Afghanistan is an central Asian country which is in the center of conflict between western Countries and Terrorist organization. Now the many wars this country saw in the last 40 years are almost over, Afghanistan showing signs of improvement. A country which is largely based on agriculture produces finest nuts, dry fruits, melon, grapes and …
Ever since Tibet first opened to Western tourists in the early 1980s, Kham, the eastern part of Tibet, remained closed. Few hard core travelers tried to bribe their way across in the early years, traveling atop trucks, often needing to keep hidden out of view for most of the journey that could last as long …
When I met with the tour director, I questioned him about Numgal, who had been assigned to be my trekking guide. I was assured he was very experienced and that I would enjoy his company. This was welcomed news but the detail I had not foreseen was the trek would be vegetarian. We would have …
Ladakh by Alexandra: Trekking in Ladakh – Part 5 Read More »
Guizhou is one of lesser-visited provinces of China. This is largely due to its remote mountainous character and bad roads, especially in its southeastern corner, where a number of fascinating ethnic minorities such as Bouyei, Sui, Hui, Zhuang, Miao and Dong are found. Although much of these ethnic groups live in poverty, Dong relatively prosper …
Ancient Wooden Architecture of Zhaoxing, Dong Village, Guizhou, China Read More »
Ladakh is known as the Little Tibet. It is a cultural satellite of Tibet that is part of India and is in fact one of India’s most remote regions. Located in extreme northwestern corner of India, it lies in the rain shadow of the High Himalaya. Receiving only fraction of monsoonal rains but found in …
The Mulbekh Gompa, about three quarters of the way from Leh to Kargil, marks the end of the Buddhist Ladakh and the beginning of its Muslim parts. The Muslim culture here as in Kargil and from here on toward the alpine valleys of Kashmir as well as the first third of the way toward Zanskar, …
With the current lockdown of Tibet and the unlikely chance that even if Tibet reopens once again, tourists will not be allowed to roam about as was possible more than a year ago. It well may be that Ladakh, referred to as the Little Tibet, the most remote outpost of India and a cultural satellite …
Karsha Festival in Remote Zanskar, the Little Tibet of India Read More »
Travel to far western end of China, along the ancient Silk Road across the Taklamakhan Desert, via Turfan to Kashgar, from where the Silk Road caravans took the exotic goods from the East to Constantinople and the courts of Europe. In Kashgar and the Chinese Turkestan you’ll mingle among the Uighurs, while the narrow lanes and markets …
