Tour overview

This 18-day journey travels the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan before crossing into the mountains of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. A tour leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than twelve, by private vehicle, high-speed train and two internal flights. You stay seventeen nights in well-located hotels, a converted Jewish house in Bukhara and a yurt camp on Lake Issyk-Kul, with breakfast daily and many lunches and dinners.

From Tashkent the Afrosiab train takes you to Samarkand for the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda, then on to Bukhara, Central Asia's holiest city. In Khiva you explore the walled old city on foot, with a plov demonstration and a Khorezmian cookery class along the way.

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Flying to Almaty, you tour the former Kazakh capital, then cross to Bishkek via the petroglyphs of Tamgaly Tas. A night in a yurt camp by Lake Issyk-Kul, a visit to Skazka Canyon and two nights in Karakol, with a Dungan family cooking masterclass, lead back to Almaty.

The physical rating is medium. This trip suits travellers who want three countries of Central Asia in comfort.

Trip highlights

  • The Afrosiab train to Samarkand (Day 3)
  • The Registan and Shah-i-Zinda (Day 4)
  • A night in a converted Jewish house in Bukhara (Day 5)
  • The walled city of Khiva (Day 8)
  • The petroglyphs of Tamgaly Tas (Day 12)
  • A yurt camp on Lake Issyk-Kul (Day 14)

Your route

17 stops from Tashkent to Almaty

18-day route: Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara – Khiva – Tashkent – Almaty – Bishkek – Issyk-Kul – Karakol – Almaty
  1. Tashkent Days 1–2
  2. Konigil Day 3
  3. Samarkand Days 3–4
  4. Bukhara Days 5–6
  5. Khiva Days 7–8
  6. Tashkent Day 9
  7. Almaty Days 10–11
  8. Tamgaly Tas Day 12
  9. Bishkek Days 12–13
  10. Burana Tower Day 14
  11. Kyzyl-Tuu Day 14
  12. Lake Issyk-Kul Day 14
  13. Skazka Canyon Day 15
  14. Jety Oguz Valley Day 15
  15. Karakol Days 15–16
  16. Charyn Canyon Day 17
  17. Almaty Days 17–18

Why choose this tour

Three countries of Central Asia in one trip. Cookery classes and characterful stays.

Best suited to

  • Culture and history lovers
  • Food lovers
  • Travellers who value comfort
  • Solo travellers and couples
The tiled domes of the Shah-i-Zinda mausoleums in Samarkand

Day-by-day itinerary

18 days from Tashkent, Uzbekistan to Almaty, Kazakhstan

  1. Day 1 · Tashkent Tashkent

    A welcome dinner.

    Hotel
    Hotel Inspira-S
    Meals
    Dinner
  2. Day 2 · Khast Imom, Chorsu Bazaar Tashkent

    A city tour.

    Hotel
    Hotel Inspira-S
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Samarkand Samarkand

    By high-speed train.

    Hotel
    Hotel Royal Samarkand
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Shah-i-Zinda, Registan Samarkand

    The Silk Road jewel.

    Hotel
    Hotel Royal Samarkand
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Bukhara Bukhara

    A holy city.

    Hotel
    Converted Jewish house
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Ark Fortress, Poi Kalyan Bukhara

    Domes and minarets.

    Hotel
    Converted Jewish house
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Sitorai Mohi Hosa, Khiva Khiva

    An emir's palace.

    Hotel
    Arkanchi Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Itchan Kala Khiva

    A walled city.

    Hotel
    Arkanchi Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  9. Day 9 · Tashkent Tashkent

    Fly back to Tashkent.

    Hotel
    Hotel Inspira-S
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  10. Day 10 · Almaty Almaty

    Into Kazakhstan.

    Hotel
    Renion Park Hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  11. Day 11 · Zenkov Cathedral, Almaty Almaty

    A city tour.

    Hotel
    Renion Park Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  12. Day 12 · Tamgaly Tas, Bishkek Bishkek

    Into Kyrgyzstan.

    Hotel
    Park Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  13. Day 13 · Ala-Too Square Bishkek

    The Kyrgyz capital.

    Hotel
    Park Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  14. Day 14 · Burana Tower, Lake Issyk-Kul Issyk-Kul

    A lakeside yurt.

    Hotel
    Barbulak Yurt Camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  15. Day 15 · Skazka Canyon, Karakol Karakol

    A fairytale canyon.

    Hotel
    Green Yard Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  16. Day 16 · Karakol Karakol

    A Dungan dinner.

    Hotel
    Green Yard Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  17. Day 17 · Almaty Almaty

    Back to Kazakhstan.

    Hotel
    Renion Park Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  18. Day 18 · Almaty Almaty

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
The Lyabi-Hauz pool in Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Where you stay

  • Tashkent (2 nights) Hotel Inspira-S
  • Samarkand (2 nights) Hotel Royal Samarkand
  • Bukhara (2 nights) Converted Jewish house
  • Khiva (2 nights) Arkanchi Hotel
  • Tashkent (1 night) Hotel Inspira-S
  • Almaty (2 nights) Renion Park Hotel
  • Bishkek (2 nights) Park Hotel
  • Issyk-Kul (1 night) Barbulak Yurt Camp
  • Karakol (2 nights) Green Yard Hotel
  • Almaty (1 night) Renion Park Hotel

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

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 17 nights in hotels, a heritage house and a yurt camp
  • Meals 16 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 10 dinners
  • High-speed trains and flights to Tashkent and Almaty
  • Plov demonstration and Khorezmian cookery class
  • Dungan family cooking masterclass
  • Guided tours in Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva
  • Tour leader throughout

Not included

  • International flights
  • Visas if required
  • Meals not included 1 breakfast, 12 lunches and 7 dinners
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
The domes of Zenkov Cathedral in Almaty

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want a short holiday
  • You dislike long travel days
  • You want a beach holiday
  • You want international flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–9 and 11–18 · Lunch: Days 11–12, 14 and 17 · Dinner: Days 1, 4–5, 8–10, 13–14 and 16–17
FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Kazakhstan · UK FCDO travel advice for Kyrgyzstan · UK FCDO travel advice for Uzbekistan
The walls of Khiva lit up at night

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £6,130 per person, twin share, tour only. 56 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

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.

Do I need visas?

UK citizens can currently visit Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan visa-free for short stays. Check the latest advice before travel.

Are internal flights included?

Yes, from Urgench to Tashkent and from Tashkent to Almaty.

What is the yurt camp like?

Comfortable but simple yurts with electric heaters and shared facilities, for one night.

Are there long travel days?

Yes, including the drive and border crossing from Karakol back to Almaty.

Can I have my own room?

A single supplement is available, except at the yurt camp.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a tour leader.

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.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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