My Highlights From the Silk Road in Central Asia

Travelling in Central Asia was a big dream for me as a child. I always wondered what Uzbekistan, Iran and Bangladesh were like. Over the years, I gradually visited as many parts of it as I could. I thought it was a nice time to reflect on my time in this wonderful part of the world as I take a break from my current Trans Siberian Railway trip – I am now in Kazakhstan! These are my recommended highlights from my time on the Silk Road through Central Asia.

1.Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a truly stunning country. It can be hard to see everything without a local guide, so hook up with an Uzbekistan travel agency and get out and see the amazing cities they have there. Highlights were Bukhara, Termiz and Samarkand but the country is huge and takes a long time to see. Check out the marvellous Samarkand below:

2.Iran – West Side
I got my Iran visa sorted out in Turkey and we entered through the border at Gurbulak. Iran was a little bit less touristic at the time and we backpacked it and loved it. We started off in dreamy Tabriz, before heading west to Gazor Khan and the capital city of Tehran.

3.Iran – East and Central
After touring the west of Iran and the capital city of Tehran, it was time to visit the desert towns of Yazd and Kerman and the amazing Imam Reza Shrine in the city of Mashhad. This is the largest Mosque in the world and a true gem for any Silk Road backpacker. Get it on your list please!

4.China – Yunnan
Being a Hong Kong girl, I have to include China in this of course. A major part of the Silk Road for me and such varying landscapes and cultures from Tibet, Xinjiang and to my favourite province in China – Yunnan. It is a glorious province to visit. My highlights are the cities of Kunming, the Shilin Stone Forest and the magnificent Yellow Canola Fields at Luoping. We also hiked the Upper Trail and visited the Tibetan Monastery near Zhongdian – also kknown as Shangri La. An amazing part of the world.

5.Kazakhstan
As I am now backpacking in Kazakhstan, I thought to include it to keep my travel blog up to date. I crossed the border from Russia and am now loving this place. My first stop was in Astana. Kazakhstan is a very big country and is still a bit less touristic than you would expect. I hope these 5 highlights are good tips for you when you also tour Central Asia.