017, 23 days before I was going to complete 50 years, grabbed an opportunity and took an early retirement.. Picked up a backpack and traveling ever since.. Love to travel around the world, experience different culture, local cuisine & drinks .. and take pictures.. so far been to 108 countries and still counting...
Window on the World 