The black sheep of the Central Asia, Afghanistan is often left off the map when the region is talked about in a travel context. The country is more poignantly known for its ongoing war and militant Islamism dominated by the Taliban, however, there is more to this off-the-beaten track country than what makes it into […]
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All About Yurts
Yurts. Love them or hate them they are all over the place in Central Asia. The region simply would not be the same without these cylindrical structures set against dramatic scenery, from the high Pamir Mountains to endless steppes. But how much do you know about yurts? Here are some fun facts about Central […]
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UNESCO Sites in Central Asia
Central Asia is the cross-roads of civilisation. Back in its heyday, it was the buzzing hub of the Silk Road, with the blue-tiled city of Samarkand as its trading and cultural centre. While many view Central Asia today as being in the middle of nowhere and as a cluster of former Soviet states, it’s […]
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Central Asia Border Crossing Survival Guide
Central Asia has a mountain of red tape when it comes to border crossings, and crossing in a car can also complicate things. If you’re coming with us on the next Central Asia Rally, here are some tips on surviving Central Asia border crossings around the Stans! Be Patient. Crossing the borders in these […]
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The Best of Bukhara
A labyrinth dotted with medressas, minarets, and the remains of its once vast Silk Road market complex, Bukhara is a city that captures Uzbekistan’s spirit. While most of Central Asia still carries the echoes of its Soviet past, for those looking to see Uzbekistan’s Turkestan heritage should make a bee-line to Bukhara. Samarkand might […]
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Undiscovered Kazakhstan: Around the Caspian Basin
The region of western Kazakhstan around the Caspian Basin remains a land of mystery. With one half plunged into Europe, making it the continent’s most eastern extremity on the border with the Ural Mountains, and the remaining region outside the principal cities being a land only of interest to oil men, this part of […]
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The Central Asia Rally – Getting to the starting line
Because we want to focus more on travelling through Central Asia, we moved our starting point to Astrakhan in Russia. Back in the early days of the Central Asia Rally, we would kick off from Budapest, attempt to cross Ukraine with bad luck and would end up driving over to Georgia to cross the […]
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Free Trip to India – Join Us on the Rickshaw Challenge and India’s Cup
If you’ve got a thirst for adventure, you are a good person to travel with and are an accomplished writer with PR and social media skills dedicated to delivering results, then you could kick start 2015 off on the Rickshaw Challenge and a tour round South India on the inaugural India’s Cup road trip. Sponsors […]
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The Ancient City and Lonely tower: the Story of Burana
In the fertile Chuy Valley in Northern Kyrgyzstan, surrounded by the Tian-Shan Mountains, lies one of the country’s most famous archaeological sites. Burana is best known for its tower, a minaret that has been damaged by an earthquake that cut it down from being a towering 45 meters to 25. But the surrounding city […]
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Khiva: A Silk Road City in the Desert
When its has such beautiful cities like Samarkand and Bukhara to contend with as sisters, Khiva is the city often forgotten on the Silk Road itinerary, or at least the one that would not get the “fairest of them all” where Uzbek cities are concerned. But, there is a certain je ne sais qois […]
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Gorno-Badakhshan – All About Eastern Tajikistan
Tucked up in the Pamir Mountains, occupying 45% of Tajikistan’s landmass and only 3% of the country’s population, the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region is a curious one to explore. Even though it’s technically a part of Tajikistan, you still need a separate visa to go and visit. Its wildness, proximity to the Afghan border and […]
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Exploring Muynaq
As one of the biggest ecological disasters in history, the Aral Sea is a poignant reminder of what damage we’re capable of doing on this planet. Crossing from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, we always take the route that passes the dried up shores of the Aral Sea, to the former port town of Muynaq. We […]
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