The Five Stans of the Silk Road Adventure Tour

See all the 'stans (well, most of them) on this comprehensive 26-day tour through Central Asia. Learn about nomadic life in Song Köl, explore natural landscapes like Kaindy Lake's sunken forest, and witness the hustle and bustle of capital cities and their bazaars, cathedrals, and historical sites. Along the way, you'll sleep like the locals do in homestays and yurts to get even closer to this underexplored destination.

Highlights

Explore the Soviet
esque capital of Bishkek, Witness how Kyrgyz felt is made, Marvel at Charyn Canyon, Browse the stalls of Khujand's markets, Stay overnight in a local yurt, Camp under the stars near Derweze crater

What's Included

Your G for Good Moment: Yurt Building Demonstration, Barskoon Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group, Bishkek Your Local Living Moment: Overnight in a Yurt, Ozero Sonkël' Your Local Living Moment: Bokonbayevo Village Homestay, Bokonbayevo Your Local Living Moment: Community Homestay, Kŭli Iskandarkŭl Your Local Living Moment: Overnight in a Yurt, Aydar Kŭl Camp. Half
day city tour (Bishkek). Burana Tower visit (Bishkek). Przhevalsky Museum visit (Karakol). Yurt building presentation (Kizil Tuu). Saty village stay. City tour (Almaty). Charyn Canyon Visit. City tour (Dushanbe). Waterfall hike (KÅ­li IskandarkÅ­l). City tour (Khujand). Mug Yepe Visit (Istaravshan). Market visit (Khujand). City tour (Samarkand). Walking tour (Bukhara). Chashma Complex and Holy Spring Visit (Nurata). Fortress of Alexander the Great visit (Nurata). City tour (Bukhara). Khiva Ancient City tour. City tour (Tashkent). Felt
making workshop visit. Hikes and picnic lunch. Derweze (Door to Hell). Erbent visit. City tour (Ashgabat). Internal flight. Transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Accommodation

Standard hotels/guesthouses (19 nts), yurts (3 nts), CBT homestays (2 nts), tented camp (1 nt).

Meals Included

24 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 8 dinners

Transport

Private vehicles, plane, walking.

Group Leader Description

All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting
we think it's the best of both worlds.

Emergency Fund

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Solo Travellers

We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi
share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Spending Money

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

What to Take

What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking though, you should pack as lightly as possible. On the vast majority of our trips you are expected to carry your own luggage (please see below for exceptions), and though you will not be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes) we recommend keeping the weight under 10kg/22lb. Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures travellers! Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags with wheels are acceptable, although we recommend your bag has carry straps as well, as you may be required to negotiate bus and railway station steps. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day walks and day trips.