72-year-old traveler from Ulytau reaches Pavlodar on foot

PAVLODAR. KAZINFORM Pavlodar region became the 7th travel destination for Sarsenbay Kotyrashov, a 72-old restorer from Ulytau, who had set himself an ambitious goal to walk around Kazakhstan by November 2022, Kazinform correspondent reports.

The aksakal [a white beard man in Kazakh] has been traveling around the country since early March. Although he wore out five pairs of shoes, he feels happy that his journey does not hit his pockets. In each region, he is warmly welcomed by hospitable residents who offer him food and accommodation.

«I have set three goals in this journey. First, I want to popularize cultural and historical heritage of my native land Ulytau. Secondly, I want to raise people’s interest in our traditional beverage kumys [made from mare’s milk]. Third, I have an agreement with UNESCO. If traveling around Kazakhstan, I collect information about more than 1,000 craftsmen, they will be inscribed in a special list and so they will be known all over the world,» Sarsenbay Kotyrashov says.

Sarsenbay Kotyrashov plans to finish his 8,000-km journey by November.

In 13 days the aksakal reached Kyzylorda city. On May 11 he was welcomed in Almaty, and on May 13 he came to Taldykorgan.