Uzbekistan’s president-elect has signed an order granting visa-free travel to Uzbekistan for citizens of twenty-seven countries. Traditionally, getting a visa for Uzbekistan has been problematic, with lots of paperwork required and the annoyance of applicants having to send their passport to the relevant embassy. Not any more though, if you’re from one of twelve […]
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How to Take Great Shots of Streets in Central Asia and Beyond
All great adventures, like the Central Asia Rally, deserve to be documented with equally magnificent photos; some of these will aim to capture city streets in all of their syncopated, iridescent glory – here are the seven golden rules of how to take great shots of urban settings. Photo by Francisco Anzola Understand where […]
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The Pamir Highway- a Link in the Ancient Silk Road
The Pamir Highway, the world’s second highest roadway, and a part of the ancient Silk Road, is a section of the M41 going from Osh in Kyrgyzstan, to Termez in Uzbekistan via Tajikistan through the Pamir mountains. Central Asia Rally’s path joins it for some of the most breathtaking views to be had anywhere. […]
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Central Asian Foods You Too Can Make: Sauces for Anything
Okay, almost anything. And anything in my plus-sauce book means exactly two kinds of carb (from here on: something), so if you’re not into rice either, now might be a good time to check on your organically sourced, free range, yak blood marinated leg of rainforest tarantula and let us get on with the business […]
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Central Asian Naans You Can Make
Oh, naans. Delicious, round flatbreads stuffed with perfectly seasoned and matched fillings to be had with a curry…The only kind there is, right? Well, no. Indian naans and chapattis’ nearest, lesser known Central Asian cousins differ from them in several ways but one: one’s taste buds, upon first contact, will be asking for their […]
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Central Asian Dishes You Too Can Make: Tajik Qurutob
Tajikistan has two national dishes: plov (or osh), and qurutob. While plov is better known and is also the national dish of Uzbekistan, qurutob, a mix of onions and bread in a yogurt sauce (with a bit of optional extra meat and vegetables), is specifically Tajik. Photo by wikipedia Doesn’t sound at all hard […]
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Central Asian Dishes You Too Can Make: Uzbek Plov
Whether you’ve already been, or are still planning to go on a Central Asia Rally and savor the delish dishes of the region, making one of their signature national meals yourself is going to make you proud as heck, and serve as a hearty reminder of good times past or soon to come. Today’s […]
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Ancient Settlements Discovered near Khiva, Uzbekistan
Just by to the ancient city of Khiva in Uzbekistan, the desert oasis of Khwarezm offers a treasure trove of anthropological and archaeological history. Dotting the vast desert of what used to be ancient Khwarezm are the ruins of countless towns and forts collectively known as the Golden Ring; they’re definitely worth a visit […]
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Tomb of the Prophet Daniel in Samarkand
The 18 metre long sarcophagus of the mysteriously ceaselessly growing dead prophet in Samarkand is not the only one that claims to be the final resting place of Prophet Daniel, but it is arguably the most puzzling one. Where are the others? The most widely accepted one of these places is in Susa, Iran. […]
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Merzbacher Lake, Kyrgyzstan: a Lake that Empties Itself Every Year
Continuing our “Put your inner Chuck Norris to the test” series, today we present you with a lake whose outstanding beauty is only matched by its remoteness and offbeat behavior. This piece of geological wonder high up in the Tien Shan mountains completely empties and then refills itself at least once a year, but […]
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Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan: the Core of Central Asia
As you approach the destination of your Central Asia Rally on day 11, your path will take you past the very core of Central Asia – the Fergana Valley. We don’t just mean this in terms of geography: the valley, enclosed by the the Gissar-Alai range to the south and Tian Shan Mountains to […]
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Anzob Tunnel, Tajikistan: Not For the Fainthearted
The purpose of any tunnel is to get you from one place to another, preferably still breathing. But this perilous, dark, damp one is making no promises in that regard. Photo by Julian-G. Albert Can’t wait to go already. How long is it? Five kilometers. This stretch of hollowed-out asphalt, dubbed The Tunnel of […]
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