The Right and Wrong Ways to See the ’Stans
Skip the popular “Five Stan” tour. It’s all about Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, its outermost territories—untouched by the heavy hand of tourism—became the new promised land for intrepid travelers. What they lacked in comfortable hotels, these emerging nations made up for with jagged landscapes, a vivid retelling of the ancient Silk Road history through fantastical ruins, and (of course) cocktail party bragging rights for the early-adopting travelers who pave the way.
The phenomenon has become especially prevalent among “country counters” who seek all the world’s stamps in their passports; suddenly, the “Five Stans” trip was born. Why not see sprawling Kazakhstan, nomadic Kyrgyzstan, bustling Uzbekistan, vertical Tajikistan, and authoritarian Turkmenistan all on one big Central Asia trip?