Central Asia. The 5 -Stans. A region of wild mountains, hospitable nomads, and endless bumpy marthrutka rides. It’s one of the best hiking regions in Asia, or even the world for that matter, but don’t expect much in the way of infrastructure or signage – prepare to be self-reliant and sort out all the logistics yourself.
Pick up most recent Lonely Planet: Central Asia guidebook to start planning your trip.
Kazakhstan: Big Almaty Lake Казахстан: Большое Алматинское Озеро Big Almaty Lake is one of the best-known options from Almaty for dayhikes in Kazakhstan, popular among local and foreign tourists alike. It’s a large and stunningly beautiful lake in impressive surroundings, but ease of access from the city also can bring […]
Tajikistan: Haft Kol (Seven Lakes) Таджикистан: Хафт-Коль (Семь озёр) Hazor Chashma, the Seventh Lake of the Haft Kol (literally: Seven Lakes), is one of the most popular short hiking trips in Tajikistan, particularly among the options in the Fann Mountains region. The short distance, low intensity, and wealth of cultural […]
Uzbekistan: Katta Ej Ruins Ўзбекистон: Катта Эж The Katta Ej Ruins trek combines a bit of easy hiking in Uzbekistan with the fascinating ruins of an abandoned village and several groupings of petroglyphs nearby, all in an easy one- to two-hour walk. Total Km: 8km Total Days: 1 Elevation Gain/Loss: […]
Kyrgyzstan: Ak Sai Petroglyphs Кыргызстан: петроглифы Ак Сай The half-day Ak Sai Petroglyphs hike on Issyk Kol’s south shore combines the historical interest of Buddhist Sanskrit petroglyphs (with some modern Soviet-era carvings alongside) with the beautiful landscapes of trekking in Kyrgyzstan. Total Km: 8.5 km Total Days: 1 Elevation Gain/Loss: […]
Uzbekistan: Dara Valley Loop Ўзбекистон: Долина Дара The Dara Valley Loop is a popular picnic destination for locals from Samarkand and Bukhara looking to escape the desert heat for the cool of the mountains, but is only slowly becoming known amongst international tourists as an option for trekking in Uzbekistan […]
Kazakhstan: Furmanov Peak Trail Казахстан: Пик Фурманова The trail to Furmanov Peak, named after the Russian writer and soldier Dmitri Furmanov, is one of the many beautiful routes you can do in the Trans Ile Alatau mountains, a region for great hiking in Almaty. The trail takes you through fragrant […]