This 13-day small-group journey follows the Silk Road from the white-marble capital of Turkmenistan to the great cities of Uzbekistan. Groups have a tour leader throughout, with local guides at the main sites, and travellers must be 16 or over. You travel by private vehicle, cross the Kyzylkum Desert by road and take an overnight train from Khiva to Samarkand. You stay in well-located hotels, including a hotel inside Khiva's old walls. Breakfast is included every day, with a lunch during a Turkmen cooking class. The trip is land-only, starting in Ashgabat and ending in Tashkent.

Ashgabat, rebuilt in white marble after the 1948 earthquake, is like no other capital, and a city tour and the National Museum introduce Turkmenistan's history. You visit the Sunday market and Nisa, founded in the 3rd century BC as the first capital of the Parthian Empire, and join a Turkmen cooking class. Driving east via the Kaka oasis and the ruined fortress of Abiverd, you reach Mary, gateway to ancient Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose ruins spread across some 100 square kilometres and once made it one of the great cities of Central Asia.

Trip highlights

Ashgabat and the Parthian fortress of Nisa (Days 1–2)
The ruins of ancient Merv (Day 4)
Bukhara's Ark and Char Minar (Day 6)
The walled city of Khiva (Days 8–9)
An overnight train to Samarkand (Day 9)
The Registan and Shah-i-Zinda in Samarkand (Days 10–11)

Map of the 13-day trip from Ashgabat to Nisa, Mary and Merv, across the border to Bukhara and Khiva, by train to Samarkand and on to Tashkent — 13-day route: Ashgabat – Nisa – Mary – Merv – Bukhara – Khiva – Samarkand – Tashkent

Ashgabat Days 1–2
Nissa Fortress Day 2
Kaka Oasis Day 3
Mary Days 3–4
Ancient Merv Day 4
Farab Day 5
Bukhara Days 5–7
Khiva Days 8–9
Urgench Day 9
Samarkand Days 10–11
Tashkent Days 12–13

Combines Turkmenistan, rarely visited, with Uzbekistan's three great Silk Road cities. Three nights in Bukhara and two in Samarkand allow time to explore beyond the guided tours.

Best suited to

Travellers fascinated by the Silk Road
Anyone curious about Turkmenistan
History and architecture lovers
Travellers aged 16 and over who don't mind long drives

Day 1 · Ashgabat Arrive in Ashgabat

Arrive in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's capital, rebuilt in white marble after an earthquake in 1948. An afternoon city tour includes the National Museum.

Hotel
Sport Hotel or similar
Day 2 · Ashgabat market, Nisa Sunday market and Nisa

Visit Ashgabat's lively Sunday market and the fortress of Nisa, founded in the 3rd century BC as the first Parthian capital. Join a Turkmen cooking class for lunch.

Hotel
Sport Hotel or similar

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 · Kaka, Abiverd, Mary Kaka oasis to Mary

Drive east via the Kaka oasis, stopping at the ruined fortress of Abiverd, to the town of Mary.

Hotel
Hotel Mary or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 4 · Merv, Mary Museum Ancient Merv

Explore Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose ruins spread over some 100 square kilometres, once one of the great cities of the Silk Road. In the afternoon, visit the Mary history museum.

Hotel
Hotel Mary or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 5 · Farab, Bukhara Into Uzbekistan: Bukhara

Cross the border at Farab, which can take up to two hours, and continue to Bukhara for an orientation walk around Lyabi-Hauz.

Hotel
Royal Bukhara Hotel or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 6 · Ark of Bukhara, Emir's Palace, Char Minar Bukhara

Visit the Emir's summer palace, the Ark citadel, the Ismail Samani Mausoleum and the four-towered Char Minar.

Hotel
Royal Bukhara Hotel or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 7 · Bukhara Free day in Bukhara

A free day to explore Bukhara's trading domes, madrasas and the Kalon Minaret at your own pace.

Hotel
Royal Bukhara Hotel or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 8 · Kyzylkum Desert, Khiva Across the Kyzylkum to Khiva

Drive across the Kyzylkum Desert to Khiva, an ancient city of minarets and palaces enclosed by mud-brick walls.

Hotel
Feruzkhan Hotel or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 9 · Kunya Ark, Tash-Khauli Palace, Khiva Khiva and the night train

Explore Khiva's old city, including the Kunya Ark and the Tash-Khauli Palace, and climb the Juma Minaret for views. In the evening, board the sleeper train from Urgench to Samarkand.

Hotel
Overnight train

Meals
Breakfast
Day 10 · Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym Mosque Samarkand

Discover Samarkand, rebuilt by Tamerlane as a glittering capital: the Registan, the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum and the vast Bibi-Khanym Mosque.

Hotel
Hotel Asia Samarkand or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 11 · Shah-i-Zinda, Ulugh Beg Observatory Shah-i-Zinda and Ulugh Beg

Visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory and Shah-i-Zinda, an avenue of blue-tiled mausoleums and one of the city's most sacred places. The afternoon is free.

Hotel
Hotel Asia Samarkand or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 12 · Tashkent Tashkent

Drive to Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital, for a city tour and a ride on its ornate Soviet-era metro.

Hotel
Hotel Inspira-S or similar

Meals
Breakfast
Day 13 · Tashkent Trip ends in Tashkent

The trip ends after breakfast. Luggage storage is available at the hotel if your flight is later in the day.

Meals
Breakfast

Ashgabat (2 nights) Sport Hotel or similar
Mary (2 nights) Hotel Mary or similar
Bukhara (3 nights) Royal Bukhara Hotel or similar
Khiva (1 night) Feruzkhan Hotel or similar
Khiva to Samarkand (1 night) Overnight train
Samarkand (2 nights) Hotel Asia Samarkand or similar
Tashkent (1 night) Hotel Inspira-S or similar

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

Included

Accommodation — 12 nights 11 in hotels and 1 on an overnight train
Meals 12 breakfasts and 1 lunch at a Turkmen cooking class
Transport private vehicle, a minibus between the border posts and an overnight train from Urgench to Samarkand
Guided visits Ashgabat and the National Museum, Nisa, Merv and the Mary museum, Bukhara, Khiva, Samarkand and Tashkent
Tour leader throughout, with local guides

Not included

International flights to Ashgabat and from Tashkent
Visas, including the Turkmenistan letter of invitation
Meals not listed
Optional activities
Single supplement, tips, travel insurance and personal spending

Honest disclaimer — please read

You want flights included — they are not
You want most meals included — breakfasts and one lunch
You dislike long drives — the desert crossings are long
You need everything fixed in advance — border crossings can be slow

FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Turkmenistan · UK FCDO travel advice for Uzbekistan

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09 Oct 2027 Twin share

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How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

How do I get a Turkmenistan visa?

Turkmenistan requires a letter of invitation before a visa can be issued, which takes time, so book well in advance. Uzbekistan is currently visa-free for UK passport holders for short stays.

How is this different from the Tashkent to Ashgabat trip?

This trip runs in the opposite direction and spends longer in Bukhara and Samarkand, while the other includes a night at the Darvaza gas crater and a village homestay.

What is the overnight train like?

A sleeper train from Urgench near Khiva to Samarkand, with shared compartments and bedding provided.

How active is the trip?

The physical rating is medium, with walking in old cities and at archaeological sites, and long days on the road.

What meals are included?

Breakfast every day and lunch during a Turkmen cooking class in Ashgabat.

What is the minimum age?

Travellers must be 16 or over.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

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Silk Road Highlights: Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan – 13 Days

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