Two ethnic Kyrgyz women — 26-year-old Riza Duishon kyzy and 18-year-old Gulsanat Beishen kyzy — have set off from China to Kyrgyzstan on horseback. The journey was reported by ethnodesigner and project founder Asel Kalkanova, who is a relative of the travelers.
The trip began on May 2 in the Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture. In recent days, the riders reached the village of Zhusup Mamay — Karabulak and continued their route from there.
The journey was inspired by stories about the Urkun — the tragic exodus of Kyrgyz people in 1916. The women decided to retrace the path of their ancestors on horseback. However, the Bedel Pass is currently closed.
As a result, they plan to cross the border via Torgart. Since crossing the border on horseback is not allowed, this section will be completed by vehicle. After entering Kyrgyzstan, the travelers will resume their journey on horseback in At-Bashy district, continuing through Kochkor district to the village of Ak-Olon in Issyk-Kul region, and later visiting Bishkek and other regions.
The women share updates from their journey on social media, noting warm receptions and hospitality from local residents. However, they also face challenges — one of the horses developed lameness, requiring forced stops. For safety reasons, the travelers are accompanied by two support vehicles.
Both women come from the Kyrgyz village of Kok-Terek in China and belong to Bugu tribe, Aryk Myrza lineage from Issyk-Kul. Riza works as a horse riding instructor, while for Gulsanat this is her first visit to her ancestral homeland.
