Category: Current Trip ( 2023 – To date)

We completed a 25 day intrepid tour of the 5 Stans.  Turkmenistan Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan the group consisted of 12 people from different parts of the world, we all had one thing in common, the love of  traveling. What a fantastic group of people. We had no food allergies, dietary requirements, only one lady had children and we where all over 32. We could not have asked for a better group to travel with. It was our first intrepid tour so we where not sure what to expect. Below is a map of the trip we took.

Out first Country to visit was Turkmenistan.

The national flag of Turkmenistan features a white crescent and five stars representing the five regions of the country and the Five Pillars of Islam. Placed upon a green field is a symbolic representation of the country’s famous carpet industry. It was introduced as the flag of Turkmenistan on 27 September 1992 to replace the Soviet-era flag.

We arrived at Ashgabat Turkmenistan, our guide was waiting to pick us up. We had a very interesting arrival into Ashgabat, first we had to do a covid test at one counter which they half did, they had no idea who owned which covid result. But they charged 35 USD for it anyway. Then we had to go to another counter to get the visa, (we could not do this online) they then held onto our passport while we went to another counter to pay for the visa. Once you paid you went back to the first counter with the receipt and they gave you your passport back. Overall between the visa, taxes and covid test it cost us 130 USD, we still had to get through security and customs. it  took about 2 hours. Which normally we would not mind but this was at 1.30am. Just to be aware you will need to have a letter of invitation to get into Turkmenistan. Intrepid had organized this for us.

Our guide was waiting outside with some of the other people in our  tour group. He explained because there was a lot of diplomats in town (Putin) we could not stay in the original hotel in the city center which had been booked for us. We did eventually get to our hotel which was very basic and not good at all, it was about 20min from down town. But as it was now 4am we all headed to bed and agreed to meet for breakfast at 10am. After breakfast we had a free day at the hotel, most of us went back to bed. Our group was to meet for a welcome catchup and dinner at 6pm. Dinner was offsite. Our first impressions of the city was that it was very well kept, spotless clean, all car and buses are white as the Leader of the country only allowed white or silver cars. The city is made up of very nice white marble buildings. Our guide also told us that the Leader has his own road out to his own airport. Women are not allowed drive and are expected to sit in the back seat of the car. It was all a bit strange as there was very few people around.

We stopped at a supermarket and they had a great selection of Nuts, Biscuits and snacks. Dinner was very nice, it was upstairs from an arcade. Wow I have never been to a better arcade, They had archery   lots of virtual video games, robots, and every type of video game possible.

The next few days, we visited the following

Independent  Monument, Turkmenistan Flag, Neutrality Arch, Turkmen bashy Ruhi Mosque & Family Mausoleum of the first President, Only Indoor Ferris Wheel in the world. Anau Ruins, Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, Bazaar. We had dinner at Central Park one of the evenings it is a very nice restaurant with great view over the city, everything in the city is lit up with lots of neon lights at night time so it looks very beautiful. . It was a busy few days, but there is just something not right about this city, very few people around and the place just has an eerily feeling . The few people we did meet at the Bazaar and at the restaurant where very friendly and nice, they said they do not get many visitors so we where asked if they could take our photos of us.

This morning our first stop was at a Horse Farm it was 30min from the Ashgabat. The stables were the best kept stables I have ever seen. They were so clean with very little smell. They did not say who the owner of the farm was but whoever it is they must have some money. The Turkmenistan horses are very beautiful they are a slim horse with long slender legs. The horses are the usual colours black, brown, white and grey but they also have a gold colour horse. In the sun it really simmers. They seem to be very well looked after. They have won all sorts of events for show jumping and dressage. The do not believe in artificial insemination and allow things to happen naturally. There were a number of pregnant horses. All looking very healthy. They put on a bit of a show for us with 4 of the Stallone’s. The allowed us to ride one of the horse. It was a lovely place to see and to learn more about their horses.

From here we got on the road to Davarza Crater ( hells gate). It was a long drive and the roads are terrible such a contrast to the roads in the city centre. It was definitely the road to hell. It was a five hour 4 wheel drive, we were practically bouncing off the back seat. We arrived at hells gate just before Sunset. Davarza Crater is ( a burning natural gas field that collapsed into a cavern, the crater has been burning since the 1980s). It is in the Karakum desert.

After we had a look around we took a short walk to our accommodation tonight our accommodation is Yurts, we had never slept in a yurt before. They are surprisingly big inside and fit 4 single beds comfortably, they also have small combustion fire inside to keep us warm. We settled in and then had dinner. The temperature had dropped a lot. After dinner we walked back across to see the Davarza Crater at night time. It is more Impressive in the Dark.

The next day we had a 5 hours drive the boarder between Dashoguz, Turkmenistan to Shavat, Uzbekistan. We hit the road enroute to Khiva – with a few sightseeing stops along the way. Our first stop was in Kunya Urgench, once a main hub of the Islamic world, it suffered destruction at the hands of Genghis Khan and the Timurid dynasty and fell into decay until the 20th century. We explored a mosque, mausoleum and 60 metre Gutlug Timur Minaret in this interesting city. After a little time to explore, we’ll continue to the
Turkmen/Uzbek border of Khodjeyli (Xo’jayli) and on to Khiva

This boarder crossing went fine. No hassle or requests from any of the guards, we guessed Uzbekistan may not be as strict as Turkmenistan.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a Central Asian nation and former Soviet republic. It’s known for its mosques, mausoleums and other sites linked to the Silk Road, (the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean).

On the flag the crescent moon: Represents the birth of a new nation and is connected to Uzbek historical imagery. 12 stars represent the country’s 12 regions, the ancient solar calendar, and the pursuit of perfection and happiness

In Uzbekistan we visited the following cities  Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, these cities had Fortresses, Palaces,  old towns, Mosques, Minarets, Madrassa, Mausoleums , the famous Registan Square, some beautiful gardens, Bazaars that sell everything  from spices, to appliances and everything in-between and museum that helped us understand the very interesting history of the stans, plus art and cultural museums.

Khiva: We stayed in the old walled city of Khiva and absolutely loved it. Our accommodation was warm and inviting, we loved how the rooms are decorated. The breakfast each morning was very good. Khiva has a very nice feel to it the people are very nice. They had some very cute coffee shops and some wonderful roof top restaurants. We had a wonderful body scrub and mask in a hammam. There was so much to see and unlike the city of Ashgabat there is lots of people around, going about there daily lives.

We visited the magical blue-tiled Kalta Minor Minaret and the Mohammed Amin Khan Madressa. Then, explore the Kuhna Ark, the ‘citadel within a citadel’ which once housed the Khan and his family in the 17th century. We continued to the Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum, a complex constructed in honor of the famous 13th-century poet, craftsman and fighter – the mint-coloured dome that tops the main mausoleum is stunning. We marveled at the towering Islom Hoja Minaret, the tallest building in Khiva. We explore Juma Mosque and saw how the roof is propped up by 212 wooden columns designed to let in sunlight. We visited the Uzbek luxury – explore Tosh-Hovli Palace, built in the first half of the 19th century with its elaborate decorated courtyards connected by labyrinthian corridors.

We had a wonderful time in Khiva it is a city that is definitely worth stopping. We had a long drive from Khiva to Bukhara for a few days.

Bukhara we arrived in the late afternoon but the long drive was soon forgotten as we were swept up in the beautiful mosaics and incredible ancient monuments of this destination. It was founded no later than the 1st century BC, across its many years, the city has been ruled by countless empires and dynasties.

First up, visit the Sitorai Mohi Khosa – once the summer palace of the last Bukharan emirs. Designed by Russian architects, it has interiors decorated with traditional filigree plaster, mirror surfaces and delicate floral wall paintings crafted by local artisans. After some time to explore this palace, we continued to the little-known, 16th-century Chor-Bakr necropolis. This complex was
built in 1563 by a Shaybanid Dynasty ruler to memorialise his family – with a number of their graves found here, it’s also known as the ‘city of the dead’. We wandered through the madrasa and mosque.

In the afternoon, we visit the Ark Fortress and Kalon Mosque before continuing to one of Central Asia’s oldest and most exquisite structures – the tenth-century Ismail Samani Mausoleum. The superb decorative brickwork here has survived 1000 years of rugged history and the geometric architecture is recognized the world over.

Each evening we spent time wandering the small craft studios tucked into the nearby madrasas and trading domes. We bought some beautiful embroidered pillow cases.

Our next city was Samarkand we left Bukhara on a high-speed train bound for Samarkand. On our first evening we went to the very amazing Shak-i-Zinda, a necropolis that features a series of gleaming, blue-tiled mausoleums. This sacred site has monuments from the 14th-19th century, reflecting the development of the monumental art and architecture of the Timur
dynasty onwards. We were drawn to capture photos at every turn, but as always photos do not do it justice.

We continued onto the central square called Registan, which features three of the most famous madrassahs in Uzbekistan It is a beautiful site. The name Rēgistan means “sandy place” or “desert” in Persian. The Registan Square is a real gem located in the very heart of the ancient city of Samarkand. It has gained its worldwide fame thanks to the great architectural ensemble that has become a monument of the oriental architecture.

First up the next morning we went to the Gur-Amir mausoleum where the great Uzbek conqueror, Tamerlane, is buried. There rest his two sons – Shahrukh and Miranshah, beloved grandsons – Muhammad Sultan and Ulugbek as well as Timur’s spiritual mentor – Mir Said Baraka.

We continued to the enormous Bibi Khanum Mosque, This enormous mosque is the largest of its kind in Central Asia, able to hold about 10,000 worshippers. the Bibi Khanum Mosque was built from the spoils of Timur’s invasion of India, including 95 elephants used to transport materials.

That afternoon we explored the ancient bazaar we sampled Khalva (local sweets made of sunflower seeds and or peanuts) and had a glass of squeezed pomegranate juice. The bazaar had all sorts of fruits, spices sweets, souvenirs, crafts and very nice people that allowed us to take pictures and try there wares

That evening we went to a Plov cooking demonstration (Plov, the national dish of Uzbekistan is the ultimate social food. It brings people together, at life events-weddings and funerals-and official events.) and afterwards we had the dinner of Plov with the local family that did the demonstration. The Plov was very good. The family are just gorgeous. The girls did traditional dances for us and the oldest daughter told us the story of the arranged marriage that her family tried to arrange for her that did not go to plan. This family is a very progressive which was great to see. They were very happy to share their home, traditions, dance and stories with us.

We loved Samarkand. The next afternoon we got back on the High Speed train and set off to Tashkent.

Tashkent is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of more than 3 million people as of April 1st 2024. It is located in northeastern Uzbekistan, near the border with Kazakhstan.

What I will remember most about Tashkent is hopping on the metro for a tour in the station to see its extravagant decoration. The Tashkent Metro in Uzbekistan is known for its art, which includes mosaics, chandeliers, murals, and tileworks. Each station has a theme that reflects a range of topics, including local history, the Soviet space program, and industry and agriculture. The stations were designed by prominent artists and architects from Uzbekistan and the Soviet Union. The stations are decorated with a variety of materials, including glass, metal, marble, granite, ceramics, plastic, and alabaster. Some notable stations include

• Kosmonavtlar (Cosmonauts): This station honors Soviet cosmonauts, including Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova. It features a high ceiling with a band of oblong-shaped “stars” that replicate the Milky Way, it is fantastic.
• Gafur Gulom: This station is named after the Uzbek poet, writer, and translator Gafur Gulom. It features columns with many faces, and illuminating station lights hidden in the domes.
• OybekThis station features characters from an epic poem by Oybek, the Uzbek poet. 
• The Tashkent Metro opened in 1977, when Uzbekistan was still part of the USSR. Photography was prohibited for decades due to national security concerns, but the ban was lifted in 2018.

We did a city walking tour and explored Amir Timur Square at the city Centre. Visited some Metro Stations to see the Art works. We visited the State history Museum and learned about the history of the country.

We ended our tour at the Chorsu Bazaar, it is mainly a fruit , meat, vegetable and spice market but does have a clothes section as well. 

The next day we visited the The Tashkent Television Tower is a 375-metre-high  tower, and is the twelfth tallest tower in the world. The views from here are amazing.

The next day we hit the road to the Oibek border to cross into Tajikistan before
arriving in Khojand. Tajikistan encompasses the smallest amount of land among the five Central Asian states, but in terms of elevation it surpasses them all, enclosing more and higher mountains than any other country in the region.

Khujand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, dating back about 2,500 years to the Persian Empire. This city is known as Alexandria Eskhata (Alexandria the furthest) and believed to have been founded by Alexander the Great in 6th century BC. Our first stop was the History Museum The museum has been built within the Khujand Fortress, reconstructed in 1999 on the southeastern corner of the old city wall. The mosaics depicting Alexander the Great’s battles and artifacts from ancient Cyropolis and Alexandria Eschate make it worth the visit. The arch in kamoli khujand park is beside the Museum the Arch symbolizes the entrance to the park dedicated to the renowned poet Kamoli Khujandi,

.We continued onto the magnificent Cathedral Mosque, Masjidi Jami, built during the period from 1512 to 1513 it is the city’s oldest mosque, whose interiors are spectacularly intricate. It is next to a newer mosque and a bazaar that is just across from both of them, it is a hustling and bustling place.

The next day we had an interesting drive to Iskanderkul Lake. The trip took us across the Shahriston pass (with an elevation of 3378m) the drive was full of twists and turns, with big pot holes on the high-altitude highway. We got a puncher which was not surprising, the driver with the help of M changed the tire, it was not a problem and gave us time to take a few scenic photos. It was nice to get out into the mountains to Iskander Lake, named after Alexander the Great, this place is a weekend destination for many locals from Dushanbe The Snow capped mountains and crystal clear blue lake, make for breathtaking scenery. We did a short hike to a waterfall along the way, lake Iskander river creates a 38 metres waterfall, known with locals as “Niagara” That night we stayed in Sary Tag a mountain village in the heart of Fann mountains.
We had a little time to explore the village that evening and it was so nice to see all the children out playing football even though it was quite cold. The had a small school and a shop and everyone had chickens. It is a very picturess village and also very remote. Lake Iskanderkul is beautiful and well worth a visit.

The next morning, we hit the exciting mountain roads once more and drive over the Anzob Pass (with an elevation of 3373m) to Dushanbe – the capital of Tajikistan. We paid a visit to Hissor Fort, the former capital of Eastern Bukhara province. The fortress is located atop a hill overlooking the town of Hisor, it has very impressive stone walls, commanding gateway and perfectly manicured gardens.

The next day was a busy day of sightseeing in the Capital Dushanbe with a local guide. We saw Rudaki square, Ismail Somoni and Independent monument overlooking city hall and friendship palace. The Museum of National Antiquities, which opened in 2001. We checked out exhibits from Tajikistan’s pre-Islamic civilizations (Greek/Bactrian, Buddhist, Hindu and Zoroastrian). The centerpiece is the 14m reclining Buddha in Nirvana – since the tragic destruction of the Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan, this is the largest surviving Buddha statue in Central Asia. That evening we went to a fantastic restaurant the 28 Monkeys Gastropub, the food was amazing and the cocktails are to die for. Such a good way to end our time in Tajikistan.

We flew from Tajikistan to Almaty the largest city in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia and the ninth largest in the world. Covering some 2.7 million square kilometers. Kazakhstan has vast mineral resources and enormous economic potential.

Almaty is known as skier’s paradise, with snow-capped mountains framing the entire city. With beautiful parks, ritzy restaurants, excellent museums and plenty of shops and markets to choose from, this city stands in stark contrast to the countryside surrounding it.

We had a full day of sightseeing in Almaty today.

First we wandered around the local Street markets, there was some very interesting items for sale. We stopped at a really cute coffee shop before we continued to the fascinating Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments. It was great to see all the different types of instruments some similar to ones we have in Ireland like the Irish Harp. It was also good to see that some of the musical instruments have not changed much from the ones they use today. A very nice gentleman played us a lovely tune while he relaxed in the Sun.

Central Square and the colorful Zenkoff Cathedral in historic Panfilov Park, dedicated to the guardsmen who died defending Moscow against Nazi tanks in WWII. State Historical Museum, which features a great collection of ancient relics. And finally, summit Kok Tobe Hill to take in the breathtaking views over the city before returning to the hotel to relax after an action-packed day

To relax that evening Jenna and I went to get a body scrub and steam. It was a very interesting evening, we went to a place called Arasan bathhouse it is more than just a sauna complex – it is an important part of the history of the city. Since 1984, this bath is a monument of national importance. The complex is designed to serve up to 2.5 thousand people per day. It consists of 12 pavilions. 230 women and 270 men can be in the complex at the same time. The facade of the bath has no architectural excesses and looks quite modest, which cannot be said about the interior of the building. The complex includes a male and a female department, each of which has 3 types of baths: Russian, Finnish and Turkish. In addition, inside you will find the pool with clean water, extracted from its own artesian well, as well as various wellness and SPA procedures. Lets just say it was another good experience but be mindful that their body scrubs maybe a be harsh if you have sensitive skin.

The next morning, we drove to Saty Village with a stop along the way at the spectacular Charyn Canyon. The richly coloured orange canyon etched into the surrounding landscape is no less impressive than the Grand Canyon in the US (though much smaller). It was very windy and cold but also very beautiful the orange clay reminded me of the outback in Australia.

Saty Village The village emphasizes the consumption of locally produced goods and services, promoting traditional crafts, local farmers, and culinary delights. The village residents have small cattle and poultry farms and grow vegetables and fruits. As a result, community members can sell meat and dairy products and cook all the dishes offered to visitors using local products. That evening we stayed in a very nice cosy homestay.

We’ll explored the surrounding area of Saty Village with a crazy drive to Kaindy Lake, a stunning turquoise lake with a striking ‘submerged forest’ protruding from the water. Amazingly, the lake was created by an earthquake in 1911 which caused a limestone landslide causing a dam in the forest. As time went on, the dam filled with water and the trees were covered, leaving just their trunks standing dramatically in the centre. It was beautiful as there was lots of snow around.

We then continued Kolsai Lakes – also known as ‘the blue necklace’ for their azure water framed by lush, green mountains. The drive to the lake and the hike through the forest was well and truly worth it once you arrive at these lakes. We had a big hearty dinner that evening and relaxed as it had been a big day of hiking and driving the crazy pothole roads. explore as you wish.

The next morning we crossed the boarder to Kyrgystan. Kyrgyzstan is a largely mountainous country. At its eastern edge rises Victory (Pobedy) Peak, which at 24,406 ft (7,439 m) is the country’s highest point of elevation. The country’s valleys and plains, occupying only one-seventh of the total area, are home to most of its people

In the afternoon, we enjoy a little sightseeing in Karakol, once a small Russian military post, then a bustling soviet state, this town is bursting with history we visited the Dungan Mosque, built in 1910 this colourful mosque was created without the use of a single nail – instead, the structure was built using special cutting and groove techniques. The Karakol Historical Museum tells the story of the Karakol region through its history, culture, and development. The museum features artifacts from ancient times to the present day.

We also got a chance to explore the Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral, this was one of the nicest churches I have ever been in, it was full of real plants, and when the windows are open a beautiful breeze blow though, it has a very calming vibe.

After breakfast, we drove along the south shore of Lake Issykul. It is one of the largest lakes in the world, the lake is 178km long and 60km wide – it’s a fantastic sight to see! And of course I got in for a swim. We had a beautiful lunch beside the lake, the weather was glorious. On route, we stopped to see the picturesque Jety Oguz, also known as Seven Bull Valley renowned for its distinctive red sandstone rock formations that resemble seven bulls

From here, we continue to Skazka (Fairy Tale) canyon where we marvelled at the rich orange landscapes that blanket the area – it’s dry and arid but there’s something incredibly beautiful about this place.

That evening, it was such a treat to stay in a yurt camp by Lake Issykul. A truly special experience, yurts have a long history in this area – used for generations by nomadic tribes as the structures are easy to transport and assemble. We had a great meal and lots of fun that evening playing cards and drinking vodka. It was a great night by the lake and under the stars!

Today we wandered the beautiful alpine area. We went to meet a local eagle trainer (or Berkutchi) and discover the ancient principles of training these beautiful creatures to follow commands, catch prey and return
back to their masters. The eagles are very well looked after and look very healthy. We tried artery which was lots of fun. The family showed us how their dogs hunt the Taigan or the Kyrgyzdyn Taighany dog is a breed of medium-sized sighthounds bred for hunting roe deer, ibex, fox, wolf, and marmot. Aside from using its sight, it can hunt prey in the rugged mountainous region of its native land by hearing and scent .

We visited a local family who thought us more about their traditional yurts and how they are made. We learn the basics of how these nomadic dwellings have been manufactured and how they play an important role in the community here. We also got the chance to put a yurt together. We also learn how they make felt and had a lovely meal with the family afterwards.

That evening we drove to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The next day the we did a tour of the city it has a very interesting history. Ala-too Square, which was known as Lenin Square in Soviet times. Lenin used to stand in his concrete overcoat in the middle of this square, proudly gesturing towards the mountains. Ala-Too is a popular place for festivals, celebrations, and holidays. Then, we went to Dubovy (Oak) Park, where there was a few open-air cafes and lush, century-old oaks.

Sadly this is the last night of our trip. Wow what an amazing 28 days we have had. Intrepid and in particular Xenia our tour guide did a fantastic job, we absolutely loved the 5 Stans. It was also a fantastic group to travel with and I know we will miss them all. If you get a chance to do this trip I would recommend it 120%.