Georgia Small Group Tour, a travel option you may not have heard of. But I can guarantee that after you go, you will definitely fall in love with the beauty and diversity of this country. This time, I will share my journey to Georgia with you and hopefully inspire your travel ideas.
Georgia is a country located at the intersection of Europe and Asia, with a rich history and culture. Its capital is Tbilisi, a vibrant and modern city. Our small group tour starts from Tbilisi and visits many famous attractions along the way, such as:
If your answer is "Where is Kazakhstan?" or "What is there to do in Kazakhstan?", then this article is written for you. Kazakhstan, a country located in Central Asia, has vast grasslands, magnificent mountains, and rich culture. If you want to experience a trip different from other places, Kazakhstan is a good choice. Here, you can appreciate the natural beauty, feel the harmony between humans and nature, and taste unique Kazakh cuisine. This article will introduce you to some famous attractions in Kazakhstan, hoping to give you some travel inspiration.
First, we will go to Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. It is the cultural, commercial, and educational center of Kazakhstan and a must-visit place for tourists. Almaty has many places worth visiting, such as the Central Mosque, Republic Square, Independence Monument, and so on. The most attractive of them all is the Almaty Tower, a 168-meter-high television tower located on a high mountain in the south of the city. You can overlook the entire city and surrounding mountains from the top of the tower, which is very spectacular. If you want to get closer to nature, you can go to the Almaty National Park, where there are beautiful lakes, forests, and wildlife, a great place for hiking, camping, and bird watching.
Departing from Almaty, we can take a train or car to Turkestan, one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan. It was once an important trading station on the Silk Road and the cradle of Kazakh history and culture. In Turkestan, you can visit some ancient buildings and museums, such as the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, the Ali Khan Madrasah, the Turkestan History Museum, and so on. These places can help you understand Kazakh tradition and customs. If you want to taste some local cuisine, I must mention Kazakh's specialty dishes. Kazakhs are a predominantly pastoral people, so their diet is mainly meat, especially mutton and horse meat. Their most famous dish is Beshbarmak, which means "five fingers" in Kazakh. It is a type of dumpling with meat chunks and onions wrapped in dough and then boiled in a large pot. When eating, you have to use your hands to grab the dumplings and bite them open to let the meat juice flow out. This dish is chewy and delicious. In addition to Beshbarmak, I also ate Kordak, Kumys, and Butter Tea, etc. Kordak is a dish of mutton, horse meat, or beef stir-fried with onions, carrots, and potatoes. Kumys is a fermented mare's milk, which tastes a bit sour but very refreshing. Butter tea is a drink made from tea leaves, milk, and butter, very rich and can replenish energy.
The Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, is a region located in northeastern Russia and is one of the coldest places on Earth. The temperatures in this area can drop to below -70 degrees Celsius, making it one of the most frigid regions on the planet. The climate in the Sakha Republic is extremely harsh, with long and cold winters and short, mild summers. The average temperature rarely exceeds -20 degrees Celsius. Due to the extreme climate, people have to take special measures to protect themselves.
The town of Oymyakon in northeastern Russia is the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth. The average temperature in January is around -50 degrees Celsius, and it has even dropped to as low as -71 degrees Celsius in history. Residents have to keep their car engines running all day to prevent them from freezing.
Oymyakon is located in the Sakha Republic, which is a two-day drive from the capital city of Yakutsk. The town sits at an altitude of 750 meters and is considered a "cold pole." It is within the Arctic Circle, with summer days lasting up to 21 hours, and temperatures often exceeding 30 degrees Celsius from June to August. However, in December, there are only 3 hours of daylight, and the average temperature in January is around -50 degrees Celsius. The winter has recorded a record-breaking temperature of -71.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded temperature in a permanently inhabited place and the coldest temperature in the Northern Hemisphere.
Due to the extreme weather, life is extremely challenging for the local inhabitants, and modern amenities are scarce. Residents primarily rely on burning coal and wood for heating, and when coal supplies are unstable, power plants switch to burning wood for electricity. During power outages, the entire town can be paralyzed for up to 5 hours, with water pipes freezing and bursting. Locals also have to deal with ink freezing, battery power loss, glasses freezing to their faces, and other daily challenges. To prevent their cars from stalling, people keep their car engines running all day long. In winter, planes cannot land. Even with mobile networks, phones cannot operate in such extreme cold. However, because the residents are accustomed to the severe cold, schools only close when the temperature drops below -52 degrees Celsius.
Apart from its extreme climate, the Sakha Republic is also rich in natural resources. The region has abundant oil and natural gas reserves, making it one of Russia's largest energy-producing regions. Additionally, the area is rich in metal and gemstone deposits.
The residents of the Sakha Republic are primarily composed of indigenous ethnic groups, including the Yakuts, Evenks, and Yukaghirs. These ethnic groups have unique cultures and languages that are highly valued and protected by the locals. Furthermore, the locals maintain ancient traditions such as dog sled races in winter and polo matches in summer.
Overall, the Sakha Republic is an extreme yet beautiful region with abundant natural resources and a unique culture. Despite the extreme climate, the local people have managed to live here and have developed their distinct way of life and cultural traditions.
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