ACtive Wanders around Central Asia

This has been the well-planned travel the LAAG friends ever had. The trio (Anneth, Crisanto & Jea) agreed to obtain a travel agency, "Wandering Lens" of Singapore, to manage the land arrangements of the our 15-day Central Asia Tour. The 4-country travel, covering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, started on Aug 16 and finished on Aug 31, 2025 via Qatar Airways. Jea flew from Auckland NZ, while Anneth from Singapore, and I from Manila, we met at Qatar to and from Almaty KZ... And thus we extended our travel itinerary maximizing our 20-hour stopover in Doha, Qatar (featured on a separate blog).

Kazakhstan

It was Nomadia Tours who managed locally our Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan trips. Elaman, the owner of the agency, acted as our driver and tour guide. We spent a total of 4 days in Kazakhstan staying 2 nights at Renion City Hotel in Almaty City and another 2 nights at Aryn House in Saty Village.

On Day 1, we had a short city tour covering the following:

✅ visit to the Ascension Cathedral

✅ pass by the Military History Museum

✅ pose with Shamshy Kaldayakov monument

✅ ride the cable car to Kok Tobe

We had a full board as well, and we enjoyed our breakfast in the hotel and the Lunch  at Nawat Restaurant, then Dinner at Koktem Restaurant.

On Day 2, we started traveling outside the city and reached the following: 

✅ heights of the Shymbulak Mountain Resort (via cable car)

✅ floors of the Charyn Canyon

✅ depths of the Black Canyon

We enjoyed much the meals served to us by Aryn House, especially the Horse Meat Dumplings and the breakfast pudding.

On Day 3, we enjoyed the best of summer in mountain lakes

✅ Kolsay Lake - where the public area is highly developed, had boating & hiking activities, and there’s plenty of rooms for photography

✅ Kaindy Lake - where the lake was formed on a forest and thus scattered dead tree trunks stands up until today, but there are few points for photography with many tourists competing to get the opportunity, and an uphill climb on foot of about 2km (or pay a seat on a marshrutka)

On Day 4, we left Kazakhstan, dropped by the Black Canyon (supposedly for a morning coffee; because tea was the staple drinks in Central Asia), then headed to cross the border via Kegen town.

Kyrgyzstan

On Day 4 still, we entered Kyrgyzstan via Karakol City and we did a quick city tour:

✅ Holy Trinity Cathedral - oldest wooden Orthodox Church

✅ Dungan Mosque - only mosque with Chinese architectural design

✅ Dungan House - our host guesthouse

The dinner in the guesthouse had blown us away; impressive and delicious!

On Day 5, we experienced the bests of Kyrgyzstan, as follows:

✅ Altyn Arashan - the off-road 4WD ride added to the challenging climb to reach this intriguing valley

✅ Jeti Oguz - the astonishing gorge that shines fiery red when hit by the sunlight

✅ Taberik Etno Resort - glamping galore to experience Yurt Camping overnight

On Day 6, we experienced more of “Mysterious Kyrgyzstan” when we reached the following:

✅ lunched at Royal Gate Restaurant overlooking the lake

✅ climbed up and down the Fairy Tale Canyon

✅ witnessed the Eagle Hunting Show

✅ enjoying the Issyk-Kul Lake

✅ checked in at Yurt Camp Sonun

On Day 7, we had our last road trip in Kyrgyzstan with the following stopovers:

✅ grabbed coffee at Giraffe Cafe in Balykchy

✅ lunched at Bublik in Bishkek City with Elaman's family

✅ checked in to fly to Tashkent via UZ Airways

Uzbekistan

It was on the night of Day 7 when we arrived at Uzbekistan and billeted at Art Regency Hotel. The Guide.UZ tour agency received us and took care of our Uzbekistan & Tajikistan trips.

On Day 8, we did the Tashkent City Tour

✅ souvenir hunting at Chorsu Bazaar

✅ visit to the Memorial of the Victims of Repression and Amir Temur Square

✅ lunch at Besh Qozon - the Central Asian Pilaf Center

✅ leisure walking around the Independence Square

✅ stroll around Amir Temur Square then coffee break at the Broadway Street

✅ window shopping at Tashkent City Mall

✅ picture taking at the Magic City

✅ dinner at Kebab Resto

On Day 9, we witnessed the Historic Bukhara at dusk

✅ travel by train from Tashkent to Bukhara

✅ lunch of Bukhara’s pilaf at The Plov

✅ stay overnight at Meros Boutique Hotel

✅ walking tour around Bulhara’s old town

✅ dinner at Labi Hovuz beside the oldest water pool

On Day 10, we had more of Historic Bukhara

✅ Chor Minor Monument

✅ Ismail Samani Mausoleum

✅ Imam Al Bukhari Museum

✅ Central Bazaar

✅ Sitori-i-Mokhi Khosa Palace

✅ Bahouddin Naqshband Pilgrimage Center

✅ lunch at Tandir Somsa

✅ travel by train from Bukhara to Samarkand

✅ stay overnight at Meros Boutique Hotel

✅ dinner at Ikrom Choyxonasi

On Day 11, we were retracing the Silk Road in Samarkand
✅ visit to the Gur Emir Mausoleum

✅ circling around the Registan Square

✅ climbing up & down the Shakhi Zinda complex

✅ lunch at Oshqand eating the Samarqand Plov

✅ fruit-tasting at Siab bazaar
✅ sunset viewing at Bibi-Khanym Mosque

✅ dinner at Shoxjaxon

On Day 12 after breakfast, we left Samarkand and headed for border crossing via Penjakent City.

Tajikistan

In the afternoon of Day 12, we entered Penjakent City, grabbed some lunch at Dycmu, then took the long drive up to Iskander-Kul (Lake) and spent an overnight at the Donish guesthouse in Saratoq Village.

On Day 13, we have the unexpected wonderment in Dushanbe City, hereby letting the world know that this country and Dushanbe City is one of a kind.

✅ final look of the Zeravshan mountain range

✅ long drive down to Dushanbe passing through 20+ tunnels

✅ peek inside the majestic Navruz Palace

✅ visit to the National Museum of Tajikistan

✅ walk in the park (from Flagpole to Rudaki Park & Somoni Monument)

✅ billeted at Atlas Hotel

✅ dinner at Rohat

On Day 14, we enjoyed the goodness of Atlas Hotel which offers 24-7 cafe service and breakfast buffet with plenty to choose from. Then we prepared to fly back to Almaty in Kazakhstan. 

We wrapped up our last day in Green Bazaar of Almaty City then stayed overnight at Renion City Hotel.

We felt like richkids this 15-day-5-country trip!!!