RUINES DE KOSHOÏ-KURGAN

The Karakhanid city, which controlled this stretch of the Silk Road until the ^12th or ^13th century, extended over more than eight hectares. All that remains today are sections of the walls, gradually crumbling into dust. Legend has it that Manas, the mythical hero of Kyrgyz epics, built it and a mausoleum for his comrade-in-arms Koshoï. As the snow-capped foothills of the nearby mountains contrast with the steppe, a few red earth walls still protrude from the ground, forming a Hollywood backdrop that you'll never tire of strolling along.