Author: Novastan 
Novastan
Written articles:
Pilgrimage through the stone desert
Kazakh pilgrims and tourists of all ages endure a lot of hardship to climb down from the Ustyurt plateau along narrow paths and countless steps to… [...]
Under the yurt
In the heights of the Alai valley, yurts have been set up to watch over the herds during the summer transhumance period. [...]
The green lake
Dzhizev is a village far from the road that follows the Bartang. It is reached by an eight-kilometre trail that can only be travelled on foot… [...]
Jump into Issyk-Kul
Jump into Issyk-Kul / Unchanging childhood: The opportunity to jump into the water wherever and whenever, into the sea, the river, the lake, over and over again. Credits: Grégoire Chesnot… [...]
Pareidolia
The Zhumbaktas (in Kazakh: Mysterious Stone) is a oddly shaped sandstone rock that rises up right in the middle of the Lake Burabay in northern Kazakhstan. [...]
The Nights of Registan
The Registan, located in the heart of Samarkand in Uzbekistan, is one of the most magnificent architectural ensembles in the world. The word ‘Registan’ means ‘sandy place’ or… [...]
An eagerly-awaited meeting
Ilima is an enthusiastic French-speaking Kyrgyz who loves to welcome tourists and show them around her country. En route to the town of Naryn, they were lucky enough to come… [...]
Ahmed Yasavi Museum
The town of Turkestan, Kazakhstan, has been turned upside down by the extensive work being carried out to transform pilgrims into religious tourists. While… [...]
Janpik Kala
Less well known than other fortresses in the Kyzylkum desert of Karakalpakstan, such as Ayaz-Kala or Toprak-Kala, the clay fortress of… [...]
Floodwaters
An inconspicuous latrine stands on the brown floodwaters of the Panj River near Kozidech, between Khorog and Ishkoshim, Tajikistan. Credits : Joachim Bohndorf (Germany) Find… [...]
In the dragon’s belly
To the south of Lake Issyk-Kul lies a fairytale valley: Skazka or Fairytale canyon. This enchanting place has certainly stimulated the imagination of mystics and dreamers. In… [...]
A bridge over the Ichim
It is a major attraction on the promenade along the River Ishim, and one of Astana’s many architectural boldnesses. Designed by the Kazakh studio New Moon,… [...]