Journey Through Central Asia - Travel Documentary

Central Asia is one of the world’s most mysterious and fascinating travel destinations. This region of deserts, grasslands, and mountain ranges has long attracted Silk Road traders, nomadic explorers, and invaders, bridging Asia with Europe. Today, these sparsely populated lands consist of five different countries, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.

In this video, I take you back to one of my favorite journeys, all the way back in 2013, when I had the chance to travel through this captivating and welcoming region.

From the historic monuments of Samarkand to the green pastures of Kyrgyzstan. From the waves of the Caspian Sea to the imposing mountain ranges along the Pamir Highway. From the bustling markets of Khujand to Turkmenistan’s surreal capital city Ashgabat. From Soviet monuments in Tashkent to the futuristic architecture of Astana in Kazakhstan. And from the fast-changing skylines of Almaty and Dushanbe to the traditional villages of the beautiful Fergana Valley.

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Copyright of all footage: Hoffer Media

Here’s a brief overview of the content in this video:

We start our travels on the waves of the Caspian Sea, on board of a cargo vessel crossing this vast body of water, before reaching the shores of Turkmenistan. After hours of driving through arid desert landscapes, we reach the strange capital Ashgabat.

We continue our way to Uzbekistan, our second Central Asian country, where we visit three of the most captivating ancient Silk Road cities. From the imposing monuments of Bukhara and Khiva to the historic city center of Samarkand, these places have long evoked the imagination of travelers. It’s a joy to explore the streets here, feeling lost in time between ancient buildings and vibrant bazaars, where people come to do their daily grocery shopping.

Our next stop is capital city Tashkent, an important business and cultural hub in the region. After visiting some of the landmarks and strolling through the busy bazaar, we indulge in the most popular dish in Central Asia, ‘plov’ or ‘pilaf’ prepared in a huge restaurant. One of the highlights of our travels, and the last stop in Uzbekistan, is the Fergana Valley. This area contains dozens of small villages, where you can visit traditional silk production factories, and pottery centers.

We cross the border to Tajikistan, and briefly visit Khujand, before continuing towards capital Dushanbe. Despite its troubled recent history, Dushanbe is now one of Central Asia’s most pleasant cities, with green parks, wide open spaces, and beautiful lakes.

Also known as the Rooftop of the World, the Pamir is Central Asia’s most remote and isolated region, and our next destination. From the narrow Wakhan valley to the vast plains of Badakhsan province. The unforgiving landscape of deserts, high-altitude plateaus and soaring mountain peaks is an adventure travelers’ dream. Along the way you find small villages and settlements, where local communities welcome visitors with open arms.

At the end of the Pamir Highway, is the friendly city of Osh in Kyrgyzstan, jumping off point for the awe-inspiring scenery that lies ahead. A land of mountains and lakes, almost two thirds of the population in Kyrgyzstan live in the countryside, and many retain parts of their nomadic background. We have the chance to stay in yurts here, see how they are made, witness an eagle hunter at work, and attend local horse game festivals.

After the animal and livestock market of Karakol we briefly stop in Bishkek, before we reach our last Central Asian country, Kazakhstan. Here we visit the country’s two biggest cities, the bustling Almaty and the newly built capital city Astana. Merely a dusty settlement a few decades ago, Astana has grown into a modern metropolis, with plenty of eye-catching structures to admire.

Timestamps / video chapters:

0:00 Introduction
2:16 Caspian Sea
4:17 Ashgabat (Turkmenistan)
5:59 Bukhara (Uzbekistan)
8:23 Khiva
10:22 Samarkand
13:55 Tashkent
17:42 Fergana Valley
21:45 Khujand (Tajikistan)
24:15 Dushanbe
26:27 Pamir Highway
30:31 Osh (Kyrgyzstan)
31:42 Nomadic Kyrgyzstan
36:16 Karakol
37:41 Bishkek
40:00 Almaty (Kazakhstan)
43:08 Astana
45:52 End