Wonder of the modern world, the Taj Mahal is worth almost the trip to India alone. This mausoleum built for the wife of a Mughal emperor devastated by his death is a hymn to love. Even centuries after the end of its construction, white marble still shines, giving an extraordinary dimension to the site that can leave you only admirable. You and the seven million annual visitors. It’s therefore difficult to visit the Taj Mahal and to make photos without other tourists on it. Here is the story of our visit and all our tips to visit the Taj Mahal …

The article How to visit the Taj Mahal while avoiding hordes of tourists? first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

Indian capital, New Delhi offers more than just a glimpse of what the country has to offer: people everywhere, smells, garbage, excellent food, a beautiful architecture mixing oriental style with colonial style, you find everything, in abundance and even more than that. New Delhi was our first city in India. Since we were in Egypt just before, the cultural shock was smaller but still present. Indeed, we were already a bit used to horns and traffic in Cairo, but nothing prepares for so many noises, smells, dirt and colors. We can easily imagine what a Westerner who comes directly to …

The article First steps towards the discovery of India – two days in New Delhi first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

Maybe you ask yourself: How to go to Uzbekistan? How does the border crossing and obtaining a visa in Uzbekistan work? How to travel in Uzbekistan? How to pay in Uzbekistan? Well then we have the answer to all your questions right here in our travel tips and advice for Uzbekistan. Located on the Silk Road, Uzbekistan has been able to take advantage of the trading to build magnificent mosques and madrasas (Islamic schools), most of which are classified or protected by UNESCO. Still very closed until recently, the country is slowly opening up since a new president was elected …

The article Tips and Advice for traveling to Uzbekistan first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

Capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent is marked by its Soviet history. The style of the subway stations is clearly inspired by the USSR. From down there, you could easily believe being in a city of Russia. In addition, some buildings, such as the Uzbekistan hotel, can not deny their Soviet origins: wide, high, rectangular, small windows and thick concrete. The contrast of wealth with the rest of the country is less noticeable than in Tajikistan, between Dushanbe and the rest of the country. Our arrival from Khiva We arrived at the end of the morning with the night train from Khiva. …

The article Travel tales: Tashkent first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

Located in the far west of Uzbekistan, close to the border with Turkmenistan, Khiva stands out for its authenticity. The historic center in the middle of the ramparts of the city seems to be stopped in time, as if the passing centuries had no hold on him. Getting to Khiva We took a night train from Bukhara. This train was leaving at 4am from the station. We had chosen a four-person lockable compartment, although we hoped to be only two in this one. Arriving in our compartiment, two persons were already occupying the two seats at the bottom of our …

The article Travel tales: Khiva first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

After Samarkand, we went to Bukhara, one of the most famous cities of Uzbekistan. With a well-preserved historic center, we dig into the history of the city when it occupied an important place on the Silk Road. One wouldn’t be surprised to see a vintage caravan coming out of an alley. The many terraces of Lyab-i Hauz are an invitation to take the time to relax. Our visit of Bukhara We took a fast train from Samarkand (see the explanation on Uzbek trains in the article giving all our tips for traveling to Uzbekistan). It takes only 1h30 by train. …

The article Travel tales: Bukhara first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

The visit of Samarkand will not leave you indifferent. Its place on the Silk Road allowed this city to build magnificent and gigantic monuments to the glory of Islam or the tombs of the rich rulers of those time. Getting to Samarkand from Dushanbe After our journey in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, we traveled to Uzbekistan. If the first two countries are to visit rather for their nature, Uzbekistan is distinguished by its architecture resulting from the wealth obtained during centuries by its place on the Silk Road. Journey to the Uzbek border In order to get to Samarkand, we first …

The article Travel tales: Samarkand first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, is the showcase of the country for the rest of the world and is most likely the main source of investment by the dictatorial government. The contrast with the countryside – at least its eastern part (we can not speak for the western part as we didn’t visit it) – is striking. The earthy and uneven tracks gave way to large paved avenues. The monuments and flags to the glory of the country stand proudly in several squares of the city. We arrived in Dushanbe at the end of our trip on the Pamir Highway. …

The article Backpacking in Dushanbe, capital and showcase of dictatorial Tajikistan first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

1’500 km of rugged and dirty trails with breathtaking scenery – welcome to the Pamir Highway, one of the world’s highest highway! You will cross vast plains at more than 4,000 m high surrounded by higher mountains that look down on you, narrow canyons overhanging with threatening rocks and a river turning into a torrent and forming the border with Afghanistan.  Linking Osh (Kyrgyzstan) to Dushanbe (Tajikistan), this road is one of the must-sees of the region. Warning: Pamir Highway is an adventure that will put you out of your comfort zone. When reading the text below, you may feel that …

The article Road trip on the Pamir Highway first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.

How to travel to Kyrgyzstan? What to do in Kyrgyzstan? What to eat in Kyrgyzstan? Here are all the practical tips you need to know for traveling in Kyrgyzstan. Located on the Silk Road, between the West and the East, Kyrgyzstan mixes the different cultures brought by merchants from all corners of the world for centuries as well as during the Mongol occupation. The physique of the inhabitants is thus a mixture of Mongolian, Chinese and Turkish influences with Mongolian predominance, especially in the countryside. Former republic of the USSR, the older generation is fluent in Russian and the Cyrillic …

The article Kyrgyzstan: Itinerary and Pratical advices first appeared on NicoLyn Around the World.