Hissor Fort and flight to Kazakhstan

We had a leisurely start to the day and drove out to Hissor Fort mid morning. It’s an ancient fortress and was once one of the main gateways to old Samarkand. The twin-towered gate is pictured on the 20 Somoni Tajikistan bank note. It’s in the process of being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our guide was especially skilled in bringing the stories of the fort to life.

We returned to the hotel area by early afternoon for lunch, then set off to the airport for a 7 p.m. flight to Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan and its former capital. The flight was about 90 minutes and on schedule. By the time we got into our room it was 10 p.m.

We’ll explore Almaty tomorrow.Read more