All Central Asia Cultural, religious and historic sites Trips
28 Cultural, religious and historic sites Trips in Central Asia with 232 Reviews
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The Five Stans of the Silk Road - Ashgabat to Almaty
4.9
This was a trip full of variety and dramatic scenery, from the surreal Ashgabat, the amazing Darvaza crater, the beautiful mosques and madrasahs of Samarkand and Bukhara to the truly majestic and ever changing scenery of the Kyrgyzstan mountains. Each of the 5 countries had its own unique character. There are some long journeys but they are full of continuing interest with lots of worthwhile stops on route. 99% of the accommodation was very comfortable, spacious and spotlessly clean.
USD 8,550
USD 4,725
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Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan Adventure
4
See the contrast of the futuristic and the ancient on this 11-day journey from Astana to Bishkek. You’ll see the Central Asian landscape change from the vast expanse of flat countryside to winding mountain roads. Visit the Silk Road ruins of Otrar, stand in awe of the grand Yasaui Mausoleum, explore Astana’s monuments (that might remind you of Star Trek) and wander the cultural capital of Almaty. Hike the incredible Kolsai Lakes to see sunken forests, deep canyons and valleys and take a scenic boat ride on the alpine waters of Issky-kul Lake, bringing it home in charming Bishkek.
USD 2,995
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The Five Stans of the Silk Road
5
This was a wonderful tour in an amazing part of the world, with stunning varied scenery, friendly people, and beautiful ancient buildings. Our G Adventures tour was excellent, and this company will be the first I consider for future travels.
USD 5,599
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Best of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
4.8
Great tours in two very different and interesting countries. The CEO’s enhanced the overall experience and I would highly recommend this tour!
USD 2,699
The Silk Road of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
4.6
My quibbles with this trip are very minor and I've told explore (update the itinerary please!) but fundamentally I loved this trip. Met lovely people. Saw amazing places and scenery. Food a bit meh but that's not why you go to either Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan. I loved the differences between the countries. Kyrgyzstan was unbelievably beautiful and Uzbekistan had amazing buildings.
USD 5,170
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Best of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
4.8
This was an exciting way to visit a part of the world that is less travelled to. I would recommend this tour for people that are outdoorsy, active, and adventurous. Almost all meals and activities are included for this tour which is great.
USD 3,099
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Central Asia Explorer
4
Traverse landscapes of alpine lakes and mountains, only interrupted by yurts, on this 17-day adventure through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Discover the ancient trading square of Registan, see the blue-tiled Madrassas in Samarkand and explore the ruins at Panjakent – once the capital of the ancient Sogdiana country on the Silk Road. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the banks of the Kokomeren River, learn how Kyzyl-Oi locals cook their favourite snack and travel along the Chychkan River, which cuts through the Tien Shan Mountain Range.
USD 4,315
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Multi-Stan Adventure - Bishkek to Tashkent
4.8
Very impressed and exceeded our expectations. Great group of like minded people that were on our tour and we all got on so well. With ages spanning over 30 years that’s a pretty pleasing result!!
USD 4,699
Wonders of the Silk Road
4.8
Overall, this was an excellent trip and one of the best I have done with Explore over very many years. It was certainly helped by having a good, small group and two superb leaders (one in each country), who were extremely knowledgeable and very personable. The local guides were also outstanding. The sights were extraordinary (the Islamic architecture is simply breath-taking), the people were lovely and I did not mind the long drives (on spacious air conditioned coaches) or the 9.5 hour train journey. to Samarkand As expected, the trip’s pace was full-on. As a group we took advantage of the optional extras offered and I would recommend that others seriously consider those too, especially the spectacular Uzbek music and dance show at the Grand Hall in Samarkand. Hotel accommodation was better than I had expected and generally pretty good. If I have a criticism it is that the trip should perhaps be a day longer. It would have been nice to have spent more time in Khiva and the last day in Tashkent was too long, tiring and rushed. Thankfully, I had booked an extra day in the city, although others had early morning flights. While Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are very different, I much preferred the time we spent in the latter.
USD 3,160
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Bishkek to Ashgabat
Discover Central Asia on this overland journey from the capital of Kyrgyzstan through Uzbekistan, to Tajikistan and Ashgabat. Take in the tranquil landscape of Son-Kol Lake, hike up the Sulumain-too Mountain in Osh and scale the ancient city walls of Tajikistan’s Panjakent. Explore the ancient mosques in Samarkand, see the eternal fire from the Gates of Hell and discover the sci-fi-like architecture in Ashgabat. Share a home-cooked lunch with a Tajik family, bargain in the bustling bazaars and learn about the region’s history with a local leader by your side.
USD 7,435
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Tashkent to Ashgabat
Travel into desert landscapes heavy with mystery on this 11-day journey through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Watch the sunset over technicolour minarets in Khiva, learn about Turkmen rural life with a stay in a secluded mountain village and visit a local horse breeder at his farm to see how he prepares food and cares for his Akhal-Teke horses. Wander through the ancient ruins of the Silk Road in Merv, watch the sunset over ‘The Gates of Hell’ crater and revel in the eastern futurism of Ashgabat. On this trip far away from tourists, you’ll step off the beaten track and wander through ancient lands with local leaders who have all the fascinating insights.
USD 3,350
Kyrgyzstan's Silk Road Journey
5
We enjoyed our trip to Kyrgyzstan, it was very relaxing and the scenery was amazing. The highlight was the night in the yurt camp which was lovely, very remote and we even had snow overnight. The homestays and meals in local houses were very good too.
DIY picnics by the river were a nice touch.
On the down side, this trip involves a lot of travelling, sometimes on poor roads, which could be broken up better. We arrived early afternoon in some places and because most of the accommodation was on the outskirts of a town, there wasn't really anything to see or do once we arrived. One of our group thought the hotel at Toktogul Reservoir was like the one in 'The Shining'! The swimming pools had been closed for years and everything was just a little dated.
Some of the walks were not that interesting and seemed to be there to fill the time and there was also a lot of litter in many areas which wasn't pleasant.
There were descriptions in the itinerary about various places we didn't actually visit, for example Osh sounded lovely but we didn't even stop there.
Having said all that, we did enjoy the holiday, but there just were not enough highlights to maximise each day.
USD 3,180
Five Golden Stans
This incredible journey will take you through the five “Stans” of Central Asia, across mountains and steppes, treading in the footsteps of those who travelled the ancient Silk Road with their caravans winding trails through the deserts, exchanging their wares and ideas, which has led to the extraordinary melting pot of cultures that exists in the region today.
USD 12,550