Entrenched in a rich and turbulent past, conquered by Huns, Turks and Mongols, Central Asia has long been home to marauding bandits and nomadic tribes. After falling to Russian Imperialism at the turn of the last century, the Central Asia of today is emerging into independence under the shadow of the fall of communism, the latest chapter in its assorted history. Its breathtaking geography matches its cultural diversity. From the oil rich Caspian Sea in the west to the fringes of the searing Taklomakan Desert in the east, there's an abundance of high pastures and spectacular lakes, stunning glacial views and rugged wilderness.

It's a region of daunting physical barriers - temperatures as high as 72 degrees Centigrade have been recorded in the Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan, while the very meaning of the Taklomakan Desert translates ominously as: 'Go in, but don't come out...' Despite this, there were always those enterprising enough to load up their caravans and establish trade routes. Dating back to the fourth century BC, cargoes of silk were transported from China to Ancient Greece, following what was later coined the 'Silk Road'. Retracing this ancient trade route that stretched from Beijing to Europe, our journey will focus on Central Asia. Leading us from the Ottoman capital of Istanbul to the Islamic Republic of Iran, we'll travel across the bleak deserts of Turkmenistan, home to tent dwelling nomads, to Uzbekistan's great walled cities of Khiva, Samarkand and Bochara. Cultural centres of the Silk Road, these architecturally extravagant cities were renowned throughout the Muslim world, dotted with intricately tiled mosques and slender minarets.

We'll be referring to journals kept in secret by the players of the Great Game - the shadowy war waged over inner Asia between Britain and Russia at the turn of the nineteenth century - to underpin the journey with a European historical context. By riding the lonely passes these officers once mapped, disguised as horse traders and holymen, we'll compare their notes with the great Central Asian cities of the Silk Road as they stand today. An important layer in the area's history, these diaries will help us understand the changes the countries have undergone since communism and reflect on their emergence into independence.

Equally fascinating are the nomadic traditions that have evolved around such rugged landscapes, notably those of Kyrgyzstan. High pastures, glaciers and lakes, horseback riding and sheep's head banquets, all ingredients in this mesmerising and hospitable country. Judging from our previous experiences, we hope to receive invitations into summer yurts - round collapsible homes made from felt - drink kumys - fermented mare's milk - and even let the children, expert horse riders almost before they can walk, take a ride on the tandem. Our destination, Kashgar, is home to central Asia's most famous Sunday market. Every week,

traders, displaying a colourful array of hats, wispy beards and Asiatic features, gather to sell animals, test-drive horses and have their heads shaved in its bustling streets.

Soviet Central Asian History

To the backdrop of the First World War, the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 brought far reaching changes across Russia and her territories, as the process of forming a Soviet state began. Having expanded into Central Asia since the nineteenth century, it wasn't until 1936 that borders were laid down by Stalin, over a land where identity had traditionally been forged through religion, tribe and location. Five brand new nations were formed, each with its own ethnic profile, language and territory, carefully fashioned to ensure unrest and the continual need for a strong central government in Moscow. Moulded by communist ideals, the ensuing years brought with them a rise in the standard of living through healthcare and education, as well as control and suppression.

Gorbachov's perestroika created renewed change, including violence, unrest and ultimately independence in 1991. Today, a full cycle has turned. These five new countries are open once again, struggling to deal with the fall of communism and the emergence of capitalism, whilst rekindling traditions suppressed under Soviet rule. As the Russians return to their motherland, the Central Asia that is left alone once more is a land of the surreal - the decay of a collapsed empire on an epic scale. Statues of Lenin are gone, streets are renamed and memorabilia lies scattered across the region. It's everywhere to be seen. In Kazakhstan a space observatory stands in a state of rusty disrepair; an ice rink, built to train champions in an era of Soviet sports domination, now hosts pop concerts; the waters of Issykul Lake in Kyrgyzstan no longer churn with the testing of nuclear submarines. Each new country is dealing with this emergence in its own way. Over the course of the ride, we hope to comment on the situation in the countries through which we will be travelling.

A Tale of Adventure - The Great Game

Within the history of world politics lies a fascinating but little known period revolving around Central Asi: The Great Game. Just as Victorian Britain colonised vast regions around the globe, the nineteenth century saw Tsarist Imperial Russia battle local tribes and extreme weather to expand her 'spheres of interest' across Central Asia. Fears grew in Britain of a master plan to engulf British India, the 'Jewel in the Crown'. In this largely unchartered region of the world, a clandestine war began, an imperial chess game that was coined the Great Game by the British and the Tournament of Shadows by the Russians. It was a war fought far from home, in which both empires sent out young rival officers, disguised as horse traders and holymen. Slipping across the region, these early 'superspies' bought out local khans with gold and promises, braving the bandits that roamed the area, as they sought to gather intelligence for their masters.

As well as witnessing the political and social changes wrought by the fall of communism, we'll be underpinning the travel aspect of the ride by retracing the paths of some of the Great Game's most resourceful characters. These steely individuals include Colonel FM Bailey, a master of disguise and languages. Bailey once masqueraded as a Bolshevik agent with the bizarre task of tracking himself down. His journal of incredible escapades were later published in the book, 'Mission to Tashkent.' Other more sinister characters include Buddhist Baron Ungern-Sternberg. The 'Mad Baron' believed he was the reincarnation of Genghis Khan and dreamed of reuniting the Mongol empire... These events have been expertly compiled in the books of Peter and Kathleen Hopkirk, our inspiration in exploring these fascinating countries.