Central Asia
Overview
With its medieval blue-domed cities, kinetic bazaars and remote yurtstays, Central Asia encapsulates the romance of the Silk Road like nowhere else.
01 / Attractions
Must-see attractions
Samarkand
This ensemble of majestic, tilting medressas – a near-overload of majolica, azure mosaics and vast, well-proportioned spaces – is the centrepiece of the…
Samarkand
The beautiful portal and trademark fluted azure dome of the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum marks the final resting place of Timur (Tamerlane), along with two sons…
Kazakhstan
Some 285km east of Aktau, Beket-Ata is an important and extremely popular place of pilgrimage for those wishing to visit the underground mosque and final…
Bukhara
The spectacular-looking Ark, a royal town-within-a-town, is Bukhara’s oldest structure, occupied from the 5th century right up until 1920, when it was…
Samarkand
Samarkand’s most moving and beloved site is this stunning avenue of mausoleums, which contains some of the richest tilework in the Muslim world. The name,…
Nukus
The Savitsky Museum houses one of the most remarkable art collections in the former Soviet Union. About half of the paintings were brought here in Soviet…
National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
This huge blue-glass-and-white-marble museum covers the history and culture of Kazakhstan from ancient to modern times. Themed halls comprise interactive…
Kazakhstan
Over millions of years, the swift Charyn (Sharyn) River has carved a truly spectacular 150m- to 300m-deep canyon into the otherwise flat steppe some 200km…
02 / Articles
Latest stories from Central Asia
Filter by interest:
Sports
Archery, eagles and wrestling: How to see the World Nomad Games in KazakhstanJul 23, 2024 • 6 min read
ArticlesTrailblazers: crossing into China as a Lonely Planet writer in the 1980sJul 7, 2019 • 8 min read
PhotographyA haunting glimpse of Kyrgyzstan’s abandoned Soviet townsJan 30, 2019 • 2 min read
Festivals & EventsUzbekistan's Stihia Festival: riding sound waves in the vanished Aral SeaSep 18, 2018 • 4 min read
ArtAstana exposed: eight reasons to visit Kazakhstan’s gleaming capitalJun 5, 2018 • 6 min read
Wildlife & NaturePeaks and homestays: Tajikistan's majestic Fan Mountains in picturesMar 22, 2018 • 4 min read
