Original
Explorer
Highlights of Central Asia
location_on 16 days
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Start
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
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Finish
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
tour
Trip Code
KFSH
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Min Age
15
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Trip Size
1 - 12
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Physical Rating
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Meals
14 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
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Transport
Private Vehicle, High Speed Train, Overnight Train
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (12 nights), Overnight train (1 night), Tourist yurt camp (1 night), Guest house (1 night)
From £3,773(16 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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Discover the history and former glory of the Silk Road with visits to the ancient trade towns and ruins in Bukhara, Samarkand and Merv.
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Rub shoulders with the locals at bazaars, hear about their daily life and learn about how to make plov with a local family in Samarkand.
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Spend a night in the yurt camp near Issyk-kul Lake. Taste the popular Kygyz snack boorsook, see how Kyrgyz carpets are made and enjoy a peaceful night under the stars, living like a local nomad.
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Explore Central Asia’s landscape on short hikes to the flaming red rocks in Jety Oguz and the Charyn Canyon in Kazakhstan.
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Unveil the mysterious Turkmenistan in its white capital of Ashgabat, which rose from the devastation of an earthquake in 1948 and see the futuristic transformation the city has gone through on a city tour with your local leader.
Is this trip right for you?
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Tourism is strictly controlled in Turkmenistan, with Letters of Invitation needed in advance in order to apply for your visa (which you can then get on arrival) and guides tending to be protective of what tourists see and fiercely proud of their nation and its leaders. Those used to more freedom of exploration and tour guides with a more global perspective may find their experience here different from in other destinations.
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As there are a number of long travel days, plenty of time spent on your feet and days can be hot and dusty, you'll need excellent general health and fitness to get the most out if this trip.
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You'll spend a night in a yurt camp, which is the traditional dwelling of the nomadic people in Kyrgyzstan. You'll stay in multi-share yurts with basic toilet facilities set up separately. The conditions may be modest, but it's a rewarding experience to be somewhere truly unique!
verified
Tourism is strictly controlled in Turkmenistan, with Letters of Invitation needed in advance in order to apply for your visa (which you can then get on arrival) and guides tending to be protective of what tourists see and fiercely proud of their nation and its leaders. Those used to more freedom of exploration and tour guides with a more global perspective may find their experience here different from in other destinations.
verified
As there are a number of long travel days, plenty of time spent on your feet and days can be hot and dusty, you'll need excellent general health and fitness to get the most out if this trip.
verified
You'll spend a night in a yurt camp, which is the traditional dwelling of the nomadic people in Kyrgyzstan. You'll stay in multi-share yurts with basic toilet facilities set up separately. The conditions may be modest, but it's a rewarding experience to be somewhere truly unique!
Itinerary
Explore the highlights of Central Asia from Bishkek to Ashgabat
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.
- DAY 1Day 1 • Bishkek
- DAY 2Day 2 • Bishkek
- DAY 3Day 3 • Lake Issyk Kul
- DAY 4Day 4 • Karakol
- DAY 5Day 5 • Almaty
- DAY 6Day 6 • Almaty
- DAY 7Day 7 • Overnight train to Tashkent
- DAY 8Day 8 • Tashkent
- DAY 9Day 9 • Samarkand
- DAY 10Day 10 • Samarkand
- DAY 11Day 11 • Bukhara
- DAY 12Day 12 • Bukhara
- DAY 13Day 13 • Mary
- DAY 14Day 14 • Ashgabat
- DAY 15Day 15 • Ashgabat
- DAY 16Day 16 • Ashgabat
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
14 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
airport_shuttle Transport
Private Vehicle, High Speed Train, Overnight Train
bed Accommodation
Hotel (12 nights), Overnight train (1 night), Tourist yurt camp (1 night), Guest house (1 night)
festival Included activities
circleBishkek - City walking tour
circleIssyk-kul Lake - Kyrgyz carpet making demonstration
circleIssyk-kul Lake - Kyrgyz Elechek Demonstration
circleIssyk-kul Lake - Boorsok Cooking Demonstration
circleShamsy Valley - Burana tower
circleBarbulak - Kyrgyz family visit and home-cooked lunch
circleKarakol - Jety Oguz Visit
circleKarakol - Skazka Canyon Visit
circleIssyk-Kul Lake - Yurt workshop
circleAlmaty - Charyn Canyon Hike
circleAlmaty - Panfilov Park
circleAlmaty - Zenkov Cathedral
circleAlmaty - Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments
circleAlmaty - Winery visit with tasting and home-cooked lunch
circleTashkent - Leader-led orientation walk
circleSamarkand - Plov cooking demonstration & family visit
circleSamarkand - Bibi-Khanym Mosque
circleSamarkand - Registan Square
circleSamarkand - Siob Bazaar
circleBukhara - Taki Zargaron Trading Dome
circleBukhara - Lyabi Khauz Complex
circleBukhara - Ismail Samani Mausoleum
circleBukhara - Ark Fortress
circleBukhara - Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace
circleMerv - Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum
circleMerv - Erk Kala & Gayur Kala
circleMerv - Big & Small Kizkala
circleAshgabat - Independence Monument
circleAshgabat - Anau ruins
circleAshgabat - Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
circleAshgabat - Akhal - Teke horse farm
circleAshgabat - Neutrality Arch
circleAshgabat - Turkmenbashy Ruhi Mosque & Family Mausoleum of the First President of Turkmenistan
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Saturday Apr 04, 2026
Sunday Apr 19, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,773
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Saturday Apr 11, 2026
Sunday Apr 26, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,773
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Saturday Apr 25, 2026
Sunday May 10, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,922
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Saturday May 02, 2026
Sunday May 17, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,065
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Saturday May 09, 2026
Sunday May 24, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,065
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Saturday May 16, 2026
Sunday May 31, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,065
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Saturday May 23, 2026
Sunday Jun 07, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,922
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Saturday May 30, 2026
Sunday Jun 14, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,922
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Saturday Jun 06, 2026
Sunday Jun 21, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 10 spaces left
£3,773
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Saturday Aug 15, 2026
Sunday Aug 30, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,773
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Saturday Sep 05, 2026
Sunday Sep 20, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,922
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Saturday Sep 12, 2026
Sunday Sep 27, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£3,922
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Saturday Sep 19, 2026
Sunday Oct 04, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,065
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Saturday Sep 26, 2026
Sunday Oct 11, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,065
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Saturday Oct 03, 2026
Sunday Oct 18, 2026
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£4,065
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Important notes
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1. A single supplement is available for booking, excluding for Day 3 (yurt) and Day 7 (overnight train), subject to availability. Please contact your booking agent if you are interested.
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2. This is a multi-country trip. Please read the ‘Passports, visas and entry requirements’ section of the Essential Trip Information carefully. You should travel on one passport for the duration, as entering and exiting countries on different passports will cause issues at immigration.
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3. We require key documents from you no later than 90 days before the trip to apply for your Letter of Invitation to Turkmenistan.
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4. Independent travel isn’t allowed in Turkmenistan. If you have post-trip accommodation booked with us, you can explore nearby your hotel, but please don’t take any photos. Please avoid spending more than 3 days after your trip in Ashgabat as this may negatively impact your LOI application.
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5. While travelling in Turkmenistan, you won’t have access to social media and some websites. If you need to stay connected, consider arranging a VPN before leaving home.
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