Colette's Grand Detour

Burana tower is a well-frequented stop on the tourist route between Bishkek and Issyk-Kul lake. The ‘tower’ (its actually what is left of a minaret) is all that remains of a city called Balasagun, which has been anointed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was established by the Karakhanids in the 10th century and was important as a stop along the silk road until it was abandoned in the 15th century. Originally the minaret stood at 46m tall but after many centuries of earthquakes and decay it now stands at only 24m high.

It would have stood next to a mosque in the center of the city. Bricks from its collapse (as well as the surrounding abandoned city) were utilized by Russians settling in the area, leaving very little behind. What is left now of the tower is mostly a result of a 1970’s reconstruction effort. You can just about make out the city limits from raised piles of earth. And apparently a big mound nearby the minaret was a palace or a temple, but its impossible to tell. The guidebook tells me that Genghis Khan sparred the city because of how impressed he was by it, so it must have been something special.

You can still climb the tower to the top, although it involves a very steep and narrow staircase inside and you are expected to climb up and down in the pitch black. There is also a small museum that contains some of the smaller items they have found during archaeological surveys are displayed. I think the highlight of the museum was 2 old photos that showed how the tower looked before and during its restoration. And finally there are some good examples of Turkic balbals to see (I’ll talk about them in a separate post).

You only need about 30-45 minutes to visit the site but its a worthwhile stop. About 15 minutes drive from the tower we stopped for lunch at a local family’s home in the village of Don Aryk. They had a beautiful home with a big garden full of flowers and 2 yurts, one of which we had our lunch in. The family’s children wanted to play volleyball with us and the husband wanted to have a nail hitting competition into a big piece of wood. The women were all busy preparing our lunch in the kitchen.

It was an amazing spread, with borsak (delicious pieces of fried bread with jam and cream), a variety of salads and the main event – beshbarmak. I had not had the chance to try this local dish until now – a combination of homemade noodles, stock and small pieces of meat, really delicious and filling. And great to try a traditional one made by a family rather than at a restaurant.

We then set off for our yurt camp for the next 2 nights on Issyk-Kul lake. The camp was amazing with brilliant toilet and shower facilities, a lovely central fire pit and big spacious yurts with really comfy beds in them. We took a short walk to the lake and learnt how to make the local fried bread (borsaks) to end the day.