May 17
The second of our two new itineraries has started, so come with us as we start our Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan tour. While Sarah and her guests are exploring exotic Indonesia, I’m (Andrew) taking guests to two countries in Central Asia that most folks know little about, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Our journey starts today in Almaty, the cosmopolitan cultural and business capital of Kazakhstan.
We grabbed the cable car up to Kok Tobe, the hill overlooking the city at 3600 feet. Vistas of Tian Shan mountains and city panoramas await along with a myriad of parks, mini zoos, amusement rides and entertainment where you can spot more locals than tourists.
Our welcome dinner came with a glorious sunset. Not a bad way to start our two week journey to a rather large area of the world that is mostly undiscovered.
May 18
Day Two of Central Asia tour in the books. A busy day of sightseeing in Almaty. Just 30 minutes outside the center you have Medeu skating rink, the world’s highest altitude rink at 5,500 feet, and Shymbulak ski resort where we had a small hike and beautiful views. Visits to the Green Bazaar covered market, Kazakhstan museum of traditional musical instruments, Panfilov Park with its monuments to the Great Patriotic War (WW2), the Russian Orthodox Ascension Cathedral and last but not least, another amazing meal which included some unexpected dancing from the wait staff.
May 20
The nature in Kazakhstan is stunning. We traveled four hours east of Almaty to visit the Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake, Kaindy Lake and the Black Canyon. Both lakes are close to the border with Kyrgyzstan. Getting to Lake Kaindy takes some stamina with a bumpy ride in a Soviet built Buhanka 4 wheel drive vehicle and a very scenic one hour hike. But it made for an unforgettable day out in a truly beautiful landscape.
May 22
Our Central Asia tour heads to Tashkent. A whirlwind 24 hours in the capital of 3 million people brought us to the Khazrati Imam Mosque, Chorsu Market, The Asian Center for Plov (pilaf, their national dish), the 1970’s built subway and the Applied Arts Museum.
May 23
Funky hats of Uzbekistan. Who wears it the best?!?
May 24
One of my favorite things about travel is stumbling onto out of the blue concerts or festivities, especially when you’ve literally showed up to a place five minutes earlier.
The Tak-i Zargaron in Bukhara is one of many multiple dome-covered markets filled with the shops and artisan stalls. This was a group of about 10 men dancing, singing and playing drums. Maybe a party for upcoming wedding? Not sure but it’s an amazing welcome.
May 28
The Shah-i-Zinda is a stunning complex in Samarkand, the city of Tamerlane the great (a massively important figure for both Uzbekistan and Central Asia). This is a mesmerizing avenue of mausoleums from the 14th and 15th century that is overflowing with colors and geometric tiles. I haven’t seen everything in the world but for me it’s hard to imagine a set of architecture that could capture my eye quite like this.
May 31
The much hyped light show in Samarkand’s Registan square, home to three madrasahs from the 15th and 17th centuries, got delayed by the Italian Prime Minister’s visit. No tourists allowed that evening. But for our final night in Central Asia on the Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan tour they opened it up to the public and it was way beyond what I was expecting. This is the first 7 minutes of an 18 minute laser and light spectacle. Enjoy!
What a beautiful and thoughtful travel diary! I’ve always been curious about Central Asia, and your descriptions really brought the cities to life. Thank you for sharing such a unique experience.