Original
Explorer
Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Adventure
18 Days | Step off the beaten track and onto the ancient Silk Road on this revelatory tour through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
4.8
Excellent
4 reviews
18 days
Start
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Finish
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Trip Code
KFSAC
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
16 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
Transport
High speed train, Private vehicle, 4x4 vehicle, Overnight Train, Metro, Taxi
Accommodation
Hotel (13 nights), Yurt Camp (1 night), Homestay (1 night), Camping (1 night), Overnight Train (1 night)
From £3,597(18 days)
Trip Informations
Travel into desert landscapes heavy with romance and mysticism on this adventure through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Walk in the shadows of ancient, blue-tiled buildings in Samarkand, sleep in a yurt under thousands of desert stars and spend an evening at a home stay with a family in the Nuratau Mountains. Watch the sun set over Technicolour minarets in Khiva, learn about life in a desert settlement in Yerbent and revel in the eastern-futurism of Ashgabat. Step off the beaten track and onto the ancient Silk Road in this revelatory tour through ancient lands.
Why you’ll love this trip
This incredible journey takes you through parts of Central Asia that few people can find on a map, let alone have considered travelling to.
The much-photographed Registan in Samarkand is one of the true pinnacles of Islamic architecture. You'll be wowed by the scale, grandeur and beauty of the monuments to iconic figures such as Tamerlane and the Persia-influenced madressas, mosques and mausoleums.
Spend an evening in the isolated Kyzylkum Desert, warming yourself by the fire and sleeping in a yurt.
Get to really know the stories and people of Uzbekistan while sharing home-cooked meals with local families, including a home stay in the remote Nuratau Mountains.
Spend time in World Heritage-listed Bukhara, a 6th-century-BC city that's drenched in history and home to the formidable Ark of Bukhara.
Steeped in Silk Road history and immortalised in many great tales, the UNESCO-protected town of Khiva is as photogenic as it is legendary.
Explore the sprawling ruins of Mary, Merv and other ancient kingdoms and contemplate the remnants of empires that once ruled these vast lands.
Witness the eternal flames of the Darvaza Crater, aka the 'Door to Hell' as you camp nearby – one of the strangest, most mesmerising geological oddities on earth.
Ashgabat rose from the devastation of an earthquake in 1948 and has enjoyed a surreal and futuristic makeover - witness its often bizarre, but certainly memorable architecture on a city tour.
Is this trip right for you?
There are few places like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan on earth - isolated geographically and long secluded politically. It's probably unlike anywhere you have ever been, so be prepared to be surprised and for things to run a little differently to home. Here's some of what to expect:
Central Asia is a remote destination, perfect for intrepid travellers in the true sense of the word! You will venture well away from cities, right off the beaten track and be able to immerse yourself in local food, life and culture.
Accommodation may on occasion be more basic than what you are used to in homestays, guesthouses and yurt stay. Shower and toilet facilities will be limited in some places and non existent in others. While the comfort level won't always be high, the rewards of living in true local style in this far-out part of the world are immeasurable.
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.
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.
There is one night of basic camping included on this trip in the Karakum Desert. Sleeping bags, mattresses and tents are all provided, but there are no bathing or permanent toilet facilities at the campsite.
Itinerary
Inclusions
Meals
16 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
Transport
High speed train, Private vehicle, 4x4 vehicle, Overnight Train, Metro, Taxi
Accommodation
Hotel (13 nights), Yurt Camp (1 night), Homestay (1 night), Camping (1 night), Overnight Train (1 night)
Activities
Bukhara - Ismail Samani Mausoleum
Bukhara - Ark Fortress
Bukhara - Bolo Hauz Mosque
Bukhara - Magoki Attori Mosque
Bukhara - Kalon Minaret & Mosque
Bukhara - Ulugbek Madrasa
Bukhara - Lyabi-Hauz Plaza
Gijduvan - Ceramics workshop
Nuratau - village visit
Nuratau Mountains - Plov cooking demonstration & dinner
Samarkand - Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
Samarkand - Registan Square
Samarkand - Shakh-I-Zinda
Samarkand - Bibi-Khanym Mosque
Tashkent - Chorsu Bazaar
Tashkent - City tour
Tashkent - Amir Timur Square
Tashkent - Khast Imom Complex & Moyie Mubarek Library Museum
Tashkent - Metro tour
Khiva - Islom Hoja Minaret & Medressa
Khiva - Juma Mosque
Khiva - Tosh-Hovli Palace
Khiva - Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum
Khiva - Kuhna Ark
Darvaza - "Door to Hell" Crater
Yerbent - Village visit
Ashgabat - National Museum of Turkmenistan
Ashgabat - Nisa ruins
Ashgabat - Anau ruins
Ashgabat - Independence Monument
Ashgabat - Neutrality Arch
Ashgabat - Turkmenbashy Ruhi Mosque & Family Mausoleum of the First President of Turkmenistan
Ashgabat - Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
Ashgabat - Akhal-Teke horse Hippodrome
Mary - Abiverd ruins
Merv - Big & Small Kizkala
Merv - Erk Kala & Gayur Kala
Merv - Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum
Add on activities
Bukhara - Fayzulla Khojaev House - UZS20000
Bukhara - Sitorai Mohi Hosa Palace - UZS40000
Bukhara - Hammam Bozori Kord - UZS400000
Bukhara - Folklore & Fashion show - UZS70000
Bukhara - Zindon - UZS20000
Samarkand - Ulugbek's Observatory - UZS30000
Samarkand - Tomb of Daniyar - UZS25000
Samarkand - Afrosiab Museum - UZS30000
Samarkand - Siob Bazaar - Free
Tashkent - State Museum of History of Uzbekistan - UZS50000
Tashkent - Museum of Applied Arts - UZS25000
Tashkent - Art Gallery of Uzbekistan - UZS20000
Tashkent - Khast Imom Complex & Moyie Mubarek Library Museum - UZS40000
Carpet Museum - USD5
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Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 4 (Yurt) / Day 5 (Homestay), Day 10 (Overnight train) and Day 12 (Camping) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. This trip is a combination of KFSA & KFSM our most popular itineraries. As such the make up of your group and your leader may change on day 9.
3. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
4. Travel to Turkmenistan requires a Letter of Invitation. Please see Visa section in the Essential Trip Information for instructions.
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