Central Asia Travel Destinations: Kazakhstan and Tajikistan
Kazakhstan
At roughly half the size of the 48 contiguous United States, Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world, with spectacularly diverse geography and no shortage of places to visit. Northern forests gradually turn into wide flat steppes to more arid regions and finally to deserts in the south. Kazakhstan is rich in minerals and has large oil and gas reserves.
Islam and Christianity are the dominant religions, though religious tolerance is the widely recognized norm and, as a...
Central Asia Travel Destinations: Kyrgyzstan
This mountainous country, filled with natural beauty is often referred to as the Switzerland of Asia. The Tian Shan Mountains cover more than 3/4 of the land and furnish endless hiking and mountaineering opportunities.
The remainder of country is varied, with the subtropical, fertile Fergana Valley in the southwest to temperate foothills in the north. Kyrgyzstans diverse geography and the hospitality of the people make it a wonderful tourist destination.
The capital and largest city is...
Central Asia Travel Destinations: Turkmenistan
This largely arid country lies to the south of Uzbekistan, dominated by the Kara Kum desert in its center with mountains in the west and east. The country contains some of the worlds largest natural gas and oil reserves and is a major cotton producer.
Historically, Turkmenistan has seen conquerors from Alexander the Great to Islamic Arabs to Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, but maintained its nomadic, equine identity until Soviet-era domination. In the post communist years, Turkmen language and...
Central Asia Travel Destinations: Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan lies at the heart of the Great Silk Road. For centuries, oases of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva brought respite to the caravans as they made their way across the desert. A tour through this country immerses you in the essence of the progress of civilization as it moved west.
Today, Uzbekistan preserves this heritage while striving to bring its largely rural, historically nomadic populations better lives in a post-Soviet world. Slightly larger in area than California and with a...
Marriage Arrangements In Central Asia
Family in Central Asia starts with match making arrangements. A person who knows well both brides and grooms family takes responsibility of arranging their marriage. Sometimes up to 3 or 4 people participate in this very important task. Most of the time it is an elder woman who has the wisdom gained from prior experiences of arranging marriages, less commonly it is done by the parents of two young people.
Person who arranges the marriage chooses the bride or groom from two very respectable...
Must-See Places in Central Asia
The history and ancient culture of Central Asia make this region of the continent quite an exciting travel destination. A memorable bit of Central Asia history involves the trade route called Silk Road. It connected Asia with Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as Africa. Silk and other luxuries from China and India moved along this network, enroute to the Mediterranean Sea.
Bukhara is a popular destination for Central Asia travel. Located on the Silk Road, Bukhara is the fifth-largest city...
Uzbekistan The Ancient Heart of Central Asia
Uzbekistan is home to some of the oldest cities in the world. As it is situated between two rivers, the Amu-Darya and the Sir-Darya, it was considered as the crossroads of the famed Silk Road, a lucrative trading route that ran through the center of Uzbekistan. The area has always been a haven for culture and for religion. In fact, Zoroastrianism, which predates Christianity and Islam, began in what is now called Uzbekistan, and this religion is still practiced worldwide.
Quite a bit of...
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