Cultural Photography Tours & Trips in Central Asia

Frame the flaming red rocks of Jety Oguz Valley with its seven cliffs, then photograph Registan Square's three madrasas and the 1000-year-old Ismail Samani Mausoleum in Bukhara. Document traditional Kyrgyz carpet weaving at Issyk-Kul Lake, the plaster interiors of Sitorai Mohi Khosa palace, and Akhal-Teke horses.

A local historian explains the ibex and deer carvings at Cholpon-Ata, where you'll photograph 3,500-year-old Turkic petroglyphs. Charyn Canyon's red rock formations look like giant skyscrapers, and Kaindy Lake's submerged spruce forest creates an eerie scene. In Almaty, photograph the golden-domed Ascension Cathedral in Panfilov Park and colorful spice stalls at Zeleny Bazaar.

Capture the UNESCO-listed Old Town of Bukhara's detailed tilework and stone alleyways, then photograph the turquoise waters of Lake 7 in Tajikistan's Fan Mountains. The towering Islam Khoja Minaret in Khiva makes a great shot, and Panjakent Bazaar's colors work well for market photography.

Photograph UNESCO sites like Samarkand's Registan Square with its turquoise majolica tiles, Bukhara's Kalyan Minaret, and Khiva's walled Ichan-Qala. Document ancient petroglyphs in Cholpon-Ata dating back 3,000 years, capture Charyn Canyon's red rocks, and frame Kaindy Lake's submerged forest.

This 27-day trip takes you to UNESCO sites like Samarkand's Registan Square, Bukhara's Ark Fortress, and the ancient city of Merv in Turkmenistan. Capture golden eagles in flight at Bokonbayevo, see the turquoise Issyk Kul Lake, and photograph Darvaza's fiery gas crater.

This 26-day cultural photography adventure covers four countries, starting with Tashkent's Soviet monuments and Samarkand's Registan Square. Shoot the red rock formations at Charyn Canyon, Karakol's colorful Dungan Mosque, and Khiva's medieval streets while staying in yurt camps.