Ancient routes, remote landscapes, deep traditions
Central Asia is a fascinating region of Silk Road history, vast open landscapes, and remote adventure. From the ancient cities of Uzbekistan to the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and the deserts of Turkmenistan, this is a region for catchers looking for something different. Expect warm hospitality, rich history, and some truly underrated country catches.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are the easiest places to start, offering good infrastructure and incredible sights. Kyrgyzstan is perfect for nature lovers, while countries such as Turkmenistan and Tajikistan need more planning but offer real adventure.
🇦🇫 Afghanistan – Extraordinary history and landscapes but currently extremely difficult and unsafe. 
Sadly uncatchable at the moment but should be back on the radar soon.
🇦🇲 Armenia – A small mountainous country rich in history, ancient monasteries, and strong food. Yerevan is a modern and fun city. Try the brandy. Get a taxi/guide to take you to the hinterland. Make sure you go to the important genocide museum.
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan – A mix of modern Baku and traditional villages, with oil wealth, Caspian coastline, and a blend of European and Asian influences. Oil dominated. Lost of development in Baku, which has history as well as modernity. Mud volcanoes are interesting to visit. Can be very busy in the city.
🇬🇪 Georgia – Known for its mountains, wine, food, and vibrant capital Tbilisi. Incredible mix of culture with a unique language. Go to Gori, the home of Stalin for an unusual visit. Try the very filling dumplings. Can be visited from either Azerbaijan and Armenia and is a good link between both countries.
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan – A vast country of steppes and modern cities like Almaty and Astana, with growing tourism and dramatic natural landscapes.
Massive country with much empty space. Almaty easy to visit directly or vis Bishkek. Now visa free and with multi entry. Bring cash, which remains the main method of payment.
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan – Popular for trekking and nomadic culture, with alpine lakes, yurts, and a strong focus on outdoor travel. Bishkek is a small city which sometimes has political problems, which spill onto the streets. Russian widely spoken. Take a trip to Issyk Kul lake, which is about 7 hours from the capital. Good for horse riding. Yak milk is inevitable.
🇲🇳 Mongolia – Known for wide open landscapes, horses, and traditional nomadic life. Vast country with fascinating capital city. Hard to get to but possible via Moscow or Istanbul. Train travel still possible. See more on Mongolia here
🇹🇯 Tajikistan – A remote and mountainous country, famous for the Pamir Highway and high altitude travel. Can be visited directly or via neighbouring countries. Great horse riding. get a private guide locally as no other way to see the mountain regions.
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan – Highly controlled and unusual, with strange modern cities and desert landscapes. Must be all booked in advance via an approved agent. Direct flights from London currently available and the airline is fine. Guided throughout which is odd. Mary good to visit. Ashgabat is a weird city and impossible to do anything on your own. Still require Covid tests on arrival at $40. Take plenty of fresh US cash. No real internet or Whatsapp etc.
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan – Home to some of Central Asia’s most famous Silk Road cities, with rich architecture, history, and improving tourist infrastructure. Incredible second cities of Samarkand and Bukhara with rich Islamic history. Excellent train system throughout. Internet is patchy. Direct flights from London but they can vary. Wonderful food. Have lots of Plov!
Back to Asia