From Lake Issyk-Kul, we drive a few hours to Almaty, the capital of southern Kazakhstan. Along the way, we reach the easternmost point of the Great Journey! In Almaty, we stay at a nice hostel while bringing our van to yet another workshop. Fortunately, this time it is a proper Mercedes-Benz partner. We are confident that they can finally tell us what is wrong with the particulate filter. They tell us that the DPF seems fine but that there is a faulty NOx sensor, possibly due to the lower-quality diesel. They told us to drive on and check if the sensor works once we reach Georgia and better fuel becomes available. Fingers crossed!
We do have a better feeling after these news, and spend a few quiet days in the surprisingly modern and Western city, going for hikes in the many parks, visiting the Central Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the famous Green Bazar, and of course enjoying more than one coffee and dinner.
After a few days, we leave Almaty and head west for a few thousand kilometers, as it’s finally time for us to explore another highlight of Central Asia: the famous Silk Road cities of Usbekistan.