Who We Are

We believe that journeys, whether for travel or for production, are defined by the people you meet and the memories you make. We design thoughtful, well-organised, and deeply personal experiences across Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia.

Whether you are here to explore or to create, we focus on comfort, communication, and genuine connection with the country. We work with trusted drivers, experienced guides, knowledgeable fixers, and a medical specialist when required.

Our philosophy is simple: we don’t just guide you through Kyrgyzstan, we help you feel at home in it, with its people, landscape, and rhythms.
  • Aishoola Aisaeva
    Founder & Lead Curator
    I am a documentary filmmaker from Kyrgyzstan, born and raised in Karakol. 42°74 Travel & Production Atelier grew from a deep connection to my homeland and a wish to share it with honesty and respect. My background spans journalism and more than eight years in the humanitarian and development sector, alongside work in social entrepreneurship — all of which shaped how I understand and see stories, people, and places.

    I created this company to show Kyrgyzstan as it is — its landscapes, its villages, its quiet roads, and the human stories that give meaning to every journey. I have lived, studied, and volunteered in more than 15 countries, yet Kyrgyzstan remains the place that grounds me most.

    Sharing this country with others, whether through travel or film, is something I approach with intention and gratitude. It is a privilege to help people experience Kyrgyzstan with depth, clarity, and real connection. In many ways, it is my way of bringing Kyrgyzstan closer to the world — and the world closer to Kyrgyzstan.
  • Danil Usmanov
    Lead Curator
    I am a documentary photographer from Kyrgyzstan, born and raised in Karakol. Most of my work is long-term — I follow stories slowly, through people, places, and time. I am drawn to themes of migration, identity, and the everyday life of Central Asia — the quiet moments we often pass by, but that reveal the most about who we are.

    My photographs have been published in Le Monde, The Guardian, DIE ZEIT, New Lines Magazine, DER SPIEGEL, and others. My work has taken me across the entire country, traveling through remote villages, high mountain passes, and small communities, meeting people, listening to their stories, and learning the rhythms of this land.

    With time, these journeys shaped another part of my work: helping others experience Kyrgyzstan with the same depth and clarity. Whether as a fixer for international productions or as a guide for travellers, I show the country through a local, lived perspective — its hidden gems, its human stories, and the places that rarely make it onto maps.
QURALAI
The name Quralai [ku-ra-lai] refers in Kazakh to a young doe with beautiful dark eyes. It is also a nickname sometimes given to baby girls at birth.

Documentary film by Aishoola Aisaeva
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 2023