A summer under the stars with Weronika Szalas

Words and photos by Weronika Szalas

At the end of May, my partner and I set out on a four and a half month cycling journey that took us across six countries: Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It was our first time in Asia, and aside from a few rough ideas and a pair of loaded bikes, we had not done much planning or research beforehand. We wanted to let the road guide us, and it did, most of the time in ways we never could have imagined.

Travelling mostly by bicycle, with the occasional train ride or hitchhiking adventure, we covered thousands of kilometres through some of the most remote and breathtaking landscapes in Asia, adding a few hikes along the way to explore deeper on foot.

Starting in Mongolia, we rode through the Khangai Mountains, the greenest part of the country, continuing west across the vast open steppe and rolling grasslands until we reached Altai National Park. We cycled mostly off road, camped under endless skies, and caught a glimpse into the life of nomadic herders living in traditional yurts, some inhabited year round. We even set our camping streak record: three weeks in a tent. We saw yaks for the first time and used their dried dung for bonfires on the steppe. Mongolia tested us with washboard roads, headwinds, horseflies and mosquitoes. Every landscape there had to be earned. But we were fully in it, and it felt like a quest.

Crossing into China brought a sudden shift, from the raw openness of Mongolia to a world of dense infrastructure and high development, too developed for our liking. After five weeks of wide horizons, restricted access to nature came as a shock. Still, the food was so good and a welcome change after having mutton almost every day. Due to road closures and heavy highway traffic, we took a train partway through the country before crossing into Kazakhstan.

Our brief stay in Kazakhstan left a strong impression: incredibly friendly people and very fast drivers. We avoided asphalt whenever we could, and the route eventually led us to the stunning Charyn Canyon National Park, the highlight of our time there.

By mid July, we reached Kyrgyzstan, where we spent nearly two months. The country is a paradise for cyclists and hikers alike, full of mountain passes and paths, enough to keep us coming back for years. One of the great things about Kyrgyzstan is how quickly you can move from remote wilderness to a small town or tourist base to restock, eat well and recharge. We were surprised by the number of tourists in the more popular places, but when you travel by bicycle it is easy to get away from the crowds, and it does not take away from the experience. At one point we almost parted ways at the top of a hike a bike section, but when you share one tent in the middle of the mountains, the only real option is to find solutions or compromise.

Tajikistan was undoubtedly one of the trip’s highlights. We crossed from Kyrgyzstan into the Pamirs, spending the first days on the high plateau at 4,000 metres and then cycling through the Bartang Valley. Beforehand, we were not sure we would enjoy Tajikistan. We imagined it as hot and dusty, but it was so much more than that. Although we were often covered in dust, the tiny villages, kind people and dramatic mountains left us speechless. Mid September to mid October turned out to be the perfect time to visit, with golden trees, harvest season and a full month of sunshine interrupted by only two days of rain. We initially thought we would finish in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, but flight options worked out better from Tashkent, so we decided to continue into Uzbekistan, exploring the Fann Mountains along the way. They were incredibly peaceful at that time of year, their turquoise lakes inviting us to explore both by bike and on foot.

From there, we spent a few days in Uzbekistan, visiting Samarkand, the ancient Silk Road city that seems to be a must for every traveller in this part of the world.

What stayed with us was the feeling that we had only touched the surface of each country. There is so much more to explore, and that thought makes me both excited and a little sad. The warm months always pass too quickly.

During our tour, we camped most nights, often in wild and secluded spots, carrying everything we needed on our bikes. The journey was both physically demanding and deeply rewarding, filled with moments of awe, resilience and connection, with both people and nature.

By the end of the trip, we had not only crossed continents but also experienced the profound simplicity of life on the road, moving at a human pace through landscapes that few get to see so intimately.

We returned to Poland for the winter, grateful for the time to process it all. And of course, we are already plotting the next tour for the coming summer.