Dr Jordan Quill is a British art historian specialising in the art, architecture and textiles of Central, South and Inner Asia. After receiving his BA in Art History from The Courtauld Institute of Art, where he specialised in Central Asian architecture and textiles, he completed an MPhil in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies at the University of Oxford. He completed his PhD on Indian palace textiles at The Courtauld in 2026 and has travelled extensively throughout Central Asia, India and Nepal.
Threads of the Silk Road: Three Stans with Dr Jordan Quill
A journey through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, exploring centuries of history, culture and tradition…
| Start date | End date | Days |
Prices from
ex. flights |
Single Supplement | Tour Expert | Group Size | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/09/27 | 19/09/27 | 15 days | £5,995 pp | £615 | Dr Jordan Quill | 15 Max | AVAILABLE | Reserve place |
Stand beneath Samarkand’s turquoise domes and the Silk Road feels monumental. Yet, in a Khivan workshop, its story is woven thread by thread. Alongside expert Dr Jordan Quill and fellow curious travellers, this 15-day small group tour explores the art, architecture and traditions of Central Asia.
Journey through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, discovering the connections between nomadic life, imperial ambition and artistry. Jordan’s expertise in textiles and architecture brings fresh meaning to the details: a yurt’s construction, an embroidered suzani, the richly dressed figures in Samarkand’s ancient wall paintings. Each reveals something of the people and ideas that have shaped the region.
From the red-rock towers of Charyn Canyon to the shores of Issyk Kul, the landscapes are as compelling as the tales they tell.. Spend a night in a yurt, share meals and conversation with local families, and meet craftspeople whose skills preserve centuries of knowledge. Continue to Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, exploring tiled squares, royal palaces and streets enclosed by fortress walls. Watch silk take shape on the loom and consider its journey: the hands, the ideas, the ambitions. A whole world, drawn together by threads.
Introducing your expert
Dr Jordan Quill
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
Canyons and Mountain Lakes
Walk between Charyn’s dramatic rock towers and follow the southern shores of Issyk Kul, framed by distant mountains.
The Great Silk Road Cities
Explore Samarkand’s tiled monuments, Bukhara’s historic streets and Khiva’s extraordinary walled old town.
The Art of Nomadic Life
Meet Kyrgyz felt-makers and yurt-builders, learn about their crafts and spend a night in a traditional yurt.
The Expertise of Dr Jordan Quill
Drawing on extensive travels and expertise in architecture and textiles, Jordan brings Central Asia’s cultural threads to life.
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Day 1
Arrive Almaty
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Day 2
Almaty to Karakol
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Day 3
Karakol
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Day 4
Karakol to Issyk Kul
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Day 5
Issyk Kul to Bishkek
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Day 6
Bishkek to Tashkent
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Day 7
Tashkent
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Day 8
Tashkent to Samarkand
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Day 9
Samarkand
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Day 10
Samarkand
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Day 11
Samarkand to Bukhara
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Day 12
Bukhara
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Day 13
Bukhara to Khiva
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Day 14
Khiva
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Day 15
Khiva to Urgench
Day 1
Arrive Almaty
Arrive in Almaty and transfer to your hotel. Explore Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral, visit the State Historical Museum and browse the Green Bazaar’s stalls of dried fruit and nuts. Finish with a cable-car ride to Kok Tobe for panoramic city views.
Day 2
Almaty to Karakol
Depart for Charyn Canyon and walk among the red rock towers of the Valley of Castles. After a picnic lunch, cross into Kyrgyzstan at Kegen and continue to Karakol, checking into your hotel before dinner.
Day 3
Karakol
Travel to Jeti Oguz Gorge to see the red cliffs of the ‘Seven Bulls’ and walk to a panoramic viewpoint. After a picnic lunch, watch a golden eagle hunting demonstration.
Return to Karakol to visit the Chinese-style Dungan Mosque and wooden Holy Trinity Cathedral, before dinner with a local Dungan family.
Day 4
Karakol to Issyk Kul
Follow Issyk Kul’s southern shore, stopping to watch kok boru, a traditional Kyrgyz horse game. After lunch, walk among the coloured formations of Skazka Canyon.
Visit Ak Orgo Yurt Making Centre, with Jordan offering insight into their significance in Central Asian life. Continue to Oimo Tash for dinner and a night in a yurt.
Day 5
Issyk Kul to Bishkek
Drive towards Bishkek, stopping in Bokonbayevo to discover traditional felt-making and patterned shyrdak carpets. Continue to Burana Tower, a surviving minaret of the Silk Road city of Balasagyn, and explore the surrounding ruins and carved stone figures. Share lunch with a local Kyrgyz family before continuing to Bishkek.
Day 6
Bishkek to Tashkent
Explore Bishkek this morning, visiting a local museum and the monument to the epic hero Manas. Continue to Ala-Too Square, where you may see the changing of the guard, and Victory Square. After lunch, transfer to the airport for your flight to Tashkent where you will check into your accommodation.
Day 7
Tashkent
Discover Uzbek textiles and unique craftsmanship at the Museum of Applied Arts. Ride the metro to admire its ornate stations, then browse Chorsu Bazaar’s stalls of ceramics, produce and freshly baked bread.
Day 8
Tashkent to Samarkand
Take the morning train to Samarkand and transfer to your hotel. This afternoon, explore Registan Square and its three monumental madrasas, then visit Gur-i Amir, Timur’s richly decorated mausoleum beneath a ribbed turquoise dome. Enjoy a wine tasting before dinner.
Day 9
Samarkand
Visit Ulugh Beg’s observatory and the tiled mausoleums of Shah-i Zinda. At the Afrosiab Museum, discover seventh-century Sogdian wall paintings revealing Samarkand’s early international connections. Continue to Bibi Khanum Mosque and browse Siyob Bazaar before an evening cookery class and dinner at a traditional Uzbek house.
Day 10
Samarkand
Drive to Shahrisabz and explore Ak-Saray, Timur’s ‘White Palace’, where immense entrance towers and surviving tilework hint at its former grandeur. Visit the Dorus Saodat complex, including his son Jahangir’s mausoleum and the underground crypt intended for Timur. Later, return to Samarkand.
Day 11
Samarkand to Bukhara
Travel to Bukhara by train and explore the old city. Visit Kalyan Mosque and Minaret and the Ulugh Beg and Abdulaziz Khan madrasas. Continue to Chor Minor and the Lyabi-Hauz pool, before admiring the patterned brickwork of the Ismail Samani Mausoleum and the carved wooden pillars of Bolo Hauz Mosque.
Day 12
Bukhara
Visit Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, the emir’s summer palace, to explore its lavish interiors, gardens and textile displays. Continue to the Sufi pilgrimage complex of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband and Chor Bakr’s sixteenth-century necropolis. Return to Bukhara to visit the Ark, the former seat of its rulers, before an afternoon at leisure.
Day 13
Bukhara to Khiva
Travel to Khiva and check into your hotel. Visit Nurullaboy Palace, where Central Asian and European styles reveal the tastes of Khiva’s last khans. Afterwards, explore the old town’s craft workshops and browse the market within Ichan Qala’s walls.
Day 14
Khiva
Explore Ichan Qala on foot, visiting the tiled Kalta Minor minaret, Kuhna Ark and Juma Mosque, with its atmospheric rows of carved wooden columns. Watch local craftspeople at work and enjoy a silk-weaving demonstration. Gather for a farewell dinner at Meros, hosted by a local family, with a glass of local wine.
Day 15
Khiva to Urgench
Transfer approximately 45 minutes to Urgench Airport for your onward flights.
The culture of Kyrgyzstan
Kok Boru and eagle hunting
For centuries, kok boru has tested Kyrgyz horsemanship, with mounted teams competing for possession of a weight, traditionally a goat carcass, before racing to score in the opposing goal. Rooted in a life on horseback, it brings communities together through fierce rivalry and shared pride. Another centuries-old inheritance rests on an eagle hunter’s arm. Known as ‘berkutchi’, these hunters train golden eagles to catch foxes and hares, preserving skills that fed and clothed their ancestors. Hunters learn the bird’s behaviour, care for it and teach it to return, drawing on the knowledge of past generations.
UNCOVER KARAKOL
Around the Dungan table
In Karakol, the brightly painted Dungan Mosque reflects the Chinese origins of the Muslim community that built it. Dungan families settled here after fleeing unrest in China in the nineteenth century, some travelling by way of East Turkestan, bringing their customs and beliefs with them. After visiting the mosque, join a Dungan family for dinner, sharing food and conversation in their home. Discover how traditions travel and change, and how a connection to somewhere far away can endure in the everyday ritual of a meal.
MADE IN KHIVA
Khiva, carved by hand
Inside Khiva’s Juma Mosque, a forest of carved wooden columns recedes into the half-light. Moving between them reveals intricate decoration, with some columns dating back centuries. Elsewhere in the old city, meet carvers, weavers and metalworkers who continue skills passed down through generations. Seeing these crafts at close quarters offers a different perspective on Khiva’s richly decorated mosques, madrasas and homes, and the craftsmanship behind them.
Includes / Excludes
Important Information
Activity Level
Low Activity
Single Supplement
Travelling on your own? Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places provides security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.
Flexibility
To allow flexibility, our group tours do not include international flights as standard. We can arrange international flights on your behalf, please get in touch with our travel experts for a quote. All international flights from the UK are ATOL protected.
What is included
- Accompanied by Dr Jordan Quill throughout
- Accompanied by a local English speaking guide throughout
- Accommodation throughout
- Most meals
- Group transfers throughout
- Domestic flights in economy class
- Train travel in economy class
- Entrance to all sites mentioned
- Immediate check in on arrival in Almaty
What is excluded
- International flights
- Items of a personal nature
- Gratuities for local guides, drivers and porters
- Visas
- Alcoholic beverages
- Travel insurance
Other available dates
For further information about any of these tours please call 01285 880 980
| Start date | End date | Days |
Prices from
ex. flights |
Tour Expert | Group Size | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/09/27 | 19/09/27 | 15 days | £5,995 pp | Dr Jordan Quill | 15 Max | AVAILABLE | Reserve place |
Reserve your place on this tour
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