<strong>Central Asia travel: </strong>Alex Sherr's photos highlight Kyrgyzstan's rugged beauty and Tajikistan's stunning mountain terrain, while also capturing Central Asia's rich culture and ancient histories.
Central Asia travel: Alex Sherr's photos highlight Kyrgyzstan's rugged beauty and Tajikistan's stunning mountain terrain, while also capturing Central Asia's rich culture and ancient histories.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Ala Archa National Park:</strong> Ala Archa National Park, in the Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, has one marked trail. Upon completing the full five- or six-hour hike through all its sections, travelers arrive at Ratzek Hut and are rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding peaks, most of which are over 4,000 meters high.
Ala Archa National Park: Ala Archa National Park, in the Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, has one marked trail. Upon completing the full five- or six-hour hike through all its sections, travelers arrive at Ratzek Hut and are rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding peaks, most of which are over 4,000 meters high.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Keep going:</strong> From Ratzek Hut, you can climb another 90 minutes to reach this glacial lake.
Keep going: From Ratzek Hut, you can climb another 90 minutes to reach this glacial lake.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Base camp: </strong>Lying at 3,200 meters, Ratzek Hut is a popular base camp among hikers. "During our hike, we saw a guy who had just come down from doing a few ski runs on the glacier," says photographer Sherr.
Base camp: Lying at 3,200 meters, Ratzek Hut is a popular base camp among hikers. "During our hike, we saw a guy who had just come down from doing a few ski runs on the glacier," says photographer Sherr.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Eagle hunters: </strong>Many eagle hunters still live in Bokonbayevo -- a three-hour drive from the Kyrgyzstani capital, Bishkek.<strong> </strong>Hunters have a deep sense of respect, trust and affection for their birds.
Eagle hunters: Many eagle hunters still live in Bokonbayevo -- a three-hour drive from the Kyrgyzstani capital, Bishkek. Hunters have a deep sense of respect, trust and affection for their birds.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Star eagle hunter:</strong> After 15 years, eagle hunters in Bokonbayevo release their birds back into the wild. Ishanbek, pictured, is one of Kyrgyzstan's best-known eagle hunters.
Star eagle hunter: After 15 years, eagle hunters in Bokonbayevo release their birds back into the wild. Ishanbek, pictured, is one of Kyrgyzstan's best-known eagle hunters.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Karakol, Kyrgyzstan: </strong>Kyrgyzstan's high peaks offer fantastic skiing in winter. At 3,040 meters, Karakol Ski Base is the highest ski resort in Central Asia.
Karakol, Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstan's high peaks offer fantastic skiing in winter. At 3,040 meters, Karakol Ski Base is the highest ski resort in Central Asia.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Lenin Peak: </strong>Lenin Peak (7,134 meters) looms large in the background on the road heading to the National Horse and Yak Games Festival outside of Sary-Mogol, in southern Kyrgyzstan.
Lenin Peak: Lenin Peak (7,134 meters) looms large in the background on the road heading to the National Horse and Yak Games Festival outside of Sary-Mogol, in southern Kyrgyzstan.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>The National Horse and Yak Games Festival:</strong> The annual National Horse and Yak Games Festival showcases Kyrgyzstan's traditional nomadic lifestyle.<strong> </strong>Two foreign participants have a try at yak-wrestling. The objective is to wrestle opponents off their yak without falling off.
The National Horse and Yak Games Festival: The annual National Horse and Yak Games Festival showcases Kyrgyzstan's traditional nomadic lifestyle. Two foreign participants have a try at yak-wrestling. The objective is to wrestle opponents off their yak without falling off.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Local spectators: </strong>A local family takes a walk in the hills before the games begin. Many tourists visit the National Horse and Yak Games Festival, joining the hundreds of local spectators and vendors.
Local spectators: A local family takes a walk in the hills before the games begin. Many tourists visit the National Horse and Yak Games Festival, joining the hundreds of local spectators and vendors.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Vehicle of choice: </strong>A family relaxes under the shade of their UAZ Bukhanka -- a Soviet-produced 4x4 van. Ideal for navigating the rough terrain, it's the vehicle of choice in the region.
Vehicle of choice: A family relaxes under the shade of their UAZ Bukhanka -- a Soviet-produced 4x4 van. Ideal for navigating the rough terrain, it's the vehicle of choice in the region.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Rainbow-colored landscape: </strong>Guests weathered a quick but fierce hailstorm in yurts on festival grounds, getting to know each other over a few beers. After the hailstorm subsided, revelers emerged from the tents to this scene. The mountains were an absolutely electric array of colors, almost as bright and crisp as the colors of the simultaneous double rainbows, says Sherr.
Rainbow-colored landscape: Guests weathered a quick but fierce hailstorm in yurts on festival grounds, getting to know each other over a few beers. After the hailstorm subsided, revelers emerged from the tents to this scene. The mountains were an absolutely electric array of colors, almost as bright and crisp as the colors of the simultaneous double rainbows, says Sherr.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Duped: </strong>A fierce look from a golden eagle that had just landed on its prey -- in this case, a "training fox." A long rope is attached to the skin of a fox and dragged along the ground by the trainer, giving the appearance of moving prey.
Duped: A fierce look from a golden eagle that had just landed on its prey -- in this case, a "training fox." A long rope is attached to the skin of a fox and dragged along the ground by the trainer, giving the appearance of moving prey.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Tajik Air: </strong>Tajik Air operates daily flights between the capital, Dushanbe, and Khorugh, the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast in the eastern part of Tajikistan. It has a fleet of just two Antonov An-28s that fly this particular route as other planes struggle to operate on such short runways. Prior to take-off, the old Soviet-built workhorse needs to be manually turned around on the runway before the engines are started.
Tajik Air: Tajik Air operates daily flights between the capital, Dushanbe, and Khorugh, the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast in the eastern part of Tajikistan. It has a fleet of just two Antonov An-28s that fly this particular route as other planes struggle to operate on such short runways. Prior to take-off, the old Soviet-built workhorse needs to be manually turned around on the runway before the engines are started.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Bartang Valley, Tajikistan: </strong>Khorugh is a remote destination in itself, but the real gems of the Gorno-Badakhshan region lie even further afield. A two-hour drive from Khorugh, the Bartang Valley offers some incredible hiking.
Bartang Valley, Tajikistan: Khorugh is a remote destination in itself, but the real gems of the Gorno-Badakhshan region lie even further afield. A two-hour drive from Khorugh, the Bartang Valley offers some incredible hiking.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Glacial lakes: </strong>From Bartang, it's an easy and safe trail up to the village of Jisev, an area only accessible by narrow footpath through the mountains. The trail passes several glacial lakes.
Glacial lakes: From Bartang, it's an easy and safe trail up to the village of Jisev, an area only accessible by narrow footpath through the mountains. The trail passes several glacial lakes.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Tajikistan family home: </strong>This cavernous annex, found in a traditional Tajik home in Buston, is the main room for entertaining guests. There's space upstairs that can be used as additional sleeping quarters. This family and many of their neighbors often entertain. Lunches and dinner parties are incredibly lavish affairs, with course after course of delicious, meticulously prepared food, in addition to the ever-present breads, fruits, candies, jams and tea.
Tajikistan family home: This cavernous annex, found in a traditional Tajik home in Buston, is the main room for entertaining guests. There's space upstairs that can be used as additional sleeping quarters. This family and many of their neighbors often entertain. Lunches and dinner parties are incredibly lavish affairs, with course after course of delicious, meticulously prepared food, in addition to the ever-present breads, fruits, candies, jams and tea.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Jisev, Tajikistan</strong><strong>: </strong>Village life, on the other hand, is humble. Locals don't often eat much meat, as they don't have refrigeration. The buildings are largely constructed of traditional materials, such as mud and wood, and all outside goods are brought up to the village by donkeys. Yet the inside of the buildings are exceedingly comfortable and furnished with many rugs, pillows, decorative wall coverings and/or colorful paint.
Jisev, Tajikistan: Village life, on the other hand, is humble. Locals don't often eat much meat, as they don't have refrigeration. The buildings are largely constructed of traditional materials, such as mud and wood, and all outside goods are brought up to the village by donkeys. Yet the inside of the buildings are exceedingly comfortable and furnished with many rugs, pillows, decorative wall coverings and/or colorful paint.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Local life: </strong>This boy and his father were going down to the riverbed at the bottom of the valley to collect bags of sand, which would later be used to build a new house.
Local life: This boy and his father were going down to the riverbed at the bottom of the valley to collect bags of sand, which would later be used to build a new house.
Alex Sherr/CNN
<strong>Stunning views: </strong>A trip across Central Asia includes long but spectacularly beautiful road trips. The views make up for the less enjoyable aspects of the journey -- including bumpy roads and dust. The M41 highway follows the Panj River (the natural border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan) for hundreds of kilometers.
Stunning views: A trip across Central Asia includes long but spectacularly beautiful road trips. The views make up for the less enjoyable aspects of the journey -- including bumpy roads and dust. The M41 highway follows the Panj River (the natural border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan) for hundreds of kilometers.
Alex Sherr/CNN