Kalmykia, Volgograd, and Northern Kazakhstan Report
Report from my 2010 journey from the North Caucasus to Siberia.
Stage 21 – Russia & Kazakhstan: The Eurasian Steppe | EurasiaOverland
Leaving Dagestan, I reached the Republic of Kalmykia. This is a Buddhist, ethnically Mongolian republic in Europe...
After visiting Astrakhan, to Mamayev Kurgan, the most spectacular war memorial in Russia, and the largest statue in Europe:
Then up to Saratov, and into Kazakhstan. Now northern Kazakhstan really isn't very interesting, but driving for hours and hours (and hours) across the endless steppe has a soporific, soothing effect:
Dropping by Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan, then down to Karaganda and on to the steppe 'island' of Bayanaul, some forrested hills and a nice lake:
Finally to Pavlodar, and into Russia at Sharbakty. 5000 km of flatness
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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.
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