Salom! Welcome to Uzbekistan. Your adventure begins in Tashkent, the nation’s capital and Central Asia’s main hub, with a welcome meeting at 6 pm where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. Tonight, maybe get to know your group over dinner in the city – ask your leader for the best restaurant recommendations! It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Leave for Samarkand this morning on the bullet train. When you arrive in the afternoon, head out to explore your first Silk Road town – Samarkand. Visit the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the resting place of Timur – the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. The story goes that this crypt was opened in 1941 by a Soviet anthropologist, who found an inscription on Timur’s gravestone essentially saying, ‘He who opens this will be defeated by an enemy more fearsome than I.’ Then, it’s on to the magnificent Registan – there’s perhaps no more well-known site in Central Asia than this grand city square. This was once a gathering place where locals would hear royal announcements and watch public executions. Stop by the Bibi-Khanym Mosque for an impressive example of Islamic architecture, built for Timur by his wife, Bibi Khanym. The evening is free to do as you wish. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 to 4 hours. Your leader may adjust the timing of visits depending on the weather and season of your visit as Uzbekistan can get incredibly hot in the summer.

Continue to soak in the ancient sites and modern buzz of Samarkand today. You’ll visit Shah-i-Zinda, an avenue of mausoleums decorated with blue tiles – its most sacred shrine is built around what’s thought to be the grave of Qusam Ibn Abbas, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. Then, you’ll have some free time to uncover more of this Silk Road city at your own pace. Maybe head to Ulugbek’s Observatory, the Tomb of Daniyar or the Afrosiab Museum, or wander the Siyob Bazaar where you’ll find fresh local produce and regional handicrafts.

Drive to Nurata today, which archaeological remains suggest was inhabited thousands of years ago. This is where Alexander the Great built the Nur Fortress in the 4th century BC, the ruins of which can still be seen today. Visit the Chashma Complex, an incredible and much revered Islamic pilgrimage site that has inspired many legends and tales. Centred around a sacred, mineral-rich spring that maintains a constant temperature of about 20° C, the site is also home to the massive Juma Mosque and schools of sacred, protected fish. Then, enjoy a homecooked lunch with an Uzbek family and learn how their national dish of plov is made. After, travel into the Kyzylkum Desert to spend the night sleeping in yurts. Maybe take a dip into Lake Aydarkul and spend the evening by the campfire, stargazing under a desert sky glittering with thousands of stars. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours. At camp, the yurts will be multi-share with a maximum of 4 people in one yurt. There are toilet and shower facilities shared at the camp, although there may not be constant hot water possible in the desert.

Continue to Bukhara today. Located on the ancient Silk Road, Bukhara was historically an important regional and global hub and has a long history of invasions by both Genghis Khan and the Soviet Red Army. After checking into your hotel, you’ll go on a guided walking tour to explore the historic buildings that fill the town centre. Visit the Ark of Bukhara, a fortress that was occupied from the 5th century until it was bombed by the Red Army in 1920, the Bolo Hauz Mosque, with its elegantly carved wooden pillars, and the Ismail Samani Mausoleum – a shrine built around the 10th century and thought to have survived Genghis Khan’s invasion because it had been buried in a flood. It was discovered and excavated in the 20th century and has become a popular spot for pilgrims and local residents, who regard it as sacred. Your travel time for today will be approximately 4 hours.

With more than 100 monuments scattered throughout Bukhara, there’s plenty more to explore today. Set out on a full-day guided tour through the best of this well-preserved ancient city. Visit the iconic Kalon Mosque and Minaret, the Lyabi-Hauz Plaza (built about 400 years ago, surrounding a pool) and the Chor Minor gatehouse. You’ll also stop at Ulugbek Madrasah (the oldest madrasah in Central Asia) and Maghoki-Attar – Central Asia’s oldest surviving mosque, built in the 12th century on the ruins of a former Buddhist monastery and Zorostrian temple. If you’ve still got the energy after a full day of exploring, maybe go on an optional visit to Bozori Kord Hamam – the oldest Turkish-style bathhouse in Bukhara. Then, enjoy a free evening – your leader can help with suggestions on where to find some authentic Uzbek dishes for dinner tonight.

Get an early start today to catch a local train to Urgench, then transfer to Khiva. Many global powers have laid claim to this city over the centuries, from Khans to Silk Road traders and the Soviet Union. Get acquainted with Khiva on a short orientation walk with your leader, then maybe find a good spot to watch the sunset over this ancient city. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours.

This morning, join your local guide to explore more of this ancient city. See the incredible blue-tiled Kalta Minor Minaret and the Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah. Explore the Kuhna Ark – the ‘citadel within a citadel’ that once housed the Khan and his family in the 17th century – then, get a view from above from the Ak-Sheikh Baba Observatory. Visit the towering Islom Hoja Minaret – the tallest building in Khiva – and explore the Juma Mosque. Wander through the elaborately decorated courtyards connected by winding corridors at the Tosh-Hovli Palace. This evening, you’ll have a briefing with your new trip leader in preparation for travelling to Turkmenistan tomorrow. Please note that there’s an extra charge of 10USD per person if you wish to go up Islom Hoja Minaret. This evening, meet with your new leader and group for a briefing for entering into Turkmenistan for the next leg of your adventure.

Today is a long travel day – this morning, say goodbye to Uzbekistan and cross the border into Turkmenistan. After border formalities, you’ll meet your new leader and continue to Dashoguz. When you arrive, visit a local bazaar and stretch your legs. Then, hop into 4WDs and drive to Darvaza. This village in the middle of the Karakum Desert is famous for the ‘Gates of Hell’ – this gas crater, formally known as the Darvaza Crater, is an astounding 70-m-wide, 30-m-deep pit that’s permanently aflame. Soviet oil prospectors started drilling in 1971 expecting to find oil, and the ground collapsed. Worried about the gas released into the air, they deliberately set the crater on fire to burn off the excess, expecting it to last a few weeks. As you’ll see today, they were wrong, and the crater has been burning ever since. When you arrive, take a walk around the crater and learn about the flora and fauna of the desert. Watch the sunset over the flames from your nearby yurt camp and tuck into a picnic dinner. Your travel time today will be approximately 12 hours, including border crossing, stops and breaks. The border crossing can take 2 to 3 hours, depending on the volume of people crossing. A lot of patience is required with this process and it can be lengthy. You'll say goodbye to your Uzbekistan leader, and your Turkmenistan leader will meet you on the other side of the border. A transfer at the border will be organised by the border authorities, and you'll need to pay USD1 on each side for this transfer. Please note that Tuuur has no control over the border crossing process, and this is the nature of travelling in this unknown part of the world. The road conditions to Darvaza Crater are rough and bumpy, but there's no alternative route. Depending on the group size, the group may be split into more than one vehicle for the journey. You'll sleep in yurt camps tonight. There will be 4 to 6 people sharing one yurt and facilities are basic and shared. It may be a basic stay tonight, but it'll be a unique experience staying in a traditional yurt camp in the desert.

Drive to the village of Nohur via Ashgabat today, passing through the desert and into the Kopet Dag Mountains that separate Turkmenistan from Iran. On the way, you’ll stop to stretch your legs and take photos with visits to a mud crater, a water crater and the village of Yerbent. When you arrive in Ashgabat, stop for lunch and change to minibuses for the dusty winding roads to Nohur. When you arrive at your guesthouse in the afternoon, you’ll watch how the locals weave keteni – a spun silk fabric. Maybe take a walk to see the distinctive local graves, marked by the horns of mountain goats, and then along the shepherd’s trails that pass by waterfalls and swimming holes. Tonight, you’ll have a traditional home-cooked dinner prepared by your hosts. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours. Tonight, you’ll stay in local guesthouses. They don’t have beds, so you’ll be sleeping on the floor on a mattress, with blankets and pillows provided. There will be 4 people sharing one room at the guest house. The amenities are simple, with a toilet and shower outside.

Have a traditional breakfast in the guesthouse this morning, then head out to learn more about the village lifestyle of local Turkmen tribes. You’ll meet with the residents here who are a part of the Nohur ethnic group, who consider themselves to be descendants of Alexander the Great. Wander around the local cemetery, distinctly marked by mountain goat horns, and learn about the peoples’ customs, traditions and spirituality. After, visit Gyz Bibi Cave – a place of local pilgrimage. See an 800-year-old Cynar tree, then say goodbye to the village and head to Ashgabat. Along the way, you’ll visit a local horse breeder’s farm for a cooking demonstration where you’ll see how to prepare baursaki (fried bread). Watch the process of frying the dough in oil, then maybe try it out for yourself! Watch bread being cooked in a tandoor (a mud oven), then sit down with your host to enjoy some of the treats as you learn about his family and his passion for Akhal-Teke horses – this breed of horse is specific to the region and have a reputation for their speed, endurance, intelligence and distinctive metallic sheen. Later, continue to Ashgabat, where you’ll spend the night. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

Take a full day to wrap your head around this desert city on an immersive guided tour. First, visit the ancient settlement of Nisa, built in the 3rd century BC. See the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, built to honour those killed in the Battle of Geok Tepe in 1881, in WWII and in the 1948 earthquake. Then, head out of town to the ruins of Anau. The crumbling remains of the 15th-century mosque still attracts the devout, who come to pray and make offerings. Wander the Russian Bazaar to see locals doing their daily shopping and maybe taste some samosas, doner kebabs and sweet melon. See the local Turkmen’s handmade souvenirs and maybe choose something special to bring home. This afternoon, take in the four-pointed minarets of the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque. You’ll then have some free time to relax and recharge before an evening visit to the monuments of Archabil Avenue, including the Neutrality Arch.

Rise and shine for the drive to Mary (pronounced ‘Mah-rih’). The somewhat ostentatious displays of wealth in this city can be traced to the long-running gas and cotton industries. When you arrive, settle into your hotel, then head out to wander through the lively bazaar with your leader. Drive out to Merv, also known as Margiana or Margush, and spend some time exploring Turkmenistan's most recognised site. This sprawling UNESCO World Heritage site is home to numerous walled structures from various periods spread across a 1200-hectare area. See impressive columns smoothed by wind and time at the Great Kyz Kala and walk hills that were once the fortress walls of Erk Kala. While not the most impressive visually, Gyaur Kala dates to 400 BC and has a fascinating history. Spend some time exploring these relics of grand empires, then return to Mary for some free time. Maybe visit the Mary Regional Museum – housed in a palace of white marble, the museum features archaeological displays and exhibitions on traditional Turkmen life and culture. Your travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours.

This morning after breakfast, head out to see the local Orthodox Church and spend some more time wandering around Mary’s city centre before returning to Ashgabat – the ‘City of White Marble’. Arrive in the late afternoon and head out again as the sun goes down to walk along the promenade with your group. Maybe find somewhere for dinner and celebrate your final night on this incredible adventure. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

With no further activities planned, your trip comes to an end today after breakfast. If you need help with organising a transfer to the airport, just speak to your leader.