28 days in Asia & Europe Itinerary

Although it only gained full independence in 1991, Uzbekistan boasts a rich history filled with legendary conquests by the likes of Tamerlane and Alexander the Great. Major tourist attractions in Uzbekistan include centuries-old cities (once oases along the Silk Road), seemingly endless deserts, soaring mountains that serve as popular ecotourism playgrounds, and ancient fortresses untouched by the passage of time. Visitors flock to this landlocked Central Asian country to hike, ski, bird-watch, and stay in traditional yurt camps. Consider beginning your tour of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, where modern glass-fronted office buildings stand in stark contrast to decaying Soviet-era apartment blocks.

Caravans loaded with goods passed through Tajikistan when the ancient Silk Road ran through this country; today, it is one of the world's poorest and least explored nations. Devastated by the civil war of the 1990s, Tajikistan tourism has recently bounced back, as the country's unspoiled mountain landscapes attract a growing number of daring climbers and adventurous travelers. Picturesque highland villages welcome foreign explorers searching for an authentic Central Asian experience in a place seemingly frozen in time. Roads are practically nonexistent in many places and public transport unreliable, but the hospitable Tajiks treat visitors with such warmth and kindness you're not likely to mind the lack of amenities and modern distractions.

Feared and revered not long ago as the land "behind the Iron Curtain" and before that as "the land of the Tsars," Russia is a land of many contrasts. Spreading over two continents, it is also the largest country in the world and one of the most powerful. Founded by a group of East Slavs in the 10th century, it is home to over 160 different ethnic groups and indigenous peoples. They have all left their mark on the land, but the Slavic and Byzantine traditions hold a special place in Russia's rich historical and cultural legacy. The diverse natural beauty includes vast swathes of plains intersected with thousands of rivers, lakes, and dramatic mountain ranges along the southern borders. Arctic tundra, taiga, mixed forests, steppe, and desert-like areas successively carpet the land from the north to the south. Perfectly preserved ancient towns surrounded by mighty kremlins with colorful onion-domed churches attract tourists just as much as the nation's biggest metropolises, Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

The world's biggest landlocked country, Kazakhstan boasts a thriving economy resting almost entirely on huge reserves of natural gas and oil. While some travelers find its seemingly endless and largely featureless steppe unappealing, others take a trip to Kazakhstan precisely because of these unspoiled stretches. If you wanted, you could certainly spend your entire vacation in Kazakhstan completely alone, exploring the sprawling, empty horizons. If you want a little company, mingle with the highly urbanized locals in Almaty or Astana, two big cities featuring broad tree-lined avenues, hip cafes, giant malls, and many innovative buildings that seem plucked right out of a science fiction novel.

With a population of just 5 million and the majority of its area part of one of the driest deserts on the planet, Turkmenistan remains one of the world's least explored destinations. Known largely for the eccentric dictatorship of Saparmyrat Niyazov, who died in 2006, this desert land boasts great natural beauty and centuries-old traditions. A tour of Turkmenistan reveals a series of thriving cities, once important stops on the ancient Silk Road. Probably the most convenient of the country's urban centers, Ashgabat serves as the national capital and most developed city, known for its white-marble buildings housing theaters, museums, and shopping malls.