From experienced mountaineers to casual hikers, foreign tourists are discovering the spectacular mountains of Kyrgyzstan, a small Central Asian republic as yet untouched by mass tourism. Top of the list for visiting climbers is the town of Karakol, in the east of this former Soviet republic, half of which is more than 3Â 000m above sea level.
Complete with epic battles, fancy camerawork and breath-taking stunts, "Nomad" could be the latest, blood-drenched historical blockbuster coming to a cinema near you... from Kazakhstan. In its bid to take on Hollywood, the film from the ex-Soviet Central Asian state boasts international stars, spectacular crowd scenes and a $33-million production budget.