The Five Stans of the Silk Road - Almaty to Ashgabat

BM-49025

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23 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants

16 peopleMaximum group size

16 - 99 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Ends

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

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Best price guaranteedNo credit card or booking fees.Carbon neutral tours.

Highlights

Trace the path of ancient merchants on a remarkable journey along the Silk Road

Marvel at the Islamic masterpieces and archaeological wonders across five diverse countries

Explore remote villages and crystalline lakes amid the Fann and Tien Shan mountain ranges

Witness a traditional eagle-hunting demonstration in Kyrgyzstan

Step back in time among the extraordinary ruins of Merv in Turkmenistan

Itinerary

Vast deserts, open steppe, fertile valleys and striking mountain ranges shape the landscapes of the Five Stans, the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia. Their towns and cities reveal the movement of armies, traders, and scholars over millennia: Greek and Persian campaigns, Mongol expansion, Silk Road exchange, ambitious astronomers, and Soviet-era experiments. Encounter traditional villages, intricately tiled madrassas, alpine lakes, lively markets and wide boulevards − a vivid portrait of a region where histories overlap and contemporary Central Asian culture continues to evolve in fascinating ways.

About this trip: We have two versions of this trip. One starts in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and ends in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the other runs in reverse. Apart from the direction of travel, the two itineraries are similar – the main difference is the route taken through Kyrgyzstan and the accommodation there. This itinerary runs from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, includes Chon-Kemin and Bishkek and stays in guesthouses and hotels rather than yurts. The other itinerary runs from Turkmenistan to Kazakhstan, includes Son Kul Lake and there are two nights staying in yurts in Kyrgyzstan

day 1Arrive Almaty, Kazakhstan • Half-day city tour

Our tour of the Five Stans starts in Almaty. The former Kazakh capital has the Tien Shan mountains as its backdrop and is the most European city in Central Asia with leafy streets and a cafe culture.
After an early check-in to our hotel, we have time for rest before meeting around 12.30pm. Say hi to your leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.
We'll set off for our city tour afterwards. Visit a number of sites, including Panfilovs Park, home to the Piously-Voznesenskiy Orthodox Cathedral (1907), which was built without any nails; a memorial to victims of the Second World War and the Republic Square, plus the National History Museum and the Museum of National Instruments.
This evening your tour leader ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner together.
Want extra time in Almaty? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Meals

Breakfast, Dinner

day 2Visit Medeo Gorge and enjoy cable car trips for panoramic views of Almaty

day 3Black Canyon and Charyn River, into Kyrgyzstan to Karakol

day 4Tour Karakol • Issyk Kul Lake and eagle-hunting demonstration • End in the Chon-Kemin

day 5Drive to Bishkek • Visit the 11th-century Burana Tower

day 6Bishkek sightseeing

day 7To Jalal Abad in Fergana Valley of Kyrgyzstan through scenic mountain passes

day 8Full day exploring Arslanbob

day 9Explore Osh in Fergana Valley • Visit sacred Sulayman Mountain • Border crossing to Uzbekistan • Fergana

day 10Rishtan and Kokand • Cross into Tajikistan to Khujand

day 11Uncover Khujand’s layered history • To Penjikent via Istaravshan

day 12Explore the Seven Lakes in the Fann Mountains

day 13Penjikent sightseeing tour, Sarazm • Cross border to Uzbekistan • Drive to Samarkand

day 14Samarkand tour and sightseeing

day 15Train to Bukhara • Visit the Sitora-i-Mokhi Khosa in Bukhara

day 16Bukhara

day 17To Khiva via the Kyzylkum desert and the Desert Castles of Khorezm

day 18Step into the wonders of Khiva

day 19Cross the border to Turkmenistan • To Kunya Urgench

day 20Fly to Ashgabat • Drive to Mary

day 21Explore the ruins of Merv • To Ashgabat

day 22Ashgabat and Nisa (Turkmenistan)

day 23Adventure ends in Ashgabat

What's Included

Accommodation

All accommodation: 22 Comfort nights (19 hotels, 3 guesthouse)

Meals

All breakfasts, one lunch, and two dinners

Transport

Immersive itinerary with all transport (minibus, one train, and one flight) and listed activitiesArrival transfer for any flight, group departure transfer available

Guide

Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

This tour has not received any customer reviews yet. However, you can expect a PremierThis travel specialist is consistently delivering tours which receive customer ratings above 4.8 on average. tour and service level as the travel specialist who runs it has received 12259 reviews for other tours with an average 4.8rating.

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