Silk Road Holidays

The Silk Road refers to a series of well-trodden routes used to trade goods between the Ancient World's East and West, from East Africa and Southern Europe to West Asia. Believed to have been active since the 2^nd century BC, the route became one of the most extensive and influential trade networks ever over its 2,500 years of use. The most notable goods that passed through the changing routes were silk, tea, dyes, perfumes, and porcelain from the East and horses, camels, honey, wine, and gold from the West.

As well as the vast volumes of goods transported along the route, the Silk Road is also credited for the spread of culture, politics, and religion between nations and entire continents. The spread of spices along the way has had a heavy influence on food and dishes cooked in the modern-day countries that line the route. Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam all spread rapidly along the Silk Road as traders, travellers and missionaries would preach to those they encountered.

To help preserve and draw attention to the cultural and historical significance of the Silk Road, two corridors have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor, which runs through modern-day China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and the Karakum Corridor, which runs through Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Bukhara and Samarkand in modern-day Uzbekistan are viewed as two of the best-preserved trading points along the Silk Road. In Bukhara, remnants of ancient traders and markets are well-preserved in the city's old town. A key highlight is the medieval trading domes, which are still in operation, providing a wonderful living example of the ancient trade network.

Samarkand acted as a major crossroads on the ancient Silk Road, serving as the meeting point of the northern and southern corridors. This intersection of culture, religion, trade, and people has shaped the city into what it is today: a vibrant, picturesque, and almost perfectly-preserved ancient metropolis.