Food & wine

Food is one of the best ways into Central Asian life. Each region has its own plov; Khiva has green shivit oshi noodles; Samarkand’s bread is famous across the country; Karakol has its spicy ashlyan-fu.

A food-focused trip adds bazaar walks with a guide, cooking classes in family kitchens, bakeries and tea houses, and a wine tasting in Samarkand, where wine has been made since the 19th century.