London to Uzbekistan by rail holiday

Planet

We have put together a selection of our favourite rail journeys including some truly epic trans-continental adventures. A welcome by-product is that it also allows us to consider our impact on the environment when we travel. Maintaining a balance between looking after the planet and supporting the 10% of the global population who depend upon tourism for an income, often in poverty stricken areas where their culture is a viable asset, demands some significant soul-searching. By choosing to travel by land, rather than flying, even in at least one direction, we can promote the role of responsible tourism as a way forward for the future. Our adventures are based on taking regular scheduled train services which form vital connections, linking countries and communities. And we avoid using so-called ‘cruise trains’ which carry far fewer people and operate for tourists only.

In conjunction with our local partners we work with the hotels to implement best practice with regards to environmental policies – this includes advising them on proper disposal of waste and conserving energy. This is particularly important once we are in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan where tourism remains relatively new. We are keen to pass on our extensive experience of working in countries where tourism is often in its infancy. Even though we must be realistic about what is possible and can be achieved, we know that taking even small steps, such as operating a policy to reduce little on our tours will benefit the environment. We insist that all litter from travellers, guides and drivers is taken back to the hotels where it can be properly disposed of.

The hotels used on our rail based trips have been chosen for their proximity to the railway stations, therefore often avoiding the need to take a road transfer. When possible we also actively encourage travellers to explore each location on foot. And again accommodation has been carefully selected with this in mind.

People

We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of group departures – usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries or we may offer private trips only. By limiting our presence in areas where local culture can be quite fragile, we aim to avoid ‘over tourism’ whereby an area changes in character due to repeated and prolonged exposure to large numbers of tourists. We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come.

This particular tour operates on a private basis only and for most of the journey you will travel unaccompanied. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Along the way you will meet our local guides for sightseeing. They will be from the town or region that you are visiting and they will be pleased to share their local knowledge. We have purposely chosen not to include all of the meals as part of the price of your tour. On most days this will leave you free to choose where you would like to eat. The guides will be pleased to offer recommendations and they will only suggest locally owned establishments with menus based on regionally sourced produce. We encourage you not to only spend your money in the hotels, but that your visit should always benefit other businesses in the local community.