Dog Sledding in Tromsø: My Experience & Tips (2026-2027)
Dog sledding in Tromso is a bucket list must. Here’s what you need to know — from someone who’s gone dog sledding three times!
Tromsø Ice Domes: Changes & Closure in 2026-2027
Recent updates about visiting the Tromsø Ice Domes
Mosaic Class in Samarkand: Learn & Craft Uzbek Tiles
One of the main draws to Uzbekistan for many aesthetically inclined travelers — myself included — is its intricate tilework and mosaics in a monochrome rainbow of blues, ranging from pale turquoise to inky cobalt. All over the country, mosaics and tilework are an important point of national pride and identity. And perhaps nowhere is…
Duston Boutique Hotel Review: A Bukhara Heritage Stay
With its maze of streets interwoven in a compact city center that contains beautiful madrasah façades, artisans in the open-air bazaars (called toqis), and historic Silk Road structures, Bukhara lives up to every bit of hype. And while there are plenty of hotels inside Bukhara’s historic center, I loved staying at Duston Boutique Hotel just…
Visiting Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Summer Palace in Bukhara
While most visitors to Bukhara will easily spend their entire time inside the city’s historic center, some of the city’s most interesting sights are actually outside the old walls. Though I definitely can’t speak ill of the city center of Bukhara, I have to say, the majority of my favorite sights laid outside the walls….
Suzani Embroidery Class in Bukhara: My Experience & Thoughts
I’ve always been fascinated by textiles from around the world — this universal desire we have as people to tell stories through cloth. You can see it in the huipil of Guatemala, the batik of Indonesia, the saris of India; cloth is a blank canvas that bears the markings of each culture’s tradition. Uzbekistan is…
Jipek Joli Hotel: An Artsy Boutique Hotel in Nukus
For most people staying in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, it marks either the beginning or the end of an Aral Sea adventure. With one of the best locations in Nukus, easy walking distance from the famous Savitsky Museum and some of the city’s better restaurants, Jipek Joli Hotel is a welcome oasis for travelers…
12 Exciting Things to Do in Nukus, Uzbekistan
Nukus is often thought of as the gateway to the Aral Sea, but I think it’s a very intriguing destination in Uzbekistan in its own right. From its world-class Savitsky art museum to bustling bazaars, from its unique architectural style to its Karakalpak culture, Nukus offers a lot more than just being a waypoint between…
Alma-Arasan Gorge & Hot Springs: An Easy Day Trip from Almaty
If you’re visiting Big Almaty Lake, it is ideal to pair it with Alma-Arasan, a gorge with natural hot springs that make an easy day trip from Almaty. Alma-Arasan is, quite simply, stunning. Think slopes covered in Tien Shan spruce, hot and cold springs overlooking the river, a chilly plunge pool right in the river…