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Heroes and Heroines Kyrgyzstan
Stay in a traditional yurt and experience nomadic life.
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Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Journey through Central Asia
Travel through five very different countries, crossing desert, mountains and grasslands, seeing the finest architecture in Central Asia and mingling with the many different ethnic groups that inhabit the region.
This fascinating journey takes in the highlights of the ‘stans’, a region known for its nomadic culture and silk road history. Gain an insight into the cultures, people and landscapes which shape this captivating region, a crossroads which for thousands of years connected Europe and Asia. Cross borders, exploring mountains and lakes, spend a night under canvas in a traditional yurt and experience a melting pot of regional ethnic groups, colourful bazaars and architectural gems.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
1
2Uzbekistan
Visit exquisite architectural monuments in Uzbekistan.
3Turkmenistan
Take in the local market and some of Central Asia’s finest museums in Ashgabat.
4Kazakhstan
Visit Zenkov Cathedral, one of the worlds tallest wooden buildings, built without a single nail.
Day 1 - 2
Almaty (Kazakhstan)
Day 3
Almaty - Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
Travel overland into Kyrgyzstan
Day 4
Bishkek - Cholpan Ata
Day 5
Cholpan Ata - Karakol
Day 6
Karakol - Son-Kul Lake
Day 7
Son-Kul Lake - Bishkek
Return overland to Bishkek
Day 8
Bishkek
Day 9
Bishkek - Dushanbe (Tajikistan)
Fly from Bishkek to Dushanbe in Tajikistan
Day 10
Dushanbe
Day 11
Dushanbe - Khujand
Travel overland to Khujand
Day 12
Khujand - Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
Day 13
Tashkent - Samarkand
Travel by train to Samarkand
Day 14
Samarkand
Day 15
Samarkand - Bukhara
Travel overland to Bukhara
Day 16
Bukhara
Day 17
Bukhara - Mary (Turkmenistan)
Cross the border into Turkmenistan
Day 18
Mary
Day 19
Mary - Ashgabat
Travel overland to Ashgabat
Day 20 - 21
Ashgabat
Day 1 - 2
Almaty (Kazakhstan)
Arrive into Almaty and spend some time exploring Kazakhstan’s largest city. Visit Zenkov Cathedral, one of the worlds tallest wooden buildings, built without a single nail.
Day 3
Almaty - Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
Day 4
Bishkek - Cholpan Ata
Depart Bishkek and travel overland to Cholpan Ata to see the petroglyphs, some dating from the Bronze Age.
Day 5
Cholpan Ata - Karakol
Continue on to Karakol, with its colonial period architecture harking back to the cities Russian past.
Day 6
Karakol - Son-Kul Lake
Travel to the shores of Son Kul Lake to stay in a traditional yurt and the chance to experience the nomadic way of life.
Day 7
Son-Kul Lake - Bishkek
Day 8
Bishkek
Spend the day in Bishkek with time to explore some of the historical sites including the Victory Monument celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany and the huge Ala-Too Square, where Bishkek’s immense ‘White House’ is located. Also visit the Open Air Sculpture Museum and the History Museum an wander the stalls of the Osh Bazaar – a great place to find traditional Kyrgyz clothing and handicrafts.
Day 9
Bishkek - Dushanbe (Tajikistan)
Day 10
Dushanbe
Spend today exploring Tajikistan’s capital city, Dushanbe which is home to Hissor Fort and the 19 metre reclining Buddha in Nirvana.
Day 11
Dushanbe - Khujand
Day 12
Khujand - Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
Travel overland to Tashkent, a city that was virtually destroyed during a huge earthquake in 1966. Explore its small ‘old town’, home to a madrasa and fascinating history museum which offers an excellent overview of the Silk Roads history. The city is also home to many fine artisans plus one of the most interesting bazaars in the country.
Day 13
Tashkent - Samarkand
Day 14
Samarkand
Spend today visiting some of the exquisite architectural monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Samarkand, home to one of the country’s most iconic sites, Registan Square.
Day 15
Samarkand - Bukhara
Day 16
Bukhara
Spend a day exploring Bukhara. A centre of Islamic learning the city has over 300 intricately decorated mosques along with 80 madrasas plus many colourful bazaars and tea houses where is it possible to experience life as a local.
Day 17
Bukhara - Mary (Turkmenistan)
Day 18
Mary
Visit the ancient site of Merv, once an important oasis city on the Silk Road.
Day 19
Mary - Ashgabat
Day 20 - 21
Ashgabat
Take in the local market and some of Central Asia’s finest museums in Ashgabat.
More details
Kazakhstan
This trip begins in Kazakhstan, a huge landlocked country of rolling plains, rich in oil and minerals and dotted with archaeological sites. Spend time in the former capital of Almaty with its mountainous backdrop and many fine 19th Century buildings. The Zenkov Cathedral, a wooden structure was built in 1904 without the use of any nails. Adjacent is the museum of musical instruments and the central State Museum with wonderful pictorial displays and an excellent display of costumes.
Kyrgyzstan
Cross the border into visa free Kyrgyzstan, a land of magnificent landscapes. Forested mountains and grassy steppes hide nomadic communities, crystalline lakes and rolling valleys. Spend time in the capital of Bishkek, surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too ranges. Over the next six days journey overland taking in ancient sites such as the 11th Century Burana Tower and the petroglyphs at Cholpan Ata, as well as the Russian history of Karakol city. Journey through dramatic gorges enroute to the picturesque lakes of Issy Kul and Son Kul and spend a night under canvas in a traditional yurt.
Tajikistan
Continue south across the border to Tajikistan, a wild and forgotten corner of the globe with a fascinating history, a melting pot of regional ethnic groups and over 90% of the land covered by mountains. Based in the capital city of Dushanbe, visit Hissor Fort and the Museum of National Antiquities, the centre piece of which is the 19-metre reclining Buddha in Nirvana. Since the tragic destruction of the Bamiyan statues in Afghanistan, this is the largest Buddha in Central Asia. Travel overland to Khujand, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia and an important point on the Silk Route.
Uzbekistan
Begin your adventures in Uzbekistan in the now relatively modern Tashkent, before boarding a train to Samarkand, one of the world’s most ancient and fabled cities. Inextricably linked with the great Silk Road, Samarkand was a famous trading city and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While here visit one of the country’s most iconic sites, Registan Square. Next, Bukhara, a former capital and centre of Islamic learning the city has over 300 intricately decorated mosques along with 80 madrasas as well as colourful bazaars and tea houses.
Turkmenistan
Your journey across Central Asia ends in Turkmenistan with a visit to Merv, an oasis in the Karakum desert and once one of the most important cities on the Silk Route. Finally, Ashgabat, once devastated by an earthquake it is now a glittering example of hydro-carbon funded architecture and what it lacks in history, it makes up with a stunning array of marble-clad palaces, and some fascinating museums.
Let’s chat
A note on price
Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling and accommodation choices.
Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
This Itinerary
Low Season
From £5,200 Per person
High Season
From £5,995 Per person
When to travel
Due to the varying landscapes across the region there can be dramatic changes in the climate. In general, the best time to visit is Spring and Autumn, between April and June and again from September to late October when days are dry and temperatures warm. Winters can be bitterly cold and summers dry and extremely hot. The Pamirs in Tajikistan are best visited between mid-June and late September to avoid snow-bound roads.
Holiday Inspiration
Our experts have created and curated these tailor-made holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something that is the spark for your unique adventure.
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. A curiosity of the world and of you, and your passions. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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