Uzbekistan tour, Road to Samarkand
More info:From £1290 - £1375 excluding flights. Prices based on 2 adults sharing. Single supplement available. Mimimum age 14.
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Date
Price per adult
Basis
Status
05 Apr 2019
£2099
including UK flights
Full
12 Apr 2019
£1949
including UK flights
Full
27 Sep 2019
£1870
including UK flights
Full
Vouchers
Accepted
Holiday type
Small group holidays
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. If you’re heading off on a gap year your, perhaps – but for those with a two-week holiday, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.
The leaders are not guides – they’re not there to shepherd you around. Instead, they’ll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food – without running the risk of travellers’ tummy. They’ll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.
We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds – and organised travel without the coaches. And it’s cheaper than a tailor made tour. It’s sits somewhere in the middle – and we think it’s just about right.
What are the main benefits?
Big experiencesHave big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.
Simplicity
Make the most of your holiday time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!
Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects – and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.
Who is it ideal for?
Travellers who are short of timeIf you don’t have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels – so you can squeeze more into your holiday.
Solo travellers who’d like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those travelling alone. Single supplements are usually available – providing privacy if you want it.
Less confident travellers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.
Mythbuster
“I won’t get any privacy!”Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travellers their own room.
“There won’t be any free time”
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.
“The accommodation will be basic”
Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations won’t have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.
“I won’t like the other travellers!”
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic – age, families, activity levels... Chances are, you’ll even make new friends.
“Will we be following an umbrella?”
No.
Meet a local guide
No matter how experienced your group leader, they can never make up for the knowledge gained from a lifetime in the destination. That’s why many of our trips work with local guides around the world – who invite you into their homeland with pleasure.
Responsible tourism


Responsible tourism: Uzbekistan tour, Road to Samarkand
Environment
Uzbekistan has seen recent dramatic improvements to its infrastructure, meaning it’s now possible to travel several legs of our journey on the new ‘Afrosiyob’ bullet train. It’s a great experience travelling on this modern train, with the chance to mix with the local people and watch the scenery roll past the window. Travelling by public transport of course has another benefit too; it’s better for the environment as it reduces our reliance on specially chartered vehicles. When coaches are being used, we keep the size of the coach to a minimum, so rather than using gas guzzling 40-50 seaters we opt for more environmental friendly 15-25 seat coaches that use less fuel and therefore admit less carbon.In Yangikasgan we stay in a yurt at a desert camp. Yurts are circular dwellings made from felt and insulated with sheepskins and are the typical accommodation of the nomadic people of Central Asia. They are completely sustainable and portable so they can be moved from camp to camp.
There are plenty of opportunities to experience local cuisine and some of the highlights are a lunch in a local house in Nurata and stopping at a local tea house in Samarkand for a traditional Kokchai tea.
Community
Uzbekistan is known for its bustling bazaars, they are a haven for anybody interested in local quality handicrafts and seeing artisan’s at work. We visit several on this trip, and with the help of our expert local guide we promote responsible bartering for the handicrafts, intricate woodworks and souvenirs on display. This responsible approach ensures striking a balance between tourists not paying over the odds, and allowing for a decent and fair price to be reached for the products purchased, meaning both parties walk away happy.One reason we use local tour leaders is so they can help bridge any cultural gaps between us and the local people. As well as helping to unlock many aspects of the destination; employing a local tour leader, local guides, drivers, and cameleers all contributes in supporting the local community through employment and training.
Our supplier is a small locally owned company and over the past 25 years we have built a long standing, mutually beneficial and respectful relationship.
In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our UK Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators. We acknowledge that air travel has a negative impact on our environment, so we work together with Cool Earth to offset carbon and protect our important rainforests.
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More info:From £1290 - £1375 excluding flights. Prices based on 2 adults sharing. Single supplement available. Mimimum age 14.
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