Central Asia holiday
| country: | China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan |
| location: | Silk Road |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2009: 28 May, 18 Jun, 9 Jul, 30 Jul, 27 Aug, 3 Sep |
| price: | From £1232 (18 days) excluding flights, based on twin share accommodation. We can arrange flights from the UK |
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 adventurous travellers have done before us!
Includes tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, accomodation (7 nights comfortable hotel, 7 nights local guesthouse, 3 nights yurt tent), most meals (17 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners), transport, sightseeing and entrance fees.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
Includes tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, accomodation (7 nights comfortable hotel, 7 nights local guesthouse, 3 nights yurt tent), most meals (17 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners), transport, sightseeing and entrance fees.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
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. Tashkent stands today as an example of Soviet architecture and city planning. The city displays many interesting examples of the 60s architectural style and enjoys a cosmopolitan blend of cuisines and influences. |
| Day 3: | Fly to Khiva, a settlement that began to flourish by the early 16th century. A colourful procession of conquering Khans, Silk Road traders, Great Game spies and Russian invaders has long captured the imagination of writers and poets. Explore Djuma Mosque, Kunya Ark, Toza Bog Palace. |
| Day 4: | Drive to Ayaz Kala, our base for visiting the Toprak Qala, Qavat Qala and Ayaz Qala fortress complexes, relics of the Khorezm towns that existed in the Amu-Darya delta some 2000 years ago. Stay overnight in yurts. |
| Day 5-7: | Drive across the Kyzyl Kum desert to Bukhara, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site and regarded as one of Central Asia's holiest cities. With more than one hundred officially preserved monuments, there is a lot to see and we have an extensive sightseeing program here to make the most of our time. Our visit includes seeing the Ark Fortress, Poikalon Ensemble, Samanid Mausoleum. |
| Day 8-9: | Continue via Alexander the Great's fortress to Nurata, an important Muslim place of pilgrimage, reaching its peak in the 10th century as devotees flocked to its many significant graves and memorials. Stay overnight in yurts near Aidarkul Lake. Optional camel trekking. |
| Day 10: | Full day tour in Samarkand. From its founding in the 5th century BC, this crossroads of cultures, religions, peoples and languages has been a centre of artisans and traders - as well as the prize for many a conquering army. Visit Registan Square, Shah-I-Zinda Mausoleum, Ulugbek Observatory and local bazaar. |
| Day 11-12: | Return to Tashkent via Chimgan. Cross the Kamchik Pass (2267m) to the Fergana Valley, a fertile bowl fringed by the Tian Shan mountains to the north and the Pamir Altay mountains to the south. |
| Day 13: | Visit regional towns in the Fergana Valley known for their exquisite handmade ceramics and silk textiles. We can see the many processes used to create the raw silk cocoons into beautiful silk cloth and exquisite tapestries, carpets and embroideries. We also visit a pottery centre in Rishton to learn about the delicate ceramics for which the town is famous. A local master will show us how he crafts each piece by hand before carefully decorating and firing them in a traditional kiln. |
| Day 14: | Cross into Kyrgyzstan; explore baazar at Osh. Climb Solomon's Throne. |
| Day 15-16: | Travel to the high peaks at Sary-Tash; relax or hike. Cross the Irkeshtam Pass (2841m) to the Silk Road trading hub of Kashgar. |
| Day 17: | Explore Kashgar, situated at an altitude of 1,289 metres at the end of the Karakoram Highway from Pakistan, Kashgar is still an important trading centre. We enjoy a city tour including the old town, Abakh Hoja’s Tomb, Id Kah Mosque. |
| Day 18: | Trip ends in Kashg. |
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. |