Central Asia Explorer

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Booking Type Instant booking
duration 17 days
tour type Small group Request as private
age requirement 15-99 yrs
max group size 12
guiding method Fully guided
Tour Code BM-3391
Footprint Carbonneutral CO₂ emissions resulting from all trips on Bookmundi will be offset via investments in carbon reduction projects.
Operated in English

Starts Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Ends Tashkent, Uzbekistan

HIGHLIGHTS

Get to know the locals as you learn how to build a yurt in a local workshop, test your taste buds with a dinner of home-cooked plov (Uzbekistan's signature dish) and rub shoulders with the locals in the bustling bazaars.
Travel along the Chychkan River beneath the towering peaks of Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan range, mountains even more spectacular for emptiness of the valleys below them.
Enjoy authentic experiences like sleeping in traditional yurts on the banks of Lake Issy-kul, staying in local villages and making yourself at home in a boutique hotel that used to be an old Jewish house in Bukhara.
Wander through the grand square Registan in Samarkand, admiring the imposing architecture from afar and the detailed craftmanship on the tiling up close.
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.

Starting in Bishkek and ending in Tashkent, the trip "Central Asia Explorer" is a guided city sightseeing trip that takes 17 days. You will be traveling through Kok-Bel, Osh, Tashkent and 7 other destinations in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. "Central Asia Explorer" is a small group trip which includes accommodation, transport, meals and others. Please see the package includes section for further details.

Be entranced by the beauty of Kyrgyzstan and historical wonders of Uzbekistan on this 17-day tour. Traverse landscapes of alpine lakes and mountains interrupted only by dots of yurts, feel the divine artistic power of the detailed mosaics and towering minarets of ancient cities, and be welcomed into homes and family-run businesses by locals. A mix of ancient nomadic cultures, various iterations of both conservative and progressive Islam, Soviet influence and post-independence nationalism mean Central Asia is home to unique traditions. Travels here will leave you raving about the region for years to come and planning your next trip back as soon as you get home.

ITINERARY Expand All

Day 1: Bishkek
Day 2: Bishkek
Day 3: Issyk-Kul Lake
Day 4: Issyk-Kul Lake
Day 5: Song-Kol Lake (3016 metres)
Day 6: Kyzyl-Oi
Day 7: Suusamyr Valley/Chychkan River/Toktogul
Day 8: Osh
Day 9: Osh
Day 10: Border Crossing/Andijan/Tashkent
Day 11: Tashkent
Day 12: Bukhara
Day 13: Bukhara
Day 14: Samarkand
Day 15: Samarkand
Day 16: Tashkent
Day 17: Tashkent

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Accommodation

Guesthouse/Homestay (2 night), Hotel (11 nights), Tourist Yurt Camps (3 night)

Meals

16 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 7 Dinners

Transport

Private Bus , Metro , High Speed Train , local train

Guide

An expert tour leader

Included Activities

Bishkek - City walking tour
Shamsy Valley - Burana tower
Don Aryk - Kyrgyz family visit and home-cooked lunch
Issyk-Kul Lake - Yurt workshop
Kochkor - Market
Kochkor - Women's Felt Co-op
Kyzyl-Oi - Boorsok Cooking Demonstration
Uzgen - Uzgen Minaret & Complex
Osh - Sulaiman-Too Mountain
Osh - National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex
Tashkent - Chorsu Bazaar
Tashkent - Amir Timur Square
Bukhara - Sitorai Mohi Hosa Palace
Bukhara - Ismail Samani Mausoleum
Bukhara - Ark Fortress
Samarkand - Leader-led orientation walk
Samarkand - Bibi-Khanym Mosque
Samarkand - Registan Square
Samarkand - Shakh-I-Zinda
Samarkand - Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
Samarkand - Plov cooking demonstration & family visit

WHAT'S EXCLUDED

Any international flights to Bishkek and from Tashkent are not included in this price. We always recommend that you arrive 1 day prior to your tour starting date.
Travel insurance is not included in this Central Asia Explorer tour. Travel insurance is mandatory to buy. World Nomads' travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

This tour has not received any customer reviews yet. However, you can expect a Premier This travel specialist is consistently delivering tours which receive customer ratings above 4.5 on average. tour and service level as the travel specialist who runs it has received 198 reviews for other tours with an average 4.6 rating.

REQUEST A PRIVATE, CUSTOMIZABLE DEPARTURE By design, this is a group tour. You can however request a private, customized version of this tour for yourself or your private group of people. Private departures are usually more expensive, but come with these benefits:

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.

Request a private and/or personalized departure To design a private tour, we'll ask you some more information in the following steps.

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GOOD TO KNOW

CANCELLATION

No additional cancellation fees apply for this Central Asia Explorer tour. You can cancel the tour up to 60 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 59 days of departure.

Payment

For any tour departures within 10 November 2024, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 10 November 2024, a deposit is required to confirm this tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 59 days before trip departure.

Travel Insurance

Central Asia Explorer 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.

Visa

For this Central Asia Explorer 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.

Is this trip right for you

Central Asia is a remote destination, perfect for Intrepid travellers! 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, especially in local homes, guesthouses and at the yurt. 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.
This is an overland journey, so there will be some very long days of travelling and driving, often over rough terrain. This can be tiring and require patience. The vehicle we use is small enough to access places where the general road condition doesn't allow for buses, but this means it can be a cosy journey when the group is almost full. We find this is a great way for the group to bond and share an amazing journey together and there will be stops along the way to take photos and stretch your legs.
What Kyrgyzstan lacks in historical sights (compared to the Silk Road monuments and Old Towns of Uzbekistan) it makes up for in incredible natural landscapes and plenty of opportunities for interaction with local families in small villages.
This trip spends 1 night at high altitude at Song-kol Lake (over 3000 meters) and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. We recommend not partaking in any strenuous activity until you have time to gauge your reaction to the high altitude. See the ‘Health’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details.

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