Uzbekistan – Along the Great Silk Road

Posted on February 20, 2019

Uzbekistan lies on an ancient trade route, the so-called Great Silk Road, between China and the Mediterranean. For hundreds of years, cities such as Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva were important outposts on this route where traders brought in much-needed goods and money to the locals and beyond. The area flourished as the many old buildings can attest.

Central Asia is unquestionably one of the world’s greatest regions for extraordinary road trips! Whether you do it by 4×4 vehicle, bus, train, shared taxi, cycling, or even by camel, this part of the world will not disappoint you.

Known for its deserts, yurts, nomads, ancient Silk Road cities, staggering mountain ranges, and very large herds of sheep, Central Asia has something for everybody.

The area is vast and diverse. While Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are the smallest land areas, they are blessed with the highest and most rugged mountains and high-altitude glacial lakes.

Kyrgyzstan is known for its nomadic life in yurts along large freshwater lakes surrounded by wild horses grazing on vast rolling green pastures. To the far east, the Tien-Shan Mountains surge to 7,439 metres on the Kyrgyzstan–China border, while to the southwest the Pamir-Alay Mountains rise to 5,621 metres.

Tajikistan’s landscape is dominated by the mighty Pamir and Alay Mountains, as well as fertile valleys such as the Fergana, Kofarnihon and the Vakhsh. Along the famous Pamir Highway, turn off into small dirt roads to reach some of the most remote tiny villages known for their tough residents enduring isolation and extreme weather.

Tajikistan’s southern border with Afghanistan follows the contours of the Afghan Wakhan Corridor at the foot of the majestic Hindu Kush Mountain range. Spectacular scenery abounds with ancient fortresses and cosy villages.

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Globerovers Magazine December 2018