Foreign tourist surprises Almaty residents by cleaning up trash at Sairan

Photos taken on the shore of Sairan in Almaty spread online. The author of the post captioned the pictures: “A foreigner is just walking around Sairan and collecting trash left behind by visitors to Almaty.”

Screenshot: Threads

We contacted the author of the photos, Timur Askar, to clarify the circumstances of what happened.

According to 31-year-old Timur, he personally witnessed the tourist cleaning up trash on the shore of the reservoir.

“I saw him collecting trash for about 30 minutes. Most likely, before I arrived and after I left, he was also walking around collecting trash. He walked along the shore for quite a long time. I did not speak to the tourist. I just took a photo. He had a fairly large bag of trash,” he said.

The author of the photos does not know any details about the tourist’s identity or the reasons why he decided to clean up. He noted that he did not communicate with the man and only captured what he saw.

The post sparked active discussion on social media. Many users thanked the unknown tourist for his actions and at the same time drew attention to the problem of litter in popular recreation areas.

“I temporarily live in Almaty, I am also a newcomer, and we regularly go to the mountains and collect trash after everyone — visitors, locals, everyone who cannot take their trash with them. Everyone is fed up,” one user wrote.

Other commenters noted that cleanliness is a personal responsibility for everyone.

“We have one planet for all of us,” one comment said.

Another resident shared similar observations.

“I saw the same thing at Lake Issyk and Kolsai. I am not ashamed to take a small trash bag with me and then throw it away in a designated bin. Nature must be loved and cared for, not polluted,” she wrote.

At the same time, opposing views were also expressed in the discussion. Some users recalled that the country has many volunteers and concerned people who regularly take part in cleaning public spaces.

The story once again drew attention to the issue of caring for nature and the need to clean up after oneself after recreation.