Striding toward the Pamir Mountain range-line on the horizon, I chased the waning light across a broad meadow dotted with horses in the distance. We'd descended from a mountain pass surrounded by turquoise alpine lakes and defined by glacier ridge lines. Yak herders we met earlier invited us into their yurt for tea and local specialties, a gesture typical of Kyrgyz nomadic culture and hospitality.
This is trekking in the Alay Mountains of southern Kyrgyzstan.
Giving is a good thing when traveling, right? But is it a good idea to give money and pass out things to children who beg? Will it really help those kids? Will it help their families and community? Does it really support child welfare and well-being? Or can giving to children who beg cause unintended harm?
Ah, Lisbon. A city which evinces a simplicity on the surface just as its historical and emotional roots run deep. Experience-rich, engaging and fun — yet a lot to unpack. That's where this Experiential Guide from our recent visit to Lisbon comes in with some usual — and unusual — things to do, eat, and experience.
If you visit Kyrgyzstan, it’s possible to overlook the Central Asian cultural mixing bowl that is the city of Osh. For many travelers, Osh serves as a transit point en route to the Pamir Mountains, Irkeshtam Pass to China, Dostyk crossing to Uzbekistan, or the newly marked trekking trails in the Alay Mountains rather than a destination in and of itself with a diversity of things to do, see and eat.
However, if you’re looking to encounter a unique blend of cultures and history, lively markets, gregarious people, and a culinary scene which many Kyrgyz call their favorite, then we recommend giving Osh a closer look.
If you travel to Kyrgyzstan, it’s almost impossible to miss Issyk-Kul Lake, the second largest alpine lake in the world (after Bolivia’s Lake Titicaca). But Lake Issyk-Kul is large with two long shores, each a different personality. So where to focus your visit and time?
We suggest the South Shore and this Experiential Travel Guide explains why with 20 things to do, see and eat in the South Shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.
When readers ask, “I’m traveling to Karakol. Is there anything to do there? Where should I go?” We have a raft of ideas of things to do in Karakol, often surprising them with the diversity of cultures and cuisines to explore, day tours available, hikes to take, and much more.
In your travels, have you ever experienced a moment of a lifetime — an accident of sorts, one never in the plan?
With over 90% of its territory covered in mountains, Kyrgyzstan has no shortage of treks filled with stunning landscapes, alpine lakes, shepherds, yurts and a feeling of being very far out, immersed in nature. It's why we often recommend Kyrgyzstan to travelers interested in trekking with a taste of the offbeat. Our recent trek of the newly developed Boz-Uchuk Lakes Trek in the Tian Shan mountains above Jyrgalan village reminded us again why we make such recommendations.
As we celebrate 16 years of marriage today, I consider a few of our turning points, the mindset that motivated them and some of the emerging lessons that guided us to the next step.
Previously, we collaborated with the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) to explore Why The Freedom to Travel Matters. In connection with another campaign we have been invited to examine how we might redefine tourism. In doing so, we reaffirm a connection between the freedom and responsibility of the modern traveler. We follow by considering how we might re-imagine our travel decisions to better satisfy our individual needs today while sustaining the wellbeing of the communities we visit tomorrow.