The Timeless Appeal of the Republic of Georgia
MIR’s Vice President, Annie Lucas, loves Georgia and shares her insider's list of reasons that Georgia has everything a traveler could ask for in a destination. Read More
Traveler Spotlight: Bill Altaffer, One of the World’s Most Traveled People
Bill Altaffer, MIR traveler extraordinaire, had the honor of being named the “World’s Most Traveled Person” in 2005, on the website Most Traveled People.com. The website has calculated that “…the land area on Earth is made up of 875 parts.” Altaffer worked hard for that moniker, chalking up 822 “parts” of the globe by 2018. Here are some of his travel stories and tips for the aspiring world traveler, and find out why these days he’s most interested in getting more granular in his travels. Read More
Captivating Kashgar: What to See & Do in China’s Ancient Silk Road Oasis
Two-thousand-year-old Kashgar is unlike any other place in China — brimming with intoxicating bazaars, vibrant street life, and a brilliant mosaic of cultures, flavors, and artistic traditions. With its maze-like Old Town and famous Sunday Animal Market, Kashgar still retains the exotic air and immense appeal of medieval Asia. But change is afoot. Controversial government redevelopment projects have already drastically transformed the look and feel of the Old Town, as city blocks have been demolished and replaced with modern buildings and tourist-friendly zones. More reconstruction efforts are slated for the future, so the time to experience Kashgar's mercantile spirit of old is now, before the city changes forever. Here are some of our favorite ways to explore this colorful and captivating Silk Road city. Read More
Book Your 2019 Trip Now & Save
There’s no better time to start looking ahead to all the places you want to check off your bucket list in 2019. Whether you want to fulfill your own personal travel dreams or give an unforgettable gift to someone you care for, now is a great opportunity to set your 2019 travel plans in motion. For a limited time, MIR has a variety of special offers available on select small group tours and rail journeys by private train – but many of them expire soon! Read More
The Ultimate Travel Guide to Ulan Ude: Why This Siberian City Will Surprise You
In the middle of Russia just east of Lake Baikal is one of Siberia’s coolest cities, Ulan Ude. A smallish city of some 400,000, Ulan Ude is the capital of the Buryat Republic, a federal subject of Russia with a decidedly Mongolian flavor. Ulan Ude is a surprising destination with lots of unexpected things to do and see – and it’s under the radar for most travelers. Now is the time to explore it, while the old traditions are still practiced and the crowds are small. Here are five of our favorites found in this captivating Siberian city… Read More
Traveler Spotlight: Mongolian Explorer Chronicled in ITN
MIR traveler Jim Delmonte and his wife Sandy were inspired to join MIR’s ambitious small group tour, Mongolian Explorer: The Gobi & Beyond with Naadam Festival, after seeing an ad in International Travel News (ITN). Coming full circle, Jim’s article describing their experience recently appeared in an issue of ITN. Read More
Travel Guide to the Romanov’s Russia: Significant Sites of Russian Royalty
For 305 years, the powerful Romanov dynasty ruled the empire. The panorama of Russia’s pre-revolutionary past is a real-life Game of Thrones, filled with intrigue and high-minded reform, betrayal and murder, golden years and a tragic ending. Explore the dramatic history of Russia’s Romanov emperors and empresses with our Travel Guide to the Romanov's Russia and download our handy Romanov Family Tree PDF to reference on your journey. Read More
Traveler’s Tale: Impressions of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan’s Peculiar Capital City
MIR Tour Specialist Nathan Cox was born and raised in Utah, but has spent much of his adult life living and working in Russia and Ukraine. Since then, he’s traveled to a number of MIR's destinations, including China, Central Asia, the Baltics, and Europe. Here, Nathan shares his impressions and memories of his recent travels to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's strange and fascinating capital city. Read More
Travel Guide to Estonia: The Beauty on the Baltic Sea
Under the radar for most western travelers, Estonia offers an authentic connection with nature, while its towns, cities, and backwaters enjoy all the advantages of its reputation as the most wired country on earth. Read More
There’s Never Been a Better Time to Travel to Uzbekistan
With the election of President Shavkat Mirziyoev, the country is seeing infrastructure and relations improvements that make Uzbekistan a much easier place to get around — and that much more appealing for would-be travelers. There’s never been a better time to travel to Uzbekistan than now! Make your plans now to explore this off-the-beaten-path destination before it becomes the next travel hotspot. Read More
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