Two-week traveller: choose your Central Asia adventure

Once the realm of Silk Road merchants and Great Game spies, the Heavenly Mountains and Black Sand deserts of the ‘Stans, as the five countries of Central Asia are affectionately known, have historically been the stuff of epic overland trips taking many months and much bureaucracy. With the region’s flight connections burgeoning and red tape

Celebrating Nowruz the Central Asian way

Framed by the snowy peaks of the Tian Shan mountains on the southern horizon, two teams of horsemen gather at centre field in Bishkek’s Ak-Kula Hippodrome to compete in the championship match of Kyrgyzstan’s national sport, kok-boru. In a scene that plays out with small variations across the major cities of Central Asia each March, celebrations for the

Welcome to Uzbekistan

The region’s cradle of culture for more than two millennia, Uzbekistan is the proud home to a spellbinding arsenal of architecture and ancient cities, all deeply infused with the bloody, fascinating history of the Silk Road. In terms of sights alone, Uzbekistan is Central Asia’s biggest draw and most impressive showstopper. Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva