The Kyrgyz proverb “He who has no horse has no feet” speaks volumes about the lifestyle of these mountain shepherds. A former crossroads for Silk Road caravans, Kyrgyzstan remains home to a resilient nomadic culture that moves with the rhythm of the seasons.
Kyrgyzstan Paper
Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian country where more than 90% of its territory is covered by mountains. Dominated by the Tian Shan and Pamir ranges, it is often referred to as the “Switzerland of Central Asia,” although its landscapes have a character entirely of their own, with vast alpine valleys, high-altitude lakes, summer pastures (*jailoo*) and peaks rising above 7,000 metres.
Kyrgyzstan is widely regarded as one of the last great regions where nomadic culture remains deeply rooted in everyday life. Every summer, many families still move with their livestock to the mountain pastures, living in traditional yurts, ingenious circular dwellings designed to be dismantled and transported as the seasons change. The central roof ring of the yurt, known as the tündük, has become the national symbol of Kyrgyzstan and appears at the centre of the country’s flag. Horses also play a central role in Kyrgyz culture. A traditional saying expresses this bond perfectly: “A man without a horse has no feet.” Far more than a means of transport, the horse remains a companion, a working partner and a symbol of freedom.
The photographs in this category were taken during a horseback trek through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. They portray a country where people still follow the rhythm of the seasons, preserving a remarkable harmony between traditional pastoral life and one of Central Asia’s most spectacular mountain landscapes. In these mountains, trails are still more often travelled on horseback than by car, a reminder that some places continue to set their own pace for those who journey through them.