Author Archives: Carly

Glorious Samarkand – The Ultimate Silk Road City

Samarkand is perhaps the ultimate Silk Road city. A city that once sat at the crossroads of multiple trades routes leading to exotic locations such as China, India and Perisa. A city whose name is full of magic, wonder and romance. A city where brilliant aqua domes push towards clear skies. A city with some

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Time in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, is not known as a tourist destination and most people usually spend only a day or two visiting the museums and/or market.  So when I started planning what to see in Uzbekistan I’d originally thought I might miss Tashkent all together. It was therefore quite ironic that I ended up

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Border Crossing into Uzbekistan via the Fergana Valley

I think most travellers would agree that overland border crossing days always make them slightly nervous. For me crossing into Uzbekistan was no exception and I have to admit I was more nervous than normal as Uzbekistan has a reputation for being quite bureaucratic with border requirements that are quite particular with respect to a

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Kyrgyzstan Destination Guide – The Little Central Asian Country with the Big Impact

With my Kyrgyzstan Destination Guide I hope to show you a glimpse of all the incredible adventures that can be found in this small, mountainous Central Asian country. From mid August 2014 I spent just over three weeks travelling around my first ‘stan, Kyrgyzstan solo. Those three weeks were full of unique experiences. So here’s

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Shared Taxi Adventures in Kyrgyzstan – Travelling Bishkek to Osh

One of the most common ways of travelling in Kyrgyzstan is to travel by shared taxi. A shared taxi is a taxi, or sometimes a private car, which charges a set rate for each of the four seats. The taxi/car won’t leave for it’s destination until the car is full. The impressive mountains of Kyrgyzstan

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A Stormy Yurt Stay on the Shores of Lake Song-Kol, Kyrgyzstan

High in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan is the beautiful Lake Song-Kol. At 3,016m it should have been no surprise the weather can be changeable. From Cholpon Ata I travelled by taxi to the small town of Kochkor. Famous for its shyrdak handicrafts (felt carpets) it’s also a great base to organise a trip to Lake Song-Kol.

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Homestays and Hospitality at Lake Issyk-Kol, Kyrgyzstan

Homestays were one of my favourite experiences while traveling in Kyrgyzstan. Not only did homestays offer a unique glimpse into the lives and homes of local people they were also a fantastic opportunity to try some delicious home-cooking. My first homestay was in the small town of Karakol near Lake Issky-Kol. Lake Issky-Kol is the

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Trekking to Lake Ala-Kol, Kyrgyzstan: A Photo Journey

As my guide and porter prepared lunch I sat and watched the sunlight dance and sparkle across the surface of the brilliant turquoise that is Lake Ala-Kol. It made me think of an extraordinary turquoise gem. The colour was stunning and the lake itself was huge with massive mountains surrounding it. At the far end

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