Men, Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia by Paul Craven

Journey through Central Asia – The Five Stans

  • TAILOR-MADE HOLIDAY IDEA

Duration

23 Days

Prices Start from

£5,980pp(ex. flights)

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, where possible by car or train, 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

Yurt, Kyrgyzstan 1

Kyrgyzstan

Stay in a traditional yurt amidst spectacular scenery, and experience nomadic life.

Zenkov Cathedral in Panfilov Park, Almaty, Kazakhstan 2

Kazakhstan

Visit Zenkov Cathedral, one of the worlds tallest wooden buildings, built without a single nail.

Chor Minor, Bukhara, Uzbekistan 3

Uzbekistan

Visit key Silk Road cities and exquisite architectural monuments in Uzbekistan.

Old Lady Baking Bread, Nokhur, Turkmenistan 4

Turkmenistan

Take in the local markets and some of Central Asia’s finest museums in Ashgabat.

Explore our suggested itinerary

  • Day 1

    Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)

  • Day 2

    Bishkek - Burana - Lake Issyk-Kul

  • Day 3

    Lake Issyk-Kul - Karkara

  • Day 4

    Karkara - Karakol - Karkara

  • Day 5

    Karkara - Charyn Canyon - Almaty (Kazakhstan)

  • Day 6

    Almaty

  • Day 7

    Almaty - Dushanbe (Tajikistan)

  • Day 8

    Dushanbe

  • Day 9

    Dushanbe - Khujand

  • Day 10

    Khujand - Tashkent (Uzbekistan)

  • Day 11

    Tashkent

  • Day 12

    Tashkent - Samarkand

  • Day 13

    Samarkand

  • Day 14

    Samarkand - Shakrizhabs - Bukhara

  • Day 15 - 16

    Bukhara

  • Day 17

    Bukhara - Khiva

  • Day 18

    Khiva

  • Day 19

    Khiva - Urgench - Ashgabat (Turkmenistan)

  • Day 20

    Ashgabat - Mary

  • Day 21

    Mary

  • Day 22

    Mary - Ashgabat

  • Day 23

    Depart Ashgabat

Day 1

Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)

Arrive into Bishkek and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon meet with your guide for an orientation tour of the city including a visit to the bazaar.

Day 2

Bishkek - Burana - Lake Issyk-Kul

Travel to Lake Issyk-Kul stopping to visit the 11th century Burana Tower enroute. Continue onto the shores of the second largest alpine lake in the world.

Day 3

Lake Issyk-Kul - Karkara

See the petroglyphs at Cholpan-Ata, on the shores of the lake – littering a boulder field, they are said to date back as far as the sixth century BC.  Continue around three hours to Karkara and your riverside yurt accommodation. Explore the area on foot or by mountain bike.

Day 4

Karkara - Karakol - Karkara

Travel around two hours to the city of Karakol. Spend the day exploring the colonial period architecture harking back to the cities Russian past. Return to Karkara to overnight.

Day 5

Karkara - Charyn Canyon - Almaty (Kazakhstan)

Journey around four hours north west, crossing the border into Kazakhstan and the country’s largest city, Almaty. On the way, stop to explore the dramatic scenery of Charyn Canyon, the colourful sedimentary walls of which reach up to 300 metres in places.

Day 6

Almaty

Spend the day exploring Almaty with a guide. Visit Zenkov Cathedral, the State History Museum and take the cable car to Kok-Tobe Hill for wonderful views over the city.

Day 7

Almaty - Dushanbe (Tajikistan)

Transfer to the airport for a flight to Dushanbe and check into your accommodation on arrival.

Day 8

Dushanbe

Spend today exploring Tajikistan’s capital city, Dushanbe which is home to Hissor Fort and the 19 metre reclining Buddha in Nirvana.

Day 9

Dushanbe - Khujand

Drive around five hours to the city of Khujand, founded by Alexander the Great some 2,500 years ago. Spend the afternoon exploring the medieval citadel, Museum of Archaeology and the local market.

Day 10

Khujand - Tashkent (Uzbekistan)

Journey three hours north crossing the border into Uzbekistan and the city of Tashkent.

Day 11

Tashkent

Explore Tashkent including  its old town, home to a madrasa and fascinating history museum. Take a ride on the Metro and see some of the cities many artisans aswell as Chorsu bazaar, one of the most interesting in the country.

Day 12

Tashkent - Samarkand

Transfer to the railway station for the two hour train journey to Samarkand. On arrival, begin your sightseeing of some of the exquisite architectural monuments in this UNESCO World Heritage city, home to one of the country’s most iconic sites, Registan Square.

Day 13

Samarkand

Continue your guided sightseeing this morning with some time at leisure to explore in the afternoon.

Day 14

Samarkand - Shakrizhabs - Bukhara

Travel to Bukhara today, stopping to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shakhrisabz enroute. The journey time today is around six hours.

Day 15 - 16

Bukhara

Spend the next two days exploring Bukhara both with a guide plus time at leisure. 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 - Khiva

Transfer to the railway station to board a train to Khiva, a journey of around six and a half hours which passes through the Kyzl-Kum Desert. Transfer to your accommodation on arrival.

Day 18

Khiva

Explore the city of Khiva, a UNESCO protected site and perhaps the most perfectly preserved of all the Silk Road cities.

Day 19

Khiva - Urgench - Ashgabat (Turkmenistan)

Cross the border into Turkmenistan travelling north to the UNESCO site of Kunya-Urgench. Travel south for around 90 minutes to Dashoguz airport and fly to Ashgabat to overnight.

Day 20

Ashgabat - Mary

Take in the local market and some of Central Asia’s finest museums in Ashgabat before taking an evening flight to Mary to overnight.

Day 21

Mary

Visit the ancient site of Merv, once an important oasis city on the Silk Road.

Day 22

Mary - Ashgabat

Return overland to Ashgabat, a journey of around four and a half hours. Enroute stop to visit the ruins of Anau Mosque, an important place of worship for pilgrims plus the ancient site of Peshtak.

Day 23

Depart Ashgabat

Transfer to the airport for onward travel.

Our travel experts can tailor this itinerary to suit you.

More Details

Scenery on road between Sary Tash and Irkeshtam border, southern Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan

This journey begins in Kyrgyzstan, a land of magnificent landscapes where 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 four 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 along picturesque Issy Kul Lake, through dramatic gorges and spend a night under canvas in a traditional yurt.

Spires of Zenkov Cathedral, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Spires of Zenkov Cathedral in Almaty

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is 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 exhibition of costumes.

Lady in headscarf, southern Tajikistan
Local woman in Tajikistan

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.

View of Islamic buildings through blue mosaic archway.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan

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.

Mary, Merv, Turkmenistan
Mary, Turkmenistan

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.

How does this holiday make a positive impact?

Our partners work hard to alleviate poverty across these remote parts of our world – by using local hotels and restaurants and employing local guides and drivers our holidays to Central Asia contribute positively to the local economy at a grassroots level.

For every day of travel within Kyrgyzstan, our partners donate USD$1 per person per day to local orphanages. This money contributes to the funding of sports educational programs for the children.

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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 £5,980 Per person
High Season
From £6,895 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.

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