Kyrgyzstan 2008 - A World Challenge Expedition

World Challenge Kyrgyzstan

---

It consisted of 3 blocks of classrooms — all of which had fallen into disrepair — with dirty and sometimes broken windows, and walls whose paint was in desperate need of some love. Precious was keen for us to paint the outside of the school buildings, in the hope that it would make the place somewhere that the children were proud of.

Ready to go?

Over the next few days we did this, in the absence of the students who would return on Monday. When this was finished we painted the walls in the school colours of cream and blue. At night we ate and camped at Shewula Mountain Camp — a tourism venture set up and run by members of the Shewula community.

Some of the best bits

Here we enjoyed every night incredible views of the sunset over the Lobumbo mountains — and, one night a huge fire in the flatlands which we were told was dead sugar cane the main agricultural staple of the country crops being burned. On our second night at the camp we were treated to a traditional Swazi meal and a cultural dance by teenagers from the surrounding area. On our penultimate day on the project it was my day as team leader — a role we rotated throughout the group on each day of our trip.

Precious was keen for us to teach some lessons to the children and we thought this would be a fantastic thing to do — so I asked her the obvious questions. How many classes shall we go to?

Have your say

What would you like us to teach them? Majembeni was teaming with people, all curious and excited because we had appeared and their school buildings had changed. Strangely enough many of them were cheering for us! It was a great example of how sport can bridge gaps and bring people with vastly different lives together. I left Shewula far more optimistic than I had thought I would be. I had met some of the most underprivileged people in the world and yet everyone we met was welcoming, grateful for what they had and, especially with the children, incredibly content with life.

Our local bilingual guides are highly experienced, taking care of all logistics required to make your journey a smooth one. Eager to share their knowledge of Kyrgyzstan's culture and history with you, they ensure your experience is the adventure of a lifetime. We operate our itineraries following the principles of Leave No Trace, ensuring that we take out all waste that we bring in and more where possible.

The Silk Route Expedition | World Challenge

Children working and living in tourist areas are especially vulnerable to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. We protect vulnerable children by adhering to our Child Protection Code of Conduct. We advocate for cruelty free animal encounters, encouraging travellers to follow the guidelines in our comprehensive Animal Welfare Code of Conduct as we seek to inform stakeholders about animal welfare matters. In cities or large towns you will be accommodated in 3 to 4 star properties that are centrally located, atmospheric and reliable. We use quality inns, typically situated in natural environments.

They are not luxury inns however we ensure they offer you a truly authentic experience. Gain wonderful insight into the local culture during a homestay, a style of accommodation where a local family opens their home to you.

Alexandra was born in Bishkek city and started travelling at 12, covering Siberia by the time she was Her travels continued throughout Central Asia, feeding her hobby: With her knowledge of languages, culture and traditions she is an expert and truly charming guide. Originally from the United Kingdom, Laura brings a wealth of travel experience to the World Expeditions team having explored over 60 countries to date.

Her adventures have included setting up community projects in Myanmar, studying Mandarin in China, trekking in Nepal, spending time in a remote Bedouin camp in Jordan and chasing the Big 5 through Tanzania. With a particular passion for all things Asia, Laura loves to share the best of this region with others.

Dr Anderson lives with his wife in a small town near the Lakes District in the north of England. He is a family doctor and spends much of his spare time travelling as an expedition doctor. He has more than 10 years of altitude and travel medicine experience. Previous treks and expeditions have focused on the Himalayas, with others in the Scandinavian Arctic and mountainous areas of Africa. He also enjoys trail running, cycling and open-water swimming.

A custom made itinerary is the ultimate way to see the world how YOU want. They are created especially for you, giving you complete freedom to choose what you want to see, where you want to go and when you want to do it. If you love our current itineraries but want to customise it privately as a couple, a group of friends, family, club, business or school, you have the freedom to add or remove as many elements as you like to suit the interests of your group.

Alternatively, you can start with a blank canvas and create a new and exciting itinerary from scratch! Our well-travelled consultants can give you firsthand suggestions and eliminate any uncertainty with trip planning to ensure you maximise the quality of your experience and get truly off the beaten track. Simply email, phone or visit us to start planning your dream adventure. Cycle adrenalin-pumping downhill sprints and scramble up rocky high passes on a thrilling mountain bike adventure through the rugged terrain of Tian Shan.

Experience two days of unforgettable heli-biking in the lush Karkara Valley, camping at Karkara Base Camp. Trek to the base of Peak Lenin, or tackle a challenging summit expedition. Kyrgyzstan has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. In the low-lying Fergana Valley of the south temperatures may peak as high as the low 40s in summer. Rainfall is fairly low throughout the country but there can be heavy snowfalls during winter. The wettest area is the mountains above the Fergana Valley; the driest, the southwest shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.

March to May and October to November are usually the wettest months. Credit cards and ATM are not widely accepted in Kyrgyzstan so it is not recommended to rely on these solely. We recommend you bring US Dollars cash only dated no earlier than the newer the better in varying denominations as your main source of money.

Upcoming Events

ALL notes should be in excellent condition. They should not be torn or have any writing on them.

World Challenge 2018: Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan

If in doubt ask your bank to supply alternatives. Electricity in Kyrgyzstan is Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is C. Hold a biometric passport valid at least six months on entry with two blank visa pages. All other nationalities, please check with your consulate or embassy for current visa requirement information. All four teams spent time in local Nepalese communities helping Nepalese schools.

Highlights of the rest and relaxation phase included visiting temples in Kathmandu and flying around Mount Everest. It is completely different to our culture and changed my views on other countries.

Colston's World Challenge 2016

The trekking stage was tough and a great achievement in my life as we reached m which is higher than anywhere in Europe. In the project stage, working at a school in Kathmandu, the children were truly amazing and to help them and their school was a great feeling. The trekking showed us the beauty of the destination, and took us away from city life.

The biggest achievement was getting through the trek unscathed, and was the best feeling ever was peaking twice at over m. Then in the project phase, the feeling of helping an unknown, less well off community by renovating classrooms in their school, and just making friends with completely new people while we were there, It is the perfect opportunity to try and achieve a completely different task in life.

For more info from WC on Nepal, see: LSS took two teams and thirty one challengers plus three staff to Uganda in the summer of Both teams summited Mount Elgon, a m extinct shield volcano on the Uganda-Kenya border having done a fascinating acclimatisation phase in the foothills of the mountain which incorporated the gorgeous Sipi Falls. The project phase included working in a remote rural school where the two teams helped build a classroom by erecting brick walls and constructing a ring beam of Bumasifwa primary school in the Sironko District. I still read my diary from the trip and remember everything that happened over the month away.

My favourite part was working in the school, seeing the kids all happy and playing bare foot football for 5 hours when we arrived. They seemed so happy and carefree. I loved meeting the Ugandan people as well, they were so welcoming and happy with themselves.

• Gone Native in Polynesia: Captivity Narratives and Experiences from the South Pacific (Reference Gui
• Romancing Mr Bridgerton: Number 4 in series (Bridgerton Family)
• The Gold Chromosome
• SCHEGGE (Italian Edition)
• Letters from 500 — Portal
• Spurgeons Sermons Volume 52: 1906
• Transcending Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder: The Six Stages of Healing