Worldwide 2024-25

CENTRAL ASIA & BEYOND
Discover Central Asia & beyond
Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan
Bucolic scenery • Kokand’s impressive palace
The fertile Fergana Valley is a picture of
plunging green slopes in eastern Uzbekistan,
and was once an important trading post along
the ancient Silk Road. This is the birthplace of
Babur, who established the Mughal empire
that would go on to rule over much of South
Asia. Kokand – a gateway city into the valley –
is home to a number of impressive historical
buildings. The most notable of these is the
grand 19th-century Palace of Khudayar Khan,
a national monument that dazzles with its
intricate arabesque decoration. The Fergana
Valley is available as an extension to both
Cox & Kings group tours to Uzbekistan.
Lahore, Pakistan
Palace of Khudayar Khan, Kokand, Uzbekistan
Impressive Islamic architecture • Tomb of
Mughal emperor Jahangir
The Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of
the Indian Subcontinent, had its origins in Central
Asia. Babur, its founder, was a direct descendant
of Timur. He brought Mongol traditions, Persian
high culture, and patronage of Islamic art to
Pakistan. Lahore – Pakistan’s second city – is
replete with landmarks from this period. This
includes the Badshahi Mosque, commissioned
by Emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century;
the Royal Fort, one of the finest examples of
Indo-Islamic architecture; the Persianate Shahi
Hamman (‘Royal Baths’); and the Tomb of
Emperor Jahangir – the only one of the six major
Mughal emperors to be buried here.
Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan
Experiences in Central Asia
Hike in the Altyn-Emel National Park
Kazakhstan
When the west wind blows, the dunes of
Altyn-Emel ‘sing’; this natural phenomenon is
one of the national park’s major attractions.
Hikes here promise tremendous desert
vistas populated by multi-hued bluffs, vast
mountains, and sun-cracked channels carving
through ancient valleys.
Tour an Aral Sea ghost town
Uzbekistan
Once the world’s fourth largest lake, the Aral
Sea has almost completely dried up due to
poor agricultural planning. Today, its vast,
desolate basin is a ship graveyard. Visit the
rusting ghost town of Muynak, once a fishing
village, for insight into this ecological disaster.
Witness eagle hunting in Djety-Oguz
Kyrgyzstan
The nomads of Kyrgyzstan practise an age-old
way of life. You can learn about their traditions
during an excursion to the Djety-Oguz gorge,
where red massifs jut out of spruce forests.
Join an eagle-hunting showcase, and learn
traditional cooking from a local Uyghur family.
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View our full range of itineraries, hotels and experiences at CoxandKings.co.uk