Central Asia holiday
| country: | China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan |
| location: | Silk Road |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2010: 10 Jun, 1 Jul, 22 Jul, 2 Sep 2011: 9 Jun, 30 Jun, 21 Jul |
| price: | From £1990 (19 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Once the centre of mighty empires, the lands of Turkestan are found in modern-day Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. Through this diverse region - with fearsome deserts and soaring mountains - great Khans controlled the citadels of Khiva, Bukhara, Kokand and Kashgar. Silk Road caravans scaled the mountain passes to ply their trade in the Kashgar baazars and 19th century adventurers played cat-and-mouse amongst the valleys and peaks of the Tien Shan and Pamir mountains. We explore Uzbekistan's treasures before crossing to Osh, a city with 3000 years of history. Winding high on rugged roads, we cross the remote Irkeshtam Pass before finishing in Kashgar - as centuries of intrepid travellers have done before us!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | (Thu) Arrive in Tashkent and transfer to hotel. Visit the Museum of History, Barak Khan Madrassah, Kukeldash Madrassah and Chorsu Bazaar. Overnight train to Khiva. |
| Day 3: | Arrive Khiva. Explore Djuma Mosque, Kunya Ark and Toza Bog Palace. |
| Day 4: | Drive to Ayaz Qala, our base for visiting the Toprak Qala, Qavat Qala and Ayaz Qala fortress complexes. Overnight in yurts. |
| Day 5-7: | Drive across the Kyzyl Kum desert to Bukhara. Ark Fortress, Poikalon Ensemble and Samanid Mausoleum. |
| Day 8-9: | Continue via Alexander the Great's fortress to Nurata. Overnight in Sentab village in Nurata mountains. Optional short walks in area. |
| Day 10: | Full day tour in Samarkand. Visit Registan Square, Shah-I-Zinda Mausoleum, Ulugbek Observatory and local bazaar. |
| Day 11-12: | Return to Tashkent. Cross the Kamchik Pass (2267m) to the Fergana Valley. |
| Day 13: | Visit regional towns known for handmade ceramics and silk textiles. |
| Day 14: | Cross into Kyrgyzstan. Explore baazar at Osh. Climb Solomon's Throne. |
| Day 15-16: | Travel to Sary-Tash. Cross the Irkeshtam Pass (2841m) to Kashgar. |
| Day 17: | Explore Kashgar - old town, Abakh Hoja's Tomb and Id Kah Mosque. |
| Day 18-19: | Visit colourful Kashgar Sunday Market. Trip ends in Kashgar the following morning (Mon). |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Travel on the Silk Road in Central Asia and experience this epic journey with the help of your local tour leaders, who will give you a first-hand insight into the amazing diversity of this remarkable region. There is much to see in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and western China that documents the area's colourful and turbulent past, when it was the main highway connecting East to West in both physical as well as cultural terms. By visiting fragile historic sites such as the colourful and ornate mosques, vibrant bazaars and mystical madrassahs, travellers are made aware of the importance to preserve and protect such delicate relics so that they can be appreciated by future generations.
You also visit local villages and learn about the unique lifestyle of the people as well as understand the need to preserve their customs and traditions in the face of a rapidly homogenised world. You are also treated to demonstrations of some of their unique skills, such as pottery, weaving and carpet making. Tourism in this region is in its infancy and to support programs there, this operator is training their tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. By only employing tour leaders born and bred in the regions they visit, they are supporting local economies. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities. As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way! |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |