Summary Five countries, three weeks, one epic trip along the Silk Road through the heart of Central Asia  Short Itinerary / Route
- Day 1
- Arrive Almaty, Kazakhstan; Half-Day City Tour
- Day 2
- Visit Medeo Gorge And Enjoy Cable Car Trips For Pa...
- Day 3
- Charyn Canyon, Into Kyrgyzstan To Karakol
- Day 4
- Karakol Sightseeing; Issyk Kul Lake Via Cholpon-At...
- Day 5
- Drive To Bishkek; Visit The 11Th-Century Unesco-Li...
- Day 6
- Bishkek Sightseeing
- Day 7
- Transfer To Jalal Abad In Fergana Valley Of Kyrgyz...
- Day 8
- Full Day Exploring Arslanbob
- Day 9
- Explore Osh In Fergana Valley; Visit Sacred Sulaym...
- Day 10
- Margilan, Rishtan And Kokand; Cross Into Tajikista...
- Day 11
- Khujand Tour; Drive To Penjikent; Explore Istaravs...
- Day 12
- Explore The Seven Lakes In The Fann Mountains
- Day 13
- Penjikent Sightseeing Tour, Sarazm; Cross Border T...
- Day 14
- Samarkand Tour And Sightseeing
- Day 15
- Drive To Bukhara Via Gijduvan; Visit The Sitora-I-...
- Day 16
- Bukhara
- Day 17
- Drive To Khiva Via Kyzylkum Desert
- Day 18
- Explore The Desert Castles Of Khorezm
- Day 19
- Khiva Walking Tour; Cross Border To Turkmenistan; ...
- Day 20
- Visit Kunya-Urgench; Drive To Darvaza Crater, The ...
- Day 21
- National Museum Of Turkmenistan; Nisa
- Day 22
- Ashgabat Sightseeing Tour
- Day 23
- End Ashgabat
Countries (5): Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Travel Cities (10): Almaty, Ashgabat, Bishkek, Bucchara, Darvaza Gas Crater, Karakol, Khiva, Osh, Panjakent, Samarkand Details Vast deserts, rolling steppe, fertile valleys and majestic mountains form the backdrop to the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia, which are commonly known as the Five Stans. Among this changing and varied landscape are traditional villages, ancient towns and modern cities, which tell a tale of advancing Greek and Persian armies, marauding Mongolian hordes, traders selling wares along the Silk Road, philosophers, astronomers, Communist experiments and post-Soviet eccentrics. Journey past giant burning gas pits, intricately tiled mosques, alpine lakes bordered by yurt camps, grand monuments, rural villages and colourful markets on this epic trip through the heart of Central Asia.About this trip: We have two versions of this trip, which have different departure dates. One starts in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and ends in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the other runs in reverse. Apart from the direction of travel, the two itineraries are similar, the main difference is the route taken through Kyrgyzstan and the accommodation there. This itinerary (The Five Stans of the Silk Road - Reverse), which runs from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, includes Chon-Kemin and Bishkek and stays in guesthouses and hotels rather than yurts. The Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, to Almaty, Kazakhstan, itinerary (The Five Stans of the Silk Road), includes Son Kul Lake and there are three nights staying in yurts in Kyrgyzstan.Both itineraries include a night in a yurt in Turkmenistan. |
Included in Price - Common dishes in the region include shish-kebabs and plov (rice usually with mutton, onions, carrots, spices, raisins and peas). The kebabs can be from different meats, including lamb and beef, while plov is a rice-based dish (variants elsewhere are known as pilaf or pilau rice). Another main staple is bread, especially in Uzbekistan where it is freshly baked and sold everywhere; in Turkmenistan, churek is a flat, round bread baked in clay ovens. Other traditional dishes include chorba, a meat and vegetable soup; manty, steamed dumplings filled with lamb; qu’urma, a lamb dish; ichlekli, a meat and onion pie; and gutap, a pie filled with meat, potatoes, spinach and pumpkin. There are normally a couple of opportunities to try home-cooked meals. Tea is also plentiful, both black and green, and drunk with most meals and throughout the day. Please note, vegetarian food choices are limited. If you are vegetarian or have any special dietary requirements, please notify us well in advance. In this region, the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring such specialised dietary items from home. Drinking water is included and where possible will be provided in large containers for you to refill your bottle from – please bring a reusable bottle with you.
- All accommodation
- All breakfasts, one lunch, and two dinners
- All transport and listed activities
- Western tour leader throughout (plus a local guide in each country)
- Arrival transfers for any flight, one departure transfer
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