In the mountainous eastern corners of Kyrgyzstan, just kilometres away from China and Kazakhstan, lies Sary Jaz, a massive valley at 3,000 m, facing the mighty glaciated peaks of the Heavenly Mountains, the Tien Shan. Getting here requires several hours of off-roading in a fully equipped 4×4 vehicle, as there are no roads or settlements—just a few yurts belonging to the nomads, who spend their summers on the golden pastures of this plateau.
Following a day storm and a spectacular sunset, we retreated to our tents, waiting for the moonrise, which the apps had shown would be directly above the 5,500 m peaks to our southeast. Everything had aligned—the winds dropped, the skies cleared, and the perfect full moon decorated the scene.
