Sophie Ibbotson – författare

Written by Central Asian expert and experienced travel writer Sophie Ibbotson, who is Uzbekistan's Tourism Ambassador to the UK, this new, fully updated fourth edition of Bradt's Uzbekistan remains the definitive practical travel guide to an increasingly liberal destination - Central Asia's most populous country and the heart of the Silk Road - offering more detail for independent travellers than any other guidebook, sharing first-hand descriptions of everything from UNESCO World Heritage sites and the world's best collection of Soviet avant-garde art, to riding across deserts by camel and cooking plov (lamb pilaf).A perfect spring or autumn destination, Uzbekistan is unexpectedly packed with diverse experiences, from the Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Khiva to glorious Islamic architecture. Explore the Kyzylkum Desert by camel, ski amid the western Tian Shan mountains, overnight by the Aral Sea to search for the bizarre saiga antelope, visit 50 ancient Khorezm fortresses in Karakalpakstan, or gawp at Registan's unmissable sound and light show. Stroll through Bukhara's old town then take tea at chaikhana teahouse or shop in the Chorsu bazaar, trade's beating heart in Tashkent. Or marvel at medieval tiled tombs in Shah-I Zinda and the magnificent 19th-century palace of Kokand ruler Khudayar Khan.It has never been easier to explore this fascinating country. Over the past decade,Uzbekistan's new reformist government has been strengthening its tourism offer, including improving infrastructure and reducing bureaucracy, culminating in it hosting a World Tourist Organisation conference in 2023 and initiating a new $300 million tourism strategy for 2030. Complemented by the author's 2023 Bradt guide to Karakalpakstan, this new edition reflects post-COVID 19 investments in tourism infrastructure, and provides more detailed economic and political insights. Entirely new elements include Amirsoy resort, Zarafshan nature reserve, Lower Amudarya Biosphere Reserve and Shirin ecovillage, while there is expanded coverage of Tashkent hotels, museums and shopping; Navoi tour operators; and new hotels in Khiva.Whether you're interested in culture, trekking, historical sites, archaeology and architecture, seeing endless deserts or majestic mountainscapes, or fascinated by the Golden Road to Samarkand and Silk Road cities, Bradt's Uzbekistan is your ideal travel companion.

Bradt's Karakalpakstan is the longest, most detailed and most up-to-date travel guidebook to this autonomous republic - Central Asia's best-kept secret. With detailed information on what to see and do, listings for accommodation and restaurants, and guidance on getting around, this guide provides all the practical advice adventurous tourists need to visit or explore this exciting destination.Roughly the size of Sweden, Karakalpakstan borders Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and was, until recently, dominated by the Aral Sea. As the sea water has retreated, the Aralkum - the world's newest desert - and numerous lakes have formed in its place. Ecotourism is developing rapidly here, as local people recognise the need to protect and restore fragile ecosystems while creating meaningful employment opportunities. Amid Karakalpakstan's remote wildernesses, the intrepid traveller will find unique geology (such as the Ustyurt Plateau), rare wildlife (including a substantial population of the critically endangered saiga antelope, whose peculiarly bulbous nose helps filter desert dust and regulate the animal's temperature), and fabulous star gazing.The region also boasts a long history and rich culture. Scattered through the Kyzylkum, the ruins of the 50-plus desert fortresses of Ancient Khorezm (some proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites) attest to the region's former strategic importance. You can explore ancient settlements (such as the necropolis of Mizdakhan, said to include the grave of Adam), and see caravanserais, mausolea and even Chilpik Dakhma, a Zoroastrian 'tower of silence'. Alternatively, celebrate Russian Avant Garde art alongside the superb archaeological and ethnographic collections of Savitsky Museum in Nukus, justifiably known as the 'Louvre of the Steppe'. For something entirely different, why not explore Muynak's ship graveyard on the remains of the Aral Sea, visit the notorious Soviet bioweapons lab Aralsk 7 on Vozrozhdeniya (Resurrection Island), raise your binoculars at the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area of Sudochye Lakes (where 230 types of birds have been recorded) or dance the night away at the annual Stihia festival of electronic music. Written by two Central Asian experts, Bradt's Karakalpakstan is an indispensable practical companion to visiting this excitingly varied republic.

This new, thoroughly revised third edition of Bradt's Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley remains the only standalone English-language guide available to this stunning region of mountain wilderness and lush valleys. Although Ladakh is becoming an ever more popular destination, Zanskar, the Kashmir Valley and Jammu are still off the beaten path, attracting only the more adventurous foreign tourist, so their treasure trove of natural and cultural wonders awaits your discovery. Ladakh, Zanskar and the Kashmir Valley have long astounded intrepid visitors with their epic Himalayan beauty. Thousands of years of history sit side by side with vibrant modern communities; spectacular natural landscapes ripe for exploration are dotted with all manner of architectural curiosities. This guidebook is the ideal companion to these contrasting and spellbinding regions, where mountains, pilgrimage destinations, cultural sites and exciting wildlife - notably the chance of seeing the formerly near-mythical snow leopard - vie for your attention. Here you can gasp at the views from the roof of the world at the breathless Khardung La mountain pass, stroll through Eden-like Shalimar Gardens (where the early-morning mist rises eerily off the lawns and channels), trek remote mountain trails through Ladakh and Zanskar (with this edition featuring several new suggested routes), admire the monkeys that have colonised the 19th-century palace of Mubarak Mandi, take a shikara ride across the lotus-strewn lakes of Srinagar, marvel at the Buddhas of Kargil (cut from rock in the 7th and 8th centuries), relax on a houseboat at Srinagar or join the Buddhist monks at Thiksey Monastery for early-morning prayers by candlelight. And if that is not enough, you can white-water raft on the Indus, travel by jeep along nerve-wracking mountain roads, follow millions of Hindu faithful to the Amarnath Cave and enjoy superb powder skiing in amid true wilderness. Whatever your interests, and wherever they lead you in this fascinating and rewarding region, let Bradt's Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley illuminate your way.

Written by Central Asian expert and experienced travel writer Sophie Ibbotson, who is Uzbekistan's Tourism Ambassador to the UK, this new, fully updated fourth edition of Bradt's Uzbekistan remains the definitive practical travel guide to an increasingly liberal destination - Central Asia's most populous country and the heart of the Silk Road - offering more detail for independent travellers than any other guidebook, sharing first-hand descriptions of everything from UNESCO World Heritage sites and the world's best collection of Soviet avant-garde art, to riding across deserts by camel and cooking plov (lamb pilaf).A perfect spring or autumn destination, Uzbekistan is unexpectedly packed with diverse experiences, from the Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Khiva to glorious Islamic architecture. Explore the Kyzylkum Desert by camel, ski amid the western Tian Shan mountains, overnight by the Aral Sea to search for the bizarre saiga antelope, visit 50 ancient Khorezm fortresses in Karakalpakstan, or gawp at Registan s unmissable sound and light show. Stroll through Bukhara s old town then take tea at chaikhana teahouse or shop in the Chorsu bazaar, trade s beating heart in Tashkent. Or marvel at medieval tiled tombs in Shah-I Zinda and the magnificent 19th-century palace of Kokand ruler Khudayar Khan.It has never been easier to explore this fascinating country. Over the past decade,Uzbekistan s new reformist government has been strengthening its tourism offer, including improving infrastructure and reducing bureaucracy, culminating in it hosting a World Tourist Organisation conference in 2023 and initiating a new $300 million tourism strategy for 2030. Complemented by the author s 2023 Bradt guide to Karakalpakstan, this new edition reflects post-COVID 19 investments in tourism infrastructure, and provides more detailed economic and political insights. Entirely new elements include Amirsoy resort, Zarafshan nature reserve, Lower Amudarya Biosphere Reserve and Shirin ecovillage, while there is expanded coverage of Tashkent hotels, museums and shopping; Navoi tour operators; and new hotels in Khiva.Whether you re interested in culture, trekking, historical sites, archaeology and architecture, seeing endless deserts or majestic mountainscapes, or fascinated by the Golden Road to Samarkand and Silk Road cities, Bradt s Uzbekistan is your ideal travel companion.

This new, thoroughly revised third edition of Bradt's Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley remains the only standalone English-language guide available to this stunning region of mountain wilderness and lush valleys. Although Ladakh is becoming an ever more popular destination, Zanskar, the Kashmir Valley and Jammu are still off the beaten path, attracting only the more adventurous foreign tourist, so their treasure trove of natural and cultural wonders awaits your discovery. Ladakh, Zanskar and the Kashmir Valley have long astounded intrepid visitors with their epic Himalayan beauty. Thousands of years of history sit side by side with vibrant modern communities; spectacular natural landscapes ripe for exploration are dotted with all manner of architectural curiosities. This guidebook is the ideal companion to these contrasting and spellbinding regions, where mountains, pilgrimage destinations, cultural sites and exciting wildlife notably the chance of seeing the formerly near-mythical snow leopard vie for your attention. Here you can gasp at the views from the roof of the world at the breathless Khardung La mountain pass, stroll through Eden-like Shalimar Gardens (where the early-morning mist rises eerily off the lawns and channels), trek remote mountain trails through Ladakh and Zanskar (with this edition featuring several new suggested routes), admire the monkeys that have colonised the 19th-century palace of Mubarak Mandi, take a shikara ride across the lotus-strewn lakes of Srinagar, marvel at the Buddhas of Kargil (cut from rock in the 7th and 8th centuries), relax on a houseboat at Srinagar or join the Buddhist monks at Thiksey Monastery for early-morning prayers by candlelight. And if that is not enough, you can white-water raft on the Indus, watch speeding cars at the annual Mughal road car rally, travel by jeep along nerve-wracking mountain roads, follow millions of Hindu faithful to the Armanth Cave, enjoy superb powder skiing in amid true wilderness. Whatever your interests, and wherever they lead you in this fascinating and rewarding region, let Bradt s Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley illuminate your way.

This new, thoroughly updated fourth edition of Bradt's Tajikistan remains the most practical and widest-ranging guide dedicated exclusively to Central Asia's smallest country. Tajikistan offers travellers unforgettable experiences: epic mountain trekking routes, crystal-clear lakes, the world's biggest teahouse and fabulous wildlife watching (think snow leopard and the extraordinary Marco Polo sheep) alongside ancient Buddhist sites, Silk Road trading posts, medieval shrines and planned Soviet cities. Locals call Tajikistan Bam-i-Dunya ('the roof of the world'), and travelling the world's second-highest road, the Pamir Highway - or hiking the 1,310km-long Pamir Trail, which was completed in 2024 and features in this new edition - you can understand why. With peaks nearly as high as those in the Himalayas and a complex culture drawing its diverse heritage from Persia, China, Afghanistan and Russia, Tajikistan is the least familiar of the 'Stans and many areas remain untouched, making the country ideal for curious travellers keen to explore off the beaten path.Bradt's guidebook covers every corner of Tajikistan, from the Wakhan Valley to the Fann Mountains and Garm Chashma springs, Dushanbe to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sarazm and Tajik National Park. With first-hand descriptions of everything from Sogdian ruins to the traditional sport of buzkashi (polo with a livestock carcass), trekking on the Murghab Plateau and eating shashlik in garden tea houses, the writing team (Sophie Ibbotson - Central Asian expert, experienced travel writer and chair of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs - plus inveterate traveller and guidebook-updater Nancy Chuang) bring the country alive. As well as the Pamir Trail, new elements of this edition reflect the recent investment in tourism by the Tajik government and multilateral development banks. The new women-led Gulzar Village cultural centre in Dushanbe is designed like a rural community where visitors can experience traditional crafts and foods. The Pamirs, meanwhile, now have 150 village homestays, further opening up the region for mountain-lovers. Whether you're interested in culture, trekking, historical sites, nature, archaeology and architecture, seeing majestic mountainscapes or are fascinated by Silk Road heritage, and whether visiting independently or on an organised tour, Bradt's Tajikistan is your ideal travel companion.