Category: Travel

  • Monday 29 May 2023Highlights: Kalta Minor Minaret, Tash-Khovli Palace, Madrasah Qutlug Murad, Tash-Khauli Palace, Juma Mosque, Islom-Hoja Minaret (tallest in Uzbekistan), and Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum Today was a chance to explore this unique city-museum of Khiva in more detail. The city was established around 1500 years ago but there were inhabitants even earlier. In 1991…

  • Sunday 28 May 2023Highlights: Khoja Tabband Mosque, Exploring Khiva, Khiva at Night A long drive ahead of us meant we wanted to be on the road by 8 am. I woke up slightly unwell but hopefully nothing too serious for today’s 8 hour plus of driving. Before leaving Bukhara we had one final stop point…

  • Saturday 27 May 2023Highlights: The Samanid Mausoleum, visiting the Boloi Havz Mosque, exploring the Ark of Bukhara (Fortress), learning the history of Kalyan Minaret, exploring the Kalyan Mosque. Today was day 2 of exploring Bukhara in depth. After breakfast at our hotel, we left at 8.30 am to try to beat the coming heat. Our…

  • Friday 27 May 2023Highlights: Sunrise over the Kyzylkum Desert, Exploring the Caravanserai Rabat-I-Malik, Exploring historic old sector of Bukhara I woke up around 5 am in our Yurt after a mostly peaceful night sharing accommodation with 4 other tour members. The early morning meant I have time to get up and see the sunrise over…

  • Thursday 25 May 2023Highlights: Nurata Holy Springs, Nurata Fortress Ruins of Alexander the Great, Aydar Lake, Kyzylkum Desert experience, dancing under the stars Today we set off out of the historic city of Samarkand and into semi desert and full deserts of Uzbekistan. Leaving at 8.30 am we said one last goodbye to Registan Square…

  • Wednesday 24 May 2023Highlights: Exploring Registan Square, visiting the Bibi Khanum Mosque, lunch at Siab Bazaar, learning about science at the Ulugbek Observatory, seeing the tombs at Shakhi Zinda Necropolis, and examining the Amir Temir Mausoleum Today was a chance to do a full day of exploring Samarkand in depth. After breakfast we walked back…

  • Tuesday 23 May 2023Highlights: Tashkent – 1966 Earthquake monument, Hast Imam Square (Hazrati Imam), Tilla Sheikj Mosque, Chorsu Bazaar, Underground Metro, Memorial Square and the Eternal FlameSamarkand – Homemade pilaf meal, Registan Square A very big day was planned as we get going fully on the second part of the Five Stans tour. We started…

  • Monday 22 May 2023Highlights: Welcoming new tour members, exploring Tashkent Today was effectively a rest day as we lost seven tour members in Alicia, Andy, Adam, Anne, Sue, Carmel, John who finished their tour and we waited for new tour members to join us.

  • Sunday 21 May 2023Highlights: Panjshanbe Bazaar, Tajikistan to Uzbekistan Border Crossing, Exploring Tashkent. Today was my last morning in Tajikistan and the start of exploring the fourth Stan, Uzbekistan, of my Five Stan tour.

  • Saturday 20 May 2023Highlights: Exploring Istaravshan, Hazrati-Shoh Mosque, Mug Teppe, Museum of Sughd Today we left the remote Gazza Village as we travelled back into more populated areas. This started with a visit to the Hazrati-Shoh Mosque which is located in historic town of Istaravshan. here we learned about the Five Pillars are the core…