This cooperation is part of our vision to promote sustainable tourism in connection with existing local infrastructure, businesses and the community.
As in many other cultures, bread is a staple in the daily meal structure in central asia. We at Toodo want to show you how this bread, called Tandyr nan (lepehska), is made and offer you the opportunity to watch the process and bake a bread of your own! Even if you are not staying with us overnight, we are happy to share this experience with you.
Since bread baking has a long tradition and proud craftmansship, many bakeries put their unique stamp onto it – literally! To do so, the baker stamps the dough with a so called chekich. This creates a beautiful pattern on an otherwise plain surface.
The baking then is done inside the oven, the Tandyr, which is shaped like a water well with the top leaning inwards, creating a smaller opening. The bread is slapped onto the inside walls of the oven and removed with a wooden peel.
Afterwards it is placed onto steel and mesh frames to cool down.
The bakeries usually operate at night and deliver their bread in the morning to vendors, restaurants, mosques, etc. So to observe and participate, you will visit the bakery late in the day.
We can organize the transport to and from the bakery for you and, as said before, you don’t need to be our guests to join us!
As of now, the hosts, who are family members of Toodo’s team, do not speak english but we can arrange for an english speaking person guiding you through the steps of baking the bread. Their and our long term goal is to improve their english though and tell you about their craft themselves.
Core information
- Place of tour: Tokmok
- Duration: ~ 30 – 45min
- Transportation: not included but we can help arranging it
- Price: 500 Som per person
What we provide
- English/russian speaking guide
- Tea flatrate
- Keep a bread of your own baking
For more information and to book a tour, contact us here.