Tour overview

This 17-day small-group journey crosses three Central Asian countries, from the mountain lakes and nomad pastures of Kyrgyzstan to the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan, with a stretch through northern Tajikistan. Groups have no more than 12 travellers aged 15 and over, with a local leader throughout. You travel by private bus, metro and train, and stay in a mix of hotels, tourist yurt camps and village guesthouses or homestays, some of them basic. Breakfast is included every day, with 6 lunches and 7 dinners, many of them home-cooked. The trip is land-only, starting in Bishkek and ending in Tashkent.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's leafy capital, opens with a city walk around Ala-Too Square. On the way to Issyk-Kul, one of the largest alpine lakes in the world, you visit the Burana Tower and share lunch with a Kyrgyz family. Two nights in a yurt camp by the lake include a visit to Kyzyl Tuu, a village of yurt makers, and the felt-making cooperative in Kochkor. You then climb to Son-Köl, a high lake sacred to the Kyrgyz and a summer pasture for nomadic herders, for a night in a yurt camp.

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Gravel roads lead through the high Suusamyr plateau to homestays in the villages of Kyzyl-Oi and Kök-Bel, with a cooking demonstration of boorsok, the local fried bread. In Osh, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, you climb the Sulaiman-Too sacred mountain, Kyrgyzstan's only UNESCO site, and see the Uzgen minaret. Crossing into Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley, you visit the silk workshops of Margilan and the Khudayar Khan Palace in Kokand.

In Tajikistan you stop in Khujand, founded by Alexander the Great, and travel to Panjakent, once a capital of ancient Sogdiana, with lunch with a family by the Seven Lakes of Marguzor. Back in Uzbekistan, Samarkand brings the Registan and Gur-e-Amir, and a train returns you to Tashkent for a final evening.

The physical rating is medium, with long drives on mountain roads and basic facilities at yurt camps and homestays. This trip suits curious travellers who want to experience nomadic life as well as the great cities of the Silk Road.

Trip highlights

  • The Burana Tower and lunch with a Kyrgyz family (Day 3)
  • Yurt camps at Issyk-Kul and Son-Köl lakes (Days 3–5)
  • Village homestays in the Kyrgyz mountains (Days 6–7)
  • Sulaiman-Too sacred mountain in Osh (Day 9)
  • Silk workshops in Margilan and the palace of Kokand (Days 10–11)
  • Panjakent, the Seven Lakes and Samarkand (Days 13–15)

Your route

17 stops from Bishkek to Tashkent

17-day route: Bishkek – Issyk-Kul – Son-Köl – Kyzyl-Oi – Osh – Kokand – Khujand – Panjakent – Samarkand – Tashkent
  1. Bishkek Days 1–2
  2. Burana Tower Day 3
  3. Issyk-Kul Lake (Kyzyl Tuu) Days 3–4
  4. Kochkor Day 5
  5. Song-Kol Lake Day 5
  6. Kyzyl-Oi Day 6
  7. Kök-Bel Day 7
  8. Uzgen Day 8
  9. Osh Days 8–9
  10. Margilan Day 10
  11. Rishton Day 10
  12. Kokand Days 10–11
  13. Khujand Day 12
  14. Marguzor Lakes Day 13
  15. Panjakent Day 13
  16. Samarkand Days 14–15
  17. Tashkent Days 16–17

Why choose this tour

Combines Kyrgyzstan's mountains and nomadic culture with the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan. Yurt camps, homestays and many home-cooked meals bring you close to local life.

Best suited to

  • Adventurous travellers who enjoy remote landscapes
  • Anyone curious about nomadic culture and the Silk Road
  • Travellers happy with simple yurt and homestay nights
  • Photographers drawn to mountains and lakes
A gazebo over the clear water of Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan

Day-by-day itinerary

17 days from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to Tashkent, Uzbekistan

  1. Day 1 · Bishkek Arrive in Bishkek

    Welcome to Kyrgyzstan. Meet your leader and group at 6pm in Bishkek, followed by dinner together.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  2. Day 2 · Ala-Too Square, Bishkek Bishkek

    Join your leader on a city tour tracing Bishkek's history, from Ala-Too Square, once Lenin Square, to its parks and monuments.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Burana Tower, Issyk-Kul Burana Tower to Issyk-Kul

    Stop at the Burana Tower, a minaret from an ancient Silk Road city, and share lunch with a Kyrgyz family in Don Aryk before reaching your yurt camp on the shore of Issyk-Kul.

    Hotel
    Tourist yurt camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Kyzyl Tuu, Issyk-Kul Yurt makers of Kyzyl Tuu

    Visit Kyzyl Tuu, where almost every family makes yurts, for a workshop on how they are built, then enjoy free time by the lake.

    Hotel
    Tourist yurt camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Kochkor, Son-Köl Son-Köl

    Visit the women's felt cooperative in Kochkor, then climb to Son-Köl, a high lake sacred to the Kyrgyz and a summer pasture for nomadic herders, for a night in a yurt camp.

    Hotel
    Tourist yurt camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Kyzyl-Oi To Kyzyl-Oi

    Travel along gravel roads to the small village of Kyzyl-Oi for a night in a homestay and a demonstration of boorsok, Kyrgyz fried bread.

    Hotel
    Guesthouse or homestay
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Suusamyr Valley, Kök-Bel Suusamyr plateau to Kök-Bel

    A full day's drive across the Suusamyr Valley, a high steppe plateau at around 2,200 m, to the village of Kök-Bel.

    Hotel
    Guesthouse or homestay
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  8. Day 8 · Uzgen, Osh To Osh

    Travel to Osh, Kyrgyzstan's second city in the Fergana Valley, stopping at the medieval minaret and mausoleums of Uzgen.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Sulaiman-Too, Osh Sulaiman-Too

    Climb early to Sulaiman-Too, a sacred mountain and Kyrgyzstan's only UNESCO World Heritage Site, visited by Silk Road travellers for centuries. The afternoon is free for Osh's bazaar.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Margilan, Kokand Into Uzbekistan: Margilan

    Cross into Uzbekistan and visit Margilan, a centre of silk production since the 11th century, to see silk being woven by hand. Continue to Kokand.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  11. Day 11 · Khudayar Khan Palace, Kokand Kokand

    Visit the Khudayar Khan Palace, the 19th-century residence of the last khan of Kokand, with its tiled facade and courtyards.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  12. Day 12 · Khujand Into Tajikistan: Khujand

    Cross into Tajikistan and continue to Khujand, believed to have been founded by Alexander the Great as Alexandria Eschate.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  13. Day 13 · Panjakent, Seven Lakes of Marguzor Panjakent and the Seven Lakes

    A long travel day to Panjakent, once a capital of ancient Sogdiana, with lunch with a Tajik family by Lake Marguzor.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  14. Day 14 · Samarkand Back to Uzbekistan: Samarkand

    Cross back into Uzbekistan and travel to Samarkand, at the heart of the ancient Silk Road.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  15. Day 15 · Registan, Gur-e-Amir Samarkand

    Visit the Registan, three great madrasas facing one square, and Gur-e-Amir, the mausoleum of Tamerlane, followed by a farewell dinner.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  16. Day 16 · Tashkent Train to Tashkent

    Take the train to Tashkent, the largest city in Central Asia, where grand mosques stand alongside Soviet monuments.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  17. Day 17 · Tashkent Trip ends in Tashkent

    The trip ends after breakfast. Extra nights in Tashkent can be arranged when you book.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Horses grazing on a mountain pasture in Kyrgyzstan

Where you stay

  • Bishkek (2 nights) Hotel
  • Issyk-Kul (2 nights) Tourist yurt camp
  • Son-Köl (1 night) Tourist yurt camp
  • Kyzyl-Oi (1 night) Guesthouse or homestay
  • Kök-Bel (1 night) Guesthouse or homestay
  • Osh (2 nights) Hotel
  • Kokand (2 nights) Hotel
  • Khujand (1 night) Hotel
  • Panjakent (1 night) Hotel
  • Samarkand (2 nights) Hotel
  • Tashkent (1 night) Hotel

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

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 16 nights in hotels, yurt camps and homestays
  • Meals 16 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners, including family lunches in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
  • Transport private bus, metro and the train from Samarkand to Tashkent
  • Visits a Bishkek city walk, the Burana Tower, a yurt workshop, the Kochkor felt cooperative, a boorsok cooking demonstration, Uzgen, Sulaiman-Too, Margilan, Kokand, Khujand, Panjakent, the Registan and Gur-e-Amir
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • International flights to Bishkek and from Tashkent
  • Airport transfers
  • Visas, where required
  • Meals not listed and optional activities
  • Single supplement, tips, travel insurance and personal spending
The mountains around Osh, Kyrgyzstan

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want flights included — they are not
  • You need a private bathroom every night — yurt camps and homestays are basic
  • You dislike long drives on gravel roads
  • You want luxury hotels — accommodation is simple

Good to know

FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Kyrgyzstan · UK FCDO travel advice for Tajikistan · UK FCDO travel advice for Uzbekistan
Horses on the plains of the Osh region beneath snowy peaks

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £3,040 per person, twin share, tour only. 31 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.

What are the yurt camps like?

Tourist yurt camps with beds in traditional felt yurts, usually shared, and simple shared bathrooms. Nights at altitude can be cold, even in summer.

What are the homestays like?

Simple village guesthouses or family homes, with shared facilities and home-cooked meals. Room-sharing may be needed.

How many border crossings are there?

Three, all overland: Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan to Tajikistan, and Tajikistan back to Uzbekistan, with your leader helping with formalities.

What meals are included?

16 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners, including family lunches in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and most meals at the yurt camps and homestays.

How active is the trip?

The physical rating is medium. Expect walks around lakes and villages, the climb up Sulaiman-Too and long drives on mountain roads.

Do I need visas?

UK passport holders do not currently need visas for short stays in Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan offers an e-visa. Check the latest rules before you travel.

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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