Blog
Useful articles about trips, tips and service updates
Beruni: a scholar's homeland and gateway to Ellikkala's fortresses
A town on the right bank of the Amu Darya named after al-Biruni and a handy base for trips to the desert fortresses. Where to stay, what to eat and what to see.
Kattakurgan: the town by the Uzbek Sea
A guide to Kattakurgan: the reservoir, the bazaar and stops on the road between Samarkand and Navoi for travellers who are not in a hurry.
Urgut: the bazaar, plane trees and mountain villages
What Urgut lives on besides its famous market: sacred sites with springs, plane trees, mountain villages and routes you can cover in half a day from Samarkand.
Kogon: the emir's palace and a railway town
Kogon is more than Bukhara's railway station. The story of a Russian settlement, traces of the emirate era and a walk through the centre while you wait for a train or a transfer to old Bukhara.
Gijduvan: ceramics, kebab and the Gijduvani mausoleum
A small town near Bukhara that people visit for pottery, meat and a shrine. How to spend half a day here and what to bring home.
Sariosiyo: Gateway to the Hissar Mountains
The Sangardak waterfall, the turquoise Tupolang Reservoir and mountain villages on the slopes of the Hissar Range: what to see in Sariosiyo District and how to organize the trip.
Boysun: A Mountain Land of Ancient Traditions
The cultural space of Boysun is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. Here is a look at its rituals, crafts and mountain villages, and practical advice on how to travel here.
Denau: The Trading Hub of Northern Surkhandarya
Denau is a handy base for trips to the mountains of Sariosiyo and Boysun. A big bazaar, the Said Atalik Madrasa, southern cooking, ancient sites nearby and tips on where to stay.
Parkent: Orchards, the Solar Furnace and Mountain Villages
Parkent District, an hour from Tashkent: apricot orchards and a bazaar, the unique Solar Furnace among the mountains and quiet villages in the Chatkal foothills for a weekend trip.
Bekabad: A Syr Darya Town on the Tajik Border
A steelworks, the Farhad hydropower station with its legendary name, the banks of the Syr Darya and fishing: what to see in Bekabad and how to enjoy the outdoors nearby.
Almalyk: A Town of Metalworkers and Mountain Views
A short guide to Almalyk: how a mining complex created the town, its links to medieval mines and where to go for weekend walks in the foothills of the Kurama Range.
Angren: The Coal Town on the Road to Kamchik
Angren is the last big town before the pass into the Fergana Valley. Mountain scenery, a reservoir, the road to Kamchik and places to rest: what to know on the way.