Silk Road Outposts
Agra
The city and capitol of the Mughals, a vast empire stretching across South Asia at the end of the Middle Ages. Architectural masterpieces of Agra still bring travelers from near and far, particularly the India’s most famous building - the Taj Mahal.
Akhaltsikhe
First a Christian city established in the 9th Century and then later an Islamic fortress under the Ottomans. Akhaltsikhe has a complicated history which is representative of the diversity of this region.
Amman - Kings Highway
Amman is reminiscent of walking through a time machine, particularly its ancient citadel. Bronze-age caves, Roman pillars, Byzantine churches and Umayyad Mosques all blend together.
Ani
A millenium ago, 100,000 residents lived side by side in this plateau, relishing as the capitol of Armenia and the heartbeat of trade for the highlands.
Ankara
Rising from a small town at the turn of the twentieth century to the capitol of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara has transformed into a global city as expected. Its ancient secrets, however, may surprise the wanderer.
Antalya
Situated in a stunning harbor of limestone cliffs surrounding by forested mountains, Antalya has served as a crucial port town from the 3rd century B.C. onwards.
Aqaba - Kings Highway
The end point of the King’s Highway, this Red Sea port city for thousands of years have harbored many vessels, people, and fortifications. The first Islamic city outside of the Arabian peninsular was also established in Aqaba.
Bikaner
Up until the 15th century, the area around Bikaner was a wilderness. However, when an outpost rose from an oasis, an important trade stop established from the north and south regions of India.
Bursa
Mount Olympus, as the ancient Greeks named it, shadows a settlement turned capital city east of the Sea of Marmara, not far from Istanbul.
Cappadocia
Situated in the heart of ancient Anatolia, in modern Turkey, Cappadocia's history begins thousands and thousands of years ago.
Chitwan Jungle
A steamy lowland jungle before the long and cold ascent up through the Himalayas, bearing many dangers both seen and hiding in the foliage.
Constantinople
For hundreds of years, all roads, east to west and north to south, led and came forth from Constantinople. The worlds greatest, and most dangerous, journey had its deepest roots at the heart of this city.
Delhi
Below the mountainous extremes to the north lay a wide and fertile plain with a history of thousands of years. Delhi, ancient Indraprastha, lies in this region and has served as a crossroads, even to this very day.
Diyarbakir
From the Tigris River that flows through, to the intact Roman walls, to the Silk Road inn that still welcomes travelers to the Kurdish people that live here, Diyarbakir is a city in the fertile crescent of many layers.
Dogubeyazit
An ancient outpost in the shadow of Mount Ararat. This is a region as old as time itself, evidenced by crumbling ruins surrounding an ornate palace atop a hilltop.
Goris
Walking through Goris is reminiscent of stepping through time as Soviet relics and medieval remnants still play part in everyday life. The abandoned cave city and the modern city below creates a unique atmosphere.
Hangzhou
Marco Polo, upon finally reaching Hangzhou in the far east, described it as "the City of Heaven, the most beautiful and magnificent in the world." Welcome to the Pearl of China.
Hotan
An oasis in the midst of extreme environments, kept relevant for thousands of years due to a precious resource that is found in abundance here.
Jaisalmer
Golden sandstone walls rise sharply from the earth like a carefully constructed sand castle frozen in time. But it’s not until one reaches the gates of the fort that the legends of its beauty come true.
Jiangyou
Jiangyou lies in the center of the Sichuan Basin, a region of fertile soil, unique cuisine, and an abundance of silk - a beautiful respite from the extremes of the Silk Roads to the west.
Jiayuguan
The beginning or end of China - whether journeying east or west - Jiayuguan stands as the mighty starting point of the Great Wall of China. Here is a formidable barrier to enemies or a welcome respite to citizens.
Kangding
Kangding stands at a crossroads for the descent into the Sichuan Basin, the endless Tibetan Plateau to the west, and the Tea Horse Road to the south. It was at this intersection that Kangding became the largest trading post of the region.
Karak - Kings Highway
Standing at a strategic location amidst ravines, canyons, and plateaus, the Karak Plateau for long has been home to legendary rulers and magnificent constructions. The Karak Castle, standing tall above the town, is the pinnacle of its history.
Kashgar
If Istanbul and Xi'an are the terminals, then Kashgar can be considered the thriving center of the Silk Roads - a place of the grandest bazaars and outstanding workmanship.
Kathmandu
At the foothills of the Himalayas lies a valley filled with ancient wonders and living traditions such as palace squares, towering temples, and utmost devotion.
Kazbegi Pass
A beautiful and rugged mountain range running east to west, from the Caspian to the Black Sea and the boundary of Europe and Asia, the Caucasus Mountains have been a formidable barrier throughout history.
Khiva - Itchan Kala
Wedged between deserts, a strip of green land emerges along the banks of the Amu Darya River. Khiva, the great walled city of the Khans, lies here, still echoing the glories of the Silk Roads.
Kuqa
On the northern outskirts of the engulfing Taklamakan Desert, Kuqa lies at a crucial outpost between the Kashgar and further east towards China.
Kutaisi
On the banks of the River Rioni, wedged between the Caucasian Mountains to the north, the Colchis plains to the west and the highlands to the east, lies the ancient city of Kutaisi.
Mardin
On a rocky hill overlooking an expansive view of Mesopotamia, Mardin stands as a city tested by time with a history seeped in different faiths, power struggles and conquests.
Pamir Mountains
The Karakoram Highway, consistently regarded as one of earth's most spectacular and dangerous journeys, is equal parts both. Around every turn a new angle emerges of an immense and daunting mountain.
Safranbolu
A town stood still in time. Glass blowing, saffron selling, metal works, and Turkish baking are just a few of the crafts the locals live by. Walking the meandering cobbled streets, a glimpse of Ottoman Turkey beckons.
Sayram Lake
The “Pearl of the Silk Road” as passerby’s called it years back. A glistening star of blue water amidst a green and white expanse.
Taxkorgan
From majestic snow-capped peaks extending in all directions to seemingly endless grasslands where nomads tents and sheep number in the hundreds, Taxkurgan is at a land stood still in time.