The Silk Road

Overview

Follow in the footsteps of ancient traders, uncovering the cultural and natural treasures of Central Asia

For centuries, merchant caravans voyaged through deserts, across steppes and over mountains, creating trade routes between the Mediterranean and Asia. Art and religion spread east and west, while monumental architecture sprouted alongside nomadic eagle hunter communities. Now uncover the best of the Silk Road for yourself: the minarets and domes of Uzbekistan, the beautiful Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and traditional culture throughout, including a night in a Kyrgyz yurt.

Highlights

Follow the legendary Silk Road through Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
Experience the nomad life with a night in a traditional Kyrgyz yurt
Marvel at the Islamic architecture of Samarkand and Bukhara
Discover the picturesque mountains and lakes of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

Included

All accommodation: 13 Classic nights (12 hotel, 1 guesthouse), 2 Simple nights (1 yurt, 1 sleeper train)
13 breakfasts and four dinners
Immersive itinerary with all transport (minibus and comfortable trains) and listed activities
Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure
Group arrival and departure transfers available

Not included

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations.

Itinerary

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Day 1: Adventure starts in Bishkek
The adventure begins in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan and the gateway to the Tien Shan mountain range. 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. This is followed by an afternoon city tour, spending a couple of hours visiting the main city sites, including Ala Too Square, Parliament House, the White House, the Lenin Statue and the Manas Monument. Finish the day with a relaxed welcome dinner at a local restaurant, our first taste of Kyrgyz cuisine. Want extra time in Bishkek? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Day 2: To Chon-Kemin Gorge • Stop to climb Burana Tower and visit the Ak Beshim ruins
On the way to Chon-Kemin Gorge, we stop at an 11th-century Karakhanid minaret – Burana Tower, a Unesco World Heritage site and the first minaret of its kind in Central Asia. You can climb to the top of the tower. Take care, it’s quite dark inside and the stairs are steep and narrow. Nowadays, it is a complex that includes the tower itself, reconstructions of mausoleums found on the site, remains of a citadel, collection of balbals (gravestones used by nomadic Turkic peoples), petroglyphs (stone carvings) and a small museum. We will also visit Ak Beshim ruins, the remnants of an ancient city. We’ll see the remains of Chumysh Fortress, a Nestorian monastery, a complex of Christian churches and two Buddhist temples. There are also rock paintings and burial mounds. Following our visit, we continue to Chon-Kemin National Park, a quiet valley with several small villages and farmed lands surrounded by magnificent mountains and fir forest. It is a wonderful place to be, to sit on the doorstep with a pot of tea.
Day 3: See the Tien Shan mountains and Issyk Kul Lake • Hike to a waterfall • Yurt camp in Djety Oguz Gorge
We continue our journey through the Tien Shan mountains along the southern side of Issyk Kul Lake. The second largest salt lake in the world, it measures 43mi by 112mi (70km by 180km) and reaches almost 2,300ft (700m) deep. The name translates to Hot Lake, as it never freezes over, even in the depths of winter. It’s surrounded by a mixture of forest and meadow with a backdrop of mountains and glaciers. Optional excursion (approximately US$120 per group): Stop at Bokonbaev village to observe a traditional form of falconry found throughout Central Asia – hunting with eagles. Eagle hunting plays a key role in the nomadic lifestyle here and can also be seen during national competitions. Next, we visit Barskaun Gorge and take a short hike to a waterfall, then drive to Djety Oguz. Tonight we stay in a yurt camp, made of six sleeping yurts (each accommodating four to five people) and one communal/dining yurt. There is a shower and three Western-style flush toilets but hot water for washing must be requested specifically. There is also a generator for electricity for three hours in the evening. Spending a night in a yurt camp is a fantastic experience and a small insight into the centuries-old way of life for many nomadic people in Central Asia. April and October departures: we will stay in Almaluu Yurt Camp close to Lake Issyk Kul, rather than a camp in Djety Oguz. We will still visit Djety Oguz, but due to the different location of the yurt camp, the order of activities today and tomorrow will differ slightly in these months. Almaluu is better suited than Djety Oguz for these cooler months.
Day 4: Learn local legends on a hike in Djety Oguz • See the highlights of Karakol • Dinner in a family home
This morning we walk in Djety Oguz, which translates to the Valley of Seven Bulls, named after the distinct seven red-coloured rocks in the gorge. We can learn about the local legends behind the name as we walk out of the beautiful gorge (approximately two hours) through fir forest, yurt settlements and grazing lands. If you’re feeling energetic, there is also the option to hike to a waterfall. The trail can be slippery, so this is not advisable in wet weather. We continue to the town of Karakol, where we enjoy a sightseeing tour taking in old Russian-style houses, a Russian Orthodox church, a wooden Dungan mosque, and Karakol bazaar. Tonight, we enjoy a home-cooked meal at a local Uygur or Dungan family home.
Day 5: Cross into Kazakhstan • Explore Charyn River and Black Canyon • To Almaty
Today we cross the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border and, after border procedures (which may take one to two hours), travel along the picturesque Karkara valley, where mountain flowers attract many beekeepers. We head towards Charyn River, where the dramatic erosion caused by the river has created an impressive landscape. We have some time to observe the beginning of Charyn and Moon Canyons from different viewpoints. After a short walk and some time for photographs, we continue towards the Black Canyon. There is time for a picnic lunch in the canyon (you can buy your picnic from a supermarket earlier in the day). After our visit we continue to Almaty with an expected arrival time of around 5pm.
Day 6: Discover the Esik Burial Mounds • Explore the shores of Lake Issyk
Today we head out of Almaty to stretch our legs and explore the countryside. We begin by heading to Esik. We visit Esik Burial Mounds and the Esik State Historical and Cultural Museum. The mounds are one of the largest archaeological sites of the Scythian-Saka period. The site dates to the fourth century BCE. The museum is on the site of one of Kazakhstan’s most impressive archaeological finds – the tomb of the Golden Man – where a Saka prince was found in an intact tomb. We continue to Issyk Lake (or Esik Lake), not to be confused with Issyk Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan, which we visit earlier in the trip. Amid thick forests and wildflower pastures, this alpine lake is 5,775ft (1,760m) above sea level within the Issyk Gorge. We walk down the concrete staircase to explore the southern shore of the lake. Finally, we return to Almaty for the night.
Day 7: Tour the highlights of Almaty • Sleeper train to Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Almaty is a beautiful city backed by the Tien Shan mountains and we have the whole day to explore it. With leafy streets and a cafe culture, the former Kazakh capital has a distinctly European feel. After breakfast, we visit several sites, including Zhenkov Cathedral (Ascension Cathedral), made entirely of wood and without the use of nails; Panfilov Park; the Monument of Panfilovs 28 Guardsmen; the Great Patriotic and Civil War monuments and eternal flame; and the Museum of National Instruments. After the tour, we drive to the train station. Here we say goodbye to our tour leader who has been with us throughout Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and meet our Uzbekistan leader who’ll be with us for the remainder of the trip. We travel overnight from Almaty to Tashkent. We leave Almaty in the evening and depending on train timetables, we’ll either travel by sleeper train all the way to Tashkent, a journey of about 16 hours, or we’ll travel as far as Shymkent by sleeper train, a journey of about 11 hours, then continue by road for two hours to the Kazakh-Uzbek border, then following the border crossing which typically takes 1-2 hours (the border crossing is a little chaotic and does not feature polite queuing!), we then continue for another 40 minutes by road to Tashkent. Travelling on trains through this region is a great way to cover large distances (almost 620mi/1,000km in this case), see the changing landscape, and mingle with local people. We use four-berth compartments on this sleeper train, which is reasonably comfortable but not luxurious.
Day 8: Arrive in Tashkent
We usually arrive in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, in the early afternoon. Following lunch and the chance to change money, we check in at the hotel. There is time to rest until around 5pm, after which we head out for an evening excursion around Tashkent. Over the course of today and tomorrow we’ll visit sites including Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City with its mausoleums (Hast Imam complex) and bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to keep the heat down in summer.
Day 9: Fast train to Samarkand
We continue our exploration of Tashkent at 11am, which includes a ride on the impressive metro system. In the evening, we catch a fast train to Samarkand. The city is steeped in history, dating back 2,500 years and impacted by figures such as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, the latter made it the capital of his empire in the 14th century. A central position on the Silk Road meant it was an important stop on the route from Istanbul to Peking (now Beijing). At its heart is Registan Square, which is flanked by the three grand madrasahs (Islamic colleges) of Ulughbeg (15th century), Sherdor and Tilya Qori (both 17th century).
Day 10: Explore the monuments of Samarkand
Over the next day and a half, we visit key sights in and around Samarkand, including: the Registan Square, Gur Emir Mausoleum, burial place of Tamerlane, his sons and his grandson, Ulughbek. The Bibi Khanum Mosque and Shakhi Zinda – the Living King necropolis – with its series of mausoleums dating to the 14th and 15th centuries. Siab Bazaar to try fruits, nuts and other local produce. We also visit the Necropolis and Ulugbek’s Observatory and a paper factory where traditional methods are used.
Day 11: Fast train to Bukhara
We have a little time to continue exploring Samarkand before we get a train late morning or early afternoon to Bukhara. The best-preserved medieval city in Central Asia, this Unesco World Heritage site dates back more than 2,000 years.
Day 12 - 13: Dive deep into the wonders of Bukhara
We have two full days exploring Bukhara and nearby sights. Our city tour takes us to the Lyabi Khauz complex, built in the 16th and 17th centuries. It’s home to the oldest pool of its kind in Central Asia, surrounded by madrasahs and a khanaka (lodging house for travelling sufis), including the largest madrasah in Bukhara, the 15th-century Kukeldash Madrasah. We continue to the Poi-Kalyan religious complex with its 157ft (48m) tall 12th-century Kalyan minaret – the symbol of Bukhara; the large Kalyan Mosque (15th century) with galleries topped by 288 domes; and the only active madrasah in the city, Bukhara Miri-Arab (16th century). Next is the Samanid Mausoleum, the oldest piece of Islamic architecture in Central Asia and burial site of the 10th-century emir, Ismail Samani. Finally, we visit the Ark, a fifth-century citadel and the oldest building in Bukhara.
Day 14: Train to Urgench, crossing the Kyzylkum desert • To Khiva
An early morning start sees us head to Bukhara station where we catch our train to Urgench. This train is slower and older than the ones we’ve taken earlier in our time in Uzbekistan, but we have compartments with beds. The journey takes about six hours, and sees us across the Kyzylkum desert, arriving mid morning. From Urgench, we drive for about an hour and a half to the 2,000-year-old ruined city fortress of Toprak-Qala, dramatically located with the Sultan Vais mountains as a backdrop. The settlement began in the first century BCE under Kushan patronage and was later devastated by Turkish raids that led to the depopulation of the town in the sixth century. Three large round towers and an impressive portion of the citadel remain, but the parchments and paintings found there are now in St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum. We also visit Qizil-Qala, formerly an important oasis with an impressive amount of remaining buildings, and finally Ayaz-Qala, an imposing hilltop fortress from the sixth century. We later drive to Khiva to spend the night.
Day 15: Explore beautiful monuments in the old city of Khiva
We have a walking tour of Khiva today, we’ll visit the living museum that is the perfectly restored old city. See the khan’s old residence, the Kunya-Ark 12th century fortress, the tiled base of the never completed Kalta Minar, (which was originally planned to be taller than any minaret in Bukhara) and the beautiful mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud (Khiva’s patron saint) with its tiled courtyard. Many wedding parties and pilgrims come to visit the tomb and drink the water from the well in the courtyard. Also visit the Juma mosque – supported by 218 wooden carved columns.
Day 16: Adventure ends in Khiva
Our adventure ends in Khiva this morning. Land only travellers may join our group transfer to Urgench airport which is timed to fit with the Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul, or you may remain in Khiva. If you aren’t quite ready to leave, speak to your sales representative about extending your adventure

Important Information

The trip destination

Food

There are 13 breakfasts and four dinners included. Common dishes in the region include shish kebabs and plov, which you’ll probably see plenty of. The kebabs can be from different meats, including lamb and beef, while plov is a rice-based dish (variants elsewhere are known as pilaf or pilau rice). Another main food is bread, especially in Uzbekistan where it is baked and sold everywhere. There are normally a couple of opportunities to try home-cooked meals. Tea is also plentiful, both black and green, and drunk with most meals and throughout the day. Please note, vegetarian food choices may be rather limited. If you are strictly vegetarian or have any special dietary requirements, please notify us well in advance. In this region, the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home. Drinking water is included and will be provided in large containers – please bring a reusable bottle with you.

Weather

These areas of Central Asia have long, extremely hot summers, but the winters are very cold. The July and August departures may be rather hot in the lowlands with afternoon temperatures often reaching 35C-40C (95F-104F) or more, which can make sightseeing tiring. Other trips are planned for spring and autumn, when the temperature should not be below 5C (41F) at night and may be up to 25C-30C (77F-86F) during the day. In the Kyrgyzstan highlands, temperatures are generally cooler. Sunny weather with clear blue skies should be experienced but there can be some rain in spring and autumn. Occasionally, there are periods of unexpectedly hot or cold weather.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

This is a fast-paced trip with long days and early starts to make the most of the areas we visit within two weeks.

There are some walks, especially in Kyrgyzstan, including in Ala Archa National Park, Chon-Kemin and Djety Oguz. You should be comfortable sightseeing on foot for a few hours at a time.

The roads are generally paved but there are dirt sections. There are long drives on a few days, including the journey from Karakol to Almaty, which is about six hours excluding stops. We also use a long overnight train from Almaty to Shymkent or Tashkent. Most accommodation is modest but clean, mostly with private facilities. At the yurt camp, facilities are shared. At the guesthouse in Chon-Kemin, private facilities are not guaranteed.

Tourist services and facilities can be patchy and erratic; tolerance and flexibility are required, but the rewards are an insight into local life and a discovery of a beautiful, fascinating part of the world. Group meals can take longer than normal as often there are no English menus and the restaurant staff may not speak English – you leader will translate and help order for the group.

Temperatures can vary from very hot to cold depending on the time of year, day and location.

Prices / Dates

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AVAILABLE DATES	PRICE (1 ADULT)	PRICE (1 CHILDREN)	Single room supplement	TRAVEL STATUS
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 / Fri, 28 Aug 2026	NOK 43 000 NOK 34 400	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 03 Sep 2026 / Fri, 18 Sep 2026	NOK 47 035	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Sun, 06 Sep 2026 / Mon, 21 Sep 2026	NOK 40 985 NOK 39 505	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Sun, 13 Sep 2026 / Mon, 28 Sep 2026	NOK 42 330 NOK 36 010	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 17 Sep 2026 / Fri, 02 Oct 2026	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Sun, 20 Sep 2026 / Mon, 05 Oct 2026	NOK 47 035	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 / Fri, 09 Oct 2026	NOK 45 015	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 08 Oct 2026 / Fri, 23 Oct 2026	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 15 Oct 2026 / Fri, 30 Oct 2026	NOK 42 330 NOK 38 160	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
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Thu, 02 Sep 2027 / Fri, 17 Sep 2027	NOK 47 035	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
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Thu, 09 Sep 2027 / Fri, 24 Sep 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
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Thu, 16 Sep 2027 / Fri, 01 Oct 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
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AVAILABLE DATES	PRICE (1 ADULT)	PRICE (1 CHILDREN)	SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT	TRAVEL STATUS
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 / Fri, 28 Aug 2026	NOK 43 000 NOK 34 400	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 03 Sep 2026 / Fri, 18 Sep 2026	NOK 47 035	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Sun, 06 Sep 2026 / Mon, 21 Sep 2026	NOK 40 985 NOK 39 505	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Sun, 13 Sep 2026 / Mon, 28 Sep 2026	NOK 42 330 NOK 36 010	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 17 Sep 2026 / Fri, 02 Oct 2026	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Sun, 20 Sep 2026 / Mon, 05 Oct 2026	NOK 47 035	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 / Fri, 09 Oct 2026	NOK 45 015	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 08 Oct 2026 / Fri, 23 Oct 2026	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 15 Oct 2026 / Fri, 30 Oct 2026	NOK 42 330 NOK 38 160	On request	NOK 7 260	On request
Thu, 08 Apr 2027 / Fri, 23 Apr 2027	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 22 Apr 2027 / Fri, 07 May 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 06 May 2027 / Fri, 21 May 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 13 May 2027 / Fri, 28 May 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sun, 16 May 2027 / Mon, 31 May 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 20 May 2027 / Fri, 04 Jun 2027	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 03 Jun 2027 / Fri, 18 Jun 2027	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 10 Jun 2027 / Fri, 25 Jun 2027	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 15 Jul 2027 / Fri, 30 Jul 2027	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 12 Aug 2027 / Fri, 27 Aug 2027	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 26 Aug 2027 / Fri, 10 Sep 2027	NOK 48 375	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 02 Sep 2027 / Fri, 17 Sep 2027	NOK 47 035	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sun, 05 Sep 2027 / Mon, 20 Sep 2027	NOK 47 035	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 09 Sep 2027 / Fri, 24 Sep 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sun, 12 Sep 2027 / Mon, 27 Sep 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 16 Sep 2027 / Fri, 01 Oct 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sun, 19 Sep 2027 / Mon, 04 Oct 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 23 Sep 2027 / Fri, 08 Oct 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 07 Oct 2027 / Fri, 22 Oct 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Thu, 14 Oct 2027 / Fri, 29 Oct 2027	NOK 49 720	On request	NOK 7 595	On request

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The Silk Road

Overview

Itinerary

Photos

Important Information

Prices / Dates