Ancient Silk Road Cities - The Five Stans
- Best price guaranteed
- No booking fees
- COVID-19protected
- Young Adults
- Customizable
- duration 23 days
- tour type Small group Request as private
- age requirement 18-99 yrs
- max group size 16
- guiding method Fully guided
- Tour Code BM-43211
- Footprint Carbonneutral CO2 emissions resulting from all trips on Bookmundi will be offset via investments in carbon reduction projects.
- Operated in English
- Discover the five former Soviet Republics of Central Asia
- Uncover the history and culture of the fabled Silk Road cities, Samarkand and Bukhara
- Discover the ancient walled city of Khiva, a World Heritage Site
- Enjoy the natural beauty of Iskanderkul Lake in the Fann Mountains
- Marvel at Darvaza - one of the world’s more unusual sites in the Karakum Desert
- Journey through the central Tian Shan Mountains to the Chychkan Gorge
- Take in the ancient Persian era fortress of Nisa
- Show more
Discover the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia. Explore the lands that attracted Alexander the Great, boasting truly astonishing cultural, architectural and natural heritage. Surrounded by mystical deserts and towering mountains, discover the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia, the Five Stans. We begin our journey in the white marble adorned capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat. From here we venture out into the surrounding deserts to the ancient Persian era fortress of Nisa, the gas crater known as the “Door to Hell” at Darvaza and Merv, the site of a once grand oasis city on the ancient Silk Route. Uncover the ancient city of Khiva Uzbekistan, the fascinating medieval city of Bukhara, and marvel at the ornate mosques and mausoleums of world famous Samarkand. In Tajikistan we visit the capital Dushanbe and the Iskanderkul alpine lake. Explore the rich and fertile Fergana Valley and gaze upon crystal clear alpine lakes in Kyrgyzstan before ending in Kazakhstan’s former capital, Almaty which lies in the foothills of the dramatic Trans-Lli Alatau, the northernmost mountain range of Tian Shan. Throughout the trip you’ll have the opportunity to spend time with the local people, learning about their history, age old traditions and ways of life. From the Silk Road cities and arid deserts to the towering mountain ranges and fertile valleys, this is an all encompassing journey for the ages.
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Day 1 : Arrive in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
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Day 2 : Explore the Marble City of Ashgabat
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Day 3 : Visit Merv, return to Ashgabat
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Day 4 : Parthian Fortress of Nisa & Darvaza Crater
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Day 5 : Travel to Khiva Uzbekistan
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Day 6 : In Khiva
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Day 7 : To Bukhara
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Day 8 : Discover the ancient city of Bukhara
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Day 9 : Bukhara then on to Samarkand
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Day 10-11 : The sights of Samarkand
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Day 12 : Cross into Tajikistan then on to Dushanbe
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Day 13 : In Dushanbe, then on to Khujand
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Day 14 : The Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan
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Day 15 : Ancient Osh, Kyrgyzstan
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Day 16 : To Arslanbob via Uzgen
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Day 17 : A day to relax in Arslanbob
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Day 18 : To Sary-Chelek Lake
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Day 19 : Sary Chelek Alpine Lake
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Day 20 : To Chychkan Gorge
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Day 21 : Journey to Bishkek
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Day 22 : Almaty, Kazakhstan
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Day 23 : In Almaty, trip concludes
- Well located hotels on a twinshare basis
- Simple local guesthouses & yurt camp on a multi-share basis (no single accommodation possible)
- 22 breakfasts and 6 dinners
- Private air conditioned vehicle
- Airport transfers in Ashgabat and Almaty
- Internal flight Mary/Ashgabat
- Expert bilingual guide (different in each country)
- Local sightseeing and entrance fees as listed in itinerary
- Emergency medical kit
- Meals not indicated in the program
- Any optional tours, and entrance fees and permits during free time (ie. photo & video shooting fees in museums)
- Expenditure of a personal nature such as drinks, souvenirs and laundry
- Visas
- Turkmenistan migration taxes to be paid in USD Cash (US$14 per person at Ashgabat Airport, and US$4 per person per hotel night in Turkmenistan, subject to change)
- Tips and gratuities
- International airfares and taxes
- Personal travel insurance (compulsory)
- Excess luggage charges
- Personal Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
- Protected Travel within your own bubble.
- Professional Access our Travel Specialists' insider knowledge.
- Privacy Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.
- Earn US$ 182+ in travel credits.
- Best price guaranteed.
- No credit card or booking fees.
- 100% financial protection.
- Carbon neutral tours.
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No additional cancellation fees apply for this Ancient Silk Road Cities - The Five Stans tour. You can cancel the tour up to 72 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 71 days of departure.
PaymentFor any tour departures within 25 July 2024, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 25 July 2024, a deposit of 315 USD is required to confirm the tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 71 days before trip departure.
Travel InsuranceAncient Silk Road Cities - The Five Stans tour requires that you have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. World Nomads offers travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families.
VisaFor this Ancient Silk Road Cities - The Five Stans tour getting the required visa(s) is the responsibility for each individual traveller, as visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. We recommend to check with your local embassies representing the countries that you are traveling to, as part of this itinerary.
For Solo TravelersA twin share room may not always be available for solo travelers as it depends on the final number of people on the tour. If you have picked twin share room while booking, and that option is not available, we will get back to you after booking. A single room might then be available against an additional fee.
COVID-19 Safety MeasuresThis trip incorporates the following COVID-19 measures:
- This tour has received the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, which provides travellers with assurance that COVID-19 health and hygiene global standardised protocols have been adopted.
- Smaller group sizes have been implemented on this tour to protect against COVID-19 and to ensure that the tour complies with local authorities’ guidelines.
- Rigorous hygiene safety measures will be followed in transportation, accommodation and meal venues.
- Guides are trained in our COVID-19 response plan that has been developed in line with state government medical provisions.
- All travellers 18 years and older will be required to be fully vaccinated atleast 14 days prior to departure.