Trans Caspian overland tour

country:	Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
trip type:	A small group adventure
departures:	2008: 27 Aug
price:	From £1800 (19 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK. Price includes full board, transport as per the itinerary, twin-share accommodation, mineral water & entrance fees

Silk Road holidays

Asia overland tours

the amazing things you'll be doing

Join us on this true travellers trip, from Tashkent to Tbilisi, through the fascinating Turkmenistan, across the Caspian and on to the Caucasus. On the 18-day trip you will witness all the splendour of the Silk Road in Samarkand and Bukhara, cross the famous Oxus River, visit the dinosaur plateau, the ancient capital of Merv.

Next we vist the curiously named and total surreal modern capital of Ashkabad (the City of Love) before taking a night-train to the Caspian Sea, a ferry to Baku and visit the ancient vineyards of Georgia, where wine was invented more that 7,000 years ago.

All in all, a cracking adventure for those that like their travel challenging and real.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Fly to Tashkent
Day 2:	Samarkand Arrive in Tashkent and transfer down to Samarkand to check into a delightful guesthouse. In the late afternoon we will visit the Registan and Gul Amir Timors tomb. (Hotel).
Day 3:	Samarkand & Bukhara Visit the main bazaar, the Bibi Khanym mosque, and the Shah-I-Zindar, the street of the dead. After lunch we'll drive along the Royal Road to Bukhara. Our guesthouse is located in the beautiful Labi Hauz; visit the famous and fascinating old town. (Hotel).
Day 4:	Bukhara Tour of the beautiful old town including the citadel, where the British officers Conelly & Stodard lost their heads during the Great Game & the Kolan minaret, off which Amir Nasirulla Khan threw his enemies. Afternoon free in the bazaar for wandering & shopping. (Hotel).
Day 5:	Koyten Early drive down to the Turkmenistan border then on to Koyten village, via Kerki and across the Amudarya (River Oxus) Bridge. We arrive in Koyten village in the early evening. (Guesthouse).
Day 6:	Koyten Drive to Kugitang Mountainside to visit Dinosaur Plateau and other beautiful natural sites. We will have lunch in the weird & wonderful ‘Kyrk Gyz’ (Forty Maidens) cave. In the afternoon we’ll return to Koyten and take a swim in the lovely lake before having drinks and dinner. (Guesthouse).
Day 7:	Camp at Kaynar-Baba Drive out via Kaynar-Baba lake; one of the wonders of nature of this area. At a suitable location we will camp among the arid mountains and have a night out under the stars.
Day 8:	Mary Drive to Mary, reaching the city by lunch time. Here we will check into our guesthouse and visit the ancient sites of Merv. We’ll see: Erk Kala (6c. BC) with its citadel, Gayur Kala (3c. BC), Sultan Kala (8-11c. AD), Abdullakhan Kala and Bairamalikhan Kala (15c. AD), Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar-the last ruler of a great Seljuk Empire (12c. AD), Great Kala and Little Kyz Kala (6-7c. AD), and the Mausoleum of Muhammed Ibn Zeid (12c. AD).
Day 9:	Margush Mary to Margush/Gonur Depe (40 km off road). It is an amazing site that some experts belief represents the fifth great civilisation of ancient times. Return to Mary via Merv where we will see the small but excellent museum. (Guesthouse).
Day 10:	Ashkabat Drive to Ashkabat, taking a stop at Abiverd. Abiverd is an ancient town through which once passed The Great Silk Road. On arrival in Ashkabat we will check in and go for our first look around this wonderfully strange place. (Hotel)
Day 11:	Ashkabad All day in Ashkabad to witness one of the strangest places you’re ever likely to have visited. We visit Central Asia’s biggest bazaar out in the desert where everything from giant carpets & trucks to furry hats & bicycles are sold. Dinner at a restaurant in town. (Hotel).
Day 12:	Ashkabad to Turkmenbashi Another day in this bizarre city where we will be able to see the carpet museum – which holds the world’s biggest carpet – the Russian bazaar and the Hippodrome to see some of the beautiful Akhel Tek horses; as it will be a Sunday there is a good chance there will be a colourful race meeting. After dinner we will climb aboard the Trans Caspian Express for a nighttime train journey to Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnavosk). (Sleeper train).
Day 13:	Baku Arrive on the shores of the Caspian, visit the market and have lunch before hopefully setting sail across the Caspian Sea to Baku. Once on board we will haggle with the purser to get sleeper births and so have a good night sleep. (Sleeper boat)
Day 14:	Contingency day As the timings of the ferries cannot be guaranteed we will keep one day free, which will either be spent in Turkmenbasi – while waiting for the ferry – or as an extra day in Azerbaijan if we get straight on the ferry.
Day 15:	Baku Arrive Baku and transfer to city centre hotel. Rest of the day free for looking around the old town and castle. Dinner at one of the best restaurants in town and possible trip to the opera.
Day 16:	Sheki & Telavi We depart early & head to Sheki to enjoy a panoramic view of the town, and visit the local bazaar. We cross over into Georgia & after a photo stop at Gremi Architectural Complex (16th century) we will walk for about an hour to visit the Nekresi Monastery (4th century) with its churches and palace of the bishop. In the evening we arrive in Telavi. (Private houses with shared facilities).
Day 17:	Telavi to Tbilisi We travel to Kakheti, the famous wine-growing region during the grape harvesting. We'll visit the Old Shuamta Monastery (6-7th century) and have an opportunity to see a typical palace of a Georgian prince of 19th century. In the evening we will go on to Tbilisi (hotel).
Day 18:	Tbilisi All day in the Georgian capital where we will have a city tour including Old Tbilisi: Metekhi Church overlooking the river Mtkvari (13c.); Narikala Fortress (4c.); Sulphur Bath; Synagogue; Sioni Cathedral (6-7c.), Anchiskhati Church (6c.). Afterwards we visit the stunning treasuries of the Georgian State Museum and have the rest of the day to relax and shop. (Hotel).
Day 19:	Departure

small group cultural tours

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 it's 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 experiencing new cultures.

how this holiday makes a difference

In Central Asia we have developed unique relationships with many of the semi-nomadic peoples of the region and through our form of interactive, socially conscience tourism have helped them adapt to the modern, changing world by providing an important income opportunities. With Sogan Bai, an eagle hunter from the shores of Lake Issyk Kul, or Noorgul, a shepherdess from the pristine Son Kul, or Nazira and her family at Tash Rabat, we have been responsible for introducing them to the homestay market, helping them to provide good, clean and interesting accommodation which in term allows them to educate their children, improve their standard of living and look after their ill. The wonderful thing about this kind of interactive tourism is that everyone gains – the nomads financially and us with the wonderful welcome and experience they give us.

In Georgia and Azerbaijan we use local ground handlers who in turn book locally run hotels, providing employment for a number of members of staff and support families. The ground handlers also use local drivers and camp staff, and ensure that all supplies are purchased locally for the journey. This means that all the operational costs go directly into the local economy and helps to improve employment opportunities in remote regions.

The Caucasus have suffered over a decade of civil war and turbulence, and have been left with an abundance landmines and UXO in several areas. All landmine casualties place additional strain on the already overburdened health care system that has been damaged or destroyed by decades of conflict. Wild Frontiers supports the Adopt-A-Minefield project, an NGO that saves and improves lives by raising funds to clear landmines and help landmine survivors around the world.

When you take one of our trips, we make a contribution to “Climate Care” – an organisation devoted to ‘offsetting’ or ‘neutralising’ harmful greenhouse gas emissions caused by your flight. This is done by funding projects across the world that will reduce greenhouse gases on your behalf through sustainable energy or rainforest restoration. We also support several NGOs around the world, all carefully selected to improve the standard of living for the communites we visit.

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