
The Five Stans Silk Road Adventure
FROM BISHKEK TO ASHGABAT • KYRGYZSTAN • KAZAKHSTAN • UZBEKISTAN • TAJIKISTAN • TURKMENISTAN •
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Departure
- Overview
- Highlights
- Map & Itinerary
- Trip Inclusions
- Transport & Accommodation
- Reviews
- FAQs
Winding almost 6,500 kilometres through diverse landscapes, cultures, and civilizations, this magnificent fully-escorted 4-week rail adventure will see you traverse the vast steppes, deserts, mountains, cities and towns of all five “Stans” in Central Asia by train - a once in a lifetime experience! You’ll journey through the mountainous and nomadic Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, be intrigued by the quirky Turkmenistan with its gas craters and futuristic architecture, stay in a nomadic yurt at Song Köl lake and be spellbound by the jewel in the crown of the Silk Road - Uzbekistan.
Departure dates
Per person twin share: $15875
Single Supplement: $1985
Some highlights of your tour
- Ride the rails through all Five Stans in Central Asia
- Tour the classic Silk Road towns of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva
- Experience eagle hunting on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul
- Discover the permanently lit Darvaza Gas Crater in Turkmenistan
- Sleep in a traditional yurt in Kyrgyzstan on the shores of Song Kul lake
- See the futurist city of Ashgabat in Turkmenistan
- Experience the lively traditional Sunday markets of Margilon, Karakol and Tolkuchka
- Visit Khujand in Tajikistan, once known as Leninabad in Soviet times
- Wander the leafy Kazakh city of Almaty to see the Central Museum of Railway Transport
- Be prepared to experience the full legacy of the Soviet era
Your Journey
Land in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and transfer to your hotel. If you’re travelling from Australia, your only reliable flight option, with Emirates and Fly Dubai will arrive in Bishkek at 4:40AM on 19th August. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. To accommodate flight schedules, check in to our hotel is available from 2:00PM on the 18th August and is included in the tour price. Please contact our office if you would like assistance with booking flights.
After having some rest, you may like to explore your surroundings before we gather for our evening festivities. Delightfully green, Kyrgyzstan’s lively capital of Bishkek is a tree-lined city of parks and gardens, handsome houses and wide streets perfect for strolling.
We’ll gather in the hotel at 6pm for drinks ahead of our Welcome Dinner at the Frunze Restaurant, where you’ll get to meet your fellow travellers over an authentic Kyrgyz meal with drinks included.
Overnight: Orion Hotel, Bishkek (B, D)
This morning after breakfast, we’ll embark on a city tour of Kyrgyzstan’s capital, considered one of the “greenest” capitals in the world. We’ll tour the lively Osh bazaar for a peek into traditional life and visit Ala-too Square (which was known as Lenin Square in Soviet times), the Manas Monument, Independent Monument, Panfilov Park with its amusement rides, and the nearby Dubovy (Oak) Park, where you’ll find open-air cafes and lush, majestic old oaks trees along Freedom Avenue.
After enjoying lunch, we’ll marvel at some of Bishkek’s infamous Soviet architecture at the Bishkek Circus, the Wedding Palace, the White House, Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts and the Kyrgyz National Philharmonic. Then it’s on to a Soviet Era Textile Factory on Jibek Jolu Avenue to see its “Our work is for you, Motherland!” mural before visiting Bishkek’s State History Museum, formerly known as Lenin Museum and a fine example of neo brutalist architecture.
Return to your hotel for some free time before enjoying dinner at the traditional Pishpek Kyrgyz restaurant.
Overnight: Orion Hotel, Bishkek (B, L, D)
This morning, a treat is in store for rail lovers/travellers. After breakfast and check out, we’ll transfer to the 1930s built Bishkek train station and board the newly-built VIP summer train to Balykchy on Lake Issyk Kul – the only rail line in the country. Travelling in high comfort through impressive mountain scenery, you’ll enjoy lunch on board, arriving at just before noon, where we’ll transfer to our private coach for the onward journey via mountainous terrain to the sacred Song Kul, an alpine lake situated at an altitude of 3,016 meters and one of the highlights of Kyrgyzstan. Here, you can take a short walk to soak up wonderful views of the snow-capped mountains, or indulge in some horse riding, yurt building and even horse milking! Fermented mare’s milk, which is used to make the mildly alcoholic drink Kumis, is very popular in the country and across Central Asia.
Tonight, you’ll stay at Ak-Sai Yurt Camp on the shores of the lake. Yurts are portable, round tents covered and insulated with felt and tarpaulins and are traditional dwellings used by nomadic groups on the steppes of Kyrgyzstan and mountains of Central Asia. The yurt camp is equipped with three dining yurts, European style toilets, a dozen wash basins, seven shower cabins with hot water – a luxury in such a remote location! Inside these traditionally decorated yurts are western twin beds, warm blankets and sleeping bags, space for your luggage, electricity and a traditional stove to make the yurt warm and cozy.
We’ll enjoy a memorable dinner in the main dining yurt this evening.
Overnight: Ak-Sai Yurts at Song Kol Lake (B, L, D)
For those of you that are keen, rise at 6am for sunrise to enjoy stunning views of the lake. Enjoy breakfast and some free time where you can relax in the sun, disassemble a yurt, or even go for a dip in the icy cold Song Kol Lake before we drive back down the mountain to the town of Kochkor to visit the women’s handicraft cooperative, Altyn Kol. Kyrgyz for ‘golden hand’, the cooperative was founded in the mid-1990’s as a way to provide an alternate source of income for struggling rural families. The centre has subsequently become well known for its high quality handmade felt carpets (shyrdaks) and other local crafts. Spend some time touring the cooperative where you can chat with local women before enjoying lunch in a local restaurant.
After lunch, we travel to the village of Bokonbaevo to meet a local eagle trainer and discover the ancient principles of training these beautiful creatures. Kyrgyzstan is one of the homelands of falconry and the tradition of hunting with large birds of prey, mainly golden eagles, dates back to the Mongol conquest in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Tonight, you’ll stay at a yurt homestay in Bokonbaevo, set among large picturesque gardens and enjoy the hospitality of a local family over dinner. The homestay experience in this part of the world is truly memorable. You’ll be the guests of a local family, experience their lives first hand, and enjoy the warm hospitality they’re famous for.
Overnight: Guesthouse Emily, Guljan, Gulmira in Bokonbaevo (B, L, D)
After a delightful homemade breakfast in the peaceful gardens at your homestay, we’ll travel along the magnificently scenic southern shore of Issyk Kul which, at 178 km long and 60 km wide, is the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America. We’ll visit the red sandstone spires of the Skazka Canyon, commonly known as Fairy Tale Canyon and enjoy lunch at a yurt camp on the lakeshore, before venturing into the Barskoon Valley, one of the most magnificent valleys in Kyrgyzstan with its high mountains, waterfalls and thick spruce forests. On the next stage of our journey – to Karakol, our home for the evening, we’ll stop at the Ak Örgö Yurt Workshop in Barskoon where you’ll learn more about Kyrgyz traditions and the arts of yurt building, felt handicraft and carpet-making.
Karakol, Kyrgyzstan’s fourth largest city, was founded as a Russian military outpost in 1869, housing merchants and officers to support the then-new garrison town of Teplo Kuchenka, growing over time with an influx of explorers mapping the peaks and valleys of the region, and Muslim Dungan’s and Chinese Uighur refugees fleeing warfare across the border in China. These days, the city is a shady grid of tree-lined streets, offering backdrops of snowy peaks contrasted against the old blue shutters and whitewashed walls of antique colonial-period houses.
Dinner tonight is at our accommodation.
Overnight: Green Yard Hotel, Karakol (B, L, D)
Enjoy an early breakfast and head off together to the weekly Karakol animal market, a wonderful place to experience Kyrgyz rural life and culture first-hand. Between 6am and 9am every Sunday morning, Central Asia’s largest animal market bursts to life amid derelict flour mills, and with a backdrop of striking snow-capped mountains. Villagers often travel for days to sell their livestock, sometimes even transporting them in their rusting 1980s Ladas – quite a spectacle if the beast in question refuses to be pushed into the back seat! Watching locals examine and bargain for the animals on offer is quite an experience, and a ‘must do’ if you’re visiting Kyrgyzstan. You’ll have plenty of time to explore and learn!
After the market visit, we’ll stroll along Karakol’s streets and lanes with our guide, spotting Russian-style ‘gingerbread’ houses as you go. We’ll visit the Dungan Mosque, Przhevalsky Memorial Museum and the Holy Trinity Cathedral, before enjoying a Dungan lunch at Karim and Hamida’s family house, a couple hosting traditional Dungan dinners in their home in collaboration with the local tourism authorities.
After lunch, we’ll drive to the picturesque Jety Oguz Valley, recognisable for its iconic red rock hill formations known as the ‘Seven Bulls’ and then on to Jailoo Kok Zhaiyk, also called the Valley of Flowers because of its floral carpet. According to some historians, Soviet cosmonauts were sent to Kok Zhaiyk to rest after their missions in space. On arrival, you’ll have tea with a local family in a traditional yurt before returning to our hotel in the late afternoon where the rest of your evening is free.
Overnight: Green Yard Hotel, Karakol (B, L)
After an early breakfast, we’ll board our private coaches for the journey across the border into Kazakhstan and through spectacular mountain scenery to the magnificent natural wonder of the Charyn Canyon and its Valley of the Castles. While smaller than America’s Grand Canyon, it is considered to be equally as impressive. We’ll enjoy lunch here in the shadow of this incredible natural wonder before continuing on to Saty Village, in the Kolsai Lakes National Park.
On arrival, we’ll jump into some Russian built 4WDs and drive to Kolsai Lakes, also known as ‘the blue necklace’ for the collection of azure water framed by lush, green mountains. After enjoying some time here, we’ll return to Saty village to check into our homestay and indulge in a hearty Kazakh dinner for a true local experience.
Overnight: Saty homestays, Saty village (B, L, D)
This morning, you’ll enjoy a traditional breakfast with your Kazakh hosts before driving north to the town of Shelek for our first local train journey of the tour – a three hour Soviet-era train trip to Almaty. Travelling in air-conditioned comfort, you’ll enjoy lunch on board, and arrive in the early afternoon. On these old, and slow Soviet-era ‘red rattler’ trains, with their particular blend of the antique and the comfortable, time seems to slow down – and the allure of the unknown beckons. They offer a nostalgic journey back to the good old days where within a few minutes you’ve become friends with your fellow passengers who will share their food and vodka with you.
Upon arrival, we’ll transfer directly to our hotel and check in. There’ll be time to relax and freshen up before dinner at the Sandyq restaurant, known for its authentic Kazakhstan cuisine.
Formerly known as Alma-Ata and set in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, Almaty is the financial, cultural and historical centre of Kazakhstan. Once the capital, it boasts some stunning 19th century Soviet-modernist and Tsarist-era architecture, including the bright-yellow towers of Zenkov Cathedral, a tsarist-era Russian Orthodox church.
Overnight: Mercure Almaty City Center, Almaty (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we embark on a full exploration of Almaty against a backdrop of the snow capped Zailiysky Alatau mountains.
Our morning will encompass visits to the vibrant Zelyony Green Bazaar to get an understanding of everyday life in the city, Panfilov Park – dedicated to the 28 guardsmen who died defending Moscow against German tanks in WWII, the Ascension Zenkov Cathedral, Republic Square, Abai Opera Theatre, and the Soviet era Hotel Kazakhstan before pausing to enjoy lunch at the traditional Tyubeteika Kazakh restaurant.
After lunch, we’ll pay a visit to the Central Museum of Railway Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan to see the personal collection of the railroader veteran Beisen Shormakov. Here, you’ll learn about the history of Kazakhstan’s railways, the Turkestan-Siberian railway and other Soviet railway projects, many of which you may be hearing about for the first time. From here, you’re free to do your own thing for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
There are lots of options for exploring more and your tour leader and guide will be only too happy to assist. You may wish to visit the fascinating Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments and the State Historical Museum, which features a great collection of ancient relics. If you’d like to, at your own cost, our guide will take you for a visit to Kök Töbe Hill via cable car. Here, you can enjoy an unforgettable panorama of Almaty from the observation deck and stay on for dinner at Kazakh Restaurant Abay to marvel at the night time views of the city.
Overnight: Mercure Almaty City Center, Almaty (B, L)
This morning after breakfast and check out, we transfer to the airport for your late morning flight to Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer directly to our boutique hotel and enjoy lunch.
At 7 million people, sprawling Tashkent is Central Asia’s hub, its biggest city and the place where everything in Uzbekistan and Central Asia happens. It’s one part newly built national capital, thick with the institutions of power, one-part leafy Soviet city, and yet another part quiet Uzbek town. It tastefully combines medieval buildings, with elegant European architecture, concrete blocks from the Soviet era and sparkling high-rise commercial buildings made of glass and concrete that represent a new era of independent Uzbekistan. Much of Tashkent was destroyed in the 1966 Tashkent earthquake, but it was soon rebuilt as a model Soviet city. It was the fourth-largest city in the Soviet Union at the time, after Moscow, Leningrad (St Petersburg) and Kyiv in the Ukraine.
After lunch, we’ll visit Independence Square and see the Soviet era Hotel Uzbekistan, the Amir Temur Monument and the memorial to victims of the 1966 earthquake.
For dinner tonight, it’s a special Uzbek culinary experience at the National Food Restaurant, a showcase of Uzbek cuisine and a ‘must do’ in Tashkent. Uzbek hospitality is renowned, and the service is usually warm and attentive. Staff may dress in traditional attire and are often eager to explain the dishes and their cultural significance. Dining here is a cultural immersion, allowing you to savor the flavors of Uzbekistan while experiencing its rich traditions and warm hospitality and marvel at the food preparation on show at every turn.
Overnight: Ichan Qal’a Premium Class Hotel, Tashkent (B, L, D)
This morning it’s a traditional gourmet breakfast accompanied by live music at our hotel, after which we’ll embark on a guided tour of old Tashkent, including stops at the lively Chorsu Bazaar, the medieval Kukeldash Madrasah, the Barak-Khan Madrasah and the Tillya Seikh Mosque, before touring the Khast Imom complex, a restored series of religious buildings. Today’s highlight is the Tashkent Museum of Railway Equipment. Opened in 1989, on the 100-year anniversary of the first railways built in Central Asia, the museum is host to 13 steam engines, 18 diesel and 3 electric locomotives that were used across Uzbekistan, as well as a magnificent collection of 1930s to 1950s Soviet locomotives.
After lunch at a local restaurant, you will take a ride on the spectacular Tashkent Metro, and stop at the ornately decorated stations such as Kosmonavtlar, Alisher Navoi and Pushkin. Opened in 1977, the metro rail network resembles an underground gallery, where all 29 stations are a work of art.
Enjoy free time for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Overnight: Ichan Qal’a Premium Class Hotel, Tashkent (B, L)
This morning, after an early breakfast and check out, we’ll travel in business class seats on a Soviet era ‘Ozbekiston’ train from Tashkent to the historic town of Kokand via scenic mountains along the Tajik border and the Fergana Valley, including through a 19 kilometre tunnel under the Kamchik mountain range.
Kokand is at the crossroads of the two main ancient trade routes into the Fergana Valley and is the main railway and road transportation junction in this part of Central Asia. The town was an important trade center on the Silk Road and in the 13th century, like most Central Asian cities, was destroyed by the Mongols, but enjoyed a resurgence in the 19th century.
Upon arrival, we’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and tour the Palace of the Khan of Kokand. Known as the Pearl of Kokand, it was the palace of the last ruler of the Kokand Khanate, Khudayar Khan. Marvel at its seven courtyards and 114 rooms, particularly fine examples of wood carving, panelled and painted ceilings, and wall paintings. We’ll also visit the impressive Jami Mosque Museum and Dakhma- i-Shokhon built by Umar Khan in 1812, and the tomb of Muhammad Umar Khan.
We’ll then join our private coach and travel on to Rishton, the centre of pottery making in Uzbekistan for over 800 years and the source of over 90% of the country’s ceramics. Here, we’ll tour the workshop of Rustam Usmanov, a passionate ceramic master designer to see how different types of ceramics are made. We’ll continue by road to our final destination, Fergana, arriving in the late afternoon.
After checking into our hotel and taking some time to freshen up, we’ll have dinner together at the lively Tot Samiy Gastropub restaurant.
Overnight: Grand Fergana Hotel, Fergana (B, L, D)
This morning after an early breakfast, we’re off to the nearby town of Margilan for the exceptional Sunday Kumtepa Bazaar – perhaps the most fascinating market in Central Asia. With weathered Uzbek men in traditional skullcaps and chapan quilted jackets, and Uzbek matrons dressed in locally produced dresses and headscarves, one feels they have travelled back in time. You’ll enjoy touring the market and interacting with the friendly vendors in the company of our local guide.
Located at the crossroads of ancient trade caravan routes from China to the West along the Great Silk Road to Baghdad, Egypt and Greece and Europe, Margilan is known as the silk capital of Central Asia.
We’ll take time here to visit a silk workshop to witness the traditional methods of silk production – from steaming and unravelling the cocoons, to the tie-dyeing and weaving of the dazzling khanatlas (hand-woven silk) fabrics for which Margilon is famous.
We’ll then enjoy lunch and tour the Sayid Ahmad Hoja Medressa, a charming medressa which has been converted into a crafts centre, where we’ll visit the workshop of Rosuljon Mirzoakhmedov, the latest in nine generations of master ikat (a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles) weavers. Of great interest are the unique water channels that flow through the medressa, an unusual design that the local cloth dyers have taken full advantage of.
Upon our return to Fergana, we’ll enjoy a short tour of the town before enjoying some down time before regrouping for dinner in a local family home for a first-hand experience of the generous and hospitable people of Fergana.
Overnight: Grand Fergana Hotel, Fergana (B, L, D)
After an early breakfast and checking out, we’ll transfer to the Margilan train station to ride yet another ‘Ozbekiston’ train, this time along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border to Kokand, where we’ll transfer to a private coach for the journey to the border crossing into Tajikistan. After journeying across desert plains we’ll arrive in the Tajik city of Khujand in time for lunch at a local restaurant.
Khujand, known as Leninabad from 1936 to 1991 is one of the oldest cities in central Asia, dating back about 2,500 years to the Persian Empire, and was a major city along the ancient Silk Road. After being captured by Alexander the Great in 329 BC, it was renamed Alexandria Eschate and has since been part of various empires in history, including the Umayyad Caliphate (8th century), the Mongol Empire (13th century) and the Russian empire (19th century).
After lunch, we’ll visit the vibrant and colourful Panjshanbe bazaar, an abandoned Soviet air-plane café, the Ismail Somoni monument and the colourful mosaics of Somoni Park, the World War II memorial, the Sheikh Muslihiddin Mausoleum and Jami Mosque. You’ll also tour the Arbob Cultural Palace, the former headquarters of a Soviet collective farm, built in the 1950s and modelled on the winter gardens of Peterhof, St Petersburg.
A quirky treat then awaits – a visit to the giant 24-metre statue of Lenin. After decades spent lording over the city, Central Asia’s largest statue of Vladimir Lenin was finally dismantled and relegated to a field on the outskirts of town under the cover of darkness in 2011.
We’ll finish the day by travelling across the Syr Darya river by cable car for impressive views and to see Kamoli Khujandi Park before enjoying a traditional Tajik dinner at Restaurant Omar Khayam, home to the famous Tajik lamb soup, Mastoba.
Overnight: Parliament Palace Hotel, Khujand (B, L, D)
This morning after breakfast and checking out, we’ll hit the road and drive to Dushanbe – the capital of Tajikistan. En route you’ll traverse the 5 kilometre long and 2,720 metre high Iranian built Anzob Tunnel and travel through rugged mountain scenery to the mountain hamlet of Zeravshan for a memorable lunch. Continuing on, you’ll enjoy fine views of the turquoise waters of the Varzob Gorge below before arriving in Dushanbe in the late afternoon. Upon arrival we’ll go directly to our hotel and check in.
Translated to “Monday” in Tajik, because of its Monday market, Dushanbe was a tiny mountain village of only a few thousand people when it was made capital in 1924, and then renamed Stalinabad from 1929 to 1961 as part of the USSR. It is a delightful city, boasting European and Soviet-inspired architecture, monuments and museums with wide, tree-lined avenues, spacious parks, and public squares.
After freshening up at your hotel, we’ll dine at the excellent Navoi Deha restaurant where you’ll try local meals including Qurutob, the delicious national dish of Tajikistan.
Overnight: Dushanbe Serena Hotel, Dushanbe (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we’ll set out with our expert local guide for a city tour, starting with a walk along the tree lined Rudaki Boulevard to the Statue of Ismoil Somoni. This art deco-esque statue celebrates the 10th century national hero of Tajikistan, after whom the country’s currency is named. Continuing on, you’ll reach Rudaki Park, a stunning landscaped flower garden on a grand scale, with an impressive sculpture of the nation’s most revered poet, Rudaki. Locals will tell you that after the holy Koran, a book of his poems is among the most common possessions in people’s homes across Tajikistan. Continue exploring the park to see the Palace of the Nation state government office, the Independence Monument and cross the river and visit Kohi Navruz Palace. Once called the biggest tea house in the world, the palace is home to a giant man-made lake, fountains, summer pavilions and gardens, and a museum of national handicrafts.
We’ll have time to have a quick lunch before experiencing a train journey from Dushanbe to the Tajik border town of Kudukli on a stretch of the longest railway line in Central Asia/Eurasia, starting in Kulyab in Tajikistan and ending in Volgograd in Russia – an epic 3,067 km taking 73-hours! However, we’ll travel just one hour of this route!
Upon arrival in Kudukli, our private coach will transfer us to the Hissor Fort, one of the best preserved historical sites in Tajikistan and honoured on 20 Tajikistani Somoni bank notes. Built some 2,500 years ago, it has been captured and razed twenty one times by the likes of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Timur, Cyrus the Great, and finally the Russian Red Army assault in 1924.
We’ll return to Dushanbe in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure.
Overnight: Dushanbe Serena Hotel, Dushanbe (B, L)
This morning after breakfast and checking out, we’ll travel north through the mountains to Iskanderkul Lake for a picnic lunch. This scenic lake, renowned for its breathtaking beauty, is one of the most stunning mountain lakes in the former Soviet Union.
After lunch, we’ll continue northwest along the spectacular Zeravshan Valley to the historic town of Panjakent, an ancient city with a rich history dating back over 2,500 years. Renowned for its rich cultural heritage and ancient ruins near to the town, it was once a thriving centre of Sogdian civilization, and a vital hub along the Silk Road, facilitating trade and cultural exchange between East and West. It was the last stop for caravans heading east from Samarkand to stock up before they hit the mountains – or, the first chance to rest for those that had just made the arduous trek from China across the peaks.
Upon arrival in the late afternoon, we’ll go directly to our hotel and check in. There’ll be time to freshen up before enjoying a delightful dinner at a traditional restaurant, where you can taste a variety of authentic Tajik dishes in a cozy setting.
Overnight: Panjakent Plaza Hotel, Panjakent (B, L, D)
This morning after breakfast and checking out, we’ll board our private coach for the journey across the Tajik-Uzbek border to UNESCO World Heritage city of Samarkand, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. Often considered the most evocative and exotic location on all of the Silk Road, for many people Samarkand has the mythical resonance of Zanzibar or Timbuktu, fixed in the Western popular imagination by imaginative poets and playwrights. While it served as a crucial hub on the Silk Road, connecting trade routes between China and the Mediterranean, the arrival of the Russian railway in 1888 secured its place as an important centre for the export of myriad products along the Silk Road.
We’ll arrive in the late morning, go directly to our hotel and check in and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.
This afternoon we’ll start our exploration of this fascinating city, starting with a visit to Registan Square, with its majestic madrasahs, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, all of which showcase the intricate tilework and grandeur of Timurid architecture.
Moving on, you’ll wander the nearby Ulugbek Medressa, Sher Dor Medressa and gold-covered Tilla-Kari Medressa, all dating back to the 15th and 17th centuries. Later, we’ll visit Ulugbek’s 15th-century medieval observatory where Ulug-Beg, the great medieval astronomer, built his gigantic sextant, enabling him to calculate the length of a year to within just 10 seconds, before visiting the workshop of a local artisan, one of the few people in Central Asia who continues to produce paper using a 1000-year-old method.
At the end of the day, we’ll have an early dinner at a traditional ‘tapchan’ (outdoor floor seating) with freshly barbecued kebabs and meats, while we watch the sunset over the magical Registan.
Overnight: Kosh Havuz Boutique Hotel, Samarkand (B, L, D)
This morning after breakfast, our exploration of wonderful Samarkand continues. We’ll visit the beautiful portal and trademark fluted azure dome of the mausoleum of Tamerlane at Gur-e-Amir, and the enormous Bibi-Khanum Mosque financed from the spoils of Timur’s invasion of India and named after his favourite Mongolian wife. We’ll explore the ancient Siob Bazaar where you can sample Khalva (local sweets made of sunflower seeds or peanuts) and get a glass of squeezed pomegranate juice; visit the 8th century Hazrat-Hizr Mosque – burned to the ground by Genghis Khan’s army and later lovingly restored; and wander the stunning avenue of decorated mosques, mausoleums and necropolis’ tombs at Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand’s most moving and beloved site.
We’ll enjoy lunch in the old town, after which the rest of the day is yours at leisure.
For dinner, you can join your tour leader at your own cost to enjoy a wine tasting and dinner at the Bagizagan winery cellar door.
Overnight: Kosh Havuz Boutique Hotel, Samarkand (B, L)
This morning, after breakfast and checking out, you’ll travel 30 minutes by tram to the Samarkand Train Station, where you’ll board the Spanish-built Afrosiyob fast train from Samarkand to Bukhara, enjoying the journey in your Business Class seats. We’ll arrive late in the morning, check into our hotel and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
Central Asia’s holiest city, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Bukhara, often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Silk Road’, is one of the best examples of preserved Islamic cities in the Stans and is the best place in the former Soviet countries for a glimpse of pre-Russian Turkestan. The city was a major stop on the Silk Road trade route between the East and the West, and is a prominent medieval center for Islamic theology and culture. It still contains hundreds of well-preserved mosques, madrassas (Islamic schools), covered bazaars and caravanserais, dating from the 9th to the 17th centuries.
After lunch we’ll do a city tour, visiting Poi Kalon Mosque, which contains the Kalon Minaret, once the tallest building in Central Asia; the Kalon Mosque; the magnificent Mir-i Arab Madrassa, one of Uzbekistan’s most striking buildings; the Bolo-Hauz Mosque; the Ismail Samani Mausoleum; the , Ulugbek Medressa, Central Asia’s oldest medressa; and Maghoki-Attar, Central Asia’s oldest surviving mosque.
We’ll finish our day at Lyab-i Hauz, an oasis-like architectural complex built around a pool shaded by mulberry trees. Here, we’ll have some time to relax by the pool with a cold drink before enjoying dinner and a local dance performance in a traditional restaurant.
Overnight: Minzifa Boutique Hotel, Bukhara (B, L, D)
This morning after breakfast we continue touring Bukhara with visits to the photogenic little Chor-Minor medressa; the Sitorai Mohi Hosa summer palace; Fayzulla Khojaev House; and the Jewish Synagogue. It’s then on to the spectacular Ark of Bukhara, a massive fortress symbolising the city’s historical and architectural grandeur. Built in the 5th century, this ancient citadel served as a royal residence and a seat of government for various dynasties over the centuries. Notable structures within the Ark include the Emir’s reception hall, the Juma Mosque, and the Zindan prison, complete with a torture chamber.
We’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then visit the Palace of the Emir of Bukhara in Kagan, and Bukhara’s original train station, dating back to the 1880s when the town was a stop on the Trans-Caspian line which ran from Moscow to Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan. The small railway museum here documents how the Russians invested in the town after the railway line opened.
The rest of your afternoon and evening is free to relax in the old town and explore more of Bukhara in your own time.
Overnight: Minzifa Boutique Hotel, Bukhara (B, L)
After breakfast and check out we’ll board a local train and traverse the Kyzyl Kum Desert to the town of Khiva, enjoying a packed lunch box along the way. Arriving in the late afternoon, we’ll go directly to our hotel in the old walled town and check in.
While Khiva is now a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its well-preserved medieval architecture, it was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world up to the 1870s. An important oasis welcomed by weary travellers, its economic success between the 16th and 19th centuries came from the sale of slaves, most of which were sold in the large slave market in the centre of town, and it was feared for its reputation for barbaric cruelty, torture, beheadings, terrible desert journeys and steppes infested with raiding Turkmen tribesmen.
Dinner tonight will be in one of Khiva’s traditional restaurants.
Overnight: Zarafshon Boutique Hotel, Khiva (B, L, D)
This morning after breakfast, you’ll tour the old town in the company of an expert local guide.
Khiva old town, so well preserved it’s known as the ‘museum city’, is contained within the walls of the 10th century Citadel and is home to more than 60 cultural sites, medieval mosques and opulent palaces, as well as numerous museums, souvenir shops and craft studios.
Your first stop will be the Kukhna Ark Fortress, a complex of buildings that served as the royal residence and a symbol of power for the Khivan khans from the 12th century onwards. The complex includes the khan’s harem, reception halls, a mint, stables, and a mosque, each showcasing the opulent artistry and craftsmanship of the era. The fortress also features the ornate Summer Mosque, adorned with intricate tilework and wooden pillars, and the beautifully decorated Throne Room, where the khans held court. You’ll visit the turquoise-tiled 57-metre-high Islom Khodja minaret; the Kalta Minor Minaret; and the mausoleum of Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum with its sublime courtyard. It’s then on to the Tosh-Hovli ‘Stone House’ Palace; Mohammed Amin Madrassah; Seid Alauddin Mausoleum, one of the oldest buildings in Khiva; and the atmospheric Juma Mosque.
After your tour, enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant and then have the rest of the day at leisure to wander the town and have dinner.
Overnight: Zarafshon Boutique Hotel, Khiva (B, L)
After an early breakfast we’ll check out, board our coach, cross the Uzbek-Turkmen border at Shavat and journey to the ancient city of Könye Ürgench in Turkmenistan.
On arrival, we’ll tour the impressive remains of the Unesco World Heritage Site of Könye Ürgench. Once the capital of the ancient Khorezm and part of the Achaemenid Empire, the exact dates when Kunya-Urgench was founded remain uncertain, but archaeological finds reveal that the town already had a strong structure in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Our exploration of this wondrous place includes the 60 metre Gutlug Timur Minaret, the Turabeg Khanum Mausoleum, the holy Forty Mullahs Hill, the Ak Kala Fortress, and the remains of the Tash Kala Caravanserai gate.
Following this, we’ll enjoy lunch before travelling to the sand dunes of the Darwaza Gas Crater.
The Darvaza gas crater also known as the “Door to Hell” or “Gates of Hell”, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near the small town of Darvaza. The site was drilled by Soviet engineers in 1971 as an oil-field but collapsed within days, forming the crater. Soviet engineers lit the whole thing on fire to contain the hazard, in the hope to prevent emission of poisonous gasses. However, they underestimated the volume of the gas, imagining the gas leak would burn for a couple of days and then it would be plugged. The gas kept on leaking and 53 years later, the gas fires are still burning strong! We’ll explore these incredible sights at dusk, and again after dinner. We’ll enjoy a memorable dinner near the crater, prepared in large kettles over an open fire and a BBQ grill.
Your accommodation at Darwaza tonight will be in the unique luxury Owadan Yurt, located a safe distance away from the burning gas crater!
Overnight: Owadan Yurts, Darwaza (B, L, D)
This morning we’ll rise early for a spectacular sunrise over the crater before tucking into a memorable breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll travel through the Karakum Desert to Ashgabat, stopping in the village of Erbent, to take a look at a poignant Soviet-era monument in the village centre. Depicting a Turkmen woman with a hung head, it commemorates the death of 11 men who fell during the 1931 Basmachi Revolt, an uprising by rebel groups against Imperial Russian and Soviet rule in Central Asia.
We’ll arrive in Ashgabat just after noon, check into our hotel and enjoy lunch at the stylish Uzum Café local restaurant before embarking on a city tour.
Ashgabat is a showpiece capital and has been designed, at the cost of billions of dollars, to show the world about the glories and accomplishments of the Turkmen people. The city looks like none other on Earth – a bizarre mix of futuristic and outrageous public buildings, and a thoroughly artificial collection of white marble buildings across a long, dry valley. In 2023, Ashgabat was noted by the Guinness Book of World Records as having the most white marble-clad buildings in the world – 543 buildings lined with white marble covering a total area of 4.5 million square meters.
You’ll visit a bizarre giant copy of President Niyazov’s once ubiquitous Ruhnama (‘Book of the Soul’) as well as the Ashgabat Flagpole, the Wedding Palace disco-ball building, Oguzhan Presidential Palace, the Ferris Wheel in the Alem Cultural and Entertainment Centre, the Ashgabat Fountain, the Palace of Knowledge and the Arch of Neutrality.
We’ll return to our hotel and enjoy dinner at the excellent Köpet Dag traditional restaurant.
Overnight: Yyldyz Hotel, Ashgabat (B, L, D)
This morning after breakfast, we’ll explore more of Ashgabat, starting at the Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque. Constructed by the French company Bouygues, it was commissioned by then President Saparmurat Niyazov, complete with a mausoleum in preparation for his death, which came just two years later. The mosque has been at the center of controversy as scriptures from both the Quran and the Ruhnama (The Book of the Soul), Niyazov’s ‘pseudo-spiritual guide to life’, are built into the walls. It has outraged many Muslims that the Ruhnama is placed as the Koran’s equal. Despite its capacity to accommodate 10,000 people, the mosque is often empty as the Ruhnama inscriptions are considered blasphemous by devout mosque goers.
Moving on, you’ll visit the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, built to honor those killed in the WW2 Battle of Gök Depe and in the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake which flattened the city killing up to 100,000 people. We’ll then experience the four minarets and central dome of the Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque, and visit the newest addition to Turkmenistan’s amazing monuments – the enormous 60 meter high statue of Turkmen poet and statesman Magtymguly Pyragy. Returning to the Ashgabat city center, we’ll tour the Russian old town and enjoy lunch at the lively indoor Russian Market, the largest and oldest covered market in Turkmenistan.
After lunch, we’ll enjoy a short train ride on a Turkmenistan train to the town of Yashlyk, travelling in air conditioned Kupe class. Trains in Turkmenistan are clean and modern, and like all train travel, gives you a great opportunity to have long chats with locals while enjoying the sparse desert landscape. Rail services in Turkmenistan began as part of Imperial Russia’s Trans-Caspian Railway and due to poor investment in track equipment, the trains still travel at a speed that is comparable to the speed of trains in the Russian Empire of the mid-19th century!
Upon arrival in Yashlyk, you will visit the atmospheric Berk Brewery and Restaurant, a calming oasis in the desert and a great place to experience local draft beer and wine and wonderfully tasty Turkmen dishes whilst sitting in an outside garden pavilion full of trees. Some foreigners say it’s the closest thing to a winery in the country.
We’ll return to our hotel by coach in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure. If you’re interested, join your tour leader for an informal dinner at your own cost at the western style Altyn Ada Pub Restaurant to mingle with locals and expats and to watch some international sporting matches.
Overnight: Yyldyz Hotel, Ashgabat (B, L)
After an early breakfast we’ll visit the fantastic Ashgabat’s Sunday’s Tolkuchka Bazaar. Everything’s for sale here, whether you’re after a camel in the livestock market, a new mobile phone, or some souvenirs, you’ll find it here!
We’ll then visit the nearby Bedow Hippodrome to see the legendary and truly majestic Akhal-Teke Turkmen horses. With a reputation for speed, endurance, intelligence, and a distinctive shiny metallic coat, which led to their nickname, “Golden Horses”, they are thought to be one of the oldest existing horse breeds at over 3,000 years old. From your seats in the grandstand you’ll get to enjoy watching these horses in action at Turkmenistan’s national sport – horse racing. It’s a memorable cultural experience and is a true slice of Turkmenistan that you won’t forget. After the races, you’ll enjoy a private tour of the stables to see majestic horses up close then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
We’ll return to our hotel in the mid afternoon to enjoy some free time to relax and freshen up before gathering for an early Farewell Dinner at Altyn Cynar Turkmen restaurant, the finest in the country.
As all flights out of Ashgabat are early in the morning at 4.55AM on 15 September with Fly Dubai and Emirates, we’ll return to the hotel after dinner for some rest before your airport transfer at 1:30AM on 15 September.
Overnight: Yyldyz Hotel, Ashgabat (B, L, D)
Fly out in the early morning.
What's included
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24 nights’ accommodation in the highest quality hotels available, mostly 5 stars
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2 nights’ accommodation in luxury yurts in Song Kul and Darwaza
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2 nights’ accommodation in a boutique family run guesthouses in Bokonbaevo and Saty
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27 breakfasts, 26 lunches, 18 dinners
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Drinks included with welcome and farewell dinners
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An Australian Railway Adventures tour leader throughout
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A local tour leader/tour guide in each of the Five Stans
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Tour support from the Central Asia and Australian offices
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The best train journeys possible in modern air conditioned day trains
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Private air conditioned vehicle transfers to and from the train
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All excursions and entrance fees to attractions, as listed in the itinerary
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Photo/video fees at historical sites and museums
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Airport transfers on arrival and departure
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Tipping and gratuities
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Documentation required for the Turkmenistan visa including the Visa Letter of Invitation (LOI)
What's not included
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Flights to and from the tours start and finish locations
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Meals and services not mentioned in the itinerary
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Turkmenistan tourist visa (from 90 USD per person, when obtained at the Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan border)
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Turkmenistan migration tax (15 USD per person, which can only be paid at the Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan border)
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All personal expenses, such as drinks, phone calls, laundry services, and camera fees where applicable
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Excursions listed as optional and extra in the itinerary
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Travel Insurance (a condition of travel)
Some ways you’ll travel
The best train trips possible, private luxury coach for off-train travel, guided walking where suitable, and other appropriate and appealing options to make exploration easy

Train from Bishkek to Lake Issyk Kul
Kyrgyzstan
Private Coach
Uzbekistan
Tram in Samarkand
UzbekistanSome places you’ll stay
Hand-picked hotels and resorts based on location, customer feedback, value and atmosphere. Please Note: Hotels of a similar standard may be substituted.

Ichan Qal’a Premium Class Hotel

Orion Hotel

Yyldyz Hotel
Our track record
Hear from some of our adventurers that have already ridden the rails with us.
FAQs
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