Central Asia Explorer - 17 Days

Salamatsyzby! Welcome to Kyrgyzstan! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight in Bishkek. Tomorrow you’ll take a guided tour of the city, so don’t stress if you don’t have time to see much today. If you arrive early, maybe wander through the State Museum of Fine Arts or head out in search of some samsa (pastry pockets filled with meat and vegetables). After your meeting, maybe get to know your fellow travellers over a group dinner.

This morning, join your local leader on a guided city tour that showcases the various stages of Bishkek’s history. Visit the Ala-Too Square, once known as Lenin Square, and learn about the towering statue depicting folkloric hero Manas. Then, continue to Dubovy Park. Here, you’ll wander the open-air galleries, then explore the century-old oaks along Freedom Avenue. In the afternoon, you'll have some free time to further explore Bishkek at your own pace – maybe visit the Osh Market and wander through the stalls selling spices, fruits, clothes and carpets.

This morning, watch the beautiful landscape change as you drive to Kyrgyzstan. Along the way, stop at Burana Tower – a minaret that’s the most visible remnant of the ancient city of Balasagun. Then, continue to Don Aryk, where you’ll meet a local Kyrgyz family and sit down for a home-cooked lunch. After, continue to today’s destination – Issyk-Kul Lake. At 170 km long and 70 m wide, the Issyk-Kul Lake is the second-largest alpine lake in the world. Your yurt camp for tonight is set up along the south shore of the lake where you'll get a fantastic view of the snow-capped mountains setting behind the lake. Made of felt and tarpaulins on a round frame, yurts are the traditional dwellings of the Kyrgyz people, and this will be your 'settlement' for today and tomorrow.

After breakfast, you’ll head out to Kyzyl Tuu – known for yurt making. Almost every family here is a yurt maker, and the village is known far beyond Kyrgyzstan. Visit an artisan family who’ll teach you about their traditional yurts. With a special workshop, you’ll learn the basics of how these nomadic dwellings have been manufactured and how they play an important role in the community here. The rest of the afternoon is then free for you to explore at your own pace – maybe relax at your yurt camp, jump into the lake or set off on a short hike.

Travel to Song-Kol Lake this morning. This alpine is considered sacred to many Kyrgyz people and one of the best summer pastures for nomadic herders. On the way, stop at Kochkor to visit the local market and a women's felt co-op. The landscape today will change depending on the season, but it is sure to be beautiful no matter when you travel. In the summer, you might see nomadic herdsmen and their families watching over goats, sheep and horses. When you arrive later today, spend some time exploring the surroundings at your own pace. Tonight, fall asleep in yurts set up along the shore.

Travel along gravel roads to the tiny village of Kyzyl-Oi after breakfast. Today is a bit of a long travel day, so it's a good idea to get stuck into your book or favourite podcasts. On the way, pass large coal deposits and travel along the Kokomeren River, which feeds into the Syr Darya. Then, stop for a picnic lunch on the banks of the river and maybe use your free time to explore the village when you arrive. Tonight, learn how the locals cook their favourite snack of boorsok.

Get ready for a full day of driving though beautiful landscapes. As you cross the Suusamyr Valley (a high steppe plateau situated at around 2200 m above sea level) take in the mountainous surroundings, often dotted with yurts. Then, travel along the Chychkan River that cuts through the Tien Shan Mountain Range. Stop here for a while and soak up the beautiful scenery before continuing to Toktogul – a city in Jalal-Abad Region of Kyrgyzstan, named after a popular poet and musician from the region, Toktogul Satilganov. Later, you’ll arrive at tonight’s accommodation, which is part of the local community-based tourism network in Toktogul.

After breakfast, travel to Osh – the second-largest city in Kyrgystan. Located in the Fergana Valley in the south of the country, Osh is often referred to as the Capital of the South and is the oldest city in the country. Along the way, stop at Uzgen – an ancient trading town and handicrafts centre along the Silk Road. Although much of the ancient city has been destroyed, the three surviving mosques remain important examples of medieval Central Asian architecture. When you arrive in Osh this afternoon, the rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace.

Rise and shine early for a visit to the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Kyrgyzstan – the Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain. For centuries, Silk Road travellers have sought out the mountain's caves and petroglyphs, believing they’d be blessed with longevity and healthy children. Visit the National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex. In the afternoon, enjoy some free time in Osh. Maybe visit the Jayma Bazaar, where you might pick up an interesting souvenir or two, or maybe take a self-guided tour of the remnants of Osh's Soviet past with a walk to the giant Lenin statue in the city square.

This morning, cross the border to Margilan in Uzbekistan – a city along the Silk Road that’s been at the centre of Uzbekistan’s silk production since the 11th century. When you arrive, visit a silk weaving factory and the ikat-silk weavers of Margilan. Here, you can wander through the markets and workshops and learn about every step of the silk production process. Then, meet a potter at one of Rishton’s ceramics workshops. According to legend, ceramic production originated in Rishton in the 9th century when the city became a transit point on the Silk Road. Sit down to lunch at the potter’s home and learn about this ancient craft before travelling to Kokand. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore at your own pace.

In the cool of the morning, discover the Khudayar Khan Palace Museum – the palace of the last Khan of Kokand Khanate. The palace, constructed in the late 19th century, is known for its blue, green and yellow tiles on the facade of the building and ornate interiors. Then, enjoy an afternoon free to explore Kokand at your own pace. Maybe see the Friday Mosque, wander through the bustling bazaars or visit the Royal Cemetery. Tonight, maybe find a local restaurant and head out for dinner with your fellow travellers.

Cross the border into Tajikistan this morning. Then, continue to Khujand. Known as Alexandria Eskhata (Alexandria the Furthest) and believed to be founded by Alexander the Great, Khujand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. When you arrive, the rest of the day is free for you to explore the city at your own pace. Maybe wander around the evening bazaar and barter a good price on fruits and other local produce. Across the market is Jami Mosque from 16th century. If time allows, maybe visit the History Museum or Khujand Fortification.

This morning, start your journey to Panjakent – once the capital of ancient Sogdiana country on the Silk Road. Today is a bit of a long travel day, so it's a good idea to get stuck into your book or favourite podcasts. On the way, visit Marquzor Lakes – a chain of alpine lakes and local villages. Have lunch with a local Tajik family in the village before continuing to Penjikent. When you arrive this afternoon, explore the ancient city walls and ruins. Archaeologists working on the site have recently discovered more than fifty rooms here! Visit the tiny museum and wander through the foothills of the city walls before enjoying a free night to explore at your own pace.

After breakfast, take the bus across the border back into Uzbekistan. When you arrive, take a bus to Samarkand. This city is located at the very centre of the ancient Silk Road – a vast network of land and sea trade routes, which facilitated the exchange of goods like silk and spices from the second century to the mid-15th century. Later today, follow your leader on a short city orientation walk and see the historic mosques and bustling bazaars. Tonight, maybe head out for dinner with your group – your local leader will have the best recommendations of where to eat!

This morning, visit central square called the Registan, which features mosques and mausoleums that are true pinnacles of Islamic architecture. Then, continue to Guri-Amir, where Tamerlane is buried, and then the enormous Bibi-Khanum Mosque. Visit Shak-i-Zinda – a necropolis that features a series of blue-tiled mausoleums. This sacred site has monuments from the 14th to 19th century, reflecting the development of the monumental art and architecture of the Timurid dynasty onwards. Tonight, you’ll learn the secrets of plov cuisine during a cooking demonstration with a local family.

This morning, take the train back to Tashkent. As the largest city in Central Asia, Tashkent blends Russian and Uzbek style, with grand mosques that sit alongside modern highways and Soviet monuments. Enjoy a free afternoon – maybe visit the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan or wander through the Art Gallery of Uzbekistan. Tonight, why not celebrate this great adventure with an optional farewell dinner!

As there are no further activities planned today, your adventure comes to an end today. If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.