Weekend Drive by Hormazd Sorabjee: Silk road tripping

Ayush June 6, 2024

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Then, I try to picture the scene 2,000 years ago, when this very stretch was the beating heart of the Silk Road, a bustling network of trade routes, connecting East and West. What we effortlessly cover in just a few hours today would have been a journey of days, even weeks, atop a trusty camel. The doubled-humped Bactrian camel was the ancient equivalent of an SUV, carrying goods and people across tough terrain. The camel is still a common sight and a way for tourists to experience what a journey must have been like two millennia ago.

We kick off our tour in Tashkent, where streets are wide, clean and lined with trees. There’s a road named after Lal Bahadur Shastri and a memorial too for our former PM who died here in 1966 whilst in office. Tashkent is a fascinating blend of old and new. Historic madrassas and mosques, with their shimmering turquoise tiled domes, sit alongside the Tashkent TV Tower worth a visit for the 360 degree view of the city.

Samarkand is 300 kms away, but takes a good five hours. Roads in Uzbekistan aren’t great, drivers like to slalom on the highway and some stretches are infested with potholes. This makes you feel at home! Samarkand is the jewel of Uzbekistan and if you visit only one place in this historic town, let it be Registan Square surrounded by three madrassas, each one an architectural masterpiece. Bukhara, which is another four-hour drive, isn’t as grand as Samarkand but has a more intimate and ancient charm with its narrow streets and centuries-old markets. The 150- foot-high Kalyan was the tallest monument in the world when it was built in the 12th century and a stunning show stopper.

The six-hour drive from Bukhara to Khiva is through the Kyzylkum desert. Falling asleep on this straight, featureless road is apparently a real danger. We were stopped every 30km or so by police, who politely directed us to pull over and take a five minute break before letting us proceed!

Khiva is like an open-air museum and is a superbly preserved experience of Uzbekistan’s past. Though Uzbekistan boasts a fast and efficient rail network, which can be more convenient than driving, it’s not the most authentic way to explore the country. With the freedom to pause at will, engage with locals, and indulge in roadside delights, the Silk Road’s true essence is best experiences by well… road.