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Sunday Bazaar, in Uygur means "farm trade market." The bazaar in Kashgar is the biggest in central Asia. As early as two thousand years ago, it was the collecting and distributing center of goods. Nowadays, it has become even more busy. On bazzar day every Sunday, the traffic gets heavy on every road with crowds upon crowds of market-goers coming in from all directions . There is on the bazaar just about everything you"d expect to find, such as various special local products, handicrafts, articles of daily use , fruits and vegetables as well as means of production and all kinds of domestic ani..

Altyn-Emel (in translation- “Golden Saddle”) – is the largest national natural park in Kazakhstan. Altyn-Emel is located in 150 km from Almaty city. The park is located in a secluded valley, and surrounded by mountains from three sides, and from the south surrounded by the deltas of the Ili River. The area of the park is 520 000 hectares. The territory of the national park consists of the western spurs of the Dzhungar Alatau, the desert mountains of Kututau, Aktau, Ulken and Kshi-Kalkany and the unique monument of the nature "Singing Dune", which is located 182 kilometers north-east of Al..

Turkmenbashi (former Krasnovodsk) - the only large port in entire Central Asia, which provides relations with the European countries. Surrounded from the east by the crescent of low mountains it looks into Caspian Sea turquoise- dark-blue waters in the west. Surrounding desert landscape is more similar to lunar. From this dusty and some sleepy city the majority of excursions to the mountains and seaside health resort towns begin. The Caspian Sea cost is famous for its remarkable sandy beaches, clean, transparent water, abundance of sea flora and fauna, that makes it possible to take pleasur..

Kunya-Urgench ("old Urgench") is architectural preserve and lies in 480 km to the north of Ashkhabad. This is an ancient capital of north Khorezm and was mentioned in Chinese scriptures already in I c. A.D. In the middle of VIII c. it falls under the authority of Arabs. In 995 y. Gurgandj (it obtained this name after Arab invasion) became the residence of Khorezm Shah and became the second largest city after Bukhara - the capital of Samanids’ empire. Being the large cultural and commercial center in middle ages, it gave shelter to Avicenna (Abu-Ali-ibn-Sino), Al-Beruni, Ibn-Battuta and to o..

Surprising natural objects - Yangikala Canyons are situated in the Northwest Turkmenistan in Balkan region. From Turkmen language Yangi-kala means “fiery fortresses”. Canyons have such name because of prevailing red color of breeds from which hills and breakages are combined. The similar mountains are in Chinese Sinzyan and they are also named «flaming mountains». Canyons present the incredibly beautiful show. Having left Balkanabad through the lifeless equal desert, you suddenly appear at the sheer steeps, leaving deep down for hundreds meters. Formerly water of the ancient sea was lapping..

There are two architectural and archaeological monuments – Old and New Nissa. The Old Nissa was the capital of Parthia, which existed and flourished more than 2000 years ago (from III c. B.C. to III c. A.D.). In that period Nissa was the strong fortress located on the hill with thick 8 meter walls and 43 towers, which surrounded the royal palace. The city arranged to the right of the basic commercial routes was adjacent to it. Old Nissa existed only till III c. B.C., when the territory was governed by Persian dynasty of Sasanids. New Nissa was populated more lately. The place was flourishing ..

The Margush was prosperous ancient kingdom in the region of Mari. Using the material of the latest archeological dig it can say the kingdom subsisted 5 thousand years ago. The people, lived there, were jacks-of-all-trades, they engaged in agriculture. The also had their written language. Thus historian proved the subsistence of this centre of an ancient civilization, equally with India, Egypt, Mesopotamia and China. The first agricultural settlements appeared in the delta of Murgab in VII thousands B.C. The fertile silt, bringing from the mountain, plenty of water and temperate hot climate cre..

Ashkhabad (Ashgabat) is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan, which name can be transferred as the "city of love". It is located in the south-west part of the country, in the extensive oasis, which lies at the foothills of Kopet-Dagh, on the very edge of hot desert. The city was formed, for the most part, in the beginning of XX century, around the Russian fortress, built in 1881 y. on the cross-road of caravan ways. In 1885 y. the branch of Caspian railroad was laid through the city, which gave the powerful impact to its development. During the sorrowful day on 6 October 1948, at ..

Bakharden cave, without any exaggerations, is one of the most famous and attended touristic places of Turkmenistan.  The cave is located in the cave is located in the foothills of the Kopetdag in the Bakharden district of the Akhal region, about 20 km from the village Bakharden, and 120 km from Ashgabat. Bakharden cave is presented as on big hall with the length of 250 meters and 10 to 50 meter wide. The height of the hall is constantly decreasing from the entrance from 26 meters to 3-4 meters in the far (lake) part of the cave. The volume of the cave is 75 thousand m3. The bottom of t..

Avaza - is a wonderful seaside resort on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea located in Avazian district, Balkan province 12 kilometers away from city Turkmenbashi (former Krasnovodsk). Avaza can be translated as “the shore of the singing waves”. Indeed this place is blessed- almost 30 kilometers of crystal clear sand coast, lavish sun, warm sea in summer and curative air.   First plans of reconstruction of the shore and creating 5 thousand hectares of national touristic zone were declared by the president of Turkmenistan Gurbanogli Berdimukhamedov in May, 2007. There were ver..

Darvaza Gas Crater is situated in Turkmenistan in the center of Kara-Kum – one of the great deserts of Asia. (Latitude -40.252324, , Longitude -58.439843). Just imagine a blazing by hundreds torches, buzzing and puffing by hot air crater with diameter 60 and depth 20 meters. Gas gets out of pores of ground, dividing for hundreds burning different sized torches. In some torches tongues of flame run up to 10–15 meters high. Local inhabitants tell, that the fire shining in the dark draws into the flame thousands living creatures. Plenty quantities of insects, birds, animals were “hypnotized” by n..

There are many reserves or national parks which save the flora and fauna of these unique environment in Kazakhstan. Among them are national parks Altyn Emel and Bayanul, reserves Aksu-Dzhabagly, Naurzumskiy, Usturtskiy and Markakolskiy. Aksu-Djabagli. Aksu-Djabagli is the oldest reserve of Kazakhstan and the first in Central Asia received status of biospheric reserve of UNESCO is located in spurs of Western Tian Shan at height from 1000 up to 4280 meters above sea level. All general height zones are presented there. Semi-deserts are replaced by dry steppes, magnificent meadows give plac..

Taraz city is more then 2000 years old. Since ancient time this city was known as “merchant town”. It is situated in South Kazakhstan, on the trade roads, leading to the South-East countries. The peak of the city’s development falls on 10-12 centuries, when it was the capital of Karakanid state. Mausoleums of Karakhan and Davudbek, rulers’ palaces and many ancient burial grounds let a tourist plunge into faraway times. Ancient architecture masterpieces mausoleums Babadji-Hatun and Aysha-bibi, included by UNESCO into the list of the world’s architecture rarities, have remained not far from t..

Almaty city is situated on the south-east of Kazakhstan, at the foot of Zayliyskiy Alatau. The city’s population numbers nearly 1,5 million people. Almaty was founded in 1854 as a Russian frontline fort in the district settled by nomads and was the capital of Kazakhstan till 1997. At present the city remains financial, economic and cultural center of Kazakhstan. Almaty is a clean and tidy city with long straight avenues and beautiful parks. The mountains of the Zailiy Alatau rise as a wall along the south border of the city and make a beautiful background. Almaty has always considered a gar..

"Chimgan" and "Beldersay" are popular ski resorts in Uzbekistan and are situated just in 80 km from Taskent – the capital of Uzbekistan on the altitude of 1500 m above sea level in the mountains of South-West Tien-Shan. "Chimgan" is recommended for family rest and for junior skiers. "Beldersay" - for more experienced skiers. Clear air, soft winter climate, picturesque vicinity, long ski fast tracks, comfortable hotels, stable sunny weather, the absence of queues on ski lifts, good conditions for free ride, back country and heliski. "Beldersay" is a popular mountain ski resort. It is situate..

Turkestan city (Yasy) was well-known as a mental-political center of the Turk people in the large region Desht-i-Kipchak (Kipchak Steppe) and was the ancient capital of Kazakh Khans. Today Turkestan is 15000 years old. Sheikh Khodja Akhmed Yassaui – a poet, philosopher and spiritually mentor of the Turk people lived in this city. Khodja Akhmed Yassaui Mausoleum built by order of Tamerlan in 16 century is a masterpiece of Middle age architecture. It represents unique complex of palaces and temples, where decoration elegancy, patterned vaulted ceilings, colorful majolica mosaic are amazed. There..

Situated in the steppes of Kyzylorda Province, Kazakhstan, 240 km west of the city of Kyzylorda, near the Tyuratam railway station, Baikonur is, probably, the world’s most famous spacecraft launch site (cosmodrome). Present-day Baikonur comprises a huge spaceport and a cosy city with a population of over 70 thousand people, both leased to Russia until 2050. The history of the city and cosmodrome began in 1955, when the USSR government decided to use the site for the construction of a training area to test intercontinental ballistic missiles. For secrecy reasons and in order to disorienta..

Khorog has been a part of Tajikistan since 1932 and today it is the center of the Mountain-Badakhshan autonomous region. It is situated at an altitude of 2200m and stretches for 10km at the confluence of the Gunt River and the Piandj River. Khorog is connected by highways and air communication with cities Dushanbe and Osh. The city is surrounded by many gardens. Over the east part of the city at an altitude of 2320m above sea level on the coastal zone of the Shakhdara River is situated the renowned Pamirskiy botanical garden with unique plants, brought from different parts of the world. Wor..

The Mountain Badakhshan (GBAO) is a marvelous mountain country. There are only two similar places over the world: Tibet and Bolivia high mountains. You can reach the Mountain Badakhshan on one of the most high-mountain highway in the world – Pamir Highway with extension of 728 km via the highest pass in the CIS – Ak-Baital (4641 m), crossing the deepest gorges, high-mountain deserts, where only yaks are able to find poor fodder for themselves. But even there, in inclement conditions, the people calling themselves proudly “Pamirians” are able to live in those places. Amazingly beautiful landsc..

The Wonderful Fann Mountains – the Most Popular Region in Tajikistan. The Fann Mountains is the country of turquoise lakes, breathtakingly high peaks and ancient legends. You can hardly find such a marvelous place anywhere in the world, with over 30 beautiful mountain lakes and a dozen peaks more than 5,000 m high concentrated on a relatively small area of 650 km2. The picturesque Zindon and Archamaydan valleys, the fabulous beauty of Big Allo Lake surrounded by vertical rocks, splendid Kulikalon, Alaudin and Marguzor Lakes, legendary Iskanderkul Lake, amazing waterfalls and astounding and ..

The Tajik portion of the Vakhan Valley ends in the large exotic village of Langar. Located at an elevation of 3,000 m above sea level, Langar is the highest village in the southern part of the Pamir Mountains. The weather there is cool and windy throughout. The place is surrounded on all sides by the 6,000-metre peaks of the Pamirs and Hindu Kush. Near Langar the Vakhandarya merges with the larger Pamir River to form the Panj. The village is highly popular among tourists: it is interesting from an ethnographic aspect and features an original tomb of a saint with an altar covered with numerous ..

Ihkashim, a small village of three streets stretching along the highway in the Panj Valley, is the administrative centre of Ishkashim District. The village is situated at the border with Afghanistan and its main attraction is the Afghan Bazaar organised on weekends in a neutral territory, on the other side of a bridge across the Panj. There people from a few nearby villages in both countries sell each other China-manufactured mass consumption goods. It is quite interesting to watch Afghan sellers and buyers in characteristic traditional clothes. There tourists can purchase authentic p..

About 15 km west of Ishkashim, near the village of Namanguti, you will find the famous Kaahka, one of the most ancient fortresses (3rd century BC-7th century AD) in the Western Pamirs lying currently in ruins. The stronghold was named so after a legendary strongman, the king of fire worshippers (siakhpushes). It is perched on a rock in the middle of the valley and is 675 m long and 200 m wide. The strong double walls of stone and mud brick are reinforced with 56 round and square towers with loopholes. There are a few palace rooms on a citadel in the fortress’s north-western corner. The riversi..

Pendjikent city is situated in the valley of the Zarafshan river, 68 km south-east of Samarkand and 320 km south-west of Khodjikent. In the south-east outskirts of today’s Pendjikent are situated ruins of an ancient Sogd town of the same name, which is a unique monument of Central Asia culture. This town existed in 5-8th cc. B.C. and was called "Central Asian Pompeii". It is one of not many well studied ancient towns of Sogd. Style and technique of Pendjikent culture is near to art of other ancient Central Asian towns Afrasiab, Varakhsha, Shakhristan as well as towns of Iran, Afghanistan an..

Ura-Tyube is one of the ancient cities of Central Asia, sprang up more than 2500 years ago. The city is situated at an altitude of about 1000m above sea level on the Aksu mountain river at the west side of the Turkestan Ridge.It is believed that Ura-Tyube was established by Persian king Kir. The city became an extreme point of his great state in the Nord-East. Accordingly to the Greek sources, in 329 B.C. this city named Kiropol was conquered by Alexander the Great. But accordingly to the notices of sultan Baber, the city was the capital of Utrusana land and had the same name. As Ura-Tybe ("ur..

Since 1991 Dushanbe (former Stalinabad and the capital of ex-Tajik SSR since 1925) has been the capital of sovereign Tajikistan. It is a rather young city, situated among mountains in the scenic Gissar valley at an altitude of more than 800 m. above sea level. For the first time the city was mentioned in historical sources of 1676. Dushanbe is translated from Tajik as "Monday" ("du" is two; "shanbe" is Saturday, thus two days after Saturday). The reason is not that the city was founded on this day, but since olden days a big east market "bazar" has taken place there every Monday. The city occu..

The village of Yamchun ranks as one of the most interesting tourist attractions in the Vakhan Valley. Yamchun is situated 90 km east of the administrative centre of the district, Ishkashim. Near the village you can find the strongest fortress of the Vakhan Valley, which stands on an elevated area protected on three sides by deep natural canyons. The stronghold was encircled by three rings of double walls up to 950 m long and up to 400 m wide. With 40 towers and a citadel in its most elevated part, the fortress was a truly impressive and majestic structure. Judging from the ruins of its walls a..

Vakhan, the Vakhan Valley and the Vakhan Corridor are the different names for one of the most interesting places in the world. The picturesque valley is named so after the stream running on its bottom, the Vakhandarya, a tributary of the legendary Panj River flowing along Tajikistan's southwestern border, where Tajikistan is separated from Pakistan by a strip of Afghan land, narrow (between 20 km and 50 km) and long (200 km from the Tajik village of Ishkashim in the east to the Takmansudavan Pass on the Afghanistan-China border, in the west). Squeezed between the Pamir Mountains (Shakhdara and..

The village of Vrang is a wonderful place, the only one in the Pamir Mountains featuring a 4th-7th-century Buddhist cultic complex located on a high cliff above the village. The monument consists of a three-tier stone stupa in a yard enclosed in high walls with towers. Next to the stupa there are a number of artificial grottoes, the monks’ cells, dug in the steep slope of a mountain. According to experts, it was one of the centres of the Tibetan version of Buddhism. The Tajik portion of the Vakhan Valley ends in the large exotic village of Langar. Located at an elevation of 3,000 m above se..

Bishkek (former Frunze) is the largest city and the capital of Kyrgyzstan with a population about 1 million people. It is situated on Kyrgyz Ala-Too snow covered mountains foothills on the altitude 750-900 m above the sea level. There are a lot of legends about the name of the city. One version says that it was the name local athlete, which made a lot of deeds for ordinary people. "Bishkek" translated from Kyrgyz language means the stirring rod for beating the "kumis"- delicious and healing beverage, prepared from mare milk. For tourists Bishkek is only trans-shipment point and the rest..

Osh is the second-largest city of Kyrgyzstan – the "southern capital", the city located in the east of Ferghana valley, at the height of more than 1000 m above the sea level. Today this ancient city is an administrative centre of the Osh area. It is a large economic and cultural centre with the population approximately 250 thousand people who has kept unique charm of the ancient East. From three sides Osh is surrounded with hills and low rocky spurs of Alay ridge. But the main testimony of thei presence is, certainly, the five-domed Suleiman mountain (Suleiman-Too) towering in the city cent..

The hot mineral spring Garm-Chashma (the name translates from Tajik as ‘hot spring’) is situated at an elevation of 2,325 m above sea level, on the western slope of the Shakhdara Range, in the middle course of the Garm-Chashma River, 42 km southwest of the city of Khorog, Ishkashim District of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, Tajikistan. The spring is at least few thousand years old, because this is the minimal period required for the formation of such enormous travertine deposits (sinter) as cascade down to the river in Garm-Chashma. These cascades, bright white, yellowish and reddish..

To travel in Turkmenistan you should have travel visa. Travel visa is to be issued by Turkmenistan embassy after receiving of invitation letter made with request of travel agency on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. To obtain invitation letter for travel visa (visa support letter) according to the demands of MFA of Turkmenistan we need the following client"s details: • Full name • Sex • Citizenship • Date & place of birth (Please indicate country and city of birth) • Passport number, date of issue and date of expire • Home stay (full address) • Place of..

To travel in Tajikistan you should have travel visa. Travel visa is to be issued by Tajikistan embassy after receiving of invitation letter made with request of travel agency on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan. To obtain invitation letter for travel visa (visa support letter) according to the demands of MFA of Tajikistan we need the following client"s details: • Full name • Sex • Citizenship • Date & place of birth (Please indicate country and city of birth) • Passport number, date of issue and date of expire • Home stay (full address) • Place of work an..

To travel in Kyrgyzstan you should have a travel visa. Travel visa is to be issued by Kyrgyzstan embassy after receiving of invitation letter made by request of travel agency on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan (MFA). Below listed are the countries whose citizens do not need entry visas to enter KR: Azerbaijan Republic, Albania, Republic of Belarus, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Hertzegovina, Georgia, Republic of Kazakhstan, People"s Democratic Republic of Korea, Republic of Cuba, Macedonia, Malaysia (tourist- and business trips up to a month long), Republic of Moldova, Mon..

The Opera and Ballet Theatre is one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Tashkent. The theatre is located in the very heart of the city, next to the Central Department Store and Tashkent’s oldest hotel, in a historical building with an original design. The theatre’s history began in the 1920s, when M. Kari-Yakubov, a theatrical art enthusiast, organised an ensemble of professional musicians and dancers in Tashkent, which became the core of the State Uzbek Musical Theatre founded in November 1929. In 1939 the theatre staged its first opera Buran by Uzbek composer Ashrafi. After that t..

The Uzbek kurash is one of the most ancient types of traditional wrestling in the world and, probably, the most popular amusement in Uzbekistan. There is no holiday in Uzbekistan that goes without kurash. This sport does not require a special ground or a gymnasium. In the former times people were wrestling on the ground, sometimes covered with carpets. The rules are simple and democratic. Kurash is acceptable to both the young and the old. Holidays often feature wrestling with the participation of grey-bearded old men. Kurash requires much strength and stamina and is not characterised by co..

Medieval bathhouses (hammam) in Bukhara are special places, which are both historical monuments and establishments performing their direct functions. Bathhouses of this kind are from 400 to 600 hundred years old, and the number of people they have washed and taken care of during all this time is just inconceivable. Some of the bathhouses, such as Hammam Sarrofon and Hammam Bozori-kord, continue to function today to please the local people and the city’s guests. The Bukhara bathhouses resemble somewhat the Turkish ones in their interior design. However, the former contain more rooms, while t..

The architectural complex Poi Kalan is situated in the very centre of Bukhara. It is easy to find the complex as its main element, the Kalan minaret, towers above the city by almost 50 m and is visible practically from any spot in Bukhara. According to some sources, in the old times it was used as a landmark for caravans travelling across the desert around Bukhara. As the city has not changed its geographic location over centuries and has only expanded its boundaries, the Poi Kalan complex remains today, a thousand years afterwards, the central part, the axis of Bukhara. The construction..

Since ancient times the sheep fighting has been an important part of the Uzbek traditions. There has been no holiday that went without this spectacle. The sheep fighting is an attractive and excitable performance. The spectators boom, whistle and stamp their feet encouraging the contestants. The animal’s preparation for a fight is similar to that of a professional sportsman, with running and special food and training included. It is also very important to keep the animal clean and maintain a high level of hygiene. The sheep are brought to a special ground and placed at a distance of 5 m ..

The Safari yurt camp is situated 5 km from the western shore of the Aydar Lake, near the village of Dongelek lost in sands in the very heart of the Kyzylkum desert, 60 km from administrative centre Nurata. Today it is one of Uzbekistan’s largest and most comfortable yurt camps. There are 20 ceremonial Kazakh yurts that comprise the camp’s permanent dwellings, with 6 other yurts erected in case of necessity. The yurts are richly decorated with carpets and sherdaks made manually by local artisans. The colourful ornamental patterns combined with original illumination tend to create festive atm..

Often the Zaamin National Park is confused with the Zaamin Reserve. In fact, they are closely connected with one another, both territorially and from the floral and faunal aspects. The main difference of the Zaamin National Park from the reserve with the same name is that visitors are allowed into the territory of the national park. The park also includes a sanatorium, while the reserve forbids any economic activity in its territory. Usually the Zaamin National Park is considered to be confined to the narrow gorge of the Uryukli-Say river, from a point a little distance south o..

The Zaamin National Reserve (often confused with the Zaamin National Park, which is a different object) is situated on the northern slopes of the Turkestan Range, in the territory of Zaamin and Bahmal Districts, Jizzah province, Uzbekistan. The reserve was recreated in 1960 in the place of the former Guralash Reserve (founded in 1928) and at present covers a territory of 26,840 ha. The territory of the reserve is occupied by a mountain chain with clear divisions into altitudinal zones, the elevations ranging from 1,760 m to 3,500 m above sea level. The southern part of the reserve fe..

Sarmysh is a gallery of rock paintings in the open air. The Sarmysh gorge situated on the southern slopes of the Karatau range, 40 km northeast of the administrative centre Navoi, is a unique natural, historical and tourist object. The black basalt walls of the gorge polished by winds contain over 4,000 petroglyphs (ancient images on rock). There cannot be found many places on the earth with such concentration of ancient drawings on a limited area. The images found on the rocks of the Sarmysh gorge are of different style and technique. Some of the petroglyphs were drawn with ochre grou..

Marghilan city is a small satellite of Ferghana, its population is more than 200 thousand people, it is located on the mountain plain at the northern piedmont of Alay ridge in Marghilansay valley in 12 kilometers from Ferghana city. As many other cities of Ferghana valley, Marghilan had appeared at the early stage of organizations the silk caravan route over 2000 years ago and later it developed as a trade - craft town. The city is noted in Babur-name (“The notes”, “Memoirs” of Mukhammad Babur written in 20s years XVI century) among eight big cities of Ferghana valley. So Babur wrote about t..

Rishtan is a small town, buried in verdure, it is located in the east of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in 270 km from Tashkent and in 50 km from Ferghana. Rishtan is an administrative center of Rishtan district of Ferghana valley, with the population more than 50 thousand people. Rishtan is one of the most ancient cities of Ferghana valley on the Great Silk Road. The first records of Rishtan date from IX century. Since earliest times, it is famous as the biggest center of manufacture the unique glazed ceramic in Central Asia. Rishtan ceramic is notable for the gorgeousness of décor, where blue..