IMAGES: MINZIFA INN; CYNTHIA BIL
SILK ROAD
Q&A Hiking Kyrgyzstan
Aidarbek Emilbek uulu, a hiking guide based in Karakol
Painted walls and
traditional ikat textiles in Bukhara’s Minzifa Inn
WHAT MAKES KYRGYZSTAN SUCH A POPULAR TREKKING DESTINATION? Our country seems unexplored and new to the world. Also, travellers are curious about the life of nomads; they want to spend the night in a yurt with them, ride a horse and milk a cow.
WHERE TO STAY IN UZBEKISTAN
Mirzo Boutique Hotel, Tashkent Near the busy Chorsu Bazaar, Mirzo has comfortable rooms with Uzbek architectural touches. Useful services such as bicycle hire help make this an excellent base for exploring the capital. Doubles from $95 (£77), B&B.
mirzohotel.com
Malika Prime Hotel, Samarkand Part of the Uzbek Malika hotel chain, this reliably clean and cosy spot next to the Gur- e-Amir mausoleum complex is a convenient point from which to explore both the old and new sides of Samarkand. Doubles from $90 (£73), B&B.
malika-samarkand.com
Bahodir B&B, Samarkand This backpacker option is one of the oldest guesthouses in Samarkand and brilliantly located, just off the Registan square. There’s a mix of dorms and private rooms, as well as a shaded internal courtyard that’s great for meeting other travellers in. Doubles from £21, B&B. 132 Mulokandov Street
Minzifa Inn, Bukhara With just 20 rooms done up in traditional Uzbek style (such as colourful ikat throws and painted wall decorations) surrounding a quiet courtyard, this busy boutique hotel is one of
the most appealing in Bukhara’s old town. It’s just a few hundred metres from central Lyabi Hauz Square. Doubles from $70 (£56), B&B.
minzifa.com
Meros B&B, Khiva Simple but attractive rooms set within the baked-mud walls of Itchan Kala old town make Meros an atmospheric base for exploring the back lanes of Khiva. There’s nothing better than breakfast on the rooftop terrace overlooking the city. Doubles from $40 (£32), B&B.
meroskhiva.com
Nuratau Homestays For a wildly diff erent take on Uzbekistan, trek into the Nuratau Mountains to spend a few days living in rural villages. Sentyob village is the main travel hub here, with footpaths radiating out to smaller villages and family- run homestays across the region. Rooms from $25 (£20) per person, full-board.
nuratau.com
Desert Yurt Camps Sink into the red sands of the Kyzylkum Desert at one of the yurt camps beside Aydarkul Lake. Guests get proper beds, running water and home-cooked dinners. Activities such as camel treks can be arranged. Yurts $35 (£28) per person, half-board.
camping.uz
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TIME OF YEAR FOR HIKING IN KYRGYZSTAN? The beginning of summer — June especially. Everything blooms and smells fresh. I like it best when you get to your destination, put up your tent and wait for the sunset. It’s just a dream; you become a part of nature. If you plan on very long hikes, go in July. All the passes will be open and it’s very warm.
WHAT LESSER-KNOWN HIKES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND NEAR KARAKOL? I’d say Zhashyl Kol, Karakol Peak and At Jailoo. That’s one big advantage of Karakol — it takes 15 minutes by public transport and you’re already in the mountains.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY FOR VISITORS TO INTERACT WITH MOUNTAIN SHEPHERDS? Be sincere and be sensitive to the culture. The locals are quite open and often ask Westerners surprising, inquisitive questions. Sometimes they even want to find you a bride or husband here in Kyrgyzstan! Most shepherds invite you into their yurt if you pass through, and they almost always share what they eat. They won’t ask for money — it’s part of the local culture.
hikingkyrgyzstan.com
JUNE 2023 151
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