Central Asia is surprisingly safe. Of all the places in the world the Travel Scientists organize events, Central Asia is the greatest unknown for participants. The feeling of mystery and adventure is part of what makes the region so exciting. However, first-time visitors may naturally be concerned that Central Asia is safe to travel. The answer is yes, but — like […]
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Central Asia: More Fun with Friends
It’s easy to have a good time on the Central Asia Rally. Participants on the Central Asia Rally tend to be adventurous, independent-minded, and capable. So, you might ask, why bother joining up with us, when they could make the journey themselves? Well, it turns out that there are plenty very good reasons, actually!
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Kyzylkum: The Desert of Red Sand
We drive through the Kyzylkum Desert on the Central Asia Rally. Much of the Central Asia Rally is spent discovering the unexpected: glorious medieval cities, tranquil lakes, and incredible mountain passes. However, we also traverse less surprising Central Asian terrain: desert. The Kyzylkum, which in local Turkic languages means “red sand”, is one of the largest deserts […]
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The Wakhan Corridor
The Wakhan Corridor could hardly be more remote Photo via Flickr The Central Asia Rally specialises in the discovery of remote places, and each year teams on our event see places that most travellers would never even dream of. Even for us, though, the Wakhan Corridor, a thin slice of Afghanistan than separates Tajikistan […]
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The Volga: Ending Where Central Asia Begins
The Volga ends where the Central Asia Rally begins. The Volga Delta, the point (or rather, points) where Europe’s largest river system drains into the Caspian Sea, is a fitting start point for the Central Asia Rally. It is here that Europe ends, and where we begin our journey from the Russian city of Astrakhan, first […]
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Soviet Relics of Central Asia
Soviet memories can be found all over Central Asia. Photo via Creative Commons On the Central Asia Rally, we travel all across the region, from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan. Everywhere we go we see reminders of history, and not just silk road cities: there are also noticeably traces of decades of Soviet […]
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The Largest Cities of Central Asia
The biggest cities of the Central Asian Region. In Central Asia, sites of spectacular nature vastly outnumber urban centers, but that doesn’t mean there are no cities of note. In fact, we visit several of the largest cities in Central Asia on the Central Asia Rally. Here are the major cities of Central Asia:
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Ala Archa National Park, Kyrgyzstan
A taste of why you should visit Kyrgyzstan’s Ala Archa National Park. Photo via Flickr As you relax in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, after completing the Central Asia Rally, you may feel like you’ve experienced enough adventure to last a lifetime. However, if you would like to add to the catalog of […]
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Bukhara’s Beautiful Lyab-i Hauz
In Bukhara, a Hauz is outside… Photo Allan Grey In Persian culture, a Hauz is a pond. In Bukhara, which we visit on the Central Asia Rally, the Lyab-i Hauz is the area around the one of these ponds, famed for its tranquility and architecture. It reveals a taste of Silk Road life from many […]
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What Counts as Central Asia?
It’s Central, and its Asia, but what exactly does that mean? Asia is a vast continent, and so identifying whats counts as its “center” is not as easy as it might seem. For the Central Asia Rally, we stick with the consensus (whereby Central Asia more or less is exactly equal to the “Stans”), but […]
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The Perfect Central Asian Feast
These are the essential dishes for the perfect Central Asian feast. Central Asia may not be especially famous for its cuisine, but we certainly enjoy it. After a long day driving on the Central Asia Rally, there’s nothing better than settling down to a selection of delicious local favourites. Here are what we reckon […]
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Central Asia Rally 2017: Khorog to Sary Mogol
Our favourite photos from days 10 and 11 of this year’s event. As the Central Asia Rally 2017 continued, the views got even better. Here are some of the best photos (which, let’s be honest, don’t do justice to the real thing) of Day 10, from Khorog to Murghab, and Day 11, onward to […]
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