Salamatsyzby! This is Sugiura from ASHU TRAVEL, your guide to scenic horse riding tours in Central Asia.
“A detox with mare’s milk!?” I bet many of you are surprised to hear that.
In Kyrgyzstan, fermented mare’s milk, called kumis, has long been enjoyed as a health drink. It’s said to help balance your gut, and it’s an essential part of nomadic life.
This time, I’ll introduce the appeal of kumis, its health benefits and how to actually experience mare’s milk culture in Kyrgyzstan!
What Is Kyrgyzstan’s Mare’s Milk Culture?
For Kyrgyz nomads, horses aren’t just a means of transport; they’re an essential part of life. The milk from those horses is highly nutritious and has long been used to stay healthy. The ways of drinking it are unique too: besides drinking it fresh, people also ferment it and enjoy it as kumis (fermented mare’s milk).
Why do the Kyrgyz love drinking mare’s milk so much? Let’s find out!
Nomads and mare’s milk
For Kyrgyz nomads, horses are precious and at the center of daily life. The milk from those horses is highly nutritious and has long been used to stay healthy.
✔ Drinking it fresh from the mare (fresh milk)
Freshly milked mare’s milk is light and slightly sweet. Drinking milk fresh in the early morning is part of the nomads’ daily routine. Kyrgyz nomads are used to drinking fresh milk, but people who aren’t can easily get an upset stomach, so if you’re not used to it, we recommend starting with a small amount.
✔ Fermented into kumis
When fresh mare’s milk is fermented, it becomes kumis, Kyrgyzstan’s traditional drink. Rich in lactic acid bacteria and said to help balance the gut, it’s made in many households in summer.
✔ Mare’s milk for hospitality and preserved food
Mare’s milk is a special drink served when welcoming guests. It’s also made into a dried cheese called kurut, a preserved food. Easy to carry, it’s a valuable source of energy for nomads.
What Is Kumis (Fermented Mare’s Milk)?
Kumis is a drink widely enjoyed in Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It’s milky white, with a sour taste and a slight fizz like a carbonated drink.
In Kyrgyzstan, people have a custom of enjoying kumis in summer, and you’ll often see it at roadside stalls and in homes.
Is Kumis the Origin of Calpis®?
Kumis is said to be closely connected to Calpis®, the well-known Japanese lactic acid drink. According to one theory, Calpis founder Kaiun Mishima drank a fermented beverage similar to kumis while traveling in Inner Mongolia and was inspired to develop it.
How Kumis Is Made, in a Nutshell
Kumis, Kyrgyzstan’s traditional fermented drink, is made by fermenting fresh mare’s milk.
✔ The kumis fermentation process
- First, get the mare’s milk!
You can only get about 200 ml from a mare at a time. So the mare doesn’t hesitate (“Hey, wait a minute…”), the foal is first allowed to suckle to put her at ease. - Stir, stir and stir
The milk is poured into a wooden tub or leather bag, and a starter culture is added for fermentation. Then, so that fermentation proceeds evenly, it’s stirred an amazing several thousand times a day. - Kumis is ready in 2 to 3 days
After 2 to 3 days, the kumis is ready, with a refreshing tang and a slight fizz.
What’s Kumis’s Distinctive Flavor Like?
Kumis is known for its distinctive taste and aroma. As fermentation progresses, it becomes more sour, with a refreshing, lightly fizzy finish, but first-timers may find it a bit of an acquired taste.
✔ Kumis flavor characteristics
- Sourness: A refreshing, yogurt-like tang. It gets stronger as fermentation progresses.
- Fizz: A light natural carbonation produced by lactic acid bacteria and yeast. Its tingly mouthfeel is distinctive.
- Aroma: It has a unique fermented smell, sometimes close to cheese or yogurt.
✔ A flavor that divides opinion
🟢 What fans say: “Refreshing and easy to drink.” “If you like fermented foods, you’ll be hooked!”
🔴 What others say: “It’s sour.” “It has a strong taste and is hard to drink…”
Is Kumis Basically Amazake? What’s Its Alcohol Content?
Kumis has an alcohol content of 1 to 2%. In other words, it’s a very low-alcohol drink, about the same as Japanese amazake (a sweet fermented rice drink).
In Kyrgyzstan, it’s an everyday drink that even children have, and it’s hardly thought of as alcohol. You’re very unlikely to get drunk even if you gulp it down, though it can develop a slight alcoholic note as fermentation progresses.
A Mare’s Milk Detox? A Cleansing Experience Starting from Your Gut!
It’s even said that “mare’s milk might be the secret to nomads’ health!” Mare’s milk is full of health-friendly nutrients, and the power of fermentation is said to help condition the body and provide a detox effect.
A detox with fresh mare’s milk
Mare’s milk contains a lot of lactose, and drinking it as is can give you diarrhea. You might think, “What!?” but nomads actually use this very effect to detox with mare’s milk.
That’s why nomads will tell you that drinking mare’s milk makes their “body feel lighter” and their “stomach feel refreshed.”
Don’t drink too much!
If you’re not used to it, it can give you a painful case of diarrhea. We recommend trying a small amount first and finding the amount that suits you.
A Cross-Cultural Experience in Kyrgyzstan! A Detox Tour with Mare’s Milk and Great Nature
Why not experience the charms of mare’s milk culture for yourself? ASHU TRAVEL runs a special tour where you drink freshly milked mare’s milk and detox on the magnificent highlands!
✔ Tour highlights
✅ Detox with fresh mare’s milk: Taste mare’s milk fresh from the mare
✅ Stay at the ASHU Guesthouse: Relax at our guesthouse, popular for its comfort and rustic charm
✅ Relax under a sky full of stars: Enjoy a stillness and sense of freedom you can’t find in the city!
✅ Japanese-speaking guide: Worry-free, even on your first trip to Kyrgyzstan
✔ Join for less with a shared tour!
Solo travelers are very welcome! With a shared tour, you can join for $1,700 !
Enjoy the tour together with other participants on the same dates and save a lot!
✔ Tour details here↓
🌿 Mare’s Milk Detox Experience! Kyrgyzstan Great Nature Tour (4 Days)
🔗 See tour details
✔ Inquiries and bookings here
📩 Official LINE: Add us as a friend on LINE
📞 Contact form: here
Why not set off on a journey that refreshes your body and mind while you experience Kyrgyzstan’s nomadic culture with all your senses?
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🔗 Account: @ashutravel_jp
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