Urumqi, Xinjiang: The Geographic Center of the Asian Continent
Urumqi is the world’s most landlocked major city, the capital of Xinjiang, and the geographic center of the Asian …
Sayram Lake, Xinjiang: A High-Mountain Blue Lake in the Western Tien Shan
Sayram Lake is at 2,000+ meters, the largest cold-water alpine lake in the Tien Shan. Wildflowers bloom lakeside from …
Ili, Xinjiang: Nalati and Gongnaisi Grasslands with Snow Mountains
Nalati and Gongnaisi in the Ili River valley are the best high-mountain grasslands in Xinjiang — wildflowers in June, …
Yining, Xinjiang: Blue and Slow in a Border Town
Yining is the heart of the Ili River valley. Blue mosque domes, Uyghur handmade carpets, the slow pace under poplar …
Wuerhe Ghost City, Xinjiang: Yardang Landforms and Wind
Wuerhe Ghost City is a classic yardang landform — millions of years of wind erosion carving castles, ships, and animal …
Japan: Kyoto, Tokyo, and the Trains in Between
Japan is the kind of country you want to revisit no matter how many times you’ve been. Old temples, shrines, the …
Istanbul, Turkey: Where East and West Collide
Istanbul spans Europe and Asia — the only major city on two continents. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Bosphorus, …
Almaty, Kazakhstan: The Apple City at the Foot of the Tien Shan
Almaty was once Kazakhstan’s capital and remains the largest city, with the Tien Shan mountains to the south. The …
Aktau, Kazakhstan: The Caspian Transit City
Aktau (formerly Shevchenko) is a port city on Kazakhstan’s Caspian coast and a ferry hub for reaching other parts …
Baku, Azerbaijan: Land of Fire by the Caspian
Baku, capital of Azerbaijan and the largest port on the Caspian’s western shore. Flame Towers, Old City, …
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