Best countries to visit in Central Asia
 

Hi guys! I'm planning my trip to Central Asia. I need your advice on where to go, which country and cities to visit. Time is limited - about 2 weeks. I'm interested in national traditions and would like to take part. Thank you!

Moved to the Asia Forum

I faced a similar choice, and picked Uzbekistan. (See: https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...h-mir-1215412/ ). While the scenery in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is very high on my wish list, I couldn't go to Central Asia without visiting Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. I looked seriously at adding Kazakhstan, but after considerable research I was only really interested in Astana and Almaty, and the logistics didn't work for that trip. I can't get very excited about Turkmenistan.

Have no idea whatever what "like to take part" means.

I mean, that I'd like to take part in traditional holiday or customs. Wedding, Navruz celebration etc. If it is possible.

Suggest checking Lonely Planet Central Asia guidebook for local organizations that might be able to arrange that. Bearing in mind people's desire for privacy. I did attend a wedding of strangers in India once, but it was at the pressing invitation of the groom's mother, encountered in the hotel lobby.

I'd agree with this -- UZ is a can't miss and is the highlight of Central Asia from the perspective of history, architecture, etc. KG and TJ is more scenery / nature than anything else; this is definitely true. Nothing much in KZ greatly interested me besides checking out the big cities. But I thought Turkmenistan was really fascinating in that it's a bizarre and unique. I thought North Korea was fascinating for similar reasons. Not everyone's cup of tea, I'd imagine.

In 2.5 weeks or so, I flew into Ashgabat, went out to the Darvaza crater, crossed over into UZ (Nukus --> Khiva --> Bukhara --> Samarkand --> Tashkent), then flew to Bishkek, did a 3 day trek around Song Kul lake, went back to Bishkek and crossed over into Almaty, and flew out from there.

If OP has two weeks, I'd recommend UZ and maybe one other country. A lot of it depends on flight logistics (which cities it makes sense to fly in and out of) and how quickly or slowly OP likes to travel.

There is "culture" everywhere in Central Asia. It'll hit you in the face. There are almost no tourists in any of these places, people wear traditional dress, etc. In Ashgabat, I spent a good couple hours at the "Wedding Palace" just watching all the couples and families go in and out in their very different wardrobe (like this: Attachment 1801 ). That kind of thing...

Hello! I did not understand what you mean by this"There is "culture" everywhere in Central Asia. It'll hit you in the face."?