Sarazm and Ancient Panjakent: Two Different Worlds Near Samarkand
Two archaeological sites near Panjakent can change the way you understand a Silk Road journey. One asks how an early settlement grew through farming, herding, craft and exchange.
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Stories and practical notes from the road
Bukhara Through Water: A Walk from Lyabi-Hauz to Chashma-Ayub
The easiest way to miss something important in Bukhara is to look only upwards. Domes, minarets and monumental gateways keep pulling the eye towards the skyline.
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Fergana Valley Craft Trail: Silk in Margilan, Ceramics in Rishtan
A plate and a length of cloth can tell you surprisingly little about the people who made them. Put both behind a shop window and the finished objects become the whole story.
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Khorezm’s Desert Fortresses: A Thoughtful Day Trip from Khiva
Khiva teaches you to look closely: at a tiled surface, a carved door, the proportions of a courtyard. The desert fortresses of ancient Khorezm ask you to change scale.
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Seven Lakes, Tajikistan: Why an Overnight Changes the Trip
Seven is an inviting number for an itinerary. It suggests a route with a natural finish: follow the valley, reach the last lake, complete the set.
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Uzbekistan and Tajikistan Travel FAQ: 47 Questions Travellers Ask Most
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are next-door neighbours, and more and more travellers visit both in one trip. The same questions come up again and again: Is it safe?
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What to Wear and Pack for Uzbekistan and Tajikistan: A Season-by-Season Guide
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan sit side by side on the map, but the weather inside them is very different.
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Uzbekistan Visa Rules: The Complete 2026 Guide
Uzbekistan has become one of the easiest countries in Asia to enter. Citizens of more than 90 countries can now visit without any visa.
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Tajikistan Visa Rules: The Complete 2026 Guide
Tajikistan has become much easier to visit. Citizens of more than 90 countries can now enter without a visa, and most other travellers can get an e-visa online in a few steps.
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Trains in Uzbekistan: The Complete 2026 Guide
Trains are the best way to travel between Uzbekistan’s Silk Road cities. They are fast, safe, comfortable and cheap, and the high-speed Afrosiyob takes you from Tashkent to Samarkand in just over two hours.
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Tajikistan Land Border Crossings: 2026 Guide
Tajikistan has land borders with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Afghanistan. Foreign tourists can cross to the first three; Uzbekistan is by far the easiest, with seven checkpoints open to foreigners.
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Uzbekistan Land Border Crossings: 2026 Guide
Uzbekistan borders five countries. Foreign tourists can cross by land into Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan; the Termez crossing into Afghanistan is not confirmed for foreign tourists.
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What things cost in Uzbekistan: entrance fees and tickets, 2026
Every monument ticket in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent, in som and in dollars, with the Amirsoy gondola fares — checked in October 2026 by the people who buy them every week.
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Amirsoy cable car prices, 2026: the full ticket table
Every Amirsoy gondola fare — round trip and one way, adults, children and over-55s, weekday and weekend — photographed at the ticket window in October 2026.
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When to Visit Uzbekistan: An Honest Month-by-Month Guide
Uzbekistan is beautiful year-round, but not every month suits every traveler. Here’s the honest version: when to come for Silk Road cities, mountain air, festivals, photos, food, and fewer crowds.
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Samarkand in Two Days: What to See, and What to Skip
Two days are enough for Samarkand's great monuments, a proper market visit and one extra experience that suits your interests. The key is to choose well and leave time to enjoy what you came to see.
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Driving the Pamir Highway: Permits, Altitude and What to Pack
Big mountain views come with practical questions. Here is what to arrange before a Pamir Highway trip, how to plan around altitude, and what deserves a place in your bag.
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