BEST TIME TO VISIT THE STANS

There’s no large body of water buffering Central Asia, so temperature fluctuations are severe, with a dry climate that dishes up roasting summers and freezing winters.![]()

Since so much of southern Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are above 3,000m you can get huge fluctuations within a single country, with highs of 40°C in the cities, but bitter cold in the mountains. In the winter, snow falls and blocks roads any time from Nov through to Mar. The best time to visit multiple Stans is late Apr to May, and late Aug to Sep, when it’s cool in the mountains but not too hot for sightseeing at lower elevations. Tours run in the Stans in Jun-Jul, too, but Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan can feel uncomfortably hot then.
WHEN TO VISIT THE STANS, MONTH BY MONTH
Our The Stans Holidays
The Silk Road small group tour
Discover the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China
From
£3499 to £3999
15 days
inc UK flights
The five stans silk road holiday
Step into the pages of history on a silk road tour
From
£5249 to £6149
23 days
inc UK flights
Silk Road highlights tour
Travel the world's famous highway; the Silk Road
From
£1795
20 days
ex flights
Central Asia overland tour, the stans
An epic journey through the five 'stans' of Central Asia
From
£4999 to £5699
26 days
ex flights
The Five Stans holiday, Ancient Silk Road Cities
Small group adventure through the fascinating Five Stans
From
£3790 to £3990
23 days
ex flights
Silk Road holiday, small group
Discover amazing Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan
From
£3345 to £3995
15 days
ex flights
Samarkand, Uzbekistan Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
-4
6
39
FEB
-2
8
35
MAR
3
13
59
APR
9
21
62
MAY
13
26
34
JUN
16
32
4
JUL
18
34
3
AUG
16
32
1
SEP
11
28
3
OCT
6
21
21
NOV
2
14
22
DEC
-1
9
35
Our top The Stans Holiday
The Silk Road small group tour
Discover the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China
From
£3499 to £3999
15 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2023: 13 Jun, 18 Jul, 8 Aug, 29 Aug, 12 Sep, 17 Oct
2024: 9 Apr, 23 Apr, 14 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 11 Jun, 18 Jun, 16 Jul, 6 Aug, 20 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 24 Sep, 8 Oct, 15 Oct
2023: 13 Jun, 18 Jul, 8 Aug, 29 Aug, 12 Sep, 17 Oct
2024: 9 Apr, 23 Apr, 14 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 11 Jun, 18 Jun, 16 Jul, 6 Aug, 20 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 24 Sep, 8 Oct, 15 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about The Stans or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

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RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL RECOMMENDS
Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus:
“May is my favourite time of year in Uzbekistan, or late September. Later than that, it does get really cold down near the Afghan border, but it is warmer further north. There is a huge amount of different temperate zones throughout the country; you find massive variants. We went to bed some nights with all our clothes on, because some of the places we stayed didn’t have heating. But I do love it there!”
“May is my favourite time of year in Uzbekistan, or late September. Later than that, it does get really cold down near the Afghan border, but it is warmer further north. There is a huge amount of different temperate zones throughout the country; you find massive variants. We went to bed some nights with all our clothes on, because some of the places we stayed didn’t have heating. But I do love it there!”
Jim O’Brien from our supplier Native Eye:
“We generally only travel to the Stans in spring and autumn, although we do run a few trips in the summer to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, when the passes are clear and travel is less disrupted. For the others, spring and autumn is the best time to go. The weather is decent; it’s not fiercely hot, it’s not freezing cold.”
“We generally only travel to the Stans in spring and autumn, although we do run a few trips in the summer to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, when the passes are clear and travel is less disrupted. For the others, spring and autumn is the best time to go. The weather is decent; it’s not fiercely hot, it’s not freezing cold.”
FESTIVALS & EVENTS IN THE STANS
The World Nomad Games showcases nomadic sports, culture and lifestyle and takes place every two years in Kyrgyzstan, usually in September. It’s a unique chance to see traditional wrestling, eagle hunting, headless goat polo (kok buru) and board games which make chess or mahjong look simple. Far from being touristy, it’s a glorious celebration that attracts people from all the Stans and further afield. Some arrive on horseback, pitch yurts and settle in to enjoy the competitions, food and fun.