The Silk Road & Central Asia

Fancy yourself as a modern Alexander the Great? Then get off the beaten path — by following a very well-beaten one. For thousands of years, the Silk Road has linked East and West, the route followed by traders in silk, spices and slaves, plus explorers interested in new ideas as much as new territories. From China to the Mediterranean, through remote parts of Central Asia, you can follow roads and railways for a once-over-lightly introduction to some rarely-visited parts of the world.

Beijing’s Forbidden City, Xian’s Terracotta Army, Kashgar’s Sunday Market, Kyrgyzstan’s rugged mountains, and Uzbekistan’s historic cities: these places are as exotic and foreign as they sound, with eye-popping architecture and bustling markets still selling silks and perfumes amongst much else. You’ll feel like a real traveller when you’re camping in a traditional felt yurt, riding camels through the desert or trekking to remote lakes hidden amongst snow-capped mountains.

Samarkand is worth the trip by itself: it’s a jewel-box of Islamic mosques, mausoleums and a fabulous observatory and, for a place pushing 3000 years old, remarkably lively.