THE WILD PLACE

Ak-Sai Valley on the Kyrgyzstan-China border

NESTLED BETWEEN THE

Torugart Pass and the At Bashi ridgeline, the Ak-Sai Valley straddles the border of China and Kyrgyzstan. This sparse steppe has no large trees or shrubbery, just shallow grassland, and is the coldest point in Kyrgyzstan: the lowest temperature ever recorded was a frostbite- inducing -56.3° C. Traces of human settlements on this vast plain 3,000 metres above sea level date back to the Neolithic Age. Today, the valley is home to wild animals, including Marco Polo sheep, ibex, snow leopards, wolves and bears – and is popular with cyclists and off- road racers, drawn to the area’s rugged terrain and vast beauty.