Description
Book SynopsisThe Silk Road was never a single thread but an intricate web of trade routes - Silk Roads - linking Asia and Europe. This new practical guide helps travelers explore all these threads and covers Turkey, Syria, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and China. * Getting to the region from North America, Europe and Australasia * How to travel - train, bus or plane * Trips for all budgets - from $15 a day to over $150 a day * What to see and where to go * Full reviews of hotels and restaurants * Comprehensive chapter on the historical background of this most famous of all trade routes * 60 maps and town plans * Adapted from Silk Route by Rail, which was shortlisted for the Thomas Cook Guide Book of the Year Awards * Covers more countries than other Silk Road guides - Turkey, Syria, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and China
Trade Review'Packed with history and practical information.' DAILY TELEGRAPH, September 2018; 'No nonsense, information-packed guide' LAM Magazine (UK)
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION - PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP 1.1 Routes, costs and making a booking - Route options - Costs - When to go - Making a booking - Visas - 1.2 Before you leave - Who to go with - What to take - Vaccinations and health safeguards - Background reading - Internet Resources PART 2: THE SILK ROAD 2.1 History - The route - Alexander the Great - Zhang Qian - The Parthian Shot - The Royal Purple - No more secrets - A New Golden Age - The Mongols - Pax Mongolica - The end - Map Key PART 3: THE MIDDLE EAST 3.1 Facts about the region - Geographical background - History - The people and their religion - 3.2 Practical information for the visitor - The route - Documents - Climate - Accommodation - Travel agencies and tourist information - Transport - Electricity - Time - Money - Communications - National holidays - Customs and Attitudes - Food - Drink - 3.3 Istanbul History - Istanbul today - What to see - Practical information - 3.4 Cappadocia History - Cappadocia today - What to see - Practical information - 3.5 Antakya History - What to see - Practical information - 3.6 Aleppo History - What to see - Practical information - 3.7 Hama What to see - Practical information - 3.8 Palmyra History - What to see - Practical information - 3.9 Damascus History - Damascus today - What to see - Practical information - 3.10 Malatya/Kahta What to see - Practical information - 3.11 Erzurum What to see - Practical information - 3.12 Dogubeyazit What to see - Practical information - 3.13 Tabriz What to see - Practical information - 3.14 Ghazvin What to see - Practical information - 3.15 Tehran What to see - Practical information - 3.16 Esfahan History - What to see - Practical information - 3.17 Shiraz What to see - Practical information - 3.18 Mashad What to see - Practical information - PART 4: CENTRAL ASIA 4.1 Facts about the region Geographical background - History (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan) - The people - 4.2 Practical information for the visitor The route - Documents - Climate - Accommodation - Safety - Travel agencies and tourist information - Transport - Electricity - Time - Money - Communications - National holidays - Food - Drink - 4.3 Mary and Merv History - What to see - Practical information - 4.4 Ashgabat History - What to see - Practical information - 4.5 Konye-Urgench History - What to see - Practical information - 4.6 Nukus History - What to see - Practical information - 4.7 Urgench Practical information - 4.8 Khiva History - What to see - Practical information - 4.9 Bukhara History - What to see - Practical information - 4.10 Samarkand History - What to see - Practical information - 4.11 Tashkent History - What to see - Practical information - 4.12 The Ferghana Valley History - Practical information - 4.13 Osh What to see - Practical information - 4.14 Bishkek What to see - Practical information - 4.15 Issyk Kul PART 5: PAKISTAN AND THE KARAKORUM HIGHWAY 5.1 Facts about the region Geographical background - History - The people - The Economy - Religion - 5.2 Practical information for the visitor The route - Documents - Climate - Accommodation - Travel agencies and tourist information - Transport - Electricity - Time - Money - Communications - National holidays - Food - Drink - Social customs - Attitudes - Activities - Shopping - 5.3 Passu Practical information - Hiking around Passu - 5.4 The Hunza and Nagar Valleys History 5.5 Karimabad What to see - Practical information - 5.6 Gilgit History - What to see - Practical information - 5.7 Rawalpindi and Islamabad What to see - Practical information PART 6: CHINA 6.1 Facts about the country Geographical background - History - The people and religion - 6.2 Practical information for the visitor The route - Documents - Climate - Accommodation - Travel agencies and tourist information - Transport - Electricity - Time - Money - Communications - National holidays - Preserving your sanity - Food - Drink - 6.3 Xinjiang Geographical background - History - Kashgar (What to see, Practical information) - Kuqa (What to see, Practical information) - Korla - Turfan (History, What to see, Practical information) - The Southern Taklamakan route (Khotan, Charklik) 6.4 Dunhuang History - What to see - Practical information - 6.5 Jiayuguan History - What to see - Practical information - 6.6 Lanzhou History - What to see - Practical information - 6.7 Xi'an History - What to see - Excursions - Practical information - 6.8 Datong What to see - Practical information - 6.9 Beijing History - What to see - Excursions - Practical information APPENDIX Useful phrases INDEX
