The MIR DMC Journal
FIELD NOTES
from the ground
Occasional dispatches on conditions, properties, and routes across the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Written for the planners who build programs here.
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Secrets of Samarkand
Read the dispatch →: Secrets of SamarkandPerhaps the most well known of Silk Road towns, Samarkand, the fabled oasis on the fringes of the Kyzyl Kum Desert, has been settled since the 6th century BC. Its strategic location between China and the Western world secured…
All dispatches
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Agent FAM to Uzbekistan: Experience the Heart of the Silk Road
November 8–16, 2024 March 14-22, 2025 Come explore the heart of Central Asia on this agent-only introductory tour to Uzbekistan with Seattle- and Tashkent-…
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3 Ways to Travel to the South Caucasus
Hip and historic: Experience the South Caucasus countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. As a DMC and tour operator, MIR offers small group tours…
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3 Ways to Travel the Silk Road
We understand the wanderlust of your clients. And with our nearly four decades of experience crafting adventures in this part of the world, there’s…
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Travel Inspiration: What’s New in Uzbekistan
1. Let’s start with the status of international flights into Uzbekistan – what’s the situation? Abdu: Uzbekistan Airways and other carriers have gradually increased…
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Travel Inspiration: What’s New in Georgia
Let’s start with the status of international flights into Georgia, what’s the situation? Tvalta: As of February 1, 2021 Georgia has reopened international flights…
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Travel to Georgia: Reserve Your Own Private Village
Looking for the perfect getaway for the times? The Lost Ridge Inn, Brewery, Fire Kitchen & Ranch is the very first rural getaway of…
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Lovin’ the Pamirs: Tajikistan’s Other Half
Jake Smith joined MIR’s Seattle staff after several years of living and working in Tajikistan, as well as traveling to the far corners of…
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Insider’s Guide to the Top 8 UNESCO Sites & Experiences in Uzbekistan
A quest for the quintessentially best in world travel can yield remarkable, thought-provoking experiences. Some travelers find such experiences in historic or natural UNESCO-listed…
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Krygyzstan: Why I Love This Unfamiliar Frontier
I can’t even count the extensive scouting trips I’ve taken through Central Asia, but those to the countryside of Kyrgyzstan, the Silk Road’s best kept secret, always stay…
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Remote Turkmenistan: 7 Surprising Ways to Go Off-the-Beaten-Path
The most mysterious and under-explored of Central Asia’s five ‘stans, Turkmenistan is an unparalleled travel destination like no other. Those who visit this little-known nation tend to focus…
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Insider’s Guide to the South Caucasus: Georgia’s Wine Country
Georgia’s Kakheti region is famous for its wine, and the towns and wineries here are definitely worth a visit… and a wine-tasting. Three places of note:…
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MIR’s Favorite UNESCO Sites in South Caucasus Countries (videos)
Studded with UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites and cultural treasures, the South Caucasus countries of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are home to dozens of languages,…
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Field Notes lands in your inbox a few times a season. No marketing, just what we’re seeing on the ground.