Exploring the Silk Road in Central Asia
Check out my travel stories from the Silk Road
One of my lifelong dreams has been to backpack in Central Asia, on routes that ancient caravans took along the Silk Road, travelling along paths carved through desolate deserts, vast grasslands, and soaring mountains, places where the Western civilizations met the Eastern. Last summer I made it there and spent almost 2 months, travelling through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.
The region is geographically very diverse, dotted with architectural sites, and a cultural mishmash of numerous tribes. Overall a fantastic place for photo opportunities.
Countries
Other countries on the Silk Road and the Spice Road: Turkey | Russia | India | Afghanistan | Mongolia | China.
Things to do
Top Silk-Road Highlights
Tour of the big ticket places on the Silk Route, such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and the Wakhan Corridor.
Aerial Overview
Flying over the region in an airplane, what spectacular sights!
Rural Central Asia
Life in the little villages and nomadic yurts.
Food and Culinary Delights
Central Asia has lots to offer, including delicious food that has influences from China and Persia and India. Check out some of the delicious laghman, plov, kebabs, shashlyk, beshbarmak, kurdak, soups, and salads.
Hiking and Outdoor Adventures
Tons of hiking and outdoor adventure options, particularly in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
The region is dotted with World Heritage inscriptions and I visited a total of seven places (four cities, and three regions).
Urban centers and City Living
Forget silk caravans; how does it feel to travel in Central Asia today?
Places to See
Samarkand
This ancient city is full of larger-than-life technicolour monuments that have been beautifully restored.
Bukhara
Bukhara is one of silk road’s oldest centres of trade, scholarship, culture and religion.
Khiva
This old city of slave traders and caravans is now a chic revitalized site with memorable architecture.
Pamirs and the Wakhan Corridor
The Pamir highway leading up to the Wakhan corridor, travelling between Osh (Kyrgyzstan) and Khorog (Tajikistan).
Capital cities
Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), and Almaty (Kazakhstan – former capital city)
Fergana Valley
Shared between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, this is the heart of Uzbek culture and home to a number of Kyrgyz and Tajik ethnicity as well.
Check out my travel stories from the Silk Road
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