Central Asia Tour, Central Asia, POIs/Sights
About this map: www.zweiradlertouren.de/en/zat/faq/#route.
Tizian Römer and Belinda Benz from Zweiradlertouren (www.zweiradlertouren.de).

Ak-Baital Pass
The Ak-Baital Pass (Russian: Акбайтал; Tajik: Оқбайтал; Kyrgyz: Ак-Байтал) is a mountain pass in the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan (GBAO region).[1] At 4,655 metres (15,272 ft) it is the highest point of the M41 highway.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ak-Baital_Pass.

Aktau
Aktau was created as a uranium mining town in 1961 and was named Shevchenko, after the Ukrainian national poet Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (Ukrainian: Тара́с Григо́рович Шевче́нко). The Soviets built a major nuclear power plant and desalinization plant and the desert was transformed into a livable city. After independence, the Kazakhs renamed Shevchenko, and the city has become Kazakhstan's only port. Due to the large amount of oil and gas exported from Kazakhstan, the city has boomed and is now home to many new developments, which have stretched the infrastructure to its breaking point.
If you come to this city, you will be able to experience the paradox of large supplies of hydrocarbons, uranium and seawater coupled with frequent brown-outs and water shortages.
There is a Soviet-era plane on a pedestal just down the hill from the Asian-themed World War II memorial. At this memorial, an eternal flame (Russian: Вечный Огонь) burns under a circle of partial-white arches, which are reminiscent of a yurt. Across from the memorial, there is a drama theater with regular productions in Russian.
Just south of these structures, on Aktau's middle north-south thoroughfare, you will find a collection of restaurants, night clubs and shopping centers. A well-appointed grocery store (Ramstor), movie theater and night club are in the Ardager shopping complex (district 9). Beyond that, in the furthest shopping center to the south is "Shoom" (ШУМ) (district 4), which has a large variety of low-quality stores.
To the north, in district 16, you can find Aktau's new mall. The mall includes a very small ice-skating rink, movie theater and a number of low and high quality shops (low quality children's clothes on the top floor, Hugo Boss on the main floor). The mall includes arguably the best deal in town for food at Asorti on its top floor.
District 10 has little of note, but it serves as a great viewing point of the huge frescoes, which cover one side of decrepit Soviet apartment buildings across the main street in district 9. The frescoes depict various "national fathers" of Kazakhstan, and rumor has it that current president Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev is keen to have his picture painted in a similar fashion. For now, there is an enormous banner draped over an apartment building on that row.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Aktau.
For more see there.

Ala Kul Lake
A stunning blue-green lake located in the Terskey Alatau mountain range.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ala-kul-lake.

Alichur
Alichur is a small village surrounded by endless empty moonscape. The village consists of very little other than several homestays, a small shop, and a few wells for drinking water.
While at first glance Alichur’s surroundings seem inhospitable and devoid of life, like elsewhere in the Pamirs, a closer look reveals remnants of times past and tenacious wildlife hiding in plain sight.
Wildlife viewing
Alichur is home to the Burgut conservancy, a community-driven effort to resist poaching and hunting in the Pamirs. It’s working, and Burgut is a good place to view wildlife. Yak riding and Marco Polo sheep viewing tours are possible to arrange through Matluba Homestay. For more extensive tours, it is best to get in touch with a tour operator in advance.
Marco Polo sheep and ibex should be easy to spot for all. Catching sight of the illustrious snow leopard is of course much more difficult, but not impossible in the Alichur range; most rangers at Burgut have had sightings.
Geyser
A knee-high geyser sits halfway between Alichur and Bulunkul. It isn’t that impressive, but it is another invitation to get off the beaten track.
To see the geyser, get off the M41 and follow the very rough track that leads straight to Bulunkul from Alichur (2 hours).
To go to Bulunkul without seeing the geyser, take the tarmaced M41 until just past the Wakhan turnoff, where a dirt track takes you to Bulunkul (1h30).
Food
A small shop holds enough of a selection to survive on until Murghab or Khorog. Amina’s homestay also has a little restaurant, and most other homestays will likely feed you if asked. 13 km east of Alichur, a small white building next to a lake serves great fish.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/alichur/.
For more see there.

Almaty: Abay Opera House
Abay Opera House (Kazakh: Абай атындағы қазақ мемлекеттік академиялық опера және балет театры, romanized: Abaı atyndaǵy qazaq memlekettik akademııalyq opera jáne balet teatry) is one of the leading opera houses in Kazakhstan located in Almaty city.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abay_Opera_House.
For more see there.

Almaty: Abay Square
The Abai Square (Kazakh: Абай алаңы) is a city square in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is named after the Kazakh poet and enlightener Abai Qunanbaiuly whose monument is located in the middle. The square features a public garden and a number of fountains clad in granite. The square is located in front of the Palace of the Republic and around it are the Hotel Kazakhstan, Arman cinema, and a cable station linking to the Kók Tóbe Park.[1]
The Abai Square is known to frequently host as a space for public gatherings, ceremonies, and concerts.[2]
This square was originally formed at the end of the 19th century. In 1960, at the corner of Abai and Lenin Avenues, a monument to Abai Qunanbaiuly was erected, around which buildings were built in subsequent years with the Arman cinema and cable car station to Kok Tobe. In 1970, the Lenin Palace (now Palace of the Republic) was constructed which was then followed by Hotel Kazakhstan and on the side of it a large pond-pool with a fountain.[3]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abai_Square.

Almaty: Arasan Baths
Tu-Su 08:00 - 00:00. A large public bathing complex with a magnificent Samarkand style domed pool. The perfect place to spend a few hours relaxing. Due to its cold and windy conditions, visiting saunas with friends is very popular in Kazakhstan. Saunas (Russian "banyas") are an excellent place to discuss business issues or just socialize with friends. Having parties (birthdays, New Year, etc.) in saunas is normal practice. In fact many modern saunas in Almaty are fully equipped with karaoke, billiards, swimming pools, relax rooms, massage rooms, etc. edit There is a great range of different spas and steam rooms, Morrocoan, Finnish, Russian (including Venik (leaves to beat youself with)), Sufa at three temperatures. All for the very cheap price of just over 1000 tenge each.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Almaty.
For more see https://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/almaty/arasan-baths/.

Almaty: Arbat Shopping Street
Almaty's artists' row on a tree-lined pedestrian street. "Arbat" is a nickname of the street. On the same street you can visit the big mall - TsUM (in Russian - ЦУМ - Центральный Универсальный Магазин). At the east end of this pedestrian street there is the Silk Way Mall. Here you can find Wi-Fi Internet access at Cafemax on the second level (500 tenge for 100 min) and a selection of upscale shops. Most of these shops are imitations of Western chain stores such as Zara. They also imitate Western prices.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Almaty.

Almaty: Ascension Cathedral
Completed in 1907, it's re-opened after renovation in 2018/19, though some interior work continues. (New saints are being painted in, though presumably they're known to the hagiographers.) The iconostasis is spectacular. At 56 m this among the tallest wooden buildings in the world, which you wouldn't guess from the smoothly painted exterior hues of custard, icing sugar and coloured marzipan - it's more like a lure for Hansel & Gretel.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Almaty.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Cathedral,_Almaty and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ascension-cathedral.

Almaty: Astana Square
Astana Square (Kazakh: Астана Алаңы, Astana Alaŋy) or Old Square is a city square in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is the second largest square in Kazakhstan, after Republic Square. It hosts many public events, concerts, and ceremonies. The square is in front of the Kazakh-British Technical University, the monument of Aliya Moldagulova and Manshuk Mametova, and is on the left side of the Panfilov Street Promenade[1][2] The square used to be named after Vladimir Lenin and a statue of him stood in the center of the square until 1991.[3]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astana_Square.

Almaty: Batyr streets
Together with the other Batyr streets, Bogenbai and Karasai, this block is known as the Golden Rectangle, with luxury shopping and coffee places galore. Coffeedelia is a perennial favorite amongst foreigners and locals alike.

Almaty: Beatles Statue
See https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/beatles-statue-almaty.

Almaty: Big Almaty Lake
Big Almaty Lake is a scenic lake at 2510 m altitude, surrounded by high mountains. It glistens like a mirror, changing colour with the season (a deep turquoise in autumn), and freezing in winter. Towering over it to the south east is Soviet Peak (4317 m), to the south Ozerniy (4110 m), and to the southwest Tourist Peak (3954 m). Great for hiking and climbing. Getting here and back is obviously easiest by car, otherwise: Bus 28 runs from the roundabout at Al-Farabi and Navoi up Dulati St and ends at the last left turn before Alma-Arasan. Taxis here will take you to within 4 km of the lake for around 2000 tenge. Otherwise it's a 15 km hike and 1000 m rise of altitude: think about the weather and the coming back. Follow the road about 8 km until you reach a big water pipe, and then follow the steep trail next to the water pipe.
Surrounded by mountains and giant Tien Shan firs, Big Almaty Lake is a scenic place. It’s worth a drive, and it looks like in the pictures. You can definitely enjoy the atmosphere up here, as long as you remember a few basic pointers left out of most travel guides.
The Sunkar Falconry Center has an entertaining summer show with eagles and other birds of prey every day at 5 pm (except Monday), which serves as the perfect stop-over on your way back from the lake.
Sometimes, the lake is free to visit, at other times, access is restricted and entrance fees are raised. Please let us know your BAL experience on the forum to keep everyone up to date.
For now, Big Almaty Lake is free to visit and easy to access.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/almaty/big-almaty-lake/.
For a lot more useful advice see there.

Almaty: Cable car to Kok-Tobe
Fare 1000 tenge each way. The base station is by the corner of Abay and Dostyk. Nice views over the city & bosky burbs and towards the mountains. At the top station there's The Grill restaurant (good beer and shashliks, but you're paying for the view) and cafes. The top area is a kids' amusement park and "zoo", donkeys and hens being among the exotica. So it feels more like Sunday in the park than truly away from it all, and it's not a stepping stone into the mountains - Kok-Tobe hill stands apart from the main range, and the top is fenced in so you can't go off exploring.

Almaty: Central Mosque
Today there are more than 2300 mosques on the territory of Kazakhstan but one of the largest and most beautiful can be considered by right the Central Mosque of Almaty. It was built relatively recently, in 1999, on the site of old mosque, which has been staying there since 1890. In 100 years it fell to emergency state and it was decided to build the new mosque.
The construction was began in 1993, but after foundation laying the process was stopped and the construction was completed only 6 years later. When all works were finished, the city saw the wonderful new mosque with huge blue dome. It is of 20 meters in diameter and it rises above 36 meters. And minaret with height of 47 meters stands close to the mosque.
From outside the mosque is the huge white building with blue domes, where it can be distinguished the inscriptions on Arabic language, taken from Koran. Inside the mosque is designed with luxury, but in such manner that the interior seems quite plain, and such combination of rich decoration and religious simplicity create the harmonic image of mosque, which one will not want to leave from.
Taken from
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Mosque_Almaty.

Almaty: First President Park
The Park is located in the southern part of Almaty and has a spectacular mountain backdrop. The park is the home of the annual music festival called “Almaty – my first love”. The concert is held in front of the semicircular colonnade shown in the images. The amphitheatre atmosphere is highlighted by the fountains and water features to the rear. The park is about 1.5 km from one end to the other with trees and habitats interspersed with features.
At the southern end of the park there is a viewing and seating area, with small shelters on raised mounds. There are no shops in the park, so you should take drinks etc. with you, particularly on hot days. Most of the tree planting is quite new, so little shelter against the sun when walking around the long curved pathways. Superb flower beds and plantings. No admission charge and entrance only through the colonnade at the north end of the park.
The park was opened in November 2011 in respect to the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and was then opened to the general public.
Taken from
First President's Park (Kazakh: Qazaqstan Respublikasynyŋ Tūŋğyş Prezidentı saiabağy) is an urban park located in Almaty at the intersection of Navoi Street and Al-Farabi Avenue in the Bostandyq District[1] in the south of the city.[2] The park was opened in July 2010, and was named after the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.[3]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_President%27s_Park.

Almaty: Green Bazar
Extensive market in a big lime-green concrete building. Fresh vegetables, dairy products, and meat, as well as clothing and other non-food household items. Fruit and vegetables are on the lower level. On the upper level you will find dried fruits, nuts, spices, honey and plants, as well as cheese and meat; you'll smell the meat counters long before you see them. Seasonal prices, relatively expensive by Central Asia standards, and don't plan on taking food items home or across any other border. And beware pickpockets!
Located in the center of town right next to the Rahat Chocolate Factory, the Green Bazaar is Kazakhstan’s most famous market. Built in the 1970’s, with a new concrete extension that replaced the outdoor vegetable market in 2016, it is one of the cleanest, neatest markets of Central Asia.
Foodies can spend a whole afternoon here sampling Kazakhstan’s impressive array of produce made from animal’s meat and milk, as well as food from across the Soviet Union.
Beyond the actual Green Bazaar building, a whole economy has grafted itself onto the constant foot traffic, from the innocent (hair dressers, shoe cobblers, itinerant cigarette salesmen) to the spiritual (fortune tellers, blessing dispensers) and the illicit (mobile phone fencers, rooms-by-the-hour).
People at the bazaar are well aware of tourists’ ignorance of local prices, so make sure you bargain. Even better, shop outside the bazaar. The prices are unbeatable, and you get a flavour of Almaty many tourists miss out on.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/almaty/green-bazaar/.
For more see there and at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zelionyj-green-bazaar.

Almaty: Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences
Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences (official name National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan) is the highest scientific organization of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Academy of Sciences was founded on 1 June 1946 on the basis of the Kazakh branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The central office is located in Almaty. It is a state institution that joins active members (academicians), corresponding members, and leading scientists of Kazakhstan. [1]
The main activities of the Academy are scientific research, analysis and forecasting of the development of science, priorities of science development and scientific personnel training, support, formation, and coordination of scientific programs, promotion of international cooperation, innovation and investment in science-based development. Areas of research include earth sciences, mathematics, computer science, physics, remote sensing and space technologies, chemistry, new materials, biologically active substances, biochemistry and physiology of plants, botany, soil sciences, social sciences and humanities. The incumbent president (as of 2022) is Professor Murat Zhurinov.
Taken from

Almaty: Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen/Heroes Memorial Park
Surrounding the Ascension or Zenkov Cathedral, this honors the men and women from Kazakhstan who died on the battlefields of World War II against the Nazis. There is an eternal flame by the war memorial where schoolchildren put flowers on the last day of school, and newlyweds have their photos taken there. Melodic singing descants from within the dolls' house cathedral.
The Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen (Kazakh: 28 гвардияшы-панфиловшылар саябағы) is an urban park located in east-central Almaty in the area surrounding the Ascension Cathedral. It is dedicated to and named after the Panfilov heroes which were the 28 soldiers of an Alma-Ata Infantry unit who allegedly died while defending Moscow from the German invasion during the Second World War. The group took its name from Ivan Panfilov, the General commanding the 316th division which, in spite of heavy casualties, believed at that time managed to significantly delay the Germans advance to Moscow, thus buying the time for the defenders of the city. An eternal flame commemorating the fallen of the World War II and the Eastern Front burns in front of the giant black monument of soldiers from all 15 Soviet Republics.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_of_28_Panfilov_Guardsmen.
For more, including detailed explanations about the different monuments, see there.
See also

Almaty: Pioneers Palace
The Almaty Pioneers Palace (Russian: Алматинский дворец школьников, tr. almatinskii dvorets shkolnikov) is a Pioneers Palace, an institution from the Soviet Union to provide after-school education for children, built in Almaty in 1983.
The architectural and planning composition of the four-storey building is in the form of a spiral with pavilion volumes strung on its axis. The main entrance is accented by a grand staircase. The center of the composition is the Celebration hall topped with a dome, to which all groups of rooms of the palace adjoin. Diameter of the dome is 21 meters and its height is 19 meters. The decoration of the Celebration hall is a chandelier, which holds 288 lamps, weighing 3.5 tons, and its diameter is 7 meters. To the left of the dome is a 40-meter observatory tower. Korday and Balkhash granite, shell rock of Mangystau, wood and metal were used in construction. Spacious avenues and squares in front of the building allow for open air mass events. The building is designed for 2,200 schoolchildren. There is an auditorium with 800 seats, rooms for various hobby groups, gyms, a swimming pool and others. It consists of 12 pavilions, with a usable area of over 35,000 square meters.[4]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneers_Palace_(Almaty).

Almaty: Presidential Palace
You will not be allowed to go inside. Nonetheless, the scenery and architecture is breathtaking. If the guards are out front, it means the president is there.
For more see

Almaty: Republic Square
Former administrative center. Since the capital was moved to Astana, this square has been renovated. TV stations occupy some buildings. There are flower gardens. There is also a Kazakh memorial, consisting of a tall statue of the golden boy, an early Kazakh figure, whose name is Altyn Adam, and circled by metal bas relief panels recounting the history of Kazakhstan, from the time of the fierce Amazon-like queen, to independence 10 years ago.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_Square,_Almaty.

Almaty: St. Nicolas Cathedral
It was built in 1909. It was used as a barn for Soviet cavalry horses but was eventually restored and reopened as a church in 1980. Main entrance is west side from Baytursnov, but there's also a little gate from the park just south.
For more see

Almaty: Tolebaev Statue
Get on Abai avenue and saunter along Central Asia’s first bicycle path until coming across the statue of composer Tulebaev, sitting in front of a pretty fountain marked with typical nomadic ornaments of stylized horns.
Tulebaev street is another leafy, quiet street that was popular with the Soviet elite. Here stands the house museum of Mukhtar Auezov, one of Kazakhstan’s foremost intellectuals.

Almaty: Wild Apple Forrests
Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.
For more see
The cultivated apple is a cultivated form which, according to previous accounts, was created by crossing the crab apple (Malus sylvestris) with Malus praecox or Malus dasyphylia. More recent genetic studies point to an ancestry from the Asian wild apple (Malus sieversii) with crossbreeding with the Caucasian apple (Malus orientalis) or the cherry apple (Malus baccata).[10][11] The three wild apple varieties mentioned above were probably crossed quite early on. It is certain that apples were already being cultivated in the Caucasus and the Middle East 4000 years ago[11].
The original home of the cultivated apple is therefore in Asia. According to Kazakh sources, fruit similar to today's cultivated apple was already being traded in Almaty on the Tian Shan 6,000 years ago.[12] The largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty, used to be called Alma-Ata, which means "grandfather of apples" in Kazakh[11].
Nothing more is known about the spread of the apple tree from Asia to Central Europe; it may have arrived here via trade routes, as the fruit was considered a life-prolonging remedy. Wild boar and horses probably also contributed to its spread through seeds[13].

Altyn Emel
This POI is located in Bashi, the main entrance to Altyn Emel.
About 4 times the size of Hong Kong, the Altyn Emel national park is Kazakhstan’s safari destination. It is home to a number of unique landscapes, from relic forests to otherworldly mountains. There is history as well, with ancient burial mounds and petroglyphs to seek out. Most importantly, a number of rare hoofed mammals live here. You might spot them.
Just 260 km north of Almaty, Altyn Emel is one of the most accessible places to experience a piece of the great under-discovered Kazakh wilds.
Entrance
Altyn Emel is divided in an eastern and a western section, with a specially protected reserve in the centre through which visitors are not allowed to pass. In practice, this means there are 2 separate itineraries: the main itinerary to be approached from Basshi, and a separate itinerary to be approached from the west.
Basshi is the village that holds the park’s headquarters (44.15582, 78.75232), and it is the gateway to the eastern attractions: Aktau, Katutau and the Singing Sand Dune.
The western part of the national park is best approached directly from Almaty; you will need to make payments in advance since you won’t pass through the visitor’s office in Basshi. Contact the office at 8 705 610 25 11 in Almaty, or visit their office on Bogenbai Batyr 132, corner with Panfilov street, office N305 for more information and to arrange travel plans.
Entrance Fee, Guide, Cycling
Entrance is now set at 1027 tenge, both for foreigners and Kazakhs. As a foreigner, you will likely be assigned a guide when you are in the reserve: cost is 600 tenge per person. The park rangers earn a paltry salary, they are assigned to your car to get them some money in tips.
If you are cycling, you do not need a guide. You just pay the entrance fee and nothing else. You can camp near the ranger station inside the park at no extra cost. However, you are only allowed to cycle to the Singing Dune and back.
Be aware that it is a tough 300 km cycle along a badly corrugated road you will need to complete in 2 days, with no shade along the way. We believe there are better cycle routes in Kazakhstan.
Camping
You can also camp for free inside the reserve on 4 designated spots:
- Mynbulak, near the Singing sand dune (43.940113, 78.480454)
- Kosbastau, or the 700-year-old willow tree (43.922869, 78.790391)
- Aktau mountains, near the rest area, no water here (43.99066, 79.24073)
- On the Besshatyr route, on the Kapchagay shore
For more see there, especially for more information about Flora and Fauna.

Altyn Emel: Aktau Mountain Range
The Aktau hills are otherworldly. Bands of white, red and orange run horizontally across the range with striking effect. Known as a unique paleontological deposit, 56 species of Early Miocene flora like pine, spruce, birch, alder, oak, walnut, chestnut, linden, frame, pistachio, ailanthus have been discovered here, as well as remains of ancient animals like crocodiles, turtles and giant rhinos with an estimated age of 25-30 million years.

Altyn Emel: Besshatyr
The Iron Age sights of Altyn Emel need to be approached from the west rather than from Basshi, and you will need to get your permit from the park’s representative in Almaty in advance to be let in here.
Terekty is a petroglyph site. There are many stone carvings spread out over the area, most of them in the shape of ibex, arkhar and deer. Besshatyr is the site of about 30 kurgans, ritual burial mounds for important warriors and leaders from previous civilizations.
The Kyzylauz canyon is another pretty place with good wildlife spotting possibilities, but you will need to ask for special permission. In general, we have had more sightings of animals on the Besshatyr route than on the main route via Basshi.
Note that the western part of the national park is best approached directly from Almaty; you will need to make payments in advance since you won’t pass through the visitor’s office in Basshi. Contact the office at 8 705 610 25 11 in Almaty, or visit their office on Bogenbai Batyr 132, corner with Panfilov street, office N305 for more information and to arrange travel plans.

Altyn Emel: Katutau Mountain Range
The Katutau hills are less spectacular than the Aktau mountain range, but certainly just as interesting. Blueish gray and brown sediments are dissected by sharp canyons about 40 km away from Basshi. It’s quiet and beautiful here, and it is a good place to see the elusive arkhars. Past the village of Araltobe is a place called Kosbastau. There’s a hot water spring with radon in it, and a very large tree that is purportedly more than 700 years old. It definitely looks old.

Altyn Emel: Singing Sand Dune
The singing sand dune, popping up unexpectedly in the steppe, emits a low, vibrating rumble when the sand moves. It’s 80km or 2 hours drive from Basshi. It’s a beautiful place, regardless of the music, and you can stay the night camping in nearby Mynbulak where the ranger lives if you don’t want to stay in the guesthouse in Basshi.
For more see https://caravanistan.com/places/singing-sand-dune/.

Ancient Burial Place I
Ancient nomad dome burials.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tong.

Ancient Burial Place II
Ancient nomad dome burials. At the nearby Konur-Olon, a mosque regularly attracts tourists.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tong.

Andijan: Bog'ishamol
A nice sizeable park located on hills overlooking Andijan and dedicated to the city's most famous son Bobur; it has amusement park rides, a cable car, hiking trails, restaurants, and plazas where outdoor dancing often takes place. A very nice way to take in a view without going to the trouble of heading to further Xonobod. The area also hosts a mosque and a museum.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Andijan.

Andijan: Devanoboy Friday Mosque
The Devanoboy Friday (Juma) mosque is the largest mosque in Andijan, and following renovations completed in the spring of 2021 is also one of the most beautiful sites to visit in Andijan.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Andijan.

Anzob Tunnel
This dark, damp, perilous tunnel is the only passage from north to south Tajikistan.
See https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/anzob-tunnel.

Assy Plateau
The whole area is the perfect connection for cycle tourists making their way from Karakol / Charyn Canyon / Kolsai Lakes to Almaty.
For more about the route (incl. gpx) see
Detailed map:
At a height of 2600 meters above sea level, a boundless green upland valley appears. Of all the zhailaus in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, this is as far as we know, the biggest.
This makes it another interesting landscape if you are doing a tour of Almaty Region. Besides this, it’s also a good place to watch the stars, do outdoor sports, see remnants of earlier civilizations, and to experience a more traditional lifestyle that has died out elsewhere in Kazakhstan.
In summer, shepherds set up yurts on Assy Plateau to provide a temporary home while they tend to their animals. It’s nothing compared to the many yurts of Kyrgyzstan, but it’s nice to see that Kazakhstan has managed to keep some of its traditions.
You can always pass by a yurt to score some fresh kymys from a shepherd.
Camping on Assy Plateau will be chilly, but it’s worth staying out late to observe the night sky. There is a reason Almaty’s biggest observatory (there is another one at Big Almaty Lake) has been set up here. The sky is very dark here.

Atyrau
The wooden fort at the mouth of the Yaik River was founded in 1645 as Nizhny Yaitzky Gorodok (literally, Lower Yaik Fort) by the Russian trader Gury Nazarov. The fort was plundered by Cossacks, leading the Guriev family to rebuild it in stone (1647–62). The fort gradually lost its strategic significance and was demolished in 1810. Between 1708 and 1992 the city was known as Guriev. The city began growing in 1930s when a fish cannery was constructed and the Balykshi housing area. Later, a lot of industrial plants were transplanted here during World War II. An oil- and gas-processing plant was constructed and a housing district, Zhilgorodok. In October 1991, the Guriev city administration decided to rename it Atyrau. In Kazakh language the word “atyrau” means the place where river flows into sea. Atyrau city was founded on the bank of the river, but today it is 25–30 km from the river.
See
Manjali Mosque (Imangali), Qanysh Sätbayev Ave 15. Beautiful mosque. Entrance only with long trousers. Next door is the grand Isatay and Makhambet Square with a noble statue of these guys on horseback.
Atyrau Regional Museum, Bauyrzhan Momyshuly St, from ukuleles to little yurt-like things, discover what made Atyrau Atyrau, and just to the west is the Atyrau Art Museum.
Museum of Military Vehicle, Vladimir Street 28, find this mostly outdoor exhibit next to the Fantasy World with its big ferris wheel, come see all the artillery here in Victory Park.
Aktau Paleontology Museum, Mukhtar Auezov Ave, a natural history museum that borders the Retro Park with some cool statuary and rotunda along an oxbow of the Ural River. But perhaps even more compelling is the somewhat Golden Gate-looking bridge to the west that has some acclaim for being one of the longest pedestrian bridges around.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Atyrau.

Atyrau: Airport
At 72 feet below sea level, it's the lowest commercial airport in the world.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atyrau_Airport and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/atyrau-airport.

Ayaz-Kala
Ayaz Kala (also spelled Ayaz Qala) and Toprak-Kala are archaeological sites in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan in Northern Uzbekistan.
Ayaz Kala is on the wastern side of the Sultan-Uiz-Dagh Mountains. The site consists of three fortresses which were built from the 4th century BCE to the 7th century CE. The fortresses were part of a series of forts at the edge of the Kizilkum Desert, which provided defence against raids by nomads and the Saca of the Syr-Darya delta
The World Monuments Fund has put Ayaz Kala on the watch-list of 100 most endangered sites.
The land around the fortresses is owned by Ayaz Kala Tours. They run the Ayaz Kala Yurt Camp, organise tours to the fortresses, camel rides as well as boat excursion and bird watching on Ayaz Kala Lake.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Ayaz-Kala.

Ayaz-Kala: Fortress 1
A fortress dating back to end of the 4th or beginning of the 3rd century BCE. In this time Khorezm had become independent from Persia. Ayaz Kala 1 was part of a chain of fortresses protecting the agricultural settlements from attacks by nomads. The fortress is situated on the top of a hill, approx. 100 m high, providing wide views over the surrounding plains. The fortress is rectangular in plan with sides 182 and 152 m long. The main axis is oriented from South to North.
At the southern end of the axis is a square gateway, which is a typical element of frontier fortresses of Khorezm. The enemies' approach lies parallel to the south east walls and invaders were vulnerable to attack from above. A massive gateway defended by two rectangular towers leads into a small rectangular chamber. This chamber was overlooked on all sides by high walls from which bowmen could shoot at the enemy in case the first gate was breached.
The enclosure of the fortress consists of an inner and outer wall with a vaulted corridor between them, about 2 m wide. The walls continue above the vaults, forming a protected rampart walk. The walls are up to 10 m high and at their base 2.2 to 2.4 m thick. The walls are reinfoced in the 3rd century BCE by 45 watchtowers in half elliptical form, at a distance from each other of 11.5 m at the northern and of 14 m at the eastern and western sides.
The fortress seems to have been in use until the 1st century CE and might have served as a refuge for the locals up to the early medieval period.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Ayaz-Kala.

Ayaz-Kala: Fortress 2
A feudal fortress dating from the 6th to 8th century CE. in the Afrighid period. It was built on the top of a conical hill, about 40 m high, situated south west of Ayaz Kala 1. The fortress consists of the entry on the south western side and the main building which is oval in shape.
In the 6th to 8th century CE Khorezm was ruled by the Afrighid dynasty of Khorezmshahs. At this time the "dihqans", a new class of feudal landowners came into existence. They were descendants of the ancient nobility, courtiers or soldiers who had been rewarded for military services. Their agricultural estates were called "rustaq". They lived in "donjons", small square forts surrounded by a defensive wall. An important example calles Yakke Parsan is situated 10 km south of Ayaz Kala.
Ayaz Kala 2 was built of rectangular mud bricks on a foundation of "paksha" (cob). The upper parts of the outer walls were crenulated. The building was fortified with low battlements and a row of arrow slits. Ayaz Kala 2 had a 50 m long sloping man-made staircase on the southern side of the fort.
The main building is considered as a palace with residential quarters, ceremonial halls with ceilings supported by multiple columns and a fire temple, luxuriously decorated with wall paintings. This building seems to have been the residence of an feudal lord loyal the Khorezmshah. The building was built in the 4th century CE and destroyed by two separate fires. The palace was in use during the 6th and 7th cent AD as a domestic dwelling. Ayaz Kala 2 seems the have been the center of a small rural community and might have been in use until the Mongol invasion in the 13th century CE.
Parts of the film Gengiz Khan were shot on Ayaz Kala 2. The best view of the site is from the top of Ayaz Kala 1. The best pictures of Ayaz Kala 1 and 2 are taken at sunset.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Ayaz-Kala.

Ayaz-Kala: Fortress 3
A fortified garrison dating from the 1st to 2nd century CE. The monumental building in the north east corner may have been founded in thr 5th or 4th cent. BC: The site covers an area of about 5 hectares.
The enclosure wall is one of the largest fortresses in Karalpakstan. Ayaz Kala 3 is 66 percent larger than Ayaz Kala 1. The biggest of these fortresses is Akcha Khan Kala, which is three times larger than Ayaz Kala 3. It has the shape of a parallelogram with sides 260 m and 180 m long. The structure of the external wall is similar to Ayaz Kala 1. The external walls are 7.5 m wide. The circular watch towers have a size of 8 m. The fortress was built with paksha in the lower parts and masonry in the upper parts. made of adobe blocks. The entrance to the fortress on the western side consists of an S-Shaped extension of the external wall. The interior of the fortress is empty.
The monumental buildings in the north east corner cover an area of 2,400 m². The building has 40 rooms divided into 4 groups by 2 central corridors. There are remains of a narrow corridor on three sides of the buildings. The southern and eastern walls have square watch towers, about 2m x 2m.
It is supposed that Ayaz Kala 3 was used in Kushan times as a garrison or as a ruler's residence and refuge for the local farming population and that a small force used Ayaz Kala 1 as a lookout post.

Ayaz-Kala: Toprak-Kala
An archaeological site in the autonomous republic of Qaralpakstan in Eastern Uzbekistan. It is an excavated town dating back to the 1st to 5th century CE, and is considered as the most important monument on Chorezm from the Kushan time. Its ground plan is 500m x 300m and it was surrounded by a wall made of bricks, 10 to 15 m high. The King's Palace in the northwestern part of the town was built on an elevated base rising about 15 m above the rest of the town. Three monumental towers, 25 m high, still exist. In front of the palace was the temple area with the holy fire. The town was divided by streets into several districts with blocks of dwellings with 150 to 200 rooms. The Kings's Hall covered an area of 280 m². The wall paintings and monumental clay sculptures were the works of a school of arts which could develop a particular Chorezmian style under the influence of Graceo-Bactrian art. The rooms of the palace had colourful wall paintings. The fortress is considered as the palace of the shah of Chorezm. In the ruins of Toprak Kale a great number of Kushan and Chorezm coins dating from the 2nd to the 5th century and small copper discs with portraits of the rules of Chorezm and written documents on wooden plates or on skins, the most ancient documents in this area, were found.

Baikonur Kosmodrome
Baikonur is famous worldwide for its cosmodrome, the site of many spacefaring feats including the first operational ICBM, the launch of Sputnik and the launch of the first manned orbital flight by Yuri Gagarin. The modern town of Baikonur was built near the existing village of Toretam (Төретам), the name still used by the railway station, and was known as Leninsk (Ле́нинск) until renamed in 1995 by then-president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin.
The cosmodrome is rented by Russia with a contract extension until 2050 signed in 2005. Russia and Kazakhstan are both unhappy with the US$115,000,000 yearly rent and thus Russia is building another spaceport on Russian territory to be less dependent on Kazakhstan. The replacement spaceport has already had its first launch in 2016 and was planned to be fully operational by 2018, taking over most launches now handled in Baikonur through the 2020s.
Baikonur was a closed city during the Soviet era, and remains one today. However, unlike during the Soviet era, it is now possible to visit on a guided tour.
The easiest way to visit Baikonur, and the only way to visit the cosmodrome, is by guided tour. Prices vary wildly but are always steep: a one-day tour starting from Almaty starts from US$700 per person, while a multi-day excursion from Moscow can cost US$5,000. As the cosmodrome area (6,000 km2) is rented by Russia, no Kazakh visa is needed if you fly in directly from Moscow.
A lot of Russia's space exploration missions were launched from here. Permits are necessary and must be arranged at least 45 days in advance; the only practical way of doing this is through a specialist travel agency. Visits during space launches are particularly popular, but scheduling is subject to unpredictable delays.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Baikonur.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baikonur_Cosmodrome.

Baizak Baatyr Mausoleum
Dedicated to Baizak Baatyr, who apparently convinced, others say tricked, the then existing China into moving its border from this region far far east to where it is today.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Naryn_Region.

Barskoon Waterfall
Barskoon waterfall is a geological protected area in the Jeti-Ögüz District of the Issyk Kul Province, on one of the tributaries of Barskaun River. It was established in 1975. Within the Barskoon valley there are two waterfalls on top of the mountain and the mountainside. At the foot of the mountain you can enjoy the beautiful river of Barskoon. During the summer time there yurts to stay over night. At the yurt you can try Kyrgyz traditional drink Kymys while enjoying the beauty of the landscape.
There are three amazing waterfalls that can be seen within 2-4 hr hiking (return) from 2,350 m to 3,300 m.. Make sure to bring a lunch and hiking boots. Best to come here in spring when lots of water is coming from the mountain. Another interesting highlight are the two busts of Yuri Gagarin at the foot of the gorge. Food yurts, small shops and horse rental are available at the foot of the trail.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tamga.
Barskoon Waterfall (Kyrgyz: Барскоон шаркыратмасы, Russian: Водопад Барскаун) is a geological protected area located in Jeti-Ögüz District of Issyk-Kul Region of Kyrgyzstan.[1] It sits 90 km to the south-west of Karakol on one of the tributaries of the river Barskoon. There are several waterfalls at the site, which is located 20 km south of the village of Barskoon. The height of the main cascade is 24 metres (79 ft).[2][3] National Monument status was established in 1975.[4][5]
According to one legend, the waterfall was created from the tears of a female leopard who cried over the injured cubs that fell off a cliff.[6]
On the way to Barskoon, two monuments were erected. One is a Soviet truck on a wide pedestal, and the other is a bust of Yuri Gagarin.[7]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barskoon_Waterfall.

Beket-Ata
You can refill water here and spend the night on donation basis.
Beket-Ata was an important Sufi scholar who founded several underground mosques and a madrasa in the Mangistau region of Western Kazakhstan. His burial place, the underground Oglandy mosque, has become an important pilgrimage site for Kazakh muslims.
Road to Beket-Ata
There are many interesting places in the desert of Mangistau, all of them difficult to reach. If you want to get out here, but you don’t have a 4WD or a camel caravan at your disposal, go to Beket-Ata. Even if the underground mosque is of little interest to you, hanging out with local believers between oil rigs and camel herds should give you a taste of life in Kazakhstan outside of the city.
It takes a while to get here from Aktau, and it’s usually done in 2 days, with an overnight stay in Beket-Ata. The tracks are rough, which is a good thing according to the pilgrims, who believe a more comfortable journey would be less gratifying.
Our Mangistau tour adds a few more sights into the itinerary, like the Devil’s Balls and Bozzhira.
Beket-Ata is well organised; there’s even mobile reception. You can walk around and learn more about the life of Beket-Ata, and maybe even spot an arkhar if you’re lucky. People will be busy praying, or even slaughtering a sheep. There is also a holy spring so bring an empty bottle.
You can sleep at Beket Ata. The guesthouse is comfortable and features separate sleeping quarters for men and women. You sleep on the floor, but basic bedding is provided. The guesthouse is airconditioned during the hot summers, but during the rest of the year, it could get pretty cold, so bring a sleeping bag if you have one. There is no charge, but you are expected to leave a donation.
You will probably be invited to share a meal with your fellow travelers, but bring along something to share, as well as at least most of the food you will need, just in case. You can buy some tea and shubat (fermented camel milk) on the spot.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/west/beket-ata/.

Bischkek: Botanica Garden
The pride of Bishkek is the huge Botanical Garden, one of the most beautiful places in the city. The Botanical Garden is named after a famous Kyrgyz biologist, Gareev, and is now part of the National Academy of Sciences. Established in 1938, the Botanical Garden is one of the largest and most diverse in Central Asia and CIS countries.
There are 2,500 species of trees and shrubs, 3,500 species of flowers and greenhouse species, and over 8,000 species of fruit plants in the Botanical Garden. There are also 4 laboratories that function as research institutes, occupying 124 hectares, only 36 of which are open to the public.
As with many other gardens around the world, the best time to visit the Botanical Gardens is in spring and autumn. In spring, the Gardens are filled with the scent of flowers and new leaves, while in autumn, the leaves turn yellow and red, creating a bright color palette. The Botanical Gardens are great for a stroll or a picnic in the fresh air.

Bishkek: Ala-Too Square
The main city square is a vast expanse of concrete that ceased to be called Lenin square in 1991, and is the site of frequent political demonstrations and regular festivals. A statue of Lenin was the focal point until 2003, before he was banished to a much less conspicuous location behind the museum and replaced by a statue of Erkidik (freedom). At night many vendors set up photograph and karaoke booths, and there's a synchronised sound and light show in time with the fountains, however travellers should avoid visiting the square after dark. There is also a military monument with an hourly changing of guards.
The elegant marching of the soldier can be admired every hour. The ceremony starts about 10 min to the full hour.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bishkek.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ala-Too_Square.

Bishkek: Animal market
The Sunday livestock market outside of Bishkek does not have the same fame as that of Karakol, for good reason: the animal market in Karakol is definitely a much cleaner and more civilized affair. If however you are in the mood for something more “unedited”, come for the mud, the stink, the fights, the butchering and the low-low prices of Bishkek’s Mal bazaar, or in Russian, Skotniy Rynok (Gmaps).

Bishkek: Chingiz Aitmatov
Kyrgyzstan’s most famous writer Chingiz Aitmatov (1928--2008) stands at the southern end of Ala-Too Square.
Taken from https://www.advantour.com/kyrgyzstan/bishkek/monuments.htm.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinghiz_Aitmatov.

Bishkek: Circus
This retro, UFO-like structure is a remnant of the Soviet-era circus.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bishkek-circus.

Bishkek: Dordoi Bazaar
Open air market with hundreds of double stack shipping containers. It's divided into multiple sections based on the types and origins of goods. It's the main market for Chinese & Russian goods.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bishkek.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dordoy_Bazaar and https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/north/bishkek/#dordoi.

Bishkek: Great Emptiness Musem
Where you'll find anything but nothing.
See

Bishkek: Lenin Statue
This statue once stood in Oak Park, and for many years was in front of the Historical Museum on Ala-Too Square.
Taken from https://www.advantour.com/kyrgyzstan/bishkek/monuments.htm.

Bishkek: Manas Statue I
The Epic of Manas (Kyrgyz: Манас дастаны, romanized: Manas dastanı, ماناس دستانی) is a traditional epic poem dating to the 18th century but claimed by Kyrgyz tradition to be much older. Manas is said to be based on Bars Bek who was the first khagan of the Kyrgyz Khaganate. The plot of Manas revolves around a series of events that coincide with the history of the region in the 9th century, primarily the interaction of the Kyrgyz people with other Turkic and Chinese people.
The government of Kyrgyzstan celebrated the 1,000th anniversary of Manas in 1995. The eponymous hero of Manas and his Oirat enemy Joloy were first found written in a Persian manuscript dated to 1792–93.[1] In one of its dozens of iterations, the epic poem consists of approximately 500,000 lines.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Manas.

Bishkek: Manas Statue II
The Epic of Manas (Kyrgyz: Манас дастаны, romanized: Manas dastanı, ماناس دستانی) is a traditional epic poem dating to the 18th century but claimed by Kyrgyz tradition to be much older. Manas is said to be based on Bars Bek who was the first khagan of the Kyrgyz Khaganate. The plot of Manas revolves around a series of events that coincide with the history of the region in the 9th century, primarily the interaction of the Kyrgyz people with other Turkic and Chinese people.
The government of Kyrgyzstan celebrated the 1,000th anniversary of Manas in 1995. The eponymous hero of Manas and his Oirat enemy Joloy were first found written in a Persian manuscript dated to 1792–93.[1] In one of its dozens of iterations, the epic poem consists of approximately 500,000 lines.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Manas.

Bishkek: Memorial for the Red Guards
This granite obelisk has the names of 43 Red Guards who died defending the Soviet Union.
Taken from https://www.advantour.com/kyrgyzstan/bishkek/monuments.htm.

Bishkek: National Historical Museum
Closed for rebuilding; normally Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Three floors, the bottom floor has seasonal exhibits, while the second displays events of the Communist era. The top floor showcases the history and culture of the Kyrgyz people. 300 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bishkek.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrgyz_State_Historical_Museum and

Bishkek: Oak Park
Oak Park is one of Bishkek’s oldest parks, and is home to an open air sculpture exhibition, as well as several important monuments and buildings. Even though the park was officially renamed in honor of Chingiz Aitmatov in 2010, it is still mostly known as Oak Park.
Many of the oaks are as old as the city itself. The first trees were planted by Alexei Fetisov in 1890, a botanist from Russia. These trees have grown to be very large, and in the summer provide shade from the hot sun, and in the fall provide plenty of crispy falling leaves. Tucked into one corner is the Red Guards Memorial, for those who died defeating an uprising in 1918, as well as the Russian Drama Theater. St Nicholas Church is also here, which held the original art museum.
Dotted around Oak Park are various sculptures. These date back to 1984, when the All-Union Sculptors Symposium was held in Frunze. Sculptors came from around the Soviet Union to display their works, created with the theme “Work and Peace” at the symposium, which was held in honor of the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast. When the symposium ended, the sculptures remained, and even more sculptures have been added over the years. The most recent addition was a statue of Kurmajan Dakta, added in 2004.
There are now 90 sculptures that are part of the open air museum in Oak Park. Since the park is out in the open, the way the sculptures look changes with the time of day, season, and weather, which makes the park a place to visit again and again.
Taken from https://www.advantour.com/kyrgyzstan/bishkek/oak-park.htm.

Bishkek: Osh Bazaar
If you're looking for a fresh sheep's head, locally made Korean picked salad, shashlik or any other type of Kyrgyz snack, this is the city's best known food bazaar. Although it's certainly not Central Asia's most colourful bazaar, there are hundreds of products to choose from, especially in the spring and summer months when produce is fresh from farms in the outskirts of town. There is a separate clothes market south of the main produce bazaar. To get there you can take trolleybus 14 on Chuy, bus 20 or 24 on Kiev or 42 from Soviet. Like any crowded space, be wary of pick-pockets; however visiting the Osh Bazaar is a most and rewarding trip.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osh_Bazaar and

Bishkek: Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Exterior of dazzling white and blue, the interior is cluttered by scaffolding as the cupola frescoes are refurbished. The interior is almost too squeaky clean, it hasn't acquired the patina of incense and candle smoke that wraiths traditional Orthodox interiors. With large separate baptistry, and all set in a peaceful compound.

Bishkek: Victory Park
24 hours. A large square with monument and eternal flame to commemorate the victory against Nazi Germany in WWII. Free.
Three large arches convene to create the image of a yurt over the Eternal Flame. The largest sculpture is a woman who waits for a son or husband who will never return from the war. Other sculptures in the same park are dedicated to those who died and to the cost of war.

Bishkek: White House
The White House is the presidential office building in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The White House was the site of riots during both the 2005 Tulip Revolution and the 2010 Kyrgyzstani riots. During the 2010 riots a fire broke out and damaged portions of the building and destroyed the hard copies of many government records.
At present, deputies of the Supreme Council sit in the White House, and the President occupies part of the seventh floor.
The building is seven storeys tall and built in Stalinist modern style, with the STO (Gosplan, Duma) building in Moscow as a model.[1] The exterior is covered in marble.[2] In front of the building is a large bed of red flowers representing the country's Soviet ties.[3] The building was commissioned to be the Communist Party's Central Committee headquarters. Construction took eight years and was completed in 1985.[2] It is supposedly in this building where Askar Akayev studied "the situation" during the collapse of communism.[4][5] There is said to be an underground complex under the Ala-Too Square (formerly the Lenin Square) connected to the White House via an underground series of tunnels.[2] On the front of the building, there is the crest of the nation. Before the end of communism in the country, the location was covered by the crest that was in use during communist times.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House,_Bishkek.

Bishkek: Zum Department Store
Mobile phones, clothing, wine, souvenirs, tobacco, make-up, electronics. This shopping mall is located in the centre of town off of Chui street. Complete with Mastercard and Visa ATMs, Zum also displays a great selection of food stands, just outside. Like anywhere in Bishkek, don't be afraid to haggle.

Bozzhira
From pictures, this seems to be the most spectacular area of this desert.

Bukhara: Abdulaziz Han Madrasa
The Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa was built in 1652 under the Janid Khan Abd al-Aziz, who ruled from 1647 to 1680.[1] This makes it almost 250 years younger than the Ulugʻbek Madrasa, which it was built opposite.
The Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa is 60 meters long and 48 meters wide.[1] Its main façade has a central pishtak with an iwan. Instead of the usual rectangular floor plan of the entrance iwan, this madrasa has a 5/8 octagon. A muqarnas forms the upper end of the iwan. Three axes of two-storey pointed arch arcades with entrances to the students' individual living quarters adjoin both sides of the pishtak. A three-quarter round corner tower, which protrudes above the top edge of the building and ends in a lantern (architecture), completes the façade to the outside.
Behind the entrance, there is a high classroom on one side and a winter mosque on the other, both of which are covered by a dome. The inner courtyard is enclosed by two-storey pointed arch arcades with entrances to the students' living quarters and follows the four iwan scheme:[1] Two pishtaks with iwans face each other in pairs in the middle of the four wings of the madrasa. The pishaks on the east and west sides are divided horizontally, while the one on the south side is wider than the others. It also has an iwan with a 5/8 floor plan, which ends in a muqarnas, and was used as a summer mosque.
Taken from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdulaziz-Khan-Madrasa.

Bukhara: Ark Citadel
09:00-18:00. From the most ancient times, the Ark was the fortified residence of the rulers of Bukhara. Everything could be found there - palaces, temples, barracks, offices, the mint, warehouses, workshops, stables, an arsenal, and even a prison. Nowadays there are a few museums inside. It was a fortress even before the Arab conquest, and received its present form under the Shibbhanid dynasty (from 1500). 40,000 som without guide.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bukhara.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ark_of_Bukhara.

Bukhara: Baha ud deen Naqshband Mausoleum
08:00-19:00. Tomb of Bakhautdin Naqshband (14th century), the founder of the most influential Sufi order in Central Asia. One of the most important Sufi shrines. free.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bukhara.

Bukhara: Baland Mosque
Built in the 16th century in the south of the city. The interior decorations and ceiling are particularly beautiful.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bukhara.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baland_Mosque.

Bukhara: Bola-Hauz mosque complex
The mosque was built in 1712 opposite the Ark fortress. Other structures at the site date to the 19th and early 20th century. The colourful mosque vestibule is supported by twenty 12-metre-high wooden pillars.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_Haouz_Mosque.

Bukhara: Chashma-Ayub mausoleum
Located near the Samani mausoleum. Its name in Persian means Job's spring, due to the legend according to which Job (Ayub) visited here and brought forth a spring of water by striking the ground with his staff. The water of this well is still pure and is considered healing. The current building was constructed during the reign of Timur and features a Khwarazm-style conical dome uncommon in Bukhara.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chashma-Ayub_Mausoleum.

Bukhara: Chor Minor
A beautiful building tucked away in one of the lanes behind the Lyabi Hauz complex is the Chor Minor. This building is now surrounded mainly by small houses and shops on its perimeter. One may find an artisan or two selling a fine piece of hand drawn paintings.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chor_Minor.

Bukhara: Chor-Bakr
09:00-20:00. Necropolis from the 16th century; heavily restored. The burial place of Shih Jubaeri family.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chor-Bakr.

Bukhara: Faizullah Khojaev House
M-Sa 09:00-17:00. Khojaev, who belonged to a wealthy Bukharan family, was an anti-Czarist reformer who then supported the Bolsheviks, and became leader of Uzbekistan in 1925. However, he opposed Stalin's excesses, and was purged in 1937 and killed in 1938. 30,000 som.

Bukhara: Gaukushon complex
The Khoja-Gaukushan Ensemble (Uzbek: Govkushon majmuasi / Говкушон мажмуаси) is one of the largest architectural complexes in the center of Bukhara.[1] Along with a number of other buildings in central Bukhara, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.[2]
The name Gaukushan means "killing bulls" as the site was previously home to an animal trading area.
The complex includes a madrassa and a mosque with a tall and wide minaret, equal in width to the Khoja Kalon minaret, but shorter.
The complex was built in 1570 during the reign of the Uzbek Khan Abdullah II.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khoja_Gaukushan_Ensemble.

Bukhara: Hammam Borzi Kord
Open for local men until 14:00 then for tourists of mixed gender until midnight. one of Bukhara's most famous hamomi (baths) 50,000 som including scrub and massage.

Bukhara: Ismail Samani Mausoleum
The mausoleum was built during the reign of Ismail Samani, one of the most outstanding members of the Samanids dynasty, who ruled Bukhara from 892 until 907. Originally, the mausoleum was intended for the grave of Ismail Samani’s father, Akhmad, but later became the burial vault of the Samanids. It was completed in 905 and is the oldest Muslim monument in Bukhara. It is considered a masterpiece of early Islamic architecture.

Bukhara: Kalon Minaret
Built by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan in 1127. According to the legend Arslan Khan killed an imam. The imam asked the khan in a dream to lay the imam's head on a spot where nobody can tread on it. Thus the tower was built over the imam's grave. With a height of 47 m it is Bukhara's landmark. In its ornamental bands the glazed blue tiles were used for the first time in Central Asia. It gets its nickname as the "Tower of Death" because they once executed criminals by taking them to the top and pushing them out to fall to their death. This practice stopped in the early 1900s.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalyan_Minaret and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kalyan-minaret.

Bukhara: Kukeldash Medressa
The Koʻkaldosh Madrasa was built in 1569[1] under Khan Abdullah II by his milk brother and vizier Qulbobo Koʻkaldosh and is therefore the oldest building in the ensemble.
Among others, the Tajik writer Sadriddin Aini taught at the madrasa from 1905 to 1917[2].
During the Soviet era, the building was used as a hotel. The hall to the left of the main entrance served as a movie theater.
The madrasa was thoroughly restored in 1995-1997.
With its dimensions of 69 × 80[1] meters, the Koʻkaldosh Madrasa is also the largest building in the Labi Hovuz ensemble and the largest madrasa in Buxoro[3] and is one of the largest in Central Asia.[1] The main façade has a central pishtak with an iwan. On both sides of the pishtak are three axes of two-storey pointed arch arcades with entrances to the individual student cells. A three-quarter round corner tower, which ends with the upper edge of the arcades, closes the façade to the outside[1].
The madrasa has an inner courtyard measuring 35 × 43 meters[2], which is enclosed by two-storey pointed arch arcades with entrances to the students' living quarters. The Koʻkaldosh madrasa has a total of 160 of these cells[1].
On either side of the entrance is a high classroom with a flat dome. The vaulted ceilings of these classrooms are covered with a network of arches which, together with the white joints between the fired bricks, form complex geometric patterns.[2] On the outside, the domes are unglazed brickwork.

Bukhara: Labi-havz complex
Considered to be the center of the Old City. Plaza Labi-havz is derived from Persian and means “ensemble near the pool”. The main feature is the pool. The building has three monumental structures. Kukeldash madrassah (16th century) was built by Abdullah II was, at the time, the biggest Islamic School in Central Asia. Nadir Devanbegi Madrassah (16th century) was intended to be a caravan saray, but according to the order of the ruler Imam Kulimkhan, was reconstructed into a Madrassah. Nadir Devanbegi Khanaka (winter mosque) was built at the same time as the Labi-havz (16th century).
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyab-i_Hauz.

Bukhara: Magok-i-Attari Mosque
The oldest surviving mosque in Central Asia, dating back to the 800s, reconstructed in the 1500s. "Magoki" means pit or hole, and the mosque is now almost 6 metres below ground level, while the mosque's 12 domes barely exceed street level. The mosque's main facade, dating to the 12th century, is very impressive.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magok-i-Attari_Mosque.

Bukhara: Mausoleum of Sayfiddin Bukharzi and Bayan Quli
Saif ed-Din Bokharzi & Bayan-Quli Khan Mausoleums are mausoleums dedicated to Saif ed-Din Bokharzi, a Khorasani sheikh, and Bayan-Quli Khan, the Chagatay ruler. They are located in the settlement called Fathabad, to the east from medieval Bukhara, in the past was situated vast religious complex. The initial core of the complex was the grave of Saif ed-Din al-Boharsi. The followers of the sheikh al-Boharsi have built up at this area of rabad ("rabad" – an outskirt) many dormitories (khanakas) for dervishes, who lived there on donations of the Kubrawiya Sufi order members. The Fathabad settlement later had joined the city. The Chagatay ruler Bayan-Quli Khan had expressed a wish to be interred near by respected burial place of al-Boharsi, and it is there that he is buried. In 1358, the Mausoleum of Bayan-Quli Khan had appeared there.
The extant mausoleum of Saif ed-Din Boharsi dates from the end of the 14th century. The Saif ed-Din al-Boharsi Mausoleum together with the Bayan-Quli Khan Mausoleum are an admirable architectural ensemble. However, these monuments make even more great interest because of their religious-historical and cultural importance.

Bukhara: Namazgoh Mosque
Built in 1119, with modifications through the 16th century. Inside the mosque are murals from the 12th century.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhara_Mosque.

Bukhara: Sitorai Mohi Hosa
(Star and Moon Garden, Summer Palace) (6 km north of Bukhara). W-M 09:00-17:00, Tu 09:00-14:00. Summer palace of the last emir of Bukhara. Built from 1911-1920. To get there, take marshrutka 37 from Vokzal bus stop, northbound. (Updated Oct 2018) 40,000 som.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitorai_Mokhi-Khosa.

Bukhara: Taqi Sarrafon
Bazaar of the moneychangers.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toqi_Sarrofon.

Bukhara: Taqi-Telpak Furushon
Bazaar of the carpet markers.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toqi_Telpak_Furushon.

Bukhara: Taqi-Zaragon
Bazaar of the carpet jewellers.
For more see https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toqi_Zargaron (in German).

Bukhara: Ulugbek Madrassa
The Ulugʻbek Madrasa was built at the beginning of the 15th century under the Timurid Khan Ulugh Beg by the architect Ismail Ibn Tahir[1] and completed in 1417.[2] This makes it 3 years older than the madrasa of the same name on the Registan in Samarqand and therefore the oldest surviving madrasa in Central Asia.[1]
The Ulugʻbek madrasa is around 53 meters long and around 42 meters wide. The main façade has a central pishtak that takes up about a third of the width of the façade. In contrast to the later madrasas of Buxoro, the iwan contained within extends almost the entire height of the pishtak, so that its tympanum is pierced in the middle. Above the portal is the inscription: "Pursuit of knowledge - this is the duty of all Muslims: every man and every woman."[1]
Three axes of two-storey pointed arch arcades with entrances to the students' living quarters are located on both sides of the pishtak. A narrow zone with four barred windows one above the other and a three-quarter round corner tower, which ends at the top edge of the building, complete the façade to the outside.
Behind the entrance, there is a high classroom on one side and a winter mosque on the other, both of which are covered by a dome. The inner courtyard is square with a side length of 22 meters. It is enclosed by two-storey pointed arch arcades with entrances to the students' living cells and follows the two iwan scheme: on the entrance side to the south and the opposite north side of the madrasa, two pishtaks with iwans face each other[3].

Bulunkul
Bulunkul is a tiny village in the High Pamirs of Tajikistan near the lakes of Bulunkul and Yashilkul. It is known as one of the coldest inhabited places in the former Soviet Union, with a record minimum temperature of -63 degrees Celsius recorded. Even in summer, you should dress warm once the sun goes down.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/bulunkul/.
For more practical information, see there.
As a traveler researching the minutiae of the Pamir Highway, you will undoubtedly be well acquainted with the sensations of pure adventure associated with this part of the world. But what Bulunkul provides is a separate feeling entirely, a sense of place where no place should reasonably be found.
Nestled deep in the high Pamirs, just 16 kilometers from the M41, you will find a small piece of land with 45 homes along a road that comes to a rather abrupt end. In these homes live the 306 people of Bulunkul, more affectionately known as the coldest town in Central Asia. Besides them resides a large lake of the same name, home to many fish, and for brief moments of summer, unfrozen water to swim.
It was a brisk mid-April afternoon when our busted up Pajero rolled into town. We had a day to kill, and curiosities to fill. Arriving at a small home that had haphazardly been labeled ‘shop’, we were greeted by a local family, and soon began the gesture dance that is figuring out a bed for the night. Without skipping a beat, the matriarch of the storefront stepped up to the task. 80 somoni for meals and a pillow? Sold. A quick stroll through the homes in the soft light of golden hour, and we knew that 1 night would quickly turn into 3.
In Bulunkul, you won’t find running water, or almost any signs of electricity. You will however become well accustomed to the many uses for a yak. Drink its milk, eat its butter, be warmed by its dung in the fire (the only available fuel), probably eat its meat, and maybe wear its wool.
You may have a squatting partner in one of the town’s few toilets to be shared, and will probably immediately go to the well for fresh water. You’ll be asked the same 2 questions by every kid who went to school that morning, and happily share your polaroids with half the town. Strangers will heartily invite you into their homes for a bowl of questionable salty yak milk tea. A bowl many would rather refuse, but formalities and sensibilities will help you choke it down.
5 kilometers beyond Bulunkul, you will find the much larger Yashilkul lake. Along the western shores, a small hut has been built around a ‘warm’ spring. Far from the satisfaction of a full blown hot spring, yet still very appreciated in these outlandishly dry climates. By the middle of April, the lake will begin to thaw, reintroducing fresh fish to the people of Bulunkul. If you are so lucky, you may be invited to go enjoy the years first fishing trip. In the summer months, Yashilkul’s water reaches a tepid temperature of 12 degrees (Celsius), not so unreasonable for an afternoon swim.
What makes Bulunkul so attractive? Is it the unabashedly cheerful people? The seemingly total lack of organized city planning? The colour palette straight from a Wes Anderson film set?
For the traveler looking to slow down an action-packed traverse of the Pamir Highway, Bulunkul is an ideal place to gain perspective.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/trip-reports/bulunkul/, written by Alex Pflaum.

Burana Tower
All that remains of the ancient Silk Road capital of Balasagun, a massive minaret standing alone on the step. It is surrounded by some beautiful countryside. At the same site, there are also a small museum, some petroglyphs, burial mounds and remains of walls. The tower is just outside the close-by town of Tokmok, which can be reached with a frequent minibus departing from the east bus station of Bishkek (50 som). From Tokmok take a taxi or a bus, departing around 09:30, 12:00 and 15:00, to Burana. The buses return to Tokmok around 14:00 and 16:00. Or just hitch-hike. 60 som to climb the tower, 50 som (per group?) to enter the museum.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bishkek_and_the_Northwest.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burana_Tower and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/burana-tower.

Charyn
You have to pay a fee and show your passport when going through the park gate at 43.36148, 79.04763 (that is, you only need to pay for the Valley of Castles, because that's the only valley reached through this gate). The fee is 737 tenge, more if you want to go inside with your car or camp in the park. If you have your own car, it is better to leave it outside the gate if possible, as the road ends near the gate anyway.
Charyn Canyon is one of the most popular national parks in Kazakhstan. This is because its beauty and easy accessibility. In lies in middle of large, deserted steppe. Kazakh people like to call it "our Grand Canyon", and it is partially true - Charyn Canyon is smaller, but resembles its American counterpart. Even though Charyn Canyon is frequented by tourists (several buses and many cars everyday in summer), its tourist infrastructure is totally undeveloped, leaving only one smaller campsite to cater for all the tourists. Because of this, it is better to come here on carefully planned daytrip from Almaty, or with supplies and a tent.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Charyn_Canyon.
Chiseled out of the steppe clay by an eponymous white river, Charyn Canyon is Kazakhstan’s supreme rift. After crossing the endless, wide-open plains outside of Almaty, the canyon comes as a surprise. Seemingly out of nowhere, the landscape gets a third dimension.
For a million years, wind and water sculpted Charyn’s red sandstone to form today’s fantastical shapes and shadows. Come here if you are not easily awed.
Besides sightseeing and photography, the Charyn area offers opportunities for walking, and rafting, as well as off-road jeep touring, and simply enjoying beautiful nature.
The history of Charyn canyon stretches back 12 million years, when the river started slowly eroding the stone around it. The oldest, darkest layers at the bottom of the canyons are volcanic lava rocks, on top of which debris slowly accumulated to form natural sculptures.
Once upon a time, a vast forest of Sogdian ash trees covered the whole area. The forest did not survive the change to a drier climate, and now only relic populations of the prehistoric, thick-as-baobab Sogdian ashes are left.
Lizards, snakes, steppe hares, foxes and especially groundhogs thrive here. There is also a renegade camel that calls Charyn home. The Charyn river is also home to an endemic fish called the naked osman.
Usually, when people say Charyn, they mean the Valley of Castles. That is just one sight, though; Charyn is a lot bigger than the Valley of Castles. Tour guides with more than a decade experience still discover nooks of Charyn they never saw before.

Charyn: Bestamak Canyon
Most people are canyoned-out after 3, but if you want more, visit Bestamak, another deep, multi-tinted canyon. Located between the Valley of Castles and Temirlik, over the length of 6 km, Bestamak repeatedly changes its look. Wide U-shaped valleys alternate with narrow passages. The color in the rocks gradually changes from pink to orange as you walk down the dry riverbed.

Charyn: Temirlik Canyon
After a hair-raising descent (4×4 only), you reach the river valley at Temirlik canyon. Temir means iron, and this canyon is of the reddest iron red.
Relic ash trees on the river bank make for a cozy camp spot; you are allowed to make a camp fire. This canyon is loved by children, who enjoy clambering around the towers and inside the overhangs and little caves.
Explore a bit more and you will find a small waterfall, good for morning showers on hot days. Colourful streaked boulders might get you interested in geology. You can also try to photo-hunt a mountain goat.
If you don’t care for camping; nearby Chundzha has a number of guesthouses built around hot springs.

Charyn: Valley of Castles
Entry fee ~750 Tenge.
This is the only part of the canyon directly accessible from the park gate. There are huge rock formations resembling castles, thus the name. You can see it from below, or you can walk on the upper flat the see it from above.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Charyn_Canyon.
The Valley of Castles is the famous bit of Charyn Canyon. Standing on top, looking down, it is an inspiring sight. Especially when the sun is low in the sky, the walls take on colours that are not their own, and eroded stone casts strange shadows on the valley floor.
Walk down in the valley and feel the walls closing in. Near the river, a small lodge hosts those who enjoy comfort. If you prefer camping, move on to the next canyon and put your tent up.

Charyn: Yellow/Moon/Lunar/Uzunbulak Canyon
This canyon is known by a variety of names like Yellow Canyon, Moon Canyon, Lunar Canyon, Uzunbulak Canyon.
-----------
This one is our favourite. You can walk down and feel the walls closing in, and there is a perfect picknick spot by the river. Like Temirlik, this is another really cozy canyon.
There is more nature here too: hardy plants in bright steppe colours that add to the drama.

Chatyr-Köl
A scenic alpine lake with a high level of biodiversity.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Naryn_Region.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatyr-K%C3%B6l.

Cholpon-Ata: Open Air Museum of Petroglyphs
Various petroglyphs with hunting scenes and animals (like snow leopards). However, many are barely visible and in very bad shape. Only about 2-3 are worth a picture. 80 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cholpon-Ata.

Denov: R Shreder Dendrarium
Located just south of Denov's centre is the R Shreder Dendrarium, an arboretum housing more than 1,000 species of native and non-native plants.[13] The plants were collected by scientists, and also received as gifts from official visitors. As well as common trees, herbs, and flowers indigenous to Uzbekistan, the non-native species grown here range from kauchuk (natural rubber) and bamboo, to sequoia and a notable collection of persimmons.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denov.

Denov: Sayyid Atalik Madrasa
Dating from the 16th century, the Sayyid Atalik Madrasa is one of the largest madrasas in Central Asia. It was described a century later by the Balkh historian Mahmund ibn-Vali in his geographical encyclopedia.[12] From this account we know that the madrasa was initially part of a larger architectural ensemble, but the other buildings have not survived.
In the centre of the madrassa is a large building on the north–south axis, and there are arches surrounding the courtyard. The niche in the portal is unusual in that it is built on a semi-octahedron plan.[12] There are also a series of low cupolas and some attractive ghanch decoration inside.
The Sayyid Atalik Madrasa operated as a religious school until 1935, when it was closed by the Soviets. It reopened briefly from 1991 to 1997, then closed for renovation.[12] It is now classed as a historic monument rather than a religious building, and it is therefore possible for the public (including non-Muslims) to visit.[13]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denov.

Denov: Yangi Masjid
Looks like a very impressive mosque.

Dushanbe: Botanical Garden
The best place to escape the dust and noise of the traffic for peace and quiet. A small forest with plenty of greenery. Usually the newly married couples have photos taken here.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Dushanbe.

Dushanbe: Flagpole
The second tallest free-standing flagpole in the world (162 m). This flagpole flies an 1,800-square-metre (19,000 sq ft) flag of Tajikistan, weighing 700 kilograms (1,500 lb).
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Dushanbe.
The Dushanbe Flagpole (Russian: Площадь государственного флага; Tajik: Боғи парчами Тоҷикистон, romanized: Boghi parchami Tojikiston) is a free–standing flagpole located in front of the Palace of Nations in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. At 165 metres (541 feet),[1] it was the tallest flagpole in the world from its completion in 2011 until the 2014 erection of the 171 m (561 ft) Jeddah Flagpole.[2][3] It is now the fourth tallest flagpole in the world. It flies a 30 m × 60 m (98 ft × 197 ft) Flag of Tajikistan weighing 700 kilograms (1,540 pounds).
The flagpole consists of 12-metre sections of steel tube fitted together by crane.[5]
The design phase for the flagpole began in July 2009. Fabrication of the pole's sections was completed in Dubai in October 2010. The sections were then shipped to Dushanbe, where construction of the flagpole began on November 24, 2010, Tajikistan's National Flag Day.[6] The final assembly and erection took place during April and May 2011, with the first test flight of the flag of Tajikistan taking place on May 24, 2011.[7]
The flagpole cost $3.5 million and was part of $210 million worth of projects celebrating the 20th anniversary of Tajik independence.[8]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dushanbe_Flagpole.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_flagpoles_by_height and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dushanbe-flagpole.

Dushanbe: Gurminj Museum of Musical Instruments
Daily 11:00-18:00. This small museum has an interesting variety of Central Asian musical instruments as string instruments example: rubab, Pamiri rubab, tanbur, dutor, setor, qashqar, and ghizhak. There are also number of drums such as tabl, daf, and doyra. That alone is worth a peek if you like instruments, but better still is to go when a musical or cultural event is being held, or hope to catch the folk musicians who practice there and can demo many of the instruments in the collection. Admission 10TJS.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Dushanbe.

Dushanbe: Haji Yaqub Mosque
The largest mosque in the CIS cost of US$100 million. It has a crescent-topped minaret and burnished golden dome.
For more see https://mosqpedia.org/en/mosque/1589.

Dushanbe: Istiqlol Complex
A newcomer to the tourist attractions in Dushanbe is the Istiqlol Complex situated in the north of the city between Rudaki Street and the Varzob River. Eye-catcher of the complex is a 121 meter high tower topped by a large crown. Around of the tower, there is a large park including a square that can be used for parades. The complex was built in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Tajik independence in 1991. Archways in a baroque style with traditional Tajik elements mark the entrees to the complex. The park and square are publicly accessible, while the entrance fee for the tower is 70 SOM. You can go all the way up to the top (14th floor) for a 360 degrees view over Dushanbe. On the lower floors, there is a museum with some general expositions about Tajik culture.
Taken from https://trektajikistan.com/blog/dushanbe-city-highlights/.

Dushanbe: Mehrgon Market
The Mehrgon bazar is without doubt the most picturesque place to go grocery shopping in Dushanbe. The market is opened every day and features an aesthetic display of spices, fruits, vegetables and other foods. Despite being one of the few places in Tajikistan where you can feel bothered by vendors, the Mehrgon market is certainly worth a visit. You can also visit more regular bazars like Sakhovat or Korvon in the southeast of Dushanbe for a more authentic experience.
Taken from https://trektajikistan.com/blog/dushanbe-city-highlights/.

Dushanbe: Monument of Amir Ismail Samani
A monument to the 10th-century founder of the Samanid dynasty. This statue commemorates the one after whom the currency is named. Apparently, the crown is 10 kg of Tajik gold. Beware: the police at the bottom may ask for money if you take photos, so stand far back and use your zoom. (And don't encourage this bad behaviour.)

Dushanbe: National Museum
This museum offers four floors detailing the history of what is now Tajikistan, primarily through art. The basement covers prehistory, including the geology of the country, while human history starts on the ground floor and increases chronologically as you ascend to the next floors. The ground floor is home to the crown jewel of the museum, the giant Buddha in Nirvana statue found in Ajina-tepe, as well as numerous historical artefacts from each empire to have set foot in the country. The upper floors detail Tajikistan's history post-Russian conquest, while the final floor is a gallery of paintings and sculptures made during the Soviet era, including a display of Soviet films filmed in Tajikistan. 35 somoni per person, more if you want to pay for photos.

Dushanbe: Navruz Palace
Going from the Flag Pole Park across the Varzob river, you stumble upon the largest tea house in Central Asia. The building actually has little to do with a traditional tea house. You can obviously go for a cup of tea, but there are also other types of entertainment inside, even including a cinema. With its decorative architecture and interior design, the tea house is frequently used to receive foreign dignitaries during state visits. The Tajik name for the tea house (Кохи Навруз) literally means Navruz Palace, which is quite an accurate description for its splendor.
Directly behind the Navruz tea house, there is a small artificial lake with yet another park next to it. The main sports complex of Dushanbe is located right across the road from the tea house, with the main football stadium. If you like, you can even go and play some table tennis.
Taken from https://trektajikistan.com/blog/dushanbe-city-highlights/.

Dushanbe: Rudaki Park
It was opened for the Shanghai summit, a new park on Rudaki Avenue that has a huge statue of Rudaki, a new government palace, and enough fountains to drain the whole of Dushanbe. Go at night to see the lights.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudaki.

Dushanbe: St. Nicholas Cathedral
The main pravoslav church of Dushanbe.
St. Nicholas Cathedral (Russian: Свято-Николаевский собор) is a Russian Orthodox church in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. It is the Cathedral church of the Russian Orthodox Eparchy of Dushanbe and Tajikistan.
The cathedral was completed at the end of 1943 due to a certain softening that occurred in the USSR in relation to the Patriarchal Church that year.
After the collapse of the USSR, a large number of Orthodox families to left the country, leaving the cathedral with no visitors. In the spring of 2005, the St. Nicholas Cathedral began its first major reconstruction, which continued until 2011.[1][2]

Dushanbe: Vahdat Palace
It is the headquarters of the ruling People's Democratic Party and is also used to host international conferences.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Unity.

Dushanbe: Victory Park/World War II Memorial
Hike to the top for a seasonal tiki-themed beer garden offering views of the city. The truly brave can take the rickety gondola. Also there is the Victory Memorial.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Park,_Dushanbe.

Dushanbe: Wall of Tajik Writer
A building facade covered with the statues of 11 giants of Tajik literature.
See

Dushanbe: Zoo
The number of animals kept is about 600 on the area: 67000 m². This is the only institution of this kind in the country. Animals are indigenous and foreign species, with the most exotic being lion, jaguar and snow leopard. The local fauna are represented by brown bears, black bears, Bactrian camel, donkey, wolf, jackal, fox, raccoon, and some birds such as owl, vulture, golden eagle, falcon. Also some reptiles, including snakes, caymans, lizards are displayed indoors.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dushanbe_Zoo.

Eki Naryn Valley
Where two tributaries merge to form the Naryn River: a picturesque canyon where you can go horseback riding or stay at Akel's Yurt Camp. Probably have to arrange it through the CBT Naryn office.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Naryn_Region.
For more see https://caravanistan.com/trip-reports/eki-naryn/.

End of the Pamir Highway
Don't know if there is any sign that you can use as a photo spot, but according to Wikipedia this is where the famous Pamir Highway ends! The "Old Pamir Highway" however did not reach so far but already ended in Osh.
The M41, known informally and more commonly as the Pamir Highway (Russian: Памирский тракт, romanized: Pamirsky Trakt), is a road traversing the Pamir Mountains through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with a length of over 1,200 km. It is the only continuous route through the difficult terrain of the mountains and is the main supply route to Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The route has been in use for millennia, as there are a limited number of viable routes through the high Pamir Mountains. The road formed one link of the ancient Silk Road trade route. M41 is the Soviet road number, but it only remains as an official designation in post-Soviet Uzbekistan, as confirmed by official decree.[2] Kyrgyzstan[3] and Tajikistan[4] have passed decrees abolishing Soviet numbering of highways and assigning their own national numbering.
At the end of the 19th century — the beginning of the 20th century in Central Asia between the British and Russian empires continued a sharp geopolitical rivalry for influence in the region, which received the name "Great Game" in world history. The military department of the Russian Empire, concerned about the activity of the British in the Pamirs, decided to build a strategic military road along which it would be possible to quickly transfer troops from Fergana to the Alay Valley and carry out their effective supply. The construction was planned and carried out in deep secrecy and for a long time the existence of a road through the Alay Range in Russian Turkestan in Europe was not known.
In the summer of 1903, an officer of the Russian army, military geographer Nikolai Korzhenevsky, climbing the Taldyk Pass (Kyrgyzstan) with a height of 3615 meters, discovered a memorial pillar with the names of people who took part in the design and laying of a road along the Hissaro-Alay in the "Russian" of Turkestan. They were Lieutenant Colonel Bronisław Grombczewski, railway engineers Mickiewicz, Burakovsky, Zarakovsky and Podporuchik Irmuth. For a long time, Europeans believed that the first road through the Taldyk Pass was built in 1916 by Austrians captured in the First World War. Korzhenevsky's diary testifies to something else. He believed that in 1893 it was built by Russian sapper units. However, according to other sources, the first road connecting Osh and Gulcha in Kyrgyzstan through the Taldyk Pass was built in 1876 by a Russian detachment under the command of General Alexander Konstantinovich Abramov. Later, this small section of the road (88 versts - 1.1 km) from Fergana to the Alay Valley of Kyrgyzstan was called the "Old Pamir Highway". According to the testimony of Korzhenevsky, in 1910 only a dangerous pack trail went further from Gulchi to the south, through the Eastern Pamirs. Along the Panj, from Darvaz to Rushan in 1915, Russian units, with the help of the local population, also laid a pack trail, cargo was transported by packs on horses and donkeys. Rockfalls, landslides, avalanches, waterfalls, floods often destroyed the trail. By 1930, according to eyewitnesses, this trail was in terrible condition, even packhorses could hardly pass through it, they had to be constantly unloaded in order to transfer them to the ovrings.
With the completion in 1937, in Soviet era, of the construction of a highway connecting the cities of Osh and Khorog, the Old Pamir Highway became an integral part of the large Pamir Highway.
By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 5, 1941, the tract was named after Stalin.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M41_highway.

Fairytale Canyon
A beautiful and colorful mountain range, made of sandy red and yellow formations, popping out of the otherwise rather grey region. Diverse forms that look quite different with rain, shortly after or just sun. The satellite picture best summarises its potential. The canyon was named because of its bizarre rocky landscape, which for many years has been transformed by erosion into amazing sculptures and formations. Some formations look like the Great Wall of China and you can also find other formations that look like snakes, dragons, sleeping giants and even whole castles. From the canyon you can see a majestic panorama of Lake Issyk-Kul and snow caped mountains. It’s an easy hike close to Lake Issyk-Kul. It is kind of a touristy rip-off, charging entrance for a non-private mountain range—it is not-even a national park. If you do not want to support this practice, take the second road 1 km further east along the highway, which leads to the same colorful canyon (last 1 km walk), just its eastern range. 60 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tamga.
For more see https://visitkarakol.com/fairytale_canyon.

Geophysic and Meteorologic Station
On the top of the Kyzyl Suu river valley is a 1 Geo-physic and meteorologic station (2,580 m) build in wood in 1948 by German builders. Families staying there all the year around will explain their activities and can guide you around the region. It is possible to sleep in the station.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Jeti_%C3%96g%C3%BCz.

Gunt River
The Gunt (Russian: Гунт, Tajik: Ғунд Ghund or Аличур Alichur, historically in English also Ghund[1]) is a river in the south of Tajikistan, north of the Shughnon Range. It is 296 kilometres (184 mi) long and has a basin area of 13,700 square kilometres (5,300 sq mi).[2] Its source, Lake Yashilkul, is situated at the edge of the Alichur Pamir, a high plateau or pamir at an elevation of 3720m. The city of Khorog is located at the confluence of the Gunt with the Panj (one of the source rivers of the Amu Darya, forming the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan). See Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region for surrounding area.
The Gunt, and its tributary Shakhdara, power the Pamir I power plant. River flow is very seasonal, low in winter, but high in July and August due to water from melting snow. Its width varies from 10 to 50 meters and it is up to 1.5 meters deep. Due to the mountainous terrain, the rivercourse is very fast, over 2 m/s at times. Its bed is rocky, and the banks are steep and precipitous. Often the stream occupies the whole river valley, but sometimes it divides into several courses.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunt.

Hisor Fortress
Hisor fortress (also spelled Hissor, Gissar, etc.) is a partially-rebuilt Silk Road fortress located not too far from Dushanbe. It was the seat of the Khanate of Bukhara's power in Tajikistan, and was captured by Alexander the Great and Chinggis Khan. Across a square from it is a madrassa and the foundations of a caravanserai, but neither of those have been restored (but they can still be toured). Entrance fees are TJS1-3.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hisor-fort.

Hulbuk Castle
This medieval citadel once guarded the western entrance of the Pamir Highway.
See https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hulbuk-fortress.

Ili River: Nomad Filmset
On the west bank of the river, a small walled city was built as a set for the 2005 movie Nomad. In the early 2000s, the Kazakh government pumped 40 million dollar into a rousing historical epic on the life of national hero Ablai Khan. We agree with one reviewer who said that “the gorgeous locations and epic fight scenes don’t compensate for laughable dialogues and a terrible story full of clichés.”
The fake city is an amusing sight. Cardboard “ceramic tiles” have fallen off walls that reveal a gaping hole behind them. You can play out your scenarios next to the fake catapults, laying siege to the fake brick walls on the turrets.
Other films have been filmed here, such as the Russian 2006 event film Day Watch.
The caretaker of the film set tends to always be there, he charges 300 tenge entry.
Be aware that, unless you manage to swim across the river, visiting both sites (Tamgaly Tas and the Nomad Film Set) requires 50 km of backtracking over the bridge at Kapchagay.
We recommend to go during weekdays. In the weekends, the place is crowded with city people. Avoid July and August, when temperatures soar well above 40 degrees Celsius.

Ili River: Tamgaly Tas Buddhist Petroglyphs
The outskirts of Almaty drag on forever, and the landscape only becomes glorious once past the beaches and casinos of Kapchagay.
Turn left past the bridge over the Kapchagay reservoiir, and the Buddhas of Tamgaly Tas (not be mistaken with the petroglyphs of Tamgaly) are easily found. A trail leads up to them, and they are surrounded by prayer flags. The carvings are in a remarkable state considering their age, although vandals have done damage.
The largest composition carries 3 wonderfully carved Buddha figures sitting on lotus flowers. The Bodhisattva Nagarjuna is depicted on a boulder to the left. One more Buddha can be found a bit closer to the river.
Further on, signs in Tibetan, Dzunghar and Manchu and petroglyphs of animals can be found scratched into the walls. The figures were most likely drawn by 18th-century Dzhungars who had converted to Tibetan Buddhism 2 centuries before.
On a hot day, you can cool off in the river here.
Climbing happens on the challenging rock face just above the Buddhas. Bring your own gear or get in touch with the climbing community of Almaty.
An entrance fee of 200 tenge applies for Tamgaly Tas when the caretaker is around, which seems to be weekends only.
Be aware that, unless you manage to swim across the river, visiting both sites (Tamgaly Tas and the Nomad Film Set) requires 50 km of backtracking over the bridge at Kapchagay.
We recommend to go during weekdays. In the weekends, the place is crowded with city people. Avoid July and August, when temperatures soar well above 40 degrees Celsius.

Iron Gates of Sogdiana
In ancient times this narrow valley across the Hissar Mountain Range was used as a strategic passage between Bactria and Sogdia and was of great importance to any power in the region.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Southern_Uzbekistan.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactria and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sogdia.

Ishkashim Border Market
A strip of neutral ground where the people of Tajikistan and Afghanistan come together to trade.
See and  https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ishkashim-market.

Iskanderkul
A turquoise lake in the Fann Mountains and one of the must-see stops of any Tajikistan trip.
Iskander Kul - According to an old tale, Alexander the Great lost his horse on the banks of this gourgeous mountain lake about 25 km off the main road (and accessible by car). Even though the color of the water may look like something you'd see in the Caribbean, it is very cold and only the brave will go for a swim. At the lakeside a former turbaza (holiday camp) is featuring a restaurant and about 25 chalets for overnight stay (25 TJS/pers). It operates only during the main season. Don't miss out on the impressive 40-m waterfall a 30-minute walk from the lake. Local people call it "Niagara" with some reason. If you are into multi-day trekking, the village of Sary-Tag (a two-hour walk from the lake) is a good base for tours crossing over to Allaudin lakes or the seven pearls of Shing. Sary-Tag features a number of good standard homestays of the CBT projekt of ZTDA.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Zeravshan_Valley.
Iskanderkul (Russian: Искандеркуль; Tajik: Искандаркӯл) is a mountain lake of glacial origin in Tajikistan's Sughd Province. It lies at an altitude of 2,195 metres (7,201 ft) on the northern slopes of the Gissar Range in the Fann Mountains. Triangular in shape, it has a surface area of 3.4 square kilometres (1.3 sq mi) and is up to 72 metres (236 ft) deep. Formed by a landslide[citation needed] that blocks the Saratogh river, the outflow of the lake is called the Iskander Darya, which joins the Yaghnob River to form the Fan Darya, a major left tributary of the Zeravshan River.
134 km from Dushanbe and 23 km from the Dushanbe—Khujand road, Iskanderkul is a popular tourist destination.[1]
The lake takes its name from Alexander the Great's passage in Tajikistan: Iskander is the Persian pronunciation of Alexander, and kul means lake in many Turkic languages.[2] There are two legends connecting the lake to Alexander. The first one states it used to be a location the inhabitants of which resisted Alexander's rule, and in fury, the king ordered to divert a river and annihilate them. The second legend states that Bucephalus had drowned in the lake.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iskanderkul.

Ismoil Somoni Peak
Ismoil Somoni Peak (Tajik: Қуллаи Исмоили Сомонӣ, romanized: Qulla-i Ismō‘il-i Sōmōnî/Qullaji Ismojili Somonī; Persian: قلّهٔ اسماعیل سامانی; Russian: Пик Исмои́ла Сомони́) is the highest mountain in Tajikistan, reaching 7495 m.[1][3][7][8][9][4][5][6] Because it was within the territory of the former Russian Empire and the former Soviet Union, it was the highest mountain in the Russian Empire and Soviet Union before Tajikistan became independent. The mountain is named after Ismail Samani, a ruler of the Samanid dynasty. It is located in the Pamir Range.
Name
When the existence of a peak in the Soviet Pamir Mountains higher than Lenin Peak was first established in 1928, the mountain was tentatively identified with Mount Garmo.[2] However, as the result of the work of further Soviet expeditions, it became clear by 1932 that they were not the same, and in 1933 the new peak, in the Academy of Sciences Range, was named Stalin Peak[8][9] (Russian: Пик Ста́лина, tr. Pik Stálina), after Joseph Stalin. In 1962, as part of Khrushchev's nationwide de-Stalinization process, the name was changed to Communism Peak (Tajik: Пики Коммунизм, romanized: Piki Komunizm Russian: Пик Коммуни́зма, tr. Pik Kommunízma), a name by which it is still commonly known. The name Communism Peak was officially dropped in 1998 in favour of the current name, commemorating the 9th-10th century Samanid emir, Ismail Samani.[10]
History
By the end of the 1880s, a Russian expedition, led by V.F. Oshanin, conducted research named various regions in the area. He noted in his diary: "I believe that the eastern peak has a height of up to 25,000 feet (7,600 metres)."[11][12] The central Pamirs would continue to be visited by the expeditions of Kosineko, Korzhenevsky, Lipsky, Novitsky, Musketov, and others, but they failed to reach the Academy of Sciences Range.
In 1913, the central part of the Pamirs was explored by an expedition led by the German mountain explorer and climber Willi Rickmer Rickmers. The expedition penetrated the upper reaches of the Obikhingou River, where they saw a 6650 m peak. It was given the name Garmo Peak, according to the name given by the Tajiks from Pashimgar. Subsequent expeditions to the area of the Range of the Academy of Sciences took place in Soviet times.
In 1928, the long-term Tajik-Pamir expedition of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR began to operate, which began with the Soviet-German expedition with the participation of Willy Rickmers. As a result of topographic survey, it was found that one of the peaks visible in the west of the Fedchenko glaciers reaches a height of 7495 m. Having compared the survey results with a schematic map compiled by Korzhenevsky back in 1925, and with other data, the members of the expedition of the Academy of Sciences decided that this peak is Garmo Peak, which was mapped by the German expedition of 1913 . However, this led to the "mystery of the Garmo", as there was a discrepancy between the heights: 6650 m and 7495 m. This was solved only during the expeditions of 1931 and 1932, when two detachments of climbers and topographers (led by Gorbunov and Krylenko) penetrated the area from the east and from the west. The 6650 m peak was determined to be the real Garmo, and the unnamed 7495 m peak was conclusively discovered and mapped, and given the name Stalin Peak in honor of Stalin's upcoming 55th birthday.[13][14][15][16][17]
The first ascent (to the then Stalin Peak) was made on 3 September 1933 by the Soviet mountaineer Yevgeniy Abalakov, during the Tajik-Pamir expedition of 1933.[18]
The first woman to ascend to the peak was Lyudmila Agranovskaya in 1969.[19]
The first ascent during the Winter was made in February 1986 by 24 climbers (7 from Uzbekistan, and 17 from the rest of the USSR).[20]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismoil_Somoni_Peak.

Issyk-Kul
Issyk Kul (Kyrgyz: Ысык көл Ysyk Köl, Russian: Иссык-Куль) is a lake in Kyrgyzstan. The name refers both to the lake and the oblast (region) containing the lake. The region is centered around the massive Issyk Kul lake, which is the second largest alpine lake in the world. It is completely ringed by the massive snow-capped Tian Shan mountains that lie between 3,000 and 4,000 m.
Issyk Kul is a slightly saline deep water body. Years of over-fishing have decimated its fisheries and many of the smoked fish sold in the surrounding cities come from other alpine lakes. Due to a lack of reasonable control on tourism, many sub-standard and unfinished low quality tourism resorts ring the lake's north shore. Nevertheless, there still remain numerous places to appreciate the true beauty of Issyk Kul.
A mountain pass road being constructed between Issyk Kul and Almaty, Kazakhstan is set to increase the number of tourists in the coming years and without government controls on development, exposing the lake to more tourists will only deplete its natural beauty. The Issyk Kul lake reaches to 663 m deep in the center. The east end of the lake was also once used as a torpedo testing site by the Soviet Navy, making the region off limits to foreigners for a period of time. Issyk Kul is divided between the more populated and touristy North Shore and the more rugged and less populated South Shore.
Issyk Kul is also ringed by hundreds of kilometers of beaches popular for swimming and sunning.
There are no lifeguards at any of the beaches. There are no nudist beaches and women being topless is quite rare, but local custom has no aversion to extremely skimpy swimsuits.
Beware, as the lake sits at 1,600 m above sea level, the UV rays are far more damaging to your skin than they are at sea level. Wear sunscreen.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Issyk_Kul.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issyk-Kul and https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/north/issyk-kul/.

Istaravshan: Mug Tepe Fortress
A unique monument of the Achaemenid period with a peculiar architectural and material culture. It is an archaeological monument of the 12th-4th centuries BCE. Its area is 18 hectares, on the banks of the Nijon River. The object is fortified with a defensive wall with a horseshoe-shaped citadel. The early layers of the settlement date back to the 7th-4th centuries BCE with dwellings of the semi-dugout type. The walls are reinforced with rectangular bricks.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Istaravshan.

Jeti-Ögüz Resort
An ageing Russian a balneotherapic resort aka sanatorium with hot springs. Like many such sanatoriums in former Soviet countries, it carries the name курорт or kurort, which is German for sanatorium. The public bath has baths and massages on offer. Free, baths are extra.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Jeti_%C3%96g%C3%BCz.
Jeti-Ögüz (Kyrgyz: Жети-Өгүз, romanized: Jeti-Ögüz, lit. 'seven bulls') is a balneotherapic resort located at the Jeti-Ögüz Rocks near Issyk Kul in the Jeti-Ögüz District of Issyk-Kul Region of Kyrgyzstan, about 28 km west of Karakol, and near Jeti-Ögüz village.[1] Its population was 337 in 2021.[2]
The thermal springs of Jeti-Ögüz were known to local inhabitants since antiquity. The place became known to Europe after 1856 when Semenov-Tian-Shanskii first visited it. Since 1965 the resort operates year-round. In 1991, an important meeting between Boris Yeltsin and Askar Akayev took place in Jeti-Ögüz.
This resort is a common destination of interest for citizens of Kyrgyzstan, as well as a popular destination for tourists to Kyrgyzstan. The Jeti-Ögüz Rocks are located in vicinity of the resort. From the resort, with a hike or ride on horse-back of several hours, one may reach a waterfall located in a gully, as well as a pine-tree plantation. This is a popular trek for tourists and visitors.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeti-%C3%96g%C3%BCz_resort.

Jyrgalan
Jyrgalan is the most eastern village of this size in Kyrgyzstan. Formerly a mining town, with the mine still being operated, it is now also considered by tourist for its backcountry skiing and hiking opportunities.
There are no cafes or restaurants in the village. Breakfast is typically included with a stay in the Guesthouse. Lunch and dinner can usually be requested from them.
There are 5 guesthouses in the village. A night's stay averages 1,000 som per person per night.
There are several marked hiking trails. See https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Jyrgalan#Do for descriptions and gpx tracks.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Jyrgalan.

Jyrgalan: Tulpar Tash
This rock sits at the base of the Chunkur Tor mountain range (2,450 m). Legend holds that Manas' horse climbed up this rock and leapt from the top, leaving footprints on the rock. Local villagers have also identified other pictures on the rock face, including wolf face and smiling man.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Jyrgalan.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Manas.

Kaindy Lake
Important update: bring your passport! A new police checkpoint has been installed before the village of Saty. Foreigners without passports will be sent back. Photocopies are not accepted!
In 1911, an earthquake triggered a large landslide, resulting in a natural dam. The glacier melt could no longer flow out, and a lake was formed. The old forest of Shrenk spruce trees sunk into the new lake.
Above water, the sunken trees appear as large masts from lost ghost ships, eery reflections in the water. But underwater, the needles of the Shrenk spruce still remain on the trees, even 100 years later. Because of the clear mountain water, you can see deep into the depths of the lake.
Perfect selfie spot.
For more see there and at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kaindy-lake.

Kaldama Pass (about 3000 m)
The road [from Naryn] to Jalal-Abad over Kazarman, winding across the mountainsides of central Kyrgyzstan, is another very beautiful ride that sees very little traffic.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/center/.

Karakol: Animal market
Su 01:00-10:00. Early on Sunday mornings one of Kyrgyzstan’s biggest animal markets takes place around 2 km north of central Karakol. Typical of such markets, you’ll observe scenes at once sad and comical, with locals improbably bundling voluptuous fat-tailed sheep into the back seats of Lada cars. The setting amid semi-derelict flourmills might seem unprepossessing, but on clear days the backdrop of white-topped mountains is more striking from here than from the town center. A series of earthen unloading platforms lead north. Jostle through the chaos to reach a bigger main compound one block north, where you’ll find horse sales and vendors of beautiful embossed leather saddles. free.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Karakol.
One of the largest animal markets in Kyrgyzstan is held in the early morning every Sunday 2 km north of the city center.
The market ends around 10 am, so get there early for all the action. The market is divided into two compounds, one for sheep and goats; the other for horses, cattle and the occasional camel.
It is a great place to experience Kyrgyz culture first-hand. Locals examine and bargain for the animals on offer, trying out horses with a short test trot or assessing the weight of the butt on a fat-tailed sheep with their palms. This is Kyrgyz rural life in its unadorned form.
Or, you can buy a horse here yourself and roam the Kyrgyz countryside as it is meant to be roamed.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/north/karakol/

Karakol: Dungan Mosque
06:00-21:00. Issyk-kul Central Mosque of Karakol city named after Ibrahim Aji was built by initiative of Ibrahim Aji. He invited the famous Beijing architect Chou Seu and 20 carvers with the skills of traditional Chinese architecture and composition techniques for building the mosque. Construction of the mosque began in 1904 and completed in 1907. An ingenious system allowed builders to build the mosque with no metal reinforcement tools. The mosque holds 42 based pillars. Encircling the building is multi-tiered wooden cornice, decorated with images of plants like grapes, pomegranates, pears and peaches. Besides it the mosque is registered as a historical monument and protected by the law. It’s the only Chinese architecture in Kyrgyzstan. 20 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Karakol.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dungan-mosque.

Karakol: Hikes
Wikivoyage lists several hiking trips south of Karakol, incl. gpx tracks. Check them out here: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Karakol#Hiking.

Karakol: Historical Museum
Daily 09:00-17:00. The museum is housed in a pretty chocolate-box cottage in central Karakol. It was the pre-revolutionary summer home of the Iliana merchant family. From 1918-1920 the building earned its socialist stripes as headquarters of the Regional Revolutionary Committee, and in 1948 was transformed into a museum by order of the Soviet Council of Ministers. The museum has several interesting displays (labeled in English, Russian and Kyrgyz). Scythian artifacts include bronze pots retrieved from Lake Issyk-Kul, displayed alongside exhibits of petroglyphs. Besides a comprehensive display of traditional Kyrgyz punched leatherwork, felt wall hangings and woven yurt decorations, the museum has a colorful collection of national costumes, and examples of finely worked silver jewelry. One hall covers the region's flora and fauna - much of which is endangered. The museum is also worth visiting to gain a Soviet perspective of history in the region. A couple of walls relating to Kyrgyz union with Russia and the subsequent revolution are now historical artifacts in themselves. There are many stuffed animals inside, and great pictures by Ella Millart, a famous Swiss traveler. 70 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Karakol.

Karakol: Hot Springs
Hot springs within hiking distance from Karakol and conveniently located along the Ala-Kul hiking trail. Hostels, yurts, food (250-300 SOM for lunch/dinner) available.
The ones at this position are free. There are commercial ones (200 som) 2 km south at 42.3726, 78.6118.

Karakol: Main Bazar
The main bazaar on the corner of Torgoev and Aldashev streets is open daily from 8 to 18 and sells everything you’d expect from a Central Asian marke.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/north/karakol/.

Karakol: Przevalski Museum and Memorial
Daily 09:00-17:00. Nikolay Mikhailovich Przhewalsky was one of the first Russian geographers who started studying in detail the geography, flora and fauna of the Central Asia. Beginning in 1870, he arranged 4 large expeditions to Mongolia, China and Tibet. During his expeditions he revealed the exact directions of the mountain ranges and borders of the Tibetan Mountains. Przhewalsky collected an enormous zoological collection, which comprised several thousand of species of plant, animals, birds, fishes and insects. In the year of 1888, he died from typhoid fever on the eve of his fifth expedition to Central Asia; he was buried on the Issyk-Kul lakeside, not far from the city of Karakol. The museum has more than 8 works of Przhewalsky published between 1883 and 1947, and 30 photocopies and photos. Today there are personal things, documents photos and articles of Przhewalsky kept there. Not far from the museum there is the traveler’s tomb and monument. In 1998 Hussein Karasaw, a famous Kyrgyz linguist, was buried there too. Przhewalsky is one of the first Europeans to discover Karakol and the mountains. To the rear of his resting place lies the remnants of a Soviet torpedo testing facility. 120 som.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/przhevalskiy-museum.

Karakol: The Holy Trinity Church
08:00-17:00. In July 1869, when Karakol was a garrison town on the edges of the Tsarist Russian Empire, the first church was built here. The Karakol church, however, was destroyed in an earthquake in 1889, which caused havoc in the town and took several lives. It took six years to complete, and was consecrated in 1895. It has seen considerable service, not just as a church. Over the years, particularly following the Revolution in 1917, it has been used as an educational centre housing a school, ladies’ gymnasium, an institution of higher education, a sports hall, a theater, a dance hall, and as a coal store. Then, in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the independence of Kyrgyzstan, the local authority gave the building back to the church. The paintings and symbols inside the church are different from churches in Europe and interesting. Free.

Karakol: Zoo
Daily 09:00-17:00. Karakol Zoological Park was founded in 1987. This is the only zoo in Kyrgyzstan. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the economics of the country quickly fell into disrepair in 2001, there was a question about closing the zoo. However, sponsors were found to preserve the wildlife area and keep it in a relatively prosperous state. There are many local bears, wolf, deer, camels, Prjevalski's horses, peacock and many others animals. 70 som.

Karakul
Karakul is a small village on the Pamir Highway surrounded by a large crater lake. It sits on a desolate high plain. If you are coming from Kyrgyzstan beware of possible altitude sickness.
There is a rest house for truckers that will serve a hearty dinner; it's cheap but don't go expecting it to be pristine clean.
You can find basic meals asking in the few guest houses around the village; fried eggs, jam, rice, bread and tea. If you are lucky you can get a soup with some rice and veggies.
You can buy very basic stuff to cook in the local shops of the village, but bear in mind that you will only find potatoes, onions, rice, bread and pasta. The shops are quite hidden between the mud houses, and probably you will have to ask the locals (if you can find them) for the location of the stores (magazin in Russian).
There is a pump at the end of the village (if you are coming from Kyrgyztan), but you should filter the water. If you want to minimize the chances of getting severe diarrhea (no jokes) filter the water you get from pumps all over the Pamirs. There is no bottled water for sale in Karakul, nor in Murghab.
There are several guesthouses for the few travelers who show up every summer. Right in front of the road there is a cheap guesthouse (US$5 per person per night). You can see the main wall of the white guest house with a "guesthouse" sign written y blue letters.
If you look around the village (it’s quite small) you will find a few more houses where you can sleep.
You can camp near the lake if you wish. Many cyclist and budget travelers camp there with no major issues.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Karakul.

Karakul Lake
Karakul Lake (meaning "black lake") is approximately 200 km from Kashgar, Xinjiang province, China, in Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture on the Karakoram Highway, before reaching Tashkurgan and the Khunjerab Pass on the China - Pakistan border. At an altitude of 3600m (though a height of nearer 3,900 m has been quoted), it is the highest lake of the Pamir plateau, near the junction of the Pamir, Tian Shan and Kunlun mountain ranges. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year, the three highest peaks visible from the lake are Muztagh Ata (7546 m), Kongur Tagh (7649 m) and Kongur Tiube (7530 m). The lake is popular among travellers for its unreal scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue. There are two Kirgiz settlements along the shore of Karakul lake, a small number of yurts about 1km east of the bus drop-off point and a village with stone houses located on the western shores.
A permit is required for visitors who wish to stay the night. This permit is checked sometimes by the local police in the lake area. This can be very difficult to arrange on your own, but all travel agencies in Kashgar are familiar with the process. However, ignore all agents who tell you that the daytrip require a permit.
There is a small area in the center of the west bank of the lake that requires an entrance fee of ¥50 (tickets available at the entrance). It's better to avoid this rip-off and walk around the lake, if you want to stop just for a drink in the small restaurant; nobody is likely to ask you for the entrance fee.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Karakol_Lake.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakul_(Xinjiang).

Kashgar
Kashgar (Chinese: 喀什 Kāshí; Uyghur: قەشقەر Qeshqer) is in the extreme west of China and the southwest extreme of Xinjiang. The city has been an important trading centre since the days of the Silk Road, and still is today; it is said to have the largest bazaar in Asia.
The local population is a colourful mixture of Uyghurs, Han Chinese, Kyrgyz, Tajiks and Uzbeks, with ethnic Uyghurs forming the majority. It is considered by most people to be the main center of Uyghur culture in China.
The Silk Road route from Eastern and Central China branches after Dunhuang; one route runs along the north edge of the Taklamakan Desert, the other along the south. Kashgar is where the two branches meet again in the western part of the desert. From there, the main route continues west into toward the Ferghana Valley and Samarkand.
Another former caravan trail has now become the Karakorum Highway leading south into Pakistan; Kashgar is its northern terminus.
Historically, Kashgar has often been the capital of an independent kingdom — Marco Polo mentions one that existed before the Mongol conquest; the most recent was under Yakub Beg (originally from Kokand) in the late 19th century — and at other times part of various empires including Mongol, Persian and Chinese. It has usually been under Chinese control since the Qing took it in 1759, though there have been several revolts; the last ended in 1934. Today it is China's westernmost city.
Due to its large ethnic Uyghur majority, Uyghur is the main language spoken in Kashgar. That said, younger people who have been to school generally speak Mandarin as well.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kashgar.

Kashgar: Id Kah Mosque
Open 08:50-22:00 though closed during services. First built in 1442, it is distinctive for its yellow walls and Central Asian architecture. Women are generally not allowed inside, but modestly dressed foreigners should have no problem. You should remove your shoes before entering the carpeted area. ¥20.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kashgar.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id_Kah_Mosque.

Kashgar: Moer Buddhist Pagoda
Built in 7th century during the Tang dynastyת and destroyed in the 12th century. Nowadays only one pagoda is left, next to the pagoda is a platform. The pagoda is the place where the monks in the city to come and do their worship. The Mor pagoda has three square layers, each a little smaller than the one below it. The bottom layer has circumferences of more than forty-eight meters, the second layer forty meters and the third layer thirty-two meters, while the pagoda stands more than twelve meters high. The platform beside the pagoda was one of the central temple structures, and in its side walls were carved niches housing Buddha figurines. But now there aren’t any figures left, and even the niches themselves are barely visible.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kashgar.

Kashgar: Old Town
The old town used to have warren-like niches and winding streets, home to friendly (if occasionally guarded) residents and delightfully improvised architecture. However, as of 2017, the Chinese government has completely destroyed everything in the Old Town and "redeveloped" it into a dystopia.

Kashgar: Tomb of Apak Hoja
08:00-17:30, prayer day is Friday. A massive, elegant building created in 1640 in typical Islamic style. Also a pilgrimage site. It claims to be the resting place of the legendary "Fragrant Concubine", although the traditional Uyghur tale of her rebellion against the Qing imperial family is omitted in the tomb's accompanying introduction. ¥30.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afaq_Khoja_Mausoleum and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/afaq-khoja-mausoleum.

Khiva
Khiva (Uzbek: Xiva, Хива; Russian: Хива) is a city of 93,000 people (2020) in the western province of Khorezm in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Along with Samarkand and Bukhara, Khiva is an important and often overlooked historical site on what was once the Great Silk Road.
Famous for its long and brutal history as a slave trading post sandwiched in between the vast Kyzylkum and Karakum deserts, Khiva is now a quiet, sleepy oasis that awaits busloads of tourists instead of caravans of captives. It's difficult to imagine what exactly ancient Khiva was like, considering the historical areas were restored to a scrubbed and squeaky-clean look by the Soviets in the 1970s. However, the clustered array of mosques, madrassahs and tiled minarets within an area of less than 3 km give you a sense of how crowded and bustling this town must have been throughout its history.
Khiva is divided into two distinct sections; one being the older, museum-like Ichon-Qala or Itchan Kala (literally: within the wall) where striking examples of Islamic architecture were built over the span of 600 years; and the modern Dichon-Qala (literally: outside the wall) where both the majority of the population live and where all of the modern buildings exist, but glimpses of Khiva's greatness as a center of Islamic power still linger.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Khiva.

Khiva: Ak Mosque
The mosque was founded in 1657, but the present building dates from the 19th century. Tradition tells that it was founded in honour of Khan Anush Mohammed after he had saved his father Abu al Ghazi's life. It consists of a monumental hall with a dome above it and wooden aiwans on three sides. It is rather small with a base of 6.5 x 6.5 m. The cubiform substructure and the dome are painted white. Ak Mosque meaning "white mosque". Beside the mosque is a small minaret with beautiful carved wooden doors.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Khiva.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ak_Mosque.

Khiva: East Gate
East Gate (Palwan Darwase) is the entry and exit to the caravanserai (a large building to house caravans); It is the best preserved gate in Khiva, its passage is 60 m long with deep niches on both sides. In the 17th and 18th century, it was the prison of the khanate, the niches serving as cells. The prisoners had to solicit alms from the passers-by in order not to die of starvation. Slaves who escaped and were captured again were nailed with their ears to the gate. The Palwan Darwase was also called the "gate of the hangman": public executions took place in front of the gate. On the right hand side of Palwan Darwase near the walls of Itshan Kala was the location of the slave market. Bukhara and Khiva were famous for their slave trade. The nomadic tribes moving through the desert and earning their living from robbery were reliable suppliers of slaves. Tickets are checked here.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Khiva.

Khiva: Ichon-Qala
The old town Ichon-Qala (Itchan Kala) covers an area of about 26 hectares. It is rectangular in plan. Entrance tickets are sold from a booth outside the West Gate. Tickets cover entry to all of the museums and buildings inside the city (excluding the two Mausoleums). The ticket price is 150,000 som (as of June 2023) and the ticket is valid for two full days. Note, at the North Gate or the South Gate there's no ticket check, but once you want to enter a museum you need to show your ticket.
Itchan Kala was the site of the khan's palace. High officials and clergy and rich merchants used to live here. This is why we find the most important buildings in the Itchan Kala. The ordinary people, small merchants, craftsmen and peasants lived in Dishan Kala. There were wells in Itchan Kala, whereas people had to draw drinking water from the irrigation channels in Dishan Kala. In the north western part of Itchan Kala is the well, where according to the legend the city was founded by Sem.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itchan_Kala.

Khiva: Islam Khoja Minaret
The minaret is 45 m high and 10 m wide at its base. It was built in 1908, however using the same methods as the much older minarets at Bukhara, Wabkent and Konye Urgench. You can see the minaret from everywhere in Khiva and even from far away in the desert. It is probable that the minaret served military purposes as well. Islam Khoja was the great vizier of Khan Asfendijar. He undertook moderate reforms, opened the first secular school and the first hospital and introduced mail and railways. Khan Asfendijar ruled from 1910 to 1920. He mistrusted everyone. He stayed in a mirror hall, observed all persons arriving through the mirrors and called the palace guards on the most trifling occasions. But to the greatest extent he feared his own vizier. Thus, he ordered that nobody was allowed to leave his house in order to pray for the health and the spiritual welfare of the khan. He called for Islam Khoja, kept him in his palace until dark and on his way home Islam Khoja was killed by bandits.

Khiva: Juma Mosque
The old mosque was already mentioned by the Arab traveller Mohammed al-Magisi in the 10th century. According to the inscriptions above the entrance, the actual mosque was built in the 18th cent. It covers an area of 55 x 46 m. The interior is square in plan. It has two octagonal openings in the ceiling. Apart from wooden beams and columns it has no decoration. It contains 212 ornately carved columns that support the roof, dating back to the 12th to 15th century. The wooden columns were removed from other buildings which have been destroyed. The columns are masterpieces of wood carving. The whole surface is covered by leaves, flowers and tendrils. If you look closely, you can see pomegranate blossoms and acanthus leaves. The columns are peculiar in form: they are spherical at their base, get a little bit narrower and end with a part similar to an oblong drinking glass. In some columns the base is a square marble or a round piece of wood only. Similar carved columns were not only used in palaces and mosques, but also in farmers' houses where they carry the roof of the verandah. It is reported that these wooden columns are the oldest in Central Asia. Tradition says that they come from the Great Mosque of Kat, the former capital of old Choresmia. Research has shown that 15 of them date to the 10th to 14th century. Be sure to bring some sort of light if you plan to climb the 81 steps up to the top of the Juma minaret, which you can access from inside.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juma_Mosque_(Khiva).

Khiva: Kalta Minor
This squat minaret is an iconic symbol of Khiva, mainly because of its exquisite blue and green tile work and the fact that it remains unfinished. It was originally supposed to rival the Kalon Minaret in Bukhara, however the architect fled before seeing it finished, fearing he would be put to death by the khan. You aren't permitted to climb to the top of this minaret, but guards have been known to give visitors "unofficial" tours of the interior structure, for a fee. Kalta Minor dates from the 19th century. It is 14 m in diameter at its base and 26 m high. According to the legend Amir Khan intended to build a minaret from the top of which he could see Buchara, 400 km away. After his death in 1855 the construction works came to a halt. The varied pattern of coloured glazed tiles in white, blue, green and a brownish yellow form a perfect harmony.

Khiva: Khan Allakuli Medressah
The Hungarian traveller Vambery reports that it was the second biggest medressah in the city. It had 99 cells and the pupils were well taken care of. It has the biggest and most beautiful facade and the biggest and most beautiful portal of Khiva. The high Pishtak with deep portal niche is decorated with finely ornamented blue tiles and decorative white inscriptions. The lecture rooms (dershane), the mosque and the library (kitab khana) are situated in the first floor. The courtyard ist surrounded by pupils' cells in two stories.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olloqulixon_Madrasa.

Khiva: Khan Anush Mohammed's Bath
The building with a dome beside Ak Mosque is called Khan Anush Mohammed's Bath. The main part of it is subterranean in order th keep the walls steadily warm. It has all the comforts of an oriental bath: vestibule, dressing room, lavatory, basin, well with cold water and floor heating. It is considered as one of the most interesting secular buildings of the 17th century in Central Asia.

Khiva: Kuhna Ark
Khivan rulers commanded from this fortress-residence from as early as the 12th century up to the 17th century when the khans expanded the structure to include a mosque, a harem, and a jail. After you see the gorgeous open-air, blue-tiled mosque, check out the throne room where the khans dispensed swift and brutal punishments against any transgressors. The three doors across from the throne decided your fate: the left door meant freedom, the center door meant imprisonment, and the right door meant death. Above the throne room is a lookout tower where you can capture a great view of the entire Ark structure. Be sure to pay a visit to the jail, just outside the entrance to the Ark, where you'll see gruesome paintings that depict the various ways the khans meted out punishment. Most of the buildings date from the 17th century. The fortress covers an area of 130 x 90 m and was enclosed by a fortification wall 9 m high. Have a close look at the well preserved Summer Mosque. The glazed blue and white tiles are peculiar for the decoration used in Khiva. The ornaments in the form of stars and the floral and vegetable patterns clearly differ from those used in Bukhara. The mihrab in the southern wall with quotations from the Quran is especially beautiful. Its tiles date from the 19th century. In the corner on the left hand stood the minbar on top of which quotations from the Quran in Kuft script can still be seen. The tiles in the Reception Hall in green and white and with flower motives on a blue background were executed under Alla-Kuli Khan in the 19th cent. The Reception Hall is surrounded by a small courtyard with stone pavement which is separated from the other parts by a high wall. In the courtyard is a round elevation characterizing the place of the khan's winter yurt. On the left of the Reception Room is an Aiwan with two beautiful carved wooden columns. Aiwan and Reception Hall are decorated with painted ceilings. Behind the Aiwan was the Throne Room with the khan's throne in a niche.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konya_Ark.

Khiva: Kutli Murad Inak Medressa
The medressah was built in the beginning of the 18th century. It has 81 pupils' cells. It was one of the wealthiest schools in Khiva and possessed a lot of lands. It corresponds the traditional type of medressahs of the 17th and 18th century. The galleries with arcades, the round towers at the corners and the economical use of glazed tiles remember the traditions of architecture in Khorezm. It has a beautiful carved wooden door with floral and geometric ornaments. The cells are vaulted, have a fire place and are lighted by a window in or above the door.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutlugmurad_Inak_madrasah.

Khiva: Medressa Muhammed Amin Khan
This medressa is the largest in Khiva. Its facade is made of coloured brick and mosaics. The main characteristics of the building are the hujiras (students' cells). Khan Muhammed Alim was one of the most important khans of Khiva. The medressa was built in 1851/52 and the khan died 1855 in a battle against the Turkmen. The Hungarian traveller Vambery reported that the medressa had 250 pupils.

Khiva: Mohammed Rakhim Khan Medrassah and Square
If you were to be executed during the khan's rule, it was probably going to happen in the center of this once-busy square. The medrassah is mostly dedicated to its namesake, the Khan Mohammed Rakhim who managed to keep Khiva independent from infiltration by British and Russian forces until the late 19th century. On the south side of the square is a tiny, but interesting museum dedicated to traditional music.

Khiva: Pahlawan Mahmud Mausoleum
The mausoleum is one of the most popular places of pilgrimage in Uzbekistan. Pahlawan Mahmud ("the strong man") was famous for his extraordinary bravery, physical strength as well as his good nature. He was a furrier, but also a wrestler, doctor, poet and saint. The people gave him the title "Pahlavan", meaning brave and handsome hero, as he defended the poor and is said to have had mystical powers. Pahlavan Mahmud is also revered in Persia and India. His grave became an important shrine for pilgrims and became the burial place of the Khans of Khiva. Tradition says that the first building was erected over Pahlavan Mahmud furrier's shop. The present building was erected in the 18th century. It covers an area 100 x 50 m wide, on which the saint's grave, prayer rooms, a pilgrims' lodge, a summer and a winter mosque have been built. According to an inscription the building was erected by architect Abdullah Djin. It is considered as one of the most important buildings of Islamic Central Asia due to its interior totally covered with glazed tiles and due to its artful facade. In the 19th century, the mausoleum became a necropolis of the princes of the Kungrat dynasty. It is considered as the last great mausoleum building in Central Asia. The southern entrance is the oldest part of the present building. It has an inscription on the wooden door indicating the date 1701. The mausoleum has an oval turquoise dome with white ornaments on the lower edges. Within the mausoleum are the richly decorated sarcophagus of Khan Mohammed Rahim and two sarcophagi of black marble of the historian Khan Abu Al Gazi who died in 1663 and of Khan Anush who died in 1681. Beside the prayer room is the crypt with the grave of Pahlavan Mahmud. The walls are covered with ornaments all over, depicting interlacing stalks of flowers, leaves and zig-zag or crossing lines. The wooden door with ivory work, the wooden columns and the glazed tiles make Pahlawan Mahmud Mausoleum one of the best museum of applied arts in Khiva. Note, as of June 2022 the mausoleum is not included in the city ticket, the entrance fee is 25,000 som. 25,000 som.

Khiva: Seid Allaudin Mausoleum
Seid Allaudin Mausoleum is considered one of the oldest buildings at Khiva, dating from the period of the rule of the Mongols. It was erected by Emir Kuljall to honour his teacher Seid Allaudin (Said Ala ad Din) who was a leader of the Naqshbandi order. Emir Kuljall died in 1380, Seid Allaudin in 1303. The door of the mausoleum has fine wood carvings. Seid Allaudin's tomb is richly decorated with glazed tiles with floral motives in white against a dark or light blue background.

Khiva: Shirgiz Khan Medressa
This is the oldest Quran school in Khiva. It was built in 1718/19. Tradition says that it was constructed by slaves captured by Shigaziz Khan during his expedition to Meshed from which he returned with five thousand slaves. He promised them to be released when the medressa was completed, but he delayed the completion again and again, asking new services from the hungry slaves again and again. In 1726 the slaves killed him in the unfinished medressa.

Khiva: Tash Chauli
This is the new palace of the rulers of Khiva. Tash Chauli means "palace of stones". It was built in the first half of the 19th century during the reign of Khan Allakuli. The palace has more than 160 rooms, 5 courtyards and a strong wall with many round towers. The Harem's Courtyard is also surrounded by high brick walls with towers. It is the oldest part of the building and is rectangular in plan. It is paved and has a well. The door to the palace and the entrance are very narrow. It is easy to get lost in the labyrinth of corridors. Today it accommodates a permanent exhibition of the museum of Khiva. The khan's wives lived in the southern part of the harem, whereas his relatives on his mother's side lived in the less favourable parts of the harem. The courtyard is ornamented by 5 high Aiwans. Carved wooden columns on marble bases carry the ceiling which is decorated with paintings and the walls are masked with blue tiles. Even the righful wives of the khan lived like slaves. They weaved carpets, made embroideries and sewed. They could leaved the palace at rare occasions only and then they went in a car covered by felt and their companions with their white sticks removed everybody who came into their way. Ishrat Chauli or Mikhman Chauli means "courtyard of guests" and was the place where receptions were held. The throne room was in the first floor and the guests' rooms in the ground and in the first floor. The building is ornamented with a frieze of blue tiles with verses of the poet Agekhi. In the center of the courtyard are two brick foundations, about 20 cm high, for the khan's winter yurts. Ars Chauli. the courtyard of justice is similar to Ishrat Chauli, but its square base has twice its size. The towers at the corners and the aiwans are rather high. The Ars Chauli has tweo doors, the main entrance and the door of the condemned through which the prisoners sentenced to death went to their execution. According to the traditions of Khiva every nobleman, governor and also the khan had to devote at least 4 hours per day to the administration of justice. He had to deal with all kinds of cases from theft of chicken to capital crimes. The khan usually went to the court of justice after the prayer at noontime.
For more see https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasch_Hauli (German).

Khiva: Tim
Bukhara, Persia and Russia were Khiva's most important trade partners. The Arab chronicler Mervasi reports that a caravan from Urgench came to Russia in the 11th century, that they discussed the islam with prince Vladimir and that they bough furs, leather and swords from the Russians. In the time of tsar Peter the Great envoys of Khiva visited Petersburg every 4 or 5 years. They brought silk, cotton, spices, leather, copper table-ware, linnen and melons from Turkestan to Russia. The caravans were made up of up to two thousand camels and bought cloth, sugar, iron tea kettles and rifles in Russia. The trade reached its apex around 1830. Khan Allakuli decided to build a new caravanseray and a new tim. Parts of the city walls had to be pulled down for the new caravanseray. Like in a medressah the rooms of the merchants are arranged around a square courtyard. Soon the caravanseray became too small and the tim, a new open market was built. It is one of the most beautiful buildings of the end of the khanat. It consisted of a long covered corridor with 14 domes in the vicinity of the ancient slave market.

Khiva: Uc Avlija Mausoleum
Uc Avlija is called the mausoleum of the three holy men or mausoleum of three great dervishs. Portal and dome provide a rather medieval impression. The masuoleum is thought to date to the 16th century.

Khodzheyli: Gyaur Kala
Gyaur-Kala is another fortress in Karakalpakstan. It is located near the city of Khodjeyli, on the right side of the Amudarya River. This fortress is ancient; according to the calculations of the scientists, it was constructed in the 4th century BC. The period of the fortress’s establishment took place during the development of this trade direction, which was one of the routes of the Greak Silk Road. Zoroastrianism was especially developed during this period, which is approved by some special features of the site’s construction.
From the very beginning the purpose of the fortress was strategic. This is a fortified construction which had the palace for the ruler to rest, the attraction for the military heads to live and the strengthened walls guarding the residents from the foes’ onslaughts. Such constructions can often be encountered along the routes of the Great Silk Road, but their fortification is more often much weaker. And in Gyaur-Kala all might of the stronghold is still seen.
The city existed for quite a long time, most probably because of its location at the trade route. Even during the period of being conquered by the Arabs, this fortress withstood a siege for more than a year. The impenetrable walls could not be taken by the Arabian army. Later, when the fortress did fall, the Arabs forcibly Islamized all the population, and those who opposed were killed.
By the way, professing Christianity or Judaism was not prohibited; it was merely subject to tax. But regarding Zoroastrianism tough measures were taken. This is partly due to the fact that the teaching of the fire worshippers discouraged other religions, and the opposition to Islamization was strong.
Despite this all, Gyaur-Kala was not destroyed by the Arabs. Only during the period of the Mongolian conquest Juchi, one of the sons of Genghis Khan, ordered to turn this place to dust. But even after great destructions, Zoroastrian writings being destroyed and this religion being displaced within the region a great deal of artifacts and information about that period was kept.
The fortress inherited its name from the Arabs. Gyaur-Kala literally means “the Fortress of the Unfaithful”. The outline of the fortress’s towers approves its military purpose. Fire, the symbol of the religion, used to burn on its tops. The fortress did not serve as an ordinary shelter for the travelers and was not just a city. The scientists tend to believe that its purpose was solely military. Considering the fact that, according to the assessment performed by historians, Zoroastrianism originated here, the followers protected it till the last breath.
After its devastation part of the residents who managed to avoid the reprisal went to the neighboring lands and founded a new city there. There are some more fortresses with the same name. One of them is located within the territory of Uzbekistan and two are in Turkmenistan, but mostly craftspeople and agriculture workers lived there.
Taken from https://canaan.travel/uzbekistan/objects/gyaur-kala.

Khodzheyli: Mizdarkhan Necropolis
Mizdarkhan, also spelled Mizdakhan, is a necropolis and archeological site in Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan. Founded in the 4th century BC, it was inhabited for approximately 1,700 years, after which it was used as a sacred burial site.
Founded in the 4th century BC, Mizdarkhan was once the second-largest city in Khorezm after Konye Urgench.[2] A local legend says it is the burial site of Adam, which may account for its sacred status in ancient times.[3] Mizdarkhan was built close to an older city of fire-worshippers, and Zoroastrianism was practiced here, too. In the medieval period, Zoroastrian and Islamic traditions entwined, as is evidenced by burial sites which have been excavated.
Mizdarkhan thrived until the 14th century when Timur led three campaigns against Khorezm. He attacked Mizdarkhan and reduced it to rubble, and after this the city was depopulated and used solely as a burial place. Most of the mausoleums and the small mosque which are visible today date from this period.
The complex of monuments at Mizdarkhan is located on three hills close to the village of Khodzheyli (Khodjeyli). There are remnants of a fortress with walls 10m thick, which creates a strong impression of how prosperous and well defended the city once would have been. Within these fortified walls are the ruins of two important buildings, a fire temple and a palace.[3]
Opposite the fortressis a hill with the original Zoroastrian cemetery. Unlike Muslims, Zoroastrians didn’t bury their dead, but rather left the bodies to be consumed by birds of prey on top of a flat roofed tower called a dakhma. They then put the clean bones into ossuaries, a number of which have been discovered here.[3]
The grave associated with Adam is beneath a mud brick mausoleum. Local legend says that a brick falls from the structure every year, and when the last brick has fallen, the world will end.[3] In order to protect mankind from this event, pilgrims place additional bricks on the structure when they visit, ensuring it stays standing.
On the western edge of Mizdarkhan the 11th-century tomb of Yusup Ishan and a number of other grand mausoleums dating from the medieval period.[1] These are Muslim burial sites, and some of the mausoleums have beautiful decorative tiles.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizdarkhan.

Khorugh
Khorugh (also spelled Khorogh, Khorog, Xoroq, Tajik Cyrillic: Хоруғ) is a city in the Pamirs of Tajikistan. It sits in a steep river valley surrounded by the Pamir mountains. The nearby river Panj (aka Oxus) is the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The town has enough bustle to be interesting but it certainly isn't overwhelming.
Khorugh is the capital town of Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (Province), There are a plethora of NGOs working in the area.
The Pamir Eco-Culture Tourism Association (PECTA) has an office at the edge of the city park (37.49N x 71.548E) where you can get a map of the Pamir mountain region, as well as books about the local culture, advice about home-stays, etc.
Nearly everything closes on Sundays, there's not even transport out of town (except perhaps for Murghab and Dushanbe, but get there early); it may be wise to plan a schedule accordingly. A day wandering amongst equally bored watermelon vendors can get quickly become tedious.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Khorugh.
Khorog is the only place along the Pamir highway between Dushanbe and Osh that offers some comforts of a city. With mediocre supermarkets, a great bazaar, a few restaurants, and a range of hotels and homestays, the 28,000-person capital of the Pamirs is the place to have a well-rounded meal, wifi, and a comfortable night’s rest before or after the emptiness of the Pamir plateau.
Unless you take the Bartang Valley route, you will inevitably end up in Khorog when traveling the Pamir. It’s a pleasant place to recharge. Home to 2 universities, this is by far the likeliest place in the Pamirs to encounter locals who speak some English.
When traveling quickly by car or motorbike, the food options in Khorog will not be too impressive compared to what you experienced in Osh or Dushanbe a few days ago, but for cyclists and other slow travelers whose standards have plunged while on the road, it is paradise.
The bazaar has a good and reasonably priced selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables and even has one exotic fruits seller with grapefruits and pomelos (very expensive). This is your last chance for decent produce before the high Pamirs, so stock up! About halfway between the bazaar and the airport, visible from the main road, is the biggest supermarket in town, which is nothing too impressive but covers the necessities.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/khorog/.

Khorugh: Botanical Garden
Numerous beautiful viewpoints surround the town. A few are noted on various maps but you can really just walk up any nearby mountain for a great panorama.
The overgrown botanical garden on the east end of the town offers another excellent view, as well as making a terrific picnic spot. According to the Guinness book of World Records, it’s the highest botanical garden in the world. Established in 1940 by Ilaria Raikova, it has thousands of species and varieties of flora.
The garden is neglected due to lack of funding, and an important part of its collection was destroyed to make room for a villa of the Rahmon family, but it still holds great value to scientists for its extensive collections of high-mountain varieties.
Marshrutka #3 brings you to the entrance.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/khorog/.

Khorugh: Central Park
The central park is the highlight of the town: a forested oasis which is very pleasant to spend a hot day in. A large swimming pool fed by the ice-cold river water is open to everybody, free of charge, though women are advised to cover up to avoid the stares of the 99% male crowd.
Occasional events happen in the park, including the annual “Roof of the World” ethno-music festival.

Khorugh: Ismail Center
The dusty traveler might want to shower off before entering the stylish Ismaili Centre, a luxurious and minimalist modern reimagining of Pamiri architecture. It’s worth visiting just for the architecture, but the centre also has a lot of events.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/khorog/.

Khorugh: Tem Afghan Border Market
The Afghan border market at nearby Tem will be a memorable experience for those lucky enough to visit when it is open. The market is often closed due to security issues, but since it is located on the Tajik side of the river, it is more likely to be open than the better-known Ishkashim market (at 36.74797, 71.57805), which has been closed for years.
Here, Afghans cross the river to sell their goods including traditional clothes, food, and trinkets. It is a great photo opportunity and a way to meet Afghans without a visa. Because of its unpredictable schedule, this is not something you can plan your trip around, rather something you can just hope to stumble upon.
If all goes well, the border market runs each Saturday from 9 to 14 near the bridge.

Khujand: Lenin Statue
The largest Lenin statue in Central Asia was moved to an empty field rather than being destroyed.
See https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tajikistan-lenin-statue.

Kochkor: Livestock Market
Saturdays. Here you can view Kyrgyz livestock and observe local farmers buying and selling their animals. The bazaar is also a good place to stock up on any essentials that you might be running low on.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kochkor.

Kochkor: Park
A haven of greenery just south of the taxi stand. Within the park are various Soviet-era structures in various stages of use. There you will find the Kochkor museum (which may or may not be open), the Wedding Palace, the cinema (now closed), the Cultural Hall (still open and working, inside you will find a billiard hall, library, performance hall, and antique Soviet video games), the Sports Hall.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kochkor.

Kojomkul Memorial
An unusual monument to a gentle giant who became a Kyrgyz hero.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kojomkul-memorial.

Kokand: Khan's Palace
The Palace of Khudayar Khan, known as the Pearl of Kokand, was the palace of the last ruler of the Kokand Khanate, Khudayar Khan. It is the most visited tourism attraction in Uzbekistan’s Fergana Valley.
For more see there and at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/khan-s-palace

Kolsai Lakes
The 3 alpine lakes of Kolsai promise clear, shimmering blue waters surrounded by peaceful conifer forests. Coming from smog-covered Almaty, it’s an oxygen bonanza. The weird but wonderful sunken forest of Lake Kaindy is a natural in front of the camera.
It’s a perfect package – no wonder the lakes have become something of a tourist magnet.
Important update: bring your passport! A new police checkpoint has been installed before the village of Saty. Foreigners without passports will be sent back. Photocopies are not accepted!
During the summer months, do not come on the weekend if you would like to savour some peace and quiet. During the week, there won’t be more than a few dozen other tourists, and going for a hike and sitting by the shore is enjoyable.
From Saty or Kurmety, you will still need to drive 20 minutes to the first lake. A checkpoint marks the start of the nature reserve. You need to pay 750 tenge entrance fee per person here, and an extra 1000 tenge for a car.
From the 1st lake, a 3-hour hike over 9 km takes you up to the 2nd lake at 2250 m. Locals call it Mynzhylky (1000 horses).
The trail is easy to follow, but if you are not fit, you might want to consider a horseback ride. Renting a horse for a return trip from lake 1 to lake 2 will cost 8000 tenge.
The 3rd lake, a strenuous additional 6 km up to 2650 m, is out of bounds for now. The Kazakh security services judge it as too close to the border.
Although Kazakhstan has become more tourism-friendly in recent years, they still have a long way to go.

Kongur
Kongur Tagh or Kongkoerh (Kyrgyz: Коңур Тоо; Uyghur: قوڭۇر تاغ, Коңур Тағ, meaning "Brown Mountain"; Mongolian: Хонгор Таг, (Хонгор/Kongur/Kongur is Mongolian word for the color Mongolians use for Buckskin colored horse) Hongor Tag; simplified Chinese: 公格尔峰; traditional Chinese: 公格爾峰; pinyin: Gōnggé'ěr Fēng; also referred to as Kongur), is the highest peak in the Pamir Mountains, and also the highest mountain wholly within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. With an elevation of 7,649 metres (25,095 ft), it is also the highest mountain outside of the Hindu Kush/Karakoram and Himalaya ranges.
The first attempt to climb Kongur Tagh was in 1956 but the party aborted the attempt when it realized it was beyond their abilities[citation needed].
The first ascent of Kongur Tagh was made in 1981 by a British expedition consisting of Chris Bonington, Alan Rouse, Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker.[3]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongur_Tagh.

Kumtor Gold Mine
I don't think you can visit this mine as a tourist, but it's still nice to know it's nearby when you are around ;-)
The Kumtor mine (Kyrgyz: Кумтөр, romanized: Kumtör) is one of the largest gold mines in Central Asia. The mine has been producing gold since 1997 and has produced over 13.8 million ounces of gold as of June 30, 2022. At 13,000 feet, the mine is the second-highest in the world, behind only Yanacocha in Peru.
The deposit is mined by open-pit mining techniques utilizing typical drill, blast and truck/loader or truck/shovel operations. The ore is delivered to the crusher and further to the mill, where the gold is extracted using carbon-in-leach technology. The mill's rated throughput is approximately 16,000 tonnes of ore per day. The mine is the largest private sector employer and taxpayer in Kyrgyzstan. In 2020 KGC operations accounted for 12.5 % of GDP and 23.3% of aggregate industrial output.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumtor_Gold_Mine.

Kyzylart Pass
Kyzylart Pass (Russian: Кызыл-Арт; Kyrgyz: Кызыл-Арт ашуусу) is a mountain pass and border crossing in the Trans-Alay Range on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The highest point is 4,280 m (14,042 ft).[1] The border checkpoint on the Kyrgyz side is Bor-Döbö.[2] The area is typically rugged and dry. It is crossed by the Pamir Highway which leads south from Sary-Tash in the Alay Valley up onto the Pamir plateau toward Karakol Lake and Murghab, Tajikistan. In the late nineteenth century the Russians explored and eventually occupied the Pamir plateau.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyzylart_Pass.

Lake Karakul
If it’s wind-blown dystopias you are after, Central Asia offers choice. Compared to the rusty boats at Moynaq or the nuclear radiation across the steppe of Kurchatov, the Pamir Highway hovels of Karakul feel rather lovely in their desolation. Bright skies, fresh breeze, shimmering water, cackle of geese.
But Karakul is also a harsh place to live: poor, cold and remote. It’s no wonder most of its houses have been abandoned.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/karakul/.
For a lot more see there.
Karakul or Qarokul (Kyrgyz for "black lake", replacing the older Tajik name Siob; Russian: Каракуль; Tajik: Қарокӯл; Uyghur: قاراكۆل, romanized: Qaraköl, Қаракөл; Kyrgyz: Каракөл) is a 25 km (16 mi) diameter lake[2] within a rather large 52 km (32 mi) impact crater.[3] It is located in the Tajik National Park in the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan.
Impact Crater
Karakul lies within a circular depression, which has been interpreted as an impact crater with a rim diameter of 52 km (32 mi).[3] Some estimates say the impact is relatively recent. A preliminary estimate dated it to between 25 Ma[2] and 23 Ma.[4] However, it may be from the recent Pliocene epoch (5.3 to 2.6 Ma).[5] The Earth Impact Database (EID) also lists it as younger than 5 Ma.[3] It is larger than the Eltanin impact (2.5 Ma), which has already been suggested as a contributor to the cooling and ice cap formation in the Northern Hemisphere during the late Pliocene.[6]
The Karakul impact structure was first identified around 1987 through studies of imagery taken from space.[5][7]
Lake Description
The lake/crater lies at an elevation of 3,960 m (12,990 ft) above mean sea level. A peninsula projecting from the south shore and an island off the north shore divide the lake into two basins: a smaller, relatively shallow eastern one, between 13 and 19 m (43 and 62 ft) deep, and a larger western one, 221 to 230 m (725 to 755 ft) deep.[8] It is endorheic (lacking a drainage outlet) and the water is brackish. There is a small village with the same name on the eastern shore of the lake.[9]
The lake level was 35 m higher after the last ice age.[10][11]
Environment
Although the lake lies within a national park, much of the surroundings are used as pasture. The lake, with its islands, marshes, wet meadows, peat bogs, and pebbly and sandy plains, has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports significant numbers of the populations of various bird species, either as residents, or as breeding or passage migrants.
These species include bar-headed geese, ruddy shelducks, common mergansers, saker falcons, Himalayan vultures, lesser sand plovers, brown-headed gulls, Tibetan sandgrouse, yellow-billed choughs, Himalayan rubythroats, white-winged redstarts, white-winged snowfinches, rufous-streaked accentors, brown accentors, black-headed mountain finches and Caucasian great rosefinches. The lake's islands are the main places where waterbirds rest and nest.
The only fish in the lake are Nemacheilus.[9]
Events
Higher than Lake Titicaca, Karakul hosted the Roof of the World Regatta from 2014 to 2017.[12] This replaced the Alpine Bank Dillon Open, held on the Dillon Reservoir in Colorado, United States as the highest sailing regatta in the world.[13]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakul_(Tajikistan).

Lake Sarez
Sarez Lake (Russian: Сарезское озеро; Tajik: Сарез кӯл, romanized: Sarez Kūl) is a lake in Rushon District of Gorno-Badakhshan province, Tajikistan. Length about 75.8 kilometres (47.1 mi), depth few hundred meters, water surface elevation about 3,263 metres (10,705 ft) above sea level and volume of water is more than 16 cubic kilometres (3.8 cu mi). The mountains around rise more than 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) above the lake level.
The lake formed in 1911, after a great earthquake, when the Murghab River was blocked by a big landslide. Scientists believe that the landslide dam formed by the earthquake, known as the Usoi Dam, is unstable given local seismicity, and that the terrain below the lake is in danger of catastrophic flood if the dam were to fail during a future earthquake.[1] The Usoi Dam wall survived a localised 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the 2015 Tajikistan earthquake, on the 7th December 2015 with no visible signs of deterioration.
Shadau Lake is a small water body southwest of the Usoi Dam and west of Sarez Lake.[2]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarez_Lake.
For more see there and at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sarez-lake.

Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak or Ibn Sina (Avicenna) Peak (Kyrgyz: Ленин Чокусу, romanized: Lenin Choqusu, لەنىن چوقۇسۇ; Russian: Пик Ленина, romanized: Pik Lenina; Tajik: қуллаи Ленин, romanized: qulla‘i Lenin/qullaji Lenin, renamed қуллаи Абӯалӣ ибни Сино (qulla‘i Abûalî ibni Sino) in July 2006[2]), rises to 7,134 metres (23,406 ft) in Gorno-Badakhshan (GBAO) on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is the second-highest point of both countries. It is considered one of the less technical 7000 m peaks in the world to climb and it has by far the most ascents of any 7000 m or higher peak on Earth, with every year seeing hundreds of mountaineers make their way to the summit.[3] Lenin Peak is the highest mountain in the Trans-Alay Range of Central Asia, and in the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan it is exceeded only by Ismoil Somoni Peak (7,495 m). It was thought to be the highest point in the Pamirs in Tajikistan until 1933, when Ismoil Somoni Peak (known as Stalin Peak at the time) was climbed and found to be more than 300 metres higher. Two mountains in the Pamirs in China, Kongur Tagh (7,649 m) and Muztagh Ata (7,546 m), are higher than the Tajik summits.
Names
Lenin Peak was originally named Mount Kaufmann after Konstantin Kaufman, the first Governor-General of the Russian Turkestan. In 1928, the mountain was renamed Lenin Peak after the Russian revolutionary and first leader of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin. In Tajikistan, the peak was renamed again in July 2006,[2] and today it is officially called in Tajik Qullai Abuali ibni Sino (қуллаи Абӯалӣ ибни Сино, Ibn Sina Peak or, alternatively, Avicenna Peak) after Abu Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna).
In Kyrgyzstan, the peak is still officially called Lenin Chokusu (Ленин Чокусу, Lenin Peak). However, in October 2017, Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev called for renaming the peak "Manas Peak", after the hero of the Epic of Manas.[4] A peak named "Manas Peak" already exists in Kyrgyzstan; it is a mountain of 4,488 metres (14,724 ft) in the Talas Alatau range in Talas Region.[5]
Local Kyrgyz names include Jel-Aidar ("Wind's God") and Achyk-Tash ("Open Rock").[6][7] Achik-Tash, is also the name of a plateau and a base camp at an elevation of 3,600 m on a popular northern climbing route to Lenin Peak, which starts in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh, a day's drive north of the border.[8] Another suggested local name, Pik Kaman ("wild pig", "boar") probably belongs to an officially unnamed peak west of Lenin Peak.[6]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenin_Peak.

Manas Village
Abandoned mosque and festival ground. A quite picturesque scenery on front of the lake with beautiful paintings and a stage behind.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kadji_Say.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/aalam-ordo.

Marzugor Lakes
A chain of seven lakes that stretches for more than 20 km in a side-valley.
The seven pearls of the Shing - A string of seven lakes, each with its particular color and flora embedded in an impressive mountain scenery is a must-see in the Zeravshan valley. The lowest lake is a 1½-hour drive from Panjakent and the point of departure for numerous trekking routes. If your luggage is heavy, you will find porter donkeys in the villages. During the high season it might be prudent though to arrange donkeys beforehand through a travel agency, as the animals are still used by farmers in their daily work.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Zeravshan_Valley.

Ming-Kush
This village was once a thriving Soviet uranium mining center, but is now semi-abandoned and desolate.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/min-kush.

Moynoq: Aral Sea Memorial/Ship Graveyard
Monument near what used to be a bank of the Aral Sea with a board telling the history of Aral Sea. Al Gore visited this monument. There is also a fleet of rusted trawlers there, still lined up in the desert where once the quay stood. You can walk down to the old sea bed and explore the boats. A better-preserved trawler is nostalgically displayed at the bus station. The Aral Sea is over a hundred kilometres away, and still shrinking, the level dropping about a metre per year. The man who maintains the memorial might talk to you. He used to be the captain of a fishing boat - he last went to sea in 1978, which was the last time Moynaq had access to the sea. He will refuse donations, preferring that you spread the word about the sea.
Moynoq is a city in Karakalpakstan. This town used to be a prosperous fishing town, but since the Aral Sea disaster, it has become a poor town with lots of problems, not least health risks caused by pollution and unemployment, as fishery was the only resource.
Get in
You can get there from Nukus. Taxis charge about 600,000 som for a day-trip from Nukus, which can be shared among up to 3 passengers in comfort. In summer, be sure to hire a car with air conditioning, and always bargain politely over the price, which must be agreed before departure. For details about the bus station and marshrutkas, refer to the Nukus article. There are a few daily buses leaving, one departure is at least at 3pm. The journey takes 3 ½ hours. Arrive early as they get filled up quickly. The price is 20,000 som (October 2022).
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Moynoq.

Murghab
Murghab is a town in the Pamirs of Tajikistan. It is on the Pamir Highway, 311 km (193 mi) from Khorog and 417 km (259 mi) from Osh (Kyrgyzstan). Murghab is a very remote and fairly hard-to-access town in eastern Tajikistan, deep inside a mountainous area.
It was founded as a Russian military outpost in the 1800s and later turned into a dedicated living area by the Soviets, so the town is largely Russian-speaking unlike most of rural Tajikistan. You can get by very well only knowing Russian and not Tajik. Also because of Russian influence, alcohol is common although the population is largely Muslim.
There are only basic food supplies in Murghab. You can buy rice, flour, oil, alcohol, sugar, potatoes, onions, some dried fruits, confectionery and cakes in the bazaar. Try the ice cream sold in the little shack near the bazaar. Few basic restaurants around bazaar are open only in daytime. Most hotels and homestays could provide meal, which is often included in the price (US$1-5 per time per person).
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Murghab.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murghob.
Situated at an altitude of 3650 m, the extremely cold and dry climate together with the lack of good wi-fi makes Murghab rank low on the bucket list of digital nomads.
Regular nomads, however, seem to thrive here.
Founded as a Russian army outpost simply known as Pamirskiy Post in the 1890s, Murghab was never intended to be permanently inhabited. “How these Russian soldiers can support existence there is a marvel”, wrote the Brit Francis Younghusband, who visited the valley before the Post was built.
Kyrgyz shepherds driven out by Russian colonialism did settle here eventually, in a desperate attempt to keep their way of life, and they continue to graze their herds of yaks and sheep on the meager feed that the high plateau offers. Although it is a tough place to live, many Murghabis who leave long for their home’s serenity and quiet, and its simple foods.
Murghab still has the feel of a pioneer town, albeit with a distinct tourist vibe nowadays: signs are mostly in English, and summertime sees jeeps and bicycles outnumber Chinese trucks. With so few settlements along the way, Murghab is an essential pit stop on the Pamir highway: if you have just come over the Kyzylart border with Kyrgyzstan or the Qulma Pass with China, this is where you can buy a sim card, refuel and shop for food.
If you have the time, though, detour off the Pamir Highway into the wilder edges of the Pamir Plateau.
A small restaurant and a cafeteria near the bazaar serve standard local dishes. The container bazaar sells fruits and vegetables as well as the usual staples. Ice cream made from yak milk is served just behind the yurt-shaped meat shop in the bazaar. It’s delicious!
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/murghab/.

Navoiy: Kasim Sheikh Complex
The Kasim Sheikh complex was built in the 16th century by Abdulla Khan, Emir of Bukhara, as a khanagha, a hostel for wandering Sufi holy men.[10] The mosque at the khanagha is now used as Navoi’s main mosque, but it is open to the public. There is an attractive turquoise dome and majolica tile work on the exterior of the building, and the interior is painted in geometric patterns in shades of blue.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navoiy.

Navoiy: Mir-Sayid Bakhrom Mausoleum
The Mir Said Bakhrom Mausoleum is a simple brick built mausoleum dating from the 11th century.[10] The building is an important architectural prototype, with certain similarities to the Samanid Mausoleum in Bukhara. The portal is decorated with a Kufic inscription made from raised bricks, and the saint’s grave is covered with marble. The building is on UNESCO’s Tentative List for World Heritage Site status.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navoiy.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir-Sayid_Bakhrom_Mausoleum.

Navoiy: Rabati Malik
The Rabati Malik is a heavily fortified 11th century caravanserai built by the Karakhanid ruler Abu’l Hasan Shams al Mulk Nasr to protect Silk Road merchants, their animals, and trade goods at night.[10] The building is on UNESCO’s Tentative List for World Heritage Site status, along with Sardoba Malik, the domed reservoir which supplied the caravanserai with water.[11] Rabati Malik is largely in ruins due to an earthquake in 1968, but the 12m high portal still stands and has been partially restored, as has the reservoir dome. The portal is decorated with carved terracotta, including eight-pointed stars and Arabic calligraphy.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navoiy.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabati_Malik.

Nukus: Chilpik Tower of Silence
The ruins of an ancient Zoroastrian Tower of Silence believed to be the earliest example of the traditional funerary practice.
A dakhma (Persian: دخمه), also known as a Tower of Silence, is a circular, raised structure built by Zoroastrians for excarnation (that is, the exposure of human corpses to the elements for decomposition), in order to avert contamination of the soil and other natural elements by the dead bodies.[1][2][3] Carrion birds, usually vultures and other scavengers, consume the flesh. Skeletal remains are gathered into a central pit where further weathering and continued breakdown occurs.[1][2]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Silence.

Nukus: Karakalpak Museum of Arts
M-F 09:00-13:00 14:00-17:00, Sa Su 10:00-16:00. Do not miss the Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art's Igor Savitsky Collection with its unique collection of many thousands of works by dissenting artists from the Soviet Union during the period in which Stalinist socialist realism was the only permitted form of Soviet art. The documentary film The Desert of Forbidden Art is all about the collection and its history. Many believe this is the only compelling reason to visit Nukus. The Savitsky Collection is often said by locals to be the best museum in Uzbekistan. 25,000 som (students: 15,000 som).
Nearby is the Museum of Applied Arts showing local fabrics, traditional clothing and jewellery. The Karakalpak State Museum exhibits examples of natural history, including the very last Turan Tiger, caught in 1972.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Nukus.

Nurota
Nurota was founded as the ancient town Nur, in 327 BC by Alexander the Great. The remains of his military fortress in the south of the town are still to be seen today and the water supply system that Alexander had installed is still partially used.
The fortress consisted of several parts, with Shahristan (the inner town) 500×500 meters in size, which was surrounded at that with a large wall and towers. The construction of a fortress at Nurota had a definite purpose, as the town was set in a strategic place at the border between an agricultural area and a wild steppe. This area is mentioned in several historical chronicles as an important strategic area convenient for gathering an army before attacking neighboring lands and as a place of refuge for rebels and outcasts.
There are several stories about the origin and the name of the area. The town is built by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and corresponds to the Nur Forts. The cultural layer in this region approaches the age of 40,000 years, according to archeological excavations. The spring, known as Chashma, was meant to be the key explanation for this place for settlement.[3]
The town is also famous as a Muslim pilgrimage place. Muhammad Narshakhi, who wrote about the history of Bukhara in 943, provides information about the settlement Nur, located at the foot of the mountain. Narshakhi wrote” many people, who are buried there, have seen Prophet Muhammad”. During the 10th century, pilgrims from Bukhara and other places came to the holy graves situated next to the town fortifications and mosques. Currently, pilgrims continue visiting the holy places. Chashma is a place of pilgrimage of believers and one of the most significant religious centers of Islam in the region. The complex of religious constructions “Chasma” (Tadjik word for spring) includes the spring, a well, mosque “Djuma” and khamom (bathhouse). The round Djuma mosque was constructed above the spring and has 40 columns. The dome, 16 meters in diameter is one of the largest in the Central Asia . On the south-east part of the complex is a Nur-ata cemetery with the burial place of the saint person.
The construction of Karez, a unique underground water-pipeline system near Nurota, is also connected with the name of the Alexander the Great. Kariz is an ancient water-pipe laid from the source of the spring water to a place where it could be used. Its length could reach several kilometers. Interconnected wells that were dug out in several meters apart from each other, were used for the cleaning the pipeline system. Today the process of reviving these old pipeline systems is taking place. Parts of the pipeline systems near Nurota were restored and being used by local people.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurota.

Ötmök Pass (3,326 m)
A mountain pass in the Talas Alatau mountain range. Many people stop here on their ride to/from Talas for the great view (when the weather permits). Great panorama and a few yurts to have tea and stay overnight.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bishkek_and_the_Northwest.

Osh: Jayma Bazaar
One of the largest market/bazaar in Central Asia with plenty of different things for sale. If you are planning to buy souvenirs, do that here. And do not forget to negotiate. It is open daily, most dynamic on Sundays, partly closed on Mondays.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Osh.
For the past 2000 years, the Jayma bazaar has linked the urban economy with the rural one. Extending north from Alisher Navoi street along the Ak-Buura River, the bazaar constitutes a second river formed from a constant stream of shoppers dodging carts pushed by men shouting ‘Bosh! Bosh!‘ as they rattle past. Like elsewhere in the region, Sunday is the busiest day, while Monday is closing day (although some stalls open).
Some tourists, unaccustomed to what a Central Asian bazaar looks like, might be disappointed by the lack of spices (locals don’t use them), locally-produced goods (knives, boots, furniture and metalwork are made on the bazaar, most everything else is from China) and pretty domed buildings (you are not in Istanbul).
If that’s the case, you are missing the point.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/south/osh.

Osh: Lenin Statue at River Park
One of the last Lenin statues remaining in Central Asia. Behind this statue is Enenin Koz Zhashy Park where you will find many other statues such as ones commemorating the southern Kyrgyz "queen" Kurmanjan Datka, the Soviet WWII effort and Liquidators, who were individuals selected to from USSR states to cleanup the Chernobyl disaster, along with an Eiffel Tower, red slipper, etc. It is a relaxing place by the river.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Osh.
The riverbank park, stretching from Alisher Navoi to Abdykadyrov, is great for strolling, offering all the standards of an Uzbek entertainment park: rickety rides, karaoke, shashlik and ice cream, VR games, 7D cinema, old-timers playing chess and a Yak-40 airplane.
Nearby, the Lenin statue in front of the town hall is huge, rivaling the Lenin statue in Khujand. Behind the big Lenin, another park has monuments commemorating Chernobyl’s Kyrgyz liquidators, World War 2 and the inter-ethnic conflict of recent times.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/south/osh.

Osh: Manas Statue
Statue to Kyrgyzstan's legendary hero/leader of yore, with a snow leopard in front.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Osh.
The Epic of Manas (Kyrgyz: Манас дастаны, romanized: Manas dastanı, ماناس دستانی) is a traditional epic poem dating to the 18th century but claimed by Kyrgyz tradition to be much older. Manas is said to be based on Bars Bek who was the first khagan of the Kyrgyz Khaganate. The plot of Manas revolves around a series of events that coincide with the history of the region in the 9th century, primarily the interaction of the Kyrgyz people with other Turkic and Chinese people.
The government of Kyrgyzstan celebrated the 1,000th anniversary of Manas in 1995. The eponymous hero of Manas and his Oirat enemy Joloy were first found written in a Persian manuscript dated to 1792–93.[1] In one of its dozens of iterations, the epic poem consists of approximately 500,000 lines.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Manas.

Osh: Mechet' Ravvat Abdullakhana
Said to be oldest mosque in Osh, a tribute to 16th-century Rabat Abdul Khan. Non-Muslims most likely not allowed entry.
At the bottom of Sulaiman-Too stands the small Ravat Abdullakhan Mosque. The scholarly Abdullakhan II (1534-1598) was the most noteworthy Shaybanid ruler of the Khanate of Bukhara. The mosque in Osh was built in the second half of the 16th century, at the zenith of the Khanate’s power when the successful conquests of Abdullakhan made him the ruler of a vast territory, larger than present-day Uzbekistan, encompassing Balkh, Khorezm, Khorasan and Ferghana.
Abdullakhan was a great builder as well as a great general, constructing mosques, madrassas, caravanserais and khanakas, like for instance the Kosh madrassa in Bukhara.
The Ravat Abdullakhan mosque has suffered a lot of damage over the centuries from earthquakes and neglect during Soviet times, but it has been lovingly restored and the original structure is still largely intact.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/south/osh.

Osh: Russian Orthodox Church
Blue and white church with a stone gate in front stemming from the early 20th century that is supposedly the only Russian church left in Osh after the demise of Soviet Union and events that followed.
Near the city hall stands a Russian Orthodox Church from the early 20th century. With few Russians remaining in Osh after Kyrgyz independence and the ensuing violence, the church has also become a school and a cultural centre of sorts for the Russian community.

Osh: Shaid Tepa Mosque
Near the bazaar is the Shaid Tepa mosque, originally constructed in wood between 1908-10, but which served as stables and forge during the Soviet period. It reopened in 1943 and in recent years has been renovated with Saudi backing. Today it can accommodate up to 5000 believers.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/south/osh/.

Osh: Sulayman Mountain
08:30-18:00. A mountain looming over the city full of ancient sites of worship, some still in use, dating back several millennia. It is considered the most complete example of a Central Asian sacred mountain, and accordingly has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A cave in the mountain is the site of a museum containing a collection of archaeological, geological and historical finds and information about local flora and fauna. Also here is a very compact mosque/mausoleum tucked into the mountain called Dom Babura Mosque at the other end of the prominence. Overall it's a good place to have a hike and take in the views. 20 som entry fee, 150 som for the museum.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulayman_Mountain and https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/south/osh/sulaiman-too/.

Panj River
The Panj (Russian: Пяндж; Persian: رودخانه پنج; "River Five") (/ˈpɑːndʒ/; Tajik: Панҷ, پنج; "Five"), traditionally known as the Ochus River and also known as Pyandzh (derived from its Slavic word ("Pyandz"), is a tributary of the Amu Darya. The river is 921 kilometres (572 mi) long and has a basin area of 114,000 square kilometres (44,000 sq mi).[2] It forms a considerable part of the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border.[3]
The river is formed by the confluence of the Pamir River and the Wakhan River near the village of Qalʿa-ye Panja (Qalʽeh-ye Panjeh). From there, it flows westwards, forming the border of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. After passing the city of Khorugh, capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan it receives water from one of its main tributaries, the Bartang River. It then turns towards the southwest, before joining the river Vakhsh and forming the greatest river of Central Asia, the Amu Darya. Panj played an important role during Soviet times, and was a strategic river during the Soviet military operations in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
Water Consumption
A water treaty between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan, signed in 1946, allows Afghanistan to draw 9 million cubic metres of water a year.[3] It currently draws 2 million cubic metres of water. According to the Panj River Basin Project environmental damage could be expected if Afghanistan drew the entire amount of water from the river that the treaty allows.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panj_(river).

Panjakent: Ancient City
Ancient Panjakent. The archaeological site of the ruins of old Panjakent, a walled inter-city which stood 2,500-years ago, was once a Sogdian trading city on the Silk Road. Today, only ruins are left as a consequence of the main construction material being clay-bricks. Sometimes referred to as The Pompeii of Central Asia, it is well worth a visit. Duplicates of old Sogdian art are exposed in the nearby museum. The director will also take you on a tour, which will open your eyes to many interesting details which will normally escape the layman's eye.
30 TJS for an adult ticket.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Panjakent.
For more see there and at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ancient-panjakent.

Panjakent: Olim Dodhko Mosque and Medressah
A Friday Mosque dating from the 18th and 19th centuries for up to 1,500 people.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Panjakent.

Panjakent: Rudaki Museum
08:00 - 17:00. This interesting museum of local history has been rehabilitated and should not be missed. Abu Abdullo Rudaki was a famous poet of the 10th century. He lived in Panjakent for a while and later became the national hero of Tajikistan. Among the exhibits in the museum are frescoes from the ancient city of Panjakent depicting a banquet, a battle, and daily life scenes; statues of Zoroastrian divinites and a wooden statue of a dancing woman. Apart from showing artifacts and frescoes of the archeological site nearby the city, it also features exhibits from Sarazm, a neolithic site a few kilometres further west. There excavators found proof human settlement as old as 5,500 years and, most notably, the richly decorated remains of a young woman referred to as the "princess of Sarazm". The museum has 8 halls. The first hall is devoted to the history and culture of ancient Sarazm with exhibits illustrating the beginnings of farming and city building in the area. The second hall shows findings from Panjakent from the 5th to 8th century AD. In the third hall, artifacts from the period of the Somonid empire are at display. The fourth hall is devoted to Rudaki, the founder of Tajik literature. The fifth hall shows objects of Tajik ethnography: clothes, embroideries, copper and bronze dishes, clothes from the 19th and 20th centuries. The sixth hall refers to the establishment of the Soviet power in Tajikistan, the seventh hall to the independence of Tajikistan in 1991. In the eighth hall, animals of Tajikistan are exhibited. US$10.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Panjakent.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tomb-of-rudaki

Pik Dankow
A 5,982 m (19,626 ft) high mountain peak which allows furthest view on the Earth. At 483 km (300 mi), Kunlun Mountains are visible and at 538 km (334 mi) a mountain peak Hindu Tagh.
The 5982 m high mountain forms the highest point in the western part of the Kakshaaltoo.[1] It lies 5 km north of the main ridge of the mountain range, which forms the border with China. The Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobeda), the highest mountain in the Kakshaaltoo and the Tian Shan, lies 230 km to the east-northeast. Pik Dankow lies on a ridge that branches off from the main ridge to the northwest. The ridge is flanked by the Chong-Turasu Glacier to the east and the Grigoryev Glacier to the west. The view from the summit of Peak Dankov to Mount Hindu Tagh, 538 km away and 6436 m high, is the widest line of sight on earth[2].
The first ascent of Pik Dankov was probably made in 1969 by an expedition led by N. Strikitsa via the south-west face[3].
Taken from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pik_Dankow.

Qal'ai Khumb/Kalaikhum
An important overnight rest stop 168 km from Kulob and 235 km from Khorugh, it has several hostels, and is almost entirely surrounded by the Pamir Mountains.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Pamirs.
Qalai-Khumb is a rather non-descript place, halfway between Khorog and Dushanbe on the Pamir Highway. Geographically, it looks like the perfect stop-over, but the place has little of the charm of other villages around.
Instead, we recommend the village of Yoged 30 km west of Qalai-Khumb. There is a nice homestay (38.35055, 70.61421), lovely walks above the village, and several shrines you can visit.
Just beyond Yoged, you can go animal spotting in the Darwaz range (but you need a permit).
North of Qalai-Khumb there are good hiking routes, but landmines are a danger you should be aware of. Find out more in our guide to trekking in Tajikistan.
Qalai-Khumb is a good place for a meal, though. Oriyono, located right next to the central bridge, has a superb view from its river balcony.
The town has several more restaurants, a basic market and a petrol station.
There are plenty of places to stay in Qalai-Khumb as well. Karon hotel is the most expensive and eye-catching hotel, but browse around and you will find a bevy of simpler hostels and homestays. Guesthouse Roma and the house of Bakhrom Sangakov have come recommended. More tips are welcome.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/qalai-khumb/.
Qal'ai Khumb (Russian: Калаихум, Tajik: Қалъаи Хумб, Qal‘a‘i Xumb/Qal'haji Xumв - meaning fortress on the banks of the river of Khumb) or Qal'a-i-Khum, also Kalai-Khumb (transliterated from Russian: Калай-Хумб), is a small town located in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan on the border with Afghanistan. Formerly it was the capital of the independent Principality of Darvaz.[2] Now it is the capital of the Darvoz District of Tajikistan. Here the Pamir Highway meets the Panj River.
The village is an important overnight rest stop between Kulob and Khorugh, located at a distance of 168 km from Kulob (or 368 km from Dushanbe) and 235 km from Khorugh.[3] It has several hostels to accommodate travelers on their way between cities.[4] The village is almost entirely surrounded by the Pamir Mountains.
On the Afghan border Kalai-Khumb has one of the three bridges over the Panj river. On the Sunday market there used to be trades from Afghanistan near this bridge. Although Kalai-Khumb now has no such market.[5]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qal%27ai_Khumb.

Qarshi: Kashkadarya Bridge
16th century bridge.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Qarshi.

Qarshi: Kok Gumbaz mosque
The biggest and most beautiful mosque of the city.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Qarshi.
Kok Gumbaz (which means “blue dome”) is Qarshi's Friday Mosque. It is the largest such mosque in the region, and was constructed by Emperor Ulugbek on behalf of his father, Shah Rukh, in the late 16th century.[7] Kok Gumbaz is architecturally quite similar to other Timurid mosques, including in Shakhrisabz, but it has been less heavily restored, so more of the original features remain intact.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qarshi.

Qarshi: Odina Mosque
Odina Mosque was built in the 16th century and is on the southeast side of Qarshi's Eski Bazaar. The mosque was built on the site of an older Mongol palace, which had also been used as a prison.[6] The mosque has an attractive domed exterior, and also a sardoba, a domed reservoir which stopped the water supply becoming contaminated or evaporating. It is no longer used for worship but instead houses Qarshi's Regional Museum.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qarshi.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odina_Mosque.

Rangkul Valley Important Bird Area
The Rangkul Valley Important Bird Area (Chinese: 郎庫勒河谷重点鸟区) is a 1612 km2 tract of land in eastern Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in eastern Tajikistan, not far from the border with China. It contains two high altitude lakes and has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA),[1] as well as a Ramsar site.[2]
The Rangkul Valley is an inter-mountain trough in the eastern Pamir Mountains 60 km north-east of the district centre of Murghab. The central part of the IBA, at an altitude of 3600–4000 m, contains two lakes, Rangkul and Shorkul, which form an endorheic system and are connected by the Izyuk channel. Rangkul is a freshwater lake with an area of 8 km2 and a depth of 6 m. Shorkul is brackish; it has an area of 7 km2. Both lakes freeze in winter and contain no fish, but support numerous invertebrates, including amphipods, beetles and mosquito larvae. Apart from the lakes and their littoral zones the valley is predominantly alpine semi-desert with scattered shrubs and is subject to strong winds. It is threatened by overgrazing, which leads to increased wind erosion and desertification.[1]
The most favourable habitats for birdlife are along the rivers and lake shores. The site was classified as an IBA because it supports significant numbers of the populations of various bird species, either as residents, or as breeding or passage migrants; it has been designated as a protected Ramsar site since 2001.[2] These include Tibetan snowcocks, Himalayan snowcocks, bar-headed geese ruddy shelducks, saker falcons, Himalayan vultures, lesser sand plovers, brown-headed gulls, Tibetan sandgrouse, yellow-billed choughs, Hume's larks, wallcreepers, white-winged redstarts, white-winged snowfinches, rufous-streaked accentors, brown accentors, black-headed mountain finches, Caucasian great rosefinches and red-fronted rosefinches.[1]

Salt Lake I
This is apparently the touristy one of all the salt lakes in this region, often called Dead Sea of Kyrgyzstan. It is comparable to the Dead Sea—one can float on the surface due to the high salinity. The lake was opened as a tourist destination in 2001. The water is so salty that one can read a newspaper while floating on the surface. The water contains about 132 grams of salt per liter. This lake is also popular as a “medical tour”. Mud is superheated deep beneath the earth’s surface. Many locals believe that it has healing properties. If you walk across the dune, you can wash off the salt in Issyk Kul lake. The naming is inconsistent and sometimes it is named Кара-Куль aka Kara Kul, which however is the same name as the one below right next to the highway. 100 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tong.

Salt Lake II
Another salt lake just before the touristy one along the same road. The situation on which one the saltiest is unclear. Eiter way, they are close to each other. So, you can check out both or just skip the one that is charged for.

Samarkand: Abdi Darun Ensemble
The mausoleum was erected over the grave of famous lawyer. It has been reconstructed for several times. A 'ziaratkhana' was built in front of mausoleum during the reign of Ulugbek. The portal and cupola drum are decorated with geometric ornaments and inscriptions from glazed bricks. In the cemetery are 'dahmas' (large grave constructions), dating to the 15th century, covered with glazed tiles. The mosque was constructed at the beginning of 20th century. It consists of a winter room and a summer column aivan, decorated by pottery carving and colored paintings. A small medrese was added at the end of 19th century.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Samarkand.

Samarkand: Abu Mansoor Al Matrudi Mausoleu
The Mausoleum of great Sunni Faqi is in Mirza Zaheer. Ud Din Babur, in his book Babur Noma, praised the knowledge and Command on Fiqah of Abu Mansoor Al Matrudi.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Samarkand.

Samarkand: Afrosiab
The ruined site of ancient and medieval Samarqand in the northern part of the modern town. A museum is in the center of the remains, housing a wall mural showing proof of diplomatic relations with the Chinese. The famous Persian Pehlvan Rustam and Sohrab belonged to the Afrosiyob.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Samarkand.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrasiyab_(Samarkand).

Samarkand: Al-Bukhari Mausoleum
Al Buxori was a collector of the sayings of prophet Muhamed, and compiled them into a book known as Hadith Bukhari Sharif or Bukhari Sahih. He was buried in the place where his mausoleum is located now. The present building was constructed on top of the original grave of Imam Al-Bukhari in 1997 (1225 years after the imam's death) by the Uzbek government with support from other Muslim governments - the bricks were delivered from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, green marble from Pakistan, financing from Iran, and builders and artists from Uzbekistan and Iran. Visited daily by about 1,000 visitors from all over the world. The complex consists of Al Bukhari's mosque and grave and a museum exhibiting Qurans from some Muslim countries.

Samarkand: Bibi-Khanym Mosque
Named after the wife of Temur, erected after his raid of Delhi. One of best known architectural attractions of Central Asia. The Minaret of the Mosque was supposed to be the tallest. 30,000 som.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibi-Khanym_Mosque.

Samarkand: Gur Emir Mausoleum
Daily 08:00-19:00. Tomb of the conqueror Tamerlane, built and beautifully reconstructed from 1404-1405 and 15-17th centuries. Includes the largest piece of jade (greenstone) in the world. 30,000 som for foreigners.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gur-e-Amir.

Samarkand: Hazrat Khizr Mosque
08:00-18:00. One of the ancient edifices of Samarkand, destroyed by Genghis Khan's army and rebuilt in the 19th century. A beautiful mosque stands on the elevation at the entrance of town, from where the eye wanders over Bibi-Khonym Mosque, the big bazaar and the mountains in the South.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazrat_Khizr_Mosque.

Samarkand: Khodja Ahrar Ensemble
The grave of the famous religious and state benefactor of 15th century. Nakshbandi Ubeidallah Ahrar is decorated by white marble tiles covered by inscriptions. The Medrese of Nadira divan-begi is a one floor building with a traditional four-aivans yard composition. The main entrance is decorated by portal, two khudjras are situated on the both sides of it as well as in the north and south parts of building. The western part of building is a mosque with a huge portal, main hall (mikhrab) and four rooms. The mosque was probably built in the 15th century, but the medrese was erected in 1040-1045 (1630-1636) according to the order of well-known official Nadira divan-begi by architect Dust-Mukhammad. The decoration are very typical for 17th century: majolica, mosaic of high quality. The decorations of entrance portal are illustrating tigers and does. The summer mosque was built in 17th century in the south from medrese. The decorations of mikhrab niche of this mosque are very similar to medrese. The column aivan (verandah) between medrese and summer mosque was constructed or reconstructed in later period. At the beginning of the 20th century ceiling of aivan was covered by vivid paintings. A small minaret, which is situated opposite to aivan, was erected in 1909 by Sadulla architect.

Samarkand: Registan Esemble
Apr-Oct 09:00-20:00. Registan became the city square when the life in Afrosiab stopped. Since that time, Registan was reconstructed several times. Today it is surrounded by the three medreses: Ulugbek, Shirdor and Tilla Kari. At night the guards will let you in for US$5 or $10. They may suggest you climb up onto the roof of one of the Madrasah, which is not advisable, dangerous, dusty and with limited interest. 50,000 som for the whole ensemble.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registan.

Samarkand: Rukhabad Mausoleum
This is a central square mausoleum without portal with four identical facades. The arch entrance is decorated by blue glazed tiles and eventually the cupola was also covered by glazed tiles. According to manuscripts Rukhabat mausoleum ("place of spirit presence") was the burial place of the Samarkand sufi Burkhan ad-Din Sagardji, who died in 1380s. The mausoleum was built at a time, when central compositions were not popular and decorations of burial architecture was very rich. On the occasion of anniversary of Amir Timur in 1996 all buildings, which were not related to the monument, were destroyed and the ruins of constructions of Rukhabat complex – the mosque, khidjras, medrese and minaret came to light.

Samarkand: Shakhi-Zinda Ensemble
An ancient necropolis (9-14th, 19th centuries) on southeastern mound of Afrosiab. Consists of 44 tombs in more than 20 mausoleums. Shah E Zinda was the first cousin of the Prophet Muhammad and resembled the Prophet the most. (Hadrat Hissam Ibne Abbass or Kissam Ibne Abbass). 7,000 som.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah-i-Zinda and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/shah-i-zinda-necropolis.

Samarkand: Shirdor Madrasah
Medrese Shirdor repeats the facade and composition of Ulugbek medrese opposite. In Shirdor medrese the first floor is preserved, whereas it is destroyed in Ulugbek medrese. The entrance portal has images of a tiger (“shir”, hence the name Shirdor). Ornaments and decorations are very rich, but its quality is worse than that of Ulugbek medrese. Shirdor medrese was erected by order of Uzbek feudal lord Yalangtush in 1619-1632. The inscriptions of the medrese show the names of the masters Abdaldjabbar and Muhammad-Abbas.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sher-Dor_Madrasa.

Samarkand: Tilla Kari Madrasah
In 1660 the Tilya-Kori ("Gilded") Madrasah was built. It was not only a residential college for students, but also played the role of grand mosque. It has a two-storied main facade and a vast courtyard fringed by dormitory cells, with four galleries along the axes. The mosque building is in the western section of the courtyard. The main hall of the mosque is abundantly gilded.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilya_Kori_Madrasa.

Samarkand: Tomb of Prophet Daniel
The reputed tomb of the Hebrew Prophet Daniel, in the cemetery section of Afrosiab next to a pleasant stream. For a small fee you may enter the tomb, which contains a burial chamber around 18 m long. Muslim men will offer prayers while you listen respectfully. After the conquest of Syria the grave was transported to Samarkand under the orders of Amir Temur.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khoja_Doniyor_mausoleum and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tomb-daniel-samarkand.

Samarkand: Ulugbek Madrasa
The oldest medrese on Registan, a large rectangular building with monumental portal and a yard with four verandas, surrounded by cells for students and with four classrooms in the corners. In the western part is a winter mosque. The corners of the building are decorated with high minarets. The decorations consist of glazed and unglazed bricks, mosaics, majolica, carving marble. The most beautiful decorations are those of the main portal, where geometric, vegetative and epigraphic decorations were used. Inscriptions mention Ulugbek and several dates relating to the stages of construction. Construction of the medrasah finished in 823 CE (1420).
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulugh_Beg_Madrasa,_Samarkand.

Samarkand: Ulugbek's Observatory
Daily 08:00-19:00. Discovered by Russian archaeologists. Ulugbek, Timur's grandson, was an accomplished astronomer, scientist and architect. The monument is situated in the north-east outskirts of city at the foot Chupan-ata mountain, which in medieval times was called Kukhak. That was three floor round building, decorated by glazed tiles, majolica, mosaic, but it was destroyed. The only thing that was preserved is a part of huge sextant, the lowest part of which was in a deep trench (11 km). Both arcs of this instrument are made of marble with indication of degrees. During the excavation works, remains of other astronomic instruments were found. Even being preserved partially, the observatory of Ulugbek is unique not only for Central Asia, but also for the whole world. The remains of observatory were conserved at the beginning of 1960s. Here was also organized museum, where collecting the unique astronomic information and instruments related to Timurids epoch. 30,000 som.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulugh_Beg_Observatory and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ulugh-beg-observatory.

Sanatorii Dzhielondi
Julandee (towards Murghab) High altitude, hot spring resort, and wonderful climb behind the springs. The rooms are quite nice and very affordable. US$10-15. Food is available, but ideally you should bring some bread, potatoes and carrots. They will cook, but they have trouble getting the food up there. Very good spot to spend the night before proceeding to Murghab, it’s high enough altitude to see if you get sick. If you are not used to high altitudes, take aspirin to mitigate altitude headaches.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Khorugh.
For more see https://caravanistan.com/tajikistan/pamirs/jelondy/.
Sanatorii Dzhielondi (Sanatorium), Jelondy (on the M41 between Khorogh and Murghab). If you're up for a little spa treatment whilst travelling through the Pamirs, take up refuge for a night in this former sanatorium from the Soviet area. Fed by one of the (very) hot springs in the area, diving into the large pool of steaming water takes some courage but luckily there's some cold showers to cool off afterwards. Entry to the pool is included in the room rate. Restaurant with basic food on site. 50 som p.p./night.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Pamirs.

Sarazm
One of the oldest cities in Central Asia dating from the 4th-century BC.
If 2500 years doesn’t seem to suffice, 20 km further, one may find the oldest settlement in all Central Asia – Sarazm. The name Sarazm (or Sari Zamin) aptly means “the beginning of the world” for this site which is more than 5500 years old. More than 6000 people used to live here making it the oldest city in Central Asia. Sarazm has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The nearby museum shows archaeological finds including a picture of the discovered skeleton of the multi-millennia princess of Sarazm adorned with her impressive jewellery. The original is on display in the capital Dushanbe.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Zeravshan_Valley.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarazm.

Sarmishsay/Sarmish Gorge
Sarmishsay (Uzbek: Sarmishsoy; also known as Sarmish Gorge) is located in the Karatau Mountain Range in the Nurata District of Navoiy Region of Uzbekistan. The gorge contains archeological remains dating back as far as the Stone Age, including two petroglyph sites with a total of 10,000 ancient rock carvings. According to UNESCO, it is the largest and most important rock art monument in Uzbekistan.
The petroglyphs are spread along the gorge, but concentrated in two main areas. The oldest petroglyphs date from the 9th millennium BC, but they span a period of history right up to the 18th century AD.[5] Unfortunately, there is also some modern graffiti.[6]
The surface of darker rocks was polished, and that was used as a canvas by the ancient artists. Initially, they carved their artworks with stone chisels and other basic tools.[5] Later artists would have had a greater variety of tools, including some made of metal, and also painted some of the designs.
Most of the petroglyphs at Sarmishsay depict people and animals, including hunting scenes. Included amongst the animals are Saiga antelope, wild mountain sheep and goat, elephant, lion, tiger, and cheetah. The pictures of aurochs (wild cattle) are particularly important in helping archaeologists date the petroglyphs, as aurochs became extinct in this area from over-hunting in the 2nd millennium BC.[7] Not all of the images are true to life: there is a camel with three humps, and a man with two heads.[5] The petroglyphs made by Scythian artists during the Iron Age often show domesticated animals, which shows how society had developed by this time. There is an image of a shepherd on horseback, a Bactrian camel, and a dog, which might have been a pet.[2] The Scythians also made artworks of religious rites, including ecstatic dances, religious symbols, and even Zoroastrian priests worshipping at a fire temple.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarmishsay.
See also on iOverlander:
According to reports there, there is no entry fee and you can camp in the park.

Sary-Tash
At an altitude of 3163 m, the setting is lovely, with a backdrop of high mountains to the south and west. It’s a good place to stop over for tea, or possibly a plate of lagman, but it is not a destination in its own right (although there is some hiking to do nearby – consult the Trekking in Alay map).
Osh, Karakul and Tulpar Kol all have more to offer, we recommend you stay overnight there. Especially Tulpar Kol is a great place to acclimatise if you are coming up from Osh before heading on the Pamir Highway.
The only reason to stay over would be if you are a backpacker going directly between Kashgar and Karakul over the Irkeshtam Pass. In that case, see the “stuck in Sary Tash?” paragraph in the Pamir Highway by public transport chapter.
Food and supplies
Altynbek and Akun both serve food. Neither will blow your mind. Someone renamed Kafe Akun in the English version of Maps.me/OSM to ‘got food poisoning here’, Altynbek is a marginally better choice. Perhaps best to cook yourself here if you have the option.
If you are driving yourself and have just crossed the Pamir Highway, petrol is a lot cheaper and better quality here. But if you can, wait until Osh. Prices and quality are even better there.
Do not expect much from the shops.
Accommodation
Pamir Extreme is the best place to stay in Sary Tash: hot water, working wifi, good food and a great host in Shamurat.
It is the priciest option in town, though. If you are looking for something cheaper, Hostel Muras seems like a safe bet.
There are a bunch of other options, but none that we can heartily recommend: Anita and Eliza have both had negative reviews.
Read more and add your own experiences at the Sary Tash guesthouse reviews forum thread.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/south/sary-tash/.

Seven Bulls Rock Formation
Just before the Jeti Ögüz resort are the beautiful Seven Bulls (which is "Жети-өгүз" in Kyrgyz) and Broken Heart mountain, a large, red sedimentary rocks, about 2,200 m, for which it is famous. The rocks have been carved out by a river from the Terskey Alatoo mountains. Years of weathering have split the rocks into seven parts. The forms of the rocks are similar to the head of the seven bulls, “Jeti”-means seven and “Oguz”-means bull in Kyrgyz. Broken Heart is a reddish rock shaped like a broken heart. For this rock, there are several legends: long ago a king who was very rich and had many wives went hunting. One day he saw a beautiful girl with black long hair. He fall in love with her at first sight, and wanted to marry her. However she was from a poor family and was already engaged. Her family ran away from the king when they learned that he wanted their daughter. But the king caught them, killed her fiancé and her family. Her heart was torn by sadness and the Broken Heart appeared in that place.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Jeti_%C3%96g%C3%BCz.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jeti-oguz-rocks.

Shakhrisabz
Shakhrisabz (Uzbek and Tajik: Шаҳрисабз; Persian: شهر سبز‎; Russian: Шахрисабз) is a city of 100,000 people (2014) in Qashkadarya, Uzbekistan. The Historic Centre of Shahrisabz was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.
Shakhrisabz is the hometown of Temur (also transliterated "Timur" and known as Tamerlane) and everything in Shakhrisabz is connected with his name. Temur was born in 1336 at the village of Hoja Ilghar, about 13 km south of Shakhrisabz. Temur's father Amir Taragai, his spiritual adviser Shamsedin Kulyol, and his eldest sons Jahangir and Omar Sheikh were buried here. The name Shakhrisabz is Tajik and means "green city".
Archaeological excavations have found traces of occupation by farming communities in the 1st millennium BC. In the Middle Ages the town was called Kesh. It became important in the 14th century. Temur (Tamerlane) was born in a village nearby and the tribe to which he belonged controlled the city. Temur was already governor of Kesh at the age of 25. He defeated the Turkish sultan Bayezid and the Golden Horde and led triumphant campaigns in Iran, the Caucasus, India and Asia Minor. At the height of his power his kingdom stretched from Egypt to Kashgar and Kyiv and Moscow were its protectorates. Timur created the vast state of Movarounnahr and became its absolute emir. He made Samarkand his capital and Shakhrisabz his second capital.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Shakhrisabz.

Shakhrisabz: Ak Saray Palace
09:00-18:00. Ak Saray means "white palace". The term "ak" has also the meaning "generous", "aristocratic" or "majestic". Temur's chronicler Sherif Eddin Ali Yezdi reported that the world has not seen a similar building before the point of which extends from earth to the height of heaven. The palace was founded in the hours predicted by astrology. Its construction was begun in 1380 after Temur's conquest of Konye Urgench in Khorezm. Artisans from Khorezm were brought here to work on the palace and create its rich decoration. In 1396 the construction works were almost completed. The Spanish ambassador Clavigo reports that the decoration works still continued in 1404. The dimensions of the building can be perceived when looking at the gate towers: the two towers were 50 m high and had an arch with a span of 22 m. The buildings were destroyed in the 16th cent. by order of the ruler of Bukhara, Abdullah Khan. The legend tells that Abdullah Khan was riding to Shahrizabs and saw the palace at a distance. He sent a messenger to the city as he thought that he was already near of it. The messengers nearly died of exhaustion, but the palace was still far away. The khan got angry and ordered the palace to be destroyed. The architecture of the palace is similar to Khoja Ahmed Yasavi Mausoleum in Turkestan/Kazakhstan which was built on the orders of Temur. Archaeological excavations south of Ak Saray have revealed the rich decorated cover of the floor and rich architectural decoration consisting of majolica, marble and combination of terracotta and ornamental mosaic. Only the piles of the portals are left from Ak-Saray. The piles were built as 50-m-high round towers with spiral stairs inside. Today, the towers are 38 m high. The size of the palace is impressive: the main courtyard was about 120 m wide and 240 m long. Calculations from the proportions of the surviving elements let us assume that the length of the main portal was 70 m and that the towers at the corners were more than 80 m high. The 22 m wide span of the arch of the main entrance was the largest in Central Asia. The mosaic and majolica work in the niche of the portal is particularly refined. The delicate foliage ornamentation also contains calligraphic inscriptions of verses from the Quran as well as a few secular inscriptions. In the middle of the decoration an inscription gives the date of the completion 798 (1395/1396) and the name of the craftsman Muhammad Yusuf Tebrizi from Tabriz/Persia. The legend tells that the architect after Temur had explained his plans started to make foundations blocks from clay mixed with gold. When Temur asked why he did that, the architect answered that he wanted to be sure that Temur was determined to construct a building that required vast expenditures. 1000 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Shakhrisabz.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ak-Saray_Palace and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ak-saray-palace.

Shakhrisabz: Amir Temur Museum
09:00-17:00. The museum has a model of Temur's empire from Egypt to Kashgar and some artefacts from Buddhist and Zoroastrian times. 2000 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Shakhrisabz.

Shakhrisabz: Chorsu Bazaar and Baths
The covered bazaar was built in the town center at the crossroads of two main streets in the form of a octagon with a central cupola. The octagon has entrances into corner rooms. Along the perimeter of the octagon were shops. The building is dominated by the high central dome. As the other markets in the Middle East Chorsu has no decorations. Its effect is defined by its architectural forms. The building dates from the 18th century. The baths were rebuilt in the 18th century on the site of the 15th-century baths. They are heated by an elaborate network of underground conduits and are still in use today.

Shakhrisabz: Crypt of Timur
Temur's crypt was discovered in 1963 in an underground room. The room is plain except of inscriptions from the Quran on the arches. In the middle of the room is a large stone casket with inscriptions about Temur. It is therefore supposed that the crypt was intended for him. Temur, however, is buried in the Gur Emir Mausoleum in Samarkand. The marble sarcophagus has a large space on the top which was left for the future epitaph of Temur.

Shakhrisabz: Dorus Saodat Complex
Dorus Saodat means "repository of power". This vast complex was the burial place of the ruling family and contained a prayer hall, a mosque and accommodation for the religious community and pilgrims. The main facade was decorated with white marble and the tomb of Temur is a masterpiece of art of this period. Dorus Saodat Complex dates from the same time as Ak-Saray. Construction works began in 1379. The idea was to create a monumental building combining tomb, ziaratkhona (common hall for morning ceremonies), mosque, room for clergy, Quran readers and pilgrims. The main facade of the building had a powerful portal and its dome was only a little bit smaller than Ak-Saray. The building of Ak-Saray was intended to turn Shahrizabs into the second capital of the empire. The creation of the Dorus Saodat expressed Temur's wish to turn Shahrizabs into the spiritual center of Movarounahr. Each pile contained a mausoleum. Today only the left part of the portal is preserved, containing the tomb of Jahangir. The buildings of the Dorus Saodat Complex were destroyed by the forces of the Sheybanid ruler Abdullah Khan in the second half of the 16th century, but the mausoleum of Jahangir survived.

Shakhrisabz: Dorut Tilovat Ensemble
The Dorut Tilavat ensemble is part of the remains of Temur's memorial ensemble of burials and religious buildings. The buildings were erected mainly during the reign of Ulugbek. This complex contains the graves of Temur's father Taragay and his spiritual tutor Sheikh Shamsaddin Kulyal.

Shakhrisabz: Kok Gumbaz Mosque
09:00-18:00. The mosque was built in 1435 under the reign of Ulugbek opposite the mausoleum of Kulyal on the same axe. It is a large Friday mosque used for public prayers at Fridays. The name Kok Gumbaz means "blue dome". It was built by Temur's grandson Ulug Bek in honour of his father Shah Rukh. Inscriptions from the Quran cover great parts of the dome. 2500 som.

Shakhrisabz: Mausoleum of Sheikh Shamseddin Kulyal
Mausoleum of Sheikh Shamseddin Kulyal (behind Kok Gumbaz)
Timur's father Taragay died in 1360. When Temur came to power 10 years later he ordered the body of his father to be moved near the grave of the much respected Sheikh Shamsaddin Kulyal. It is said that Temur explained his military success by Sheikh Shamsaddin Kulyal's prayers, Zaynuddin Havasi's care and Sayid Bereke's blessing. Sheikh Shamsaddin Kulyal died in 1371 and Taragay was placed near his grave two years later. Sheikh Shamsaddin Kulyal was a famous Sufi teacher. He was also called "Amiri Kalyaon (Great Emir)" and was the teacher of the famous Sheikh Bahauddin from Bukhara and of Temur's father Taragay.
Gumbazi Seydon Mausoleum (south of Kulyal Mausoleum).
This mausoleum was built by order of Ulegbek in 1437/38 - according to the inscriptions on the walls for his own descendants. It is not clear whether any of his relatives are buried in it. The mausoleum contains several marble gravestones of the 15th to 17th cent. They mention names of seyids from Termiz and the monument was called Gumbazi Seydon ("Seyids' Cupola"). The design of the interior is typical for the time of Ulugbek with decorations of blue colours on a white background.

Shakhty Cave Paintings
Small cave paintings in red color. Not very spectacular, to be honest. But if you are tired of the abundant petroglyphs and want to see actual cave paintings, this is the place to go. It's a short, 10 min hike from where you can cycle to.

Shatyly Panorama
A spectecular viewpoint from the mountain behind Kadji Sai over the valley and the lake. The hike itself from the road (or small village) is just 2 km. However, this starting point is about 15 km from Kadji Sai.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kadji_Say.

Shopan-Ata
Shopan-Ata was a Sufi follower of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, whose mosque you can admire in Turkistan. Shopan-Ata was the first desert mystic in the region, who served as an inspiration to Beket-Ata.
The complex is surprisingly large, with a lot of caves for Shopan-Ata and his students to pray in. Most interesting is the mixing of animist pre-Islamic beliefs (animal carvings, penis-shaped stones) and Islam that is typical for Kazakhstan.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/west/beket-ata/.

Shorbulak Observatory
This remote, abandoned Soviet observatory promises spectacular views for those who can reach it.
See https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/shorbulak-observatory.

Silkroad
This is ROUGHLY the course of the main route of the Silk Road.
Of course, not EVERY trader used precicesly this route, but still most of the goods will have been transported roughly along this route.
The following cities were importand Silk Road stop-overs (from east to west):
Luoyang, Xi'an, Baoji, Wushan, Lanzhou, Wuwei, Dunhuang, Kashgar, Andijon, Kokand, Khujand, Samarkand, Bukhara, Merv/Mary/Meru, Mashhad, Teheran, Baghdad.
East of Luoyang and west of Baghdad the trade routes became more forked/ramified/diverse, which is why the term Silk Road usually only refers to the section between Luoyand and Baghdad, although the goods came usually from east of Luoyang and were transported beyond Baghdad to Anatolia, Europe and Northern Africa.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Road.
name:

Song-Köl
Song Kul is a high alpine lake in the mountains of the Naryn Region of Kyrgyzstan.
It is the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan (18x29 km wide, 13 m deep) after Issyk kul. Its name, meaning "following lake", is popularly considered to refer to this relation. It is surrounded by a broad summer pasture and then mountains. The area is inhabited and safely accessible only from June to September.
Its beauty is greatly praised, but it is rather inaccessible. The best approach with your own car seems to be the 85 km road from Sary-Bulak on the main north-south highway. Other routes require 4x4s.
Local herders will provide interesting meals (sometimes including horse) along with the accommodation. If a lot of tourists are expected, you can watch them butcher a whole sheep in under 30 min. Besh-barmak ("five fingered food") is among the most popular dishes with greasy noodles, all the innards of the sheep, and of course lots of meat!
Local herders can provide supplies and rent yurts for about $14 per night including meals. Apart from that, there are no facilities on the lake. Agencies, including CBT, can arrange these in advance but it is also possible to just show up.
There is no cell signal nor Wi-Fi.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Song_Kul.
Song-Köl (Kyrgyz: Соң-Көл,[2] IPA: [sóɴkœl], also Соңкөл Songköl,[3] literally "following lake", Russian: Сон-Куль, romanized: Son-Kul',[4] also Сонкёль Sonkyol'[5]) is an alpine lake in northern Naryn Region, Kyrgyzstan. It lies at an altitude of 3016 m,[6] and has an area of about 270 km2 and volume of 2.64 km3. The lake's maximum length is 29 km, breadth about 18 km, and the deepest point is 13.2 m. It is the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan after Issyk-Kul, and the largest fresh water lake in Kyrgyzstan.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song-K%C3%B6l.
For more see there and at https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/center/song-kol/.

Suleiman Mountain Museum
The National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex Sulayman (Russian: Национальный Историко-археологический музейный комплекс «Сулайман-Тоо») is a museum in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. It was established in 1949 as Osh Regional Museum. The present museum building was completed during the Soviet era in 1978 to celebrate the 3,000th anniversary of the city of Osh.[1] It was carved inside the Sulayman Mountain, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.[2] The structure represents a glassed concrete arch that closes the entry to the cave.[3]
The National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex Sulayman is one of the largest museums in Kyrgyzstan.[1] The collections include more than 33,000 pieces of archaeological and ethnographic facts, works of handicraft, paintings, sculptures and graphics.[4]
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/muzey-sulayman-too.

Suusamyr Valley
Formed by the Suusamyr River, this valley lies to both sides of the Bishek-Osh highway between the Too Ashuu Pass and the junction towards Talas. At 2,000-2,500 m (asl) it is bordered by the Suusamyr Too (to the south) and Kyrgyz Ala-Too (to the north) mountain ranges of the Tian Shan. The valley offers beautiful valley views of the dusk and dawn sun soaked in the warmest colours, numerous yurts for overnighting and dinning, local sheep and horse herds, impressive sights of the snow-capped mountains around the valley, and just a very relaxing and calm atmosphere as soon as you are a few 100 m away from the highway. Since most (western) tourists focus on Issyk Kul and the (south)eastern part of Kyrgyzstan, this place is also very untouristy and much more authentic. You will probably still find the one or other nomad offering horseback riding, but for far less then used to in the more touristy places. Follow the river east, by Suusamyr village, for an even more remote feeling.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bishkek_and_the_Northwest.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suusamyr_Valley and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suusamyr_(river).

Svastika Forest
The mirror-image fir tree swastika is about 200 m across. Myths and legends abound about how and when the swastika came to be planted in Soviet territory. The entrance of the road leads to the forest 500 m farther. Taxi drivers pretend that this is a bad road in order to charge extra fees, but the gravel road is flat and nice.

Talas: Manas Ordo
This is probably the reason why you came to Talas. A historical park and museum built around the Manas's Kümböz mausoleum (built around 1334). Foreigner/local: 200 som / 30 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Talas.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manas_Ordo.

Tash Rabat
An ancient caravanserai on the Silk Road, close to Torugart Pass to China. One of the top destinations of Kyrgyzstan but a little remote.
As of 2018 both local taxi drivers and CBT quote a price of 2,000 soms for a return trip, including the driver waiting. The drive to Tash Rabat takes 2 hr. It's also possible to sleep there at a handful of yurt camps in the summer season, which is highly recommended if you plan on going hiking the following day. The 2018 price list by CBT charges the following: B&B 600 som per person per night, horse rental 800 som per horse per day, a guide 1,600 som per day, lunch or dinner 400 som per meal. It might be possible to negotiate a lower price with locals when not booking through CBT.
Tash Rabat is a well-preserved 15th-century stone caravanserai in At-Bashy District, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan, located at an altitude of 3,200 metres (10,500 ft).
The structure consists of 31 rooms, including chambers in the central hall. The rooms are square and topped with domes which have openings for light at the top; transition from a quadrangular frame to a dome is done using a squinch. Tash Rabat is completely made of rubble stone on clay mortar with gypsum mortar sealing joints.[4] One of the furthest rooms also has a deep hole in the floor that reminds a well.[1]
There has been some debate about whether Tash Rabat was originally built as a caravanserai or a temple. As early as 1888, Russian doctor and traveler Nicolay Lvovich Zeland suggested that the site was originally a East Syrian or Buddhist monastery.[2]
Research undertaken at the end of the 1970s and beginning of the 1980s by the Institute of History of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences concluded that Tash Rabat was originally built as a Nestorian monastery in the 10th century, although no Christian artifacts were found during excavations. Later it was determined to be a Buddhist monastery as all inscriptions, artifacts and references were found to be Buddhist in nature. This was further supported by the fact that its inhabitants were Buddhist during the period of its construction.[3]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tash_Rabat.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tash-rabat.

Tashkent: Abdulkasim Madrassa
This madrassa was erected in honour of the great thinker Abdulkhasim Khan at the beginning of the 19th century.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tashkent.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abulkasym_Madrassah.

Tashkent: Abu Sahiy Bazaar
The heartbeat of modern Uzbekistan’s thriving market culture.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/abu-sahiy.

Tashkent: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Tashkent Russian Orthodox Centre area.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tashkent.

Tashkent: Alisher Navoiy Park
This large park is popular on the weekends where many weddings are held. A fairground and man-made lake are also well frequented by locals.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tashkent.

Tashkent: Amir Timur Monument & Park
Amir Temur in armour sits on his horse, holding the reins with his left hand and greeting the people with his right hand. A bust of Karl Marx previously occupied the position during Soviet times.

Tashkent: Barak-Khan Madrassah
The madrassa was completed in the 2nd half of the 16th century. Barak Khan died in 1556 and is buried in Samarkand.

Tashkent: Chorsu Bazaar
The biggest and the most exciting oriental market in Tashkent. Eski Juva Bazaar is the biggest and oldest bazaar in Central Asia, operating on the same spot for over 2,000 years. The stalls of the bazaar stand under seven huge domes covered with colored glazed tiles. In the biggest domed building you will find all kinds of spices and cooking herbs: saffron, brown tree bark, red and black pepper, thyme and cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, as well as raisins, and dried apricots, almonds and pistachios, walnuts and peanuts. The bazaar is famous for peanuts boiled in sugar or honey, covered with sesame seeds. Under the small domes are the "workshops". Here craftsmen make and sell jewelry, painted cradles (beshik), gold embroidery, Uzbek chests with metal decorations, embroidered suzanes (thin tapestries), jiyak (lace for trimming the lower edges of women's trousers), quilted men's (chapan) and women's (yashmak) caftans, kurpacha quilts, pichok knives in leather or brass sheaths, and national musical instruments. Potters offer lyagan dishes and kosa bowls with blue and turquoise painted patterns. You will also find carpets from Khiva, Samarkand, Bukhara, Afghanistan and Turkey.

Tashkent: City Park
The park is the heart of the Tashkent City Project, an urban regeneration scheme and business centre. Surrounded by the new (late 2019) 5* Hilton Hotel and luxury apartments for the elite, this is the smartest and most modern part of the city. The park has fountains, lakes and some restaurants with prices in keeping with the area (expensive). A 10,000 som entry fee (5,000 for children) and heavy police presence keeps the poor people out.

Tashkent: Khazret Imam Ensemble
Tomb of one of the first Imams of Tashkent. Visitors may wish to visit the mosque area of the city. The library there contains the remaining fragments of the world's first Koran, written only 19 years after the death of Hazrat Muhammad.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazrati_Imam_Complex.

Tashkent: Kukeldash Madrass
This Quran school was built in the 16th century during the reign of Abdulla-Khan by the vizier, scientist and poet, Kulbobo Kukeldash. Kukeldash means "the Khan's foster brother'. Kukeldash Madrassa is one of the largest and best-preserved Quran schools in Central Asia. The madrassa has a traditional composition with a large inner yard with hujras (pupils' cells) and darshakona and mosque in the corners. 2,000 som.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukeldash_Madrasah_(Tashkent).

Tashkent: Mausoleum of Abu Bakr Muhammad Kaffal Shashi
It is the mausoleum of one of the first Imams who died c.976. The present mausoleum is rectangular in shape and is crowned by a conical dome. The frieze with inscriptions over the entrance and the panjara (wooden lattices) in the window openings are especially remarkable.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaffol_Shoshi_mausoleum.

Tashkent: Mausoleum of Zainuddin-bobo Sheikh
This is the mausoleum of the son of the founder of a famous Sufi order. His father sent him to disseminate the ideas of this order. The mausoleum is of the khanaka type. The hall is covered with a double dome. Nearby is a chillyakhona (subterranean monastic cell) dating to the 12th-13th centuries.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_of_Sheikh_Zaynudin.

Tashkent: Metro Stations
An underground world of gorgeous, palatial metro stations designed as a nuclear shelter complex.

Tashkent: Monument fo Courage
Built to acknowledge the courage of the people at the time of the Tashkent earthquake on 26 April 1966. The whole city was reduced to rubble and then modern Tashkent was built.

Tashkent: Mustakillik Square
Erected in 1991 as a symbol of the sovereignty of the country. It shows a golden globe and the outlines of Uzbekistan. Here is the Amir Timur Monument & Park
Independence Monument. Erected in 1991 as a symbol of the sovereignty of the country. It shows a golden globe and the outlines of Uzbekistan. Here is the Amir Timur Monument & Park
World War II Memorial, Sharof Rashidov Ave, (city centre, Mustaqillik Maydoni). Eternal flame and park has the names of all the victims of WWII.

Tashkent: Seattle Peace Park
Touching displays of wishes for peace from the Cold War era..
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/seattle-peace-park.

Tashkent: Shayhantaur Complex
Built in 14th century.
Kaldyrgach-bly Mausoleum (Мавзолей Калдыргач-Бея), Abdulla Qodiriy ko'chasi. The most ancient monument in Tashkent. The pyramidal dome dates to the 15th century, and is said to recall the mazars in the Kazakh steppes. Contains the tomb of a famous Kazakh political, Tole-bly, who had the nickname Kaldyrgach ("swallow").
Khavendi Takhur Sheikh Mausoleum (Мавзолей Шейха Хавенди Тахура), Abdulla Qodiriy ko'chasi. The first mausoleum was built in the 14th century. The present buildings were erected on the old foundations in the 18th and 19th centuries. Constructed with light yellow bricks, and has no decoration in the interior.
Yunus Khan Mausoleum (Мавзолей Юнус-Хана), Abdulla Qodiriy ko'chasi. Yunus Khan (1415-1487) was a descendant of Gengiz Khan and grandfather of the Indian moghul Babur. The building was erected in the 15th century and restored several times. It has no decoration except 'panjara' on the main façade.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheihantaur.

Tashkent: Tellya Sheikh Mosque
Built in 1856-57. With a beautiful Islamic library with ancient ceilings and ancient manuscripts and the Osman Koran. It is considered the oldest Koran in the world and is said to have been stained with the blood of Hazrat Osman in 655.

Tashkent: TV Tower
Viewing levels and restaurants with views of the city. The TV Tower, built in 1981, is the highest accessible structure in Central Asia, only surpassed by Kazakhstan's Power Station Ekibastuz chimney . It is 375 m high. It is the 11th highest tower in the world and the 2nd highest structure in GIS and has a revolving restaurant 110 m above the ground. Bring your passport. Foreigners US$15.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tashkent_Tower.

Tashkurgan: Stone Fort
Stone fort is in downtown Taskurgan. It has a history of more than 2,000 years; in times gone by, it was the central palace of the Tajik kingdom.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tashkurgan.

Termez
Termez or Termiz is a city in Surkhandarya, Uzbekistan. Termiz is along the border with Afghanistan (the Amu Darya or Oxus river) and is a major supply hub for the NATO war operations there. It is also a busy transport hub for goods entering and leaving Afghanistan due to the Friendship Bridge, built by the Soviet Union.
Old Termez lies 12 km west of the modern center. Alexander the Great is credited as the founder of the city, though there is little evidence of his passage. The stuff of the Hellenistic period may still be buried under the layers of the Kushan period, when the settlement grew in importance. Two sites in the vicinity, Shor tepe and Kampyr tepe, seem to have got more importance under Achaemenid and Hellenistic rule. The latter was a fortified city at Alexander's time.
Since from the early days of the unified empire of Kanishka I (127–163), Old Termez, controlling a strategic position on the north bank of the Oxus at its junction with the Surkhan Darya, became an important center on the Silk Road and the caravan trade brought Buddhism' religious precepts along with the distinctive art forms of Gandhara style. In 689 AD the city fell to Arab Muslim invaders, replaced by the 11th century and onwards by Turkic tribes. Karakhanids erected the domed mausoleum over the grave of 9th-century mystic Al Hakim At-Termizi. In 1218 Shah Muhammad II of Khwarezm ordered the execution of Mongol envoys seeking to establish trade relations. As a result Mongol armies crossed the Amur Darya, and, after a two-day siege, razed to the ground Old Termez in their way to Urgench. The city was rebuilt in a new relocation few miles eastwards.
In the second half of the 19th century, the village of Patta Hissar became important when it was made a dock for the Russian steamships on the Amu-Darya. In 1898 Termez was annexed by the Russian crown.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Termez.

Termez: Archaeological Museum
9:00-18:00. Exhibits from excavations in 20 archaeological sites in Surkhandarya region. 20,000 som.
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Termez.

Termez: Architectural Complex of Al Hakim At-Termizi
Set on a hill overlooking the Amu Darya River with superb views to the shores of Afghanistan, the complex hosts the mausoleum of a Sufi saint who lived in Termez until his death in 869 CE. To get here, take marshrutka 305 from in front of the bazaar, heading north).
Taken from https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Termez.

Termez: Architectural Ensemble Sultan Saodat
The burying place of the sheikh's clan from Termez regarded as descendants of Prophet Muhammad and therefore deeply revered by Muslims. The domed tomb of Khasan al Emir, the founder of Seyid's clan, was built in the 12th century.

Termez: Fayaz Tepe
A 3rd-century AD Buddhist monastery partially rebuilt and now open for tourist visits. 7,000 som for the entrance fee plus 7,000 som to take photos.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fayaz-tepe.

Termez: Karatepe Monastery
The access to Kara Tepe is restricted. The remains of a Buddhist cave monastery built on top of three hills in the late 1st century AD. The complex flourished in the next centuries but was deserted when the Arabs captured the city in 705 AD and finally destroyed by the troops of Genghis Khan along with the rest of the Old Termez in 1220. The caves were partly rebuilt with support from UNESCO. Archaeological excavations revealed wall paintings with one of the world’s oldest images of Buddha surrounded by monks. A permit is required to visit, as it is so close to the Afghan border. Acquiring the permit can take several days.

Termez: Start of the Pamir Highway
Don't know if there is any sign that you can use as a photo spot, but according to Wikipedia this is where the famous Pamir Highway starts!
The M41, known informally and more commonly as the Pamir Highway (Russian: Памирский тракт, romanized: Pamirsky Trakt), is a road traversing the Pamir Mountains through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with a length of over 1,200 km. It is the only continuous route through the difficult terrain of the mountains and is the main supply route to Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The route has been in use for millennia, as there are a limited number of viable routes through the high Pamir Mountains. The road formed one link of the ancient Silk Road trade route. M41 is the Soviet road number, but it only remains as an official designation in post-Soviet Uzbekistan, as confirmed by official decree.[2] Kyrgyzstan[3] and Tajikistan[4] have passed decrees abolishing Soviet numbering of highways and assigning their own national numbering.
At the end of the 19th century — the beginning of the 20th century in Central Asia between the British and Russian empires continued a sharp geopolitical rivalry for influence in the region, which received the name "Great Game" in world history. The military department of the Russian Empire, concerned about the activity of the British in the Pamirs, decided to build a strategic military road along which it would be possible to quickly transfer troops from Fergana to the Alay Valley and carry out their effective supply. The construction was planned and carried out in deep secrecy and for a long time the existence of a road through the Alay Range in Russian Turkestan in Europe was not known.
In the summer of 1903, an officer of the Russian army, military geographer Nikolai Korzhenevsky, climbing the Taldyk Pass (Kyrgyzstan) with a height of 3615 meters, discovered a memorial pillar with the names of people who took part in the design and laying of a road along the Hissaro-Alay in the "Russian" of Turkestan. They were Lieutenant Colonel Bronisław Grombczewski, railway engineers Mickiewicz, Burakovsky, Zarakovsky and Podporuchik Irmuth. For a long time, Europeans believed that the first road through the Taldyk Pass was built in 1916 by Austrians captured in the First World War. Korzhenevsky's diary testifies to something else. He believed that in 1893 it was built by Russian sapper units. However, according to other sources, the first road connecting Osh and Gulcha in Kyrgyzstan through the Taldyk Pass was built in 1876 by a Russian detachment under the command of General Alexander Konstantinovich Abramov. Later, this small section of the road (88 versts - 1.1 km) from Fergana to the Alay Valley of Kyrgyzstan was called the "Old Pamir Highway". According to the testimony of Korzhenevsky, in 1910 only a dangerous pack trail went further from Gulchi to the south, through the Eastern Pamirs. Along the Panj, from Darvaz to Rushan in 1915, Russian units, with the help of the local population, also laid a pack trail, cargo was transported by packs on horses and donkeys. Rockfalls, landslides, avalanches, waterfalls, floods often destroyed the trail. By 1930, according to eyewitnesses, this trail was in terrible condition, even packhorses could hardly pass through it, they had to be constantly unloaded in order to transfer them to the ovrings.
With the completion in 1937, in Soviet era, of the construction of a highway connecting the cities of Osh and Khorog, the Old Pamir Highway became an integral part of the large Pamir Highway.
By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 5, 1941, the tract was named after Stalin.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M41_highway.

Termez: Zurmala Stupa
The domed, cylindric tower is the remnant of a Buddhist stupa, built in the 3rd century AD and originally faced with tiles.

Tosor Pass
The Eki Naryn valley is a wonderful, off-the-beaten-track alternative to reach Issyk-Kul [from Naryn] across the Tosor pass.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kyrgyzstan/center/.
For more see https://caravanistan.com/trip-reports/eki-naryn/.

Turgen Gorge
What’s most wonderful about this alpine valley 70 km east of Almaty is how, instead of narrowing down to a final destination, the gorge opens up into a range of biomes and landscapes: alpine meadows, old-growth forest, glaciers and high peaks are all there for the taking.
A full exploration of the area will entail a week’s worth of hiking, skiing, mountain-biking or 4WD-ing.
At the gates to the national park, an entrance fee of 200 tenge per person is levied. Past this, a perfect asphalt road continues past a trout farm, and a bevy of shashlyk places and kymys sellers. After about 10 km, a sign just before a bridge points to the Bear Waterfall, a relaxed 30 minutes stroll to a smallish waterfall.
Detailed map:
After another 10km, the asphalt reaches an end at Batan, where the road splits. To the right, a hiking trail heads towards the more impressive Kairak waterfall (4h round-trip) and beyond, into the wilderness and ultimately the glaciers and snowy peaks of the Northern Tien Shan if you are trekking for several days.
The road to Batan is snow-free from April to October, but the higher reaches will only be snow-free May/June until September.
If you have the option, August and September are the best, as the weather is stable, the grass is lower, the waterfalls are powerful and the leaves turn colour.
From mid-August, the shepherds and their flocks start leaving the area, making it more likely you can see wild animals on Assy plateau, and less likely you can drink a bowl of fresh horse milk.
Camping is the best way to experience Turgen, just pick your spot and set up your tent.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/kazakhstan/almaty-region/turgen/.

Ural River (Border between Asia and Europe)
Europe has no clear geographical or geological border in the east with Asia. Therefore, the “borders of Europe” are a question of social agreement. A geographical definition of Europe is always arbitrary. As Bernard-Henri Lévy famously put it, Europe is “not a place, but an idea”. Today, when drawing borders between Europe and Asia, the definition of Philip Johan von Strahlenberg is usually largely followed. After that, the Ural mountains and river form the eastern border of Europe. Between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, the border line runs through the Manyche Plain north of the Caucasus Mountains, as a strait once connected the Caspian Sea with the Black Sea. The globe shown above - slightly different - draws the border along the main Caucasus ridge; This demarcation is preferred in English- and French-speaking countries.
Taken from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa.

Uzgen: Mausolea
The town is mentioned in Chinese annals of the second century BC. It was one of the capitals of the Karakhanids, who called it Mavarannahr and left three well-preserved mausolea. Özgön became the abode of Muhammad b. Nasr during the Kara-Khanid split into two branches.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96zg%C3%B6n.
For more see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kara-Khanid_Khanate.

Uzgen: Minaret
The Uzgen Minaret also spelled as Özgön Minar or Uzgend Minaret[1] is an 11th-century minaret tower located in Uzgen, Kyrgyzstan. It forms part of the ancient ruins in Uzgen along with three well preserved mausoleums located nearby. Uzgen Minaret is a 27.5 metres (90 feet) tall tapering tower, with an 8.5 metres (28 feet) base diameter, reducing to 6.2 metres (20 feet) at the top.[2]
Built with bricks, the Uzgen minaret's architecture consist of three distinctive parts. It has a 5 metres (16 feet) high octahedron shaped lower part and a tapering cylindrical middle part, similar to the Burana Tower in northern Kyrgyzstan. The upper part with arched windows and a cupola is a relatively recent addition, built in 1923 to 1924.[2]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uzgen_Minaret.

Valley of Balls
Mysterious spherical rocks in the semi-desert of western Kazakhstan.
For more see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/valley-balls-rocks.

World's Second-Largest Solar Oven
More than 10,000 small mirrors cover the curved surface of the world's second-largest solar oven, located in a remote village in Uzbekistan.

Yashilkul
Yashilkul (Russian: Яшилькуль; Tajik: Яшилкӯл) is a freshwater lake in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, in southeast Tajikistan, about 130 kilometres (81 mi) east of the provincial capital of Khorugh. Lying in the upper Gunt valley of the Pamir Mountains, it has an area of 3,600 hectares (8,900 acres) with a maximum depth of 52 metres (171 ft). It lies 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from a similar lake, Bulunkul, both of which are surrounded by other wetlands as well as sand and pebble plains. The lake forms part of the Bulunkul and Yashilkul lakes and mountains Important Bird Area.[1]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yashilkul.

Yuri Gagarin Monument
A boulder carved into the shape of the cosmonaut's head.

Zharkent: Pagoda Mosque
The Chinese influence is clear here, not at the bazaar, where you will see no Chinese traders, but rather at the mosque, which looks more like a pagoda instead. Lit by Chinese lanterns, the minbar looks more like the Emperor’s throne than a preacher’s pulpit. Other elements, like the mihrab, the domes or the imposing gate, betray Central Asian influences, while the windows add a Russian touch.
The wooden building can hold up to 1000 worshippers and was constructed without a single nail. It currently still serves as a museum.
The Jarkent Mosque (Kazakh: Жаркент мешіті) is the central mosque of Jarkent, Kazakhstan. The mosque was built in 1895 to the design of the Chinese architect Hon Piquet using the collected funds of immigrants. The mosque is under state protection since 1982 as a monument of architecture and history of republican significance.
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarkent_Mosque.
For more see and at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zharkent-mosque.

Zharkent: Wooden Cathedral
Not far from the mosque stands a lovely wooden cathedral. Not quite as impressive as the Zenkov Cathedral in Almaty, but on a par with the wooden cathedral of Karakol across the border.

Zhindl Chap Canyon
picturesque, red and white colored canyon cutting its way through the hilles between the highway and Issyk Kul. It is possible to hike down the canyon to the lake directly from Ak Say village at the highway, there are some trails. 10 km from the highway to the lake.

Zorkul
Requires Permit from the PECTA office in Khorugh! For more see there.
Once named Lake Victoria by the British, Lake Zorkul, straddling the Afghan-Tajik border, is the starting point of the mighty Amu Darya (previously Oxus) river, fed by the glaciers coming from the mountains above. The location of the source of the Oxus inspired considerable debate and many tales of derring-do during the days of the Tournament of Shadows, and was not resolved until recently.
To make it to Zorkul (sometimes called Sarikol) you will need permission from the Border Guard at Khorog. Once there, you can rejoice in mountain hiking, horse riding and milk tasting with the shepherds in summer.
Taken from https://caravanistan.com/best-of/7-lakes-central-asia/.
Zorkul Nature Reserve is a 1610 km2 nature reserve in south-eastern Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in eastern Tajikistan, adjoining the border with Afghanistan’s Wakhan District. The area was made a zakaznik in 1972 for the conservation of bar-headed geese and upgraded to a full nature reserve in 2000. It has also been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA).[1]
The reserve occupies a wide valley 320 km east of the provincial capital of Khorugh, lying between the southern Alichur and Vahan ridges of the eastern Pamir Mountainss at 4000–5460 m above sea level. The landscape consists mainly of gentle slopes of sparsely vegetated alpine steppe. The core of the reserve is the 3900 ha freshwater Zorkul lake at an altitude of 4125 m. The maximum depth of the lake is 6 m. Its surface is covered by vegetation. Bar-headed geese and other waterfowl breed on islands in the lake. Although land use in the reserve is prohibited, its surrounds are used as pasture.[1]
As well as for bar-headed geese, with up to 125 breeding pairs using the site, the reserve was classified as an IBA because it supports significant numbers of the populations of several other bird species, either as residents, or as overwintering, breeding or passage migrants. These include Tibetan snowcocks, Himalayan snowcocks, ruddy shelducks, saker falcons, Himalayan vultures, lesser sand plovers, brown-headed gulls, yellow-billed choughs, Hume's larks, white-winged redstarts, white-winged snowfinches, rufous-streaked accentors, brown accentors, black-headed mountain finches, Caucasian great rosefinches and red-fronted rosefinches.[1]
Mammals found in the area include long-tailed marmots, juniper voles, silver mountain voles, tolai hares, Royle's pikas, Marco Polo sheep. Siberian ibex, snow leopards, Eurasian lynx, Pallas's cats, grey wolves, red foxes, Turkmenian weasels, stoats and brown bears.[1]
The two fish species found in the lake are the false osman and the Sattar snowtrout. No amphibians or reptiles have been recorded.[1]
Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zorkul_Nature_Reserve.