Summary
Get a taste of Central Asia's charm on this 16-day trip through ancient silk road towns and bustling bazaars. Visit four out of the five Stans as you travel the Kazak steppe and Uzbek Silk Road towns by train. Starting in Bishkek, visit the clear waters of Issyk-kul Lake, cross the border to the charming Almaty, catch an overnight train to Uzbekistan and seek out the delicious plov, then explore the white marbled capital of Ashgabat. Spend a night in a traditional yurt camp near Issyk-kul Lake, hike the flaming red rocks at Jety Ogus, toast with locally produced wine to a Kazak home-cooked feast and learn about the full Silk Road history in the blue-hued mosques, madrasas and ruins in Samarkand, Bukhara and Merv.
Short Itinerary / Route
- Day 1
- Bishkek
- Day 2
- Bishkek
- Day 3
- Issyk-Kul Lake
- Day 4
- Karakol
- Day 5
- Almaty
- Day 6
- Almaty
- Day 7
- Tashkent
- Day 8
- Tashkent
- Day 9
- Samarkand
- Day 10
- Samarkand
- Day 11
- Bukhara
- Day 12
- Bukhara
- Day 13
- Mary
- Day 14
- Ashgabat
- Day 15
- Ashgabat
- Day 16
- Ashgabat
Countries (4): Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Travel Cities (8): Almaty, Ashgabat, Bishkek, Bucchara, Karakol, Osh, Samarkand, Tashkent