Field Notes from MIR Tour Managers Reporting in from St. Petersburg to Samarkand

Field Notes from MIR Tour Managers Reporting in from St. Petersburg to Samarkand
MIR Corporation / June 1, 2020

In this edition, we feature profiles from some of our tour managers who are reporting in from Central Europe to Central Asia on how they are staying well and wisely spending their time while temporarily off tour manager duty. We hope you enjoy learning about how four MIR tour managers, hailing Prague, Samarkand, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg, are spending their time until they can get back to what they love most – travel.   Read More

Field Notes: Connecting People From Afar – Turkmenistan, Georgia, Russia

Field Notes: Connecting People From Afar – Turkmenistan, Georgia, Russia
MIR Corporation / April 30, 2020

For 35 years, MIR, whose name means peace and world in Russian, has had a singular purpose: connecting people through travel in destinations farther from the familiar. We know from traveler feedback, and as travelers ourselves, that what’s most memorable about a journey is the people you meet along the way—the guides, drivers, tour managers, behind-the-scene coordinators, local villagers in the bazaars, the friendly restaurant wait staff, the families who invite you in to share a meal…While we can only connect from afar at this time, our teams in our affiliated offices in Siberia, Western Russia, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Ukraine together with our network of partners spread from Tbilisi to Tallinn to Tirana are doing their best to stay in good health and stay connected as we all look ahead to the future.We hope you enjoy learning about how MIR people in the field are spending theiraaaRead More

MIR in the News: Rachael Ray Every Day, AFAR, Red Tricycle, Luxury Travel Magazine, and more

MIR in the News: Rachael Ray Every Day, AFAR, Red Tricycle, Luxury Travel Magazine, and more
MIR Corporation / January 9, 2020
MIR in the News

As experts in travel to Central Asia, Russia, Mongolia and beyond, it's always gratifying when word of our tours and destinations is noticed and shared. Here are some of MIR’s recent mentions in the press. Read More

Traveler Spotlight: An Interview with Award-Winning Author Anya von Bremzen on Traveling to Uzbekistan

Traveler Spotlight: An Interview with Award-Winning Author Anya von Bremzen on Traveling to Uzbekistan
MIR Corporation / December 10, 2019
Silk Road

Anya von Bremzen is an award-winning food writer and the author of such delectable cookbooks as Please to the Table and Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking. A passionate foodie, world traveler, and expert on the cultures and cuisines of Russia and the former Soviet Republics, Anya fell in love with the country of Uzbekistan in Central Asia on a trip there in the early 1990s, when it was still a part of the Soviet Union. Ever since that first visit, she dreamed of one day making her return to the Silk Road.After two decades of waiting, news of Uzbekistan’s progressive political and economic changes made over the last few years ultimately convinced Anya that now was the perfect time to revisit. She reached out to MIR to plan her week-long sojourn through the Silk Road — a custom-made sampler of the modern capital of Tashkent, the celebrated city ofaaaRead More

Alluring Albania: 7 Reasons to Visit

Alluring Albania: 7 Reasons to Visit
Kelly Guerra / November 20, 2019
The Balkans

Since stepping out from behind the Iron Curtain, Albania has gone from closed-off Communist country to hidden gem of the travel industry. It’s no surprise that publications like Harper’s Bazaar, the Financial Times, and National Geographic (to name a few) have listed it as one of their top places to visit. With beautiful sandy beaches, sweeping mountain views, rich history, and warm hospitality, it’s easy to fall in love with the enchanting Land of Eagles. Here are some of the things that make Albania so alluring! Read More

6 Ways to Explore the Silk Road by Private Train

6 Ways to Explore the Silk Road by Private Train
MIR Corporation / October 30, 2019
Central Asia

During our 30 years of operation, we’ve seen interest in travel to Central Asia skyrocket, and we couldn’t be happier that one of our longtime favorite regions has grown in popularity. The Five ‘Stans are rich repositories of treasures waiting to be discovered. And MIR has mined years of expertise and insider knowledge about them. Read More

MIR’s Uzbekistan & Silk Road Expertise Spotlighted in AFAR Magazine

MIR’s Uzbekistan & Silk Road Expertise Spotlighted in AFAR Magazine
MIR Corporation / October 21, 2019
Silk Road

Anya von Bremzen is an award-winning food writer and the author of such delectable cookbooks as Please to the Table and Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking. A passionate foodie, world traveler, and expert on the cultures and cuisines of Russia and the former Soviet Republics, Anya fell in love with the country of Uzbekistan in Central Asia on a trip there in the early 1990s, when it was still a part of the Soviet Union. Ever since that first visit, she dreamed of one day making her return to the Silk Road. After two decades of waiting, news of Uzbekistan's progressive political and economic changes made over the last few years ultimately convinced Anya that now was the perfect time to revisit. She embarked on a custom-made Silk Road sampler through the modern capital, Tashkent, as well as the legendary oasis cities of Bukhara and Samarkand, all arranged with the help of MIR Corporation. Anya shared her experiences of her ultimate Uzbekistan adventure in the November/December issue of AFAR Magazine. Read More

Postcard from the Road: A Visit to Remote Villages in Kyrgyzstan

Postcard from the Road: A Visit to Remote Villages in Kyrgyzstan
MIR Corporation / September 20, 2019
Silk Road

Tour Manager Michel Behar shared some photos from the road while traveling on MIR’s Pamir Highway: From the Tien Shan to the High Pamirs small group tour in August. While journeying through remote villages on "the Silk Road Less Traveled," Michel and his tour group met with several families of semi-nomads in Kyrgyzstan. Read More

Postcard from the Road: A Mystical Shaman Ceremony in the Remote Siberian Wilderness

Postcard from the Road: A Mystical Shaman Ceremony in the Remote Siberian Wilderness
MIR Corporation / August 19, 2019
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Russia

While in Kyzyl, a small Siberian village in remote Tuva, Tatiana took one of our favorite photos from her trip: a photo of a shaman ceremony. The photo was taken about halfway through the trip, when the group met with a shaman for a demonstration of an authentic ceremony. Tuvan shamanism is based on an animistic spiritual belief that used to be an integral part of Tuvan life and, to some extent, still is. Shamans intercede for people with the spirit world, the unseen world that pervades the Tuvan’s environment. Read More