Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
8
9
10
Community-Based
Tourism
8
This network of home-
Fan Mountains
9
The mountains north-
Bazaars
10
Central Asia's ba-
west of Dushanbe
(p327) rank as Central
Asia's premier trekking
destination. Dozens of
turquoise lakes stud the
high mountain valleys. Go
on a multiday trek to meet
local Tajik shepherds, or
drive to the seven lakes
(Haft-Kul) of the Marguzor
Valley (p333) and do some
delightful day hikes from
a chain of homestays.
You can even visit the
ruined old Sogdian city of
Penjikent (p331) en route.
Check in advance whether
the border between
Samarkand and Penjikent
has reopened.
Marguzor
Lakes (p333)
zaars have been
fuelling Silk Road trade
for two millennia. Shop-
ping for melons, carpets
and silly hats is perhaps
the quintessential Central
Asian activity and we'd
even say that the local
bazaars ofer the most
direct route to the region's
soul. Every town has its
own bazaar lined with
chaikhana
s (teahouses),
smoking shashlyk, fruit
stalls and even animal
markets. Our favourite is
possibly the Kumtepa ba-
zaar (p167) outside Mar-
gilon in the Fergana Valley,
though nearby Andijon's
Jahon Bazaar (p168) and
Osh's Bazaar (p292) are
also excellent.
stays, guides, drivers
and yurt owners spreads
across Kyrgyzstan in an
attempt to bring the inan-
cial beneits of tourism
directly to local communi-
ties. For travellers it gives
you a contact in every town
and opens up a wealth of
friendly, afordable home-
stays and potential excur-
sions to remote sights,
lakes and herding commu-
nities. Kochkor in Central
Kyrgyzstan is the original
and best place to start but
the idea has also taken
irm hold in neighbouring
Tajikistan. See p47 for
more information.
Making a
traditional
shyrdak
(carpet)
