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Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Adventure

18 Days | Step off the beaten track and onto the ancient Silk Road on this revelatory tour through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
ZAR  62,968
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Travel into desert landscapes heavy with romance and mysticism on this adventure through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Walk in the shadows of ancient, blue-tiled buildings in Samarkand, sleep in a yurt under thousands of desert stars and spend an evening at a home stay with a family in the Nuratau Mountains. Watch the sun set over Technicolour minarets in Khiva, learn about life in a desert settlement in Yerbent and revel in the eastern-futurism of Ashgabat. Step off the beaten track and onto the ancient Silk Road in this revelatory tour through ancient lands.

Trip overview

Map of Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Adventure including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Start
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Finish
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
KFSAC
We’re in the process of figuring out how much CO2-e this trip generates. In the meantime, find out more about our climate commitments and carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • This incredible journey takes you through parts of Central Asia that few people can find on a map, let alone have considered travelling to.
  • The much-photographed Registan in Samarkand is one of the true pinnacles of Islamic architecture. You'll be wowed by the scale, grandeur and beauty of the monuments to iconic figures such as Tamerlane and the Persia-influenced madressas, mosques and mausoleums.
  • Spend an evening in the isolated Kyzylkum Desert, warming yourself by the fire and sleeping in a yurt.
  • Get to really know the stories and people of Uzbekistan while sharing home-cooked meals with local families, including a home stay in the remote Nuratau Mountains.
  • Spend time in World Heritage-listed Bukhara, a 6th-century-BC city that's drenched in history and home to the formidable Ark of Bukhara.
  • Steeped in Silk Road history and immortalised in many great tales, the UNESCO-protected town of Khiva is as photogenic as it is legendary.
  • Explore the sprawling ruins of Mary, Merv and other ancient kingdoms and contemplate the remnants of empires that once ruled these vast lands.
  • Witness the eternal flames of the Darvaza Crater, aka the 'Door to Hell' as you camp nearby – one of the strangest, most mesmerising geological oddities on earth.
  • Ashgabat rose from the devastation of an earthquake in 1948 and has enjoyed a surreal and futuristic makeover - witness its often bizarre, but certainly memorable architecture on a city tour.

Is this trip right for you?
  • There are few places like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan on earth - isolated geographically and long secluded politically. It's probably unlike anywhere you have ever been, so be prepared to be surprised and for things to run a little differently to home. Here's some of what to expect: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/what-to-expect-on-a-trip-to-turkmenistan/
  • Central Asia is a remote destination, perfect for intrepid travellers in the true sense of the word! You will venture well away from cities, right off the beaten track and be able to immerse yourself in local food, life and culture.
  • Accommodation may on occasion be more basic than what you are used to in homestays, guesthouses and yurt stay. Shower and toilet facilities will be limited in some places and non existent in others. While the comfort level won't always be high, the rewards of living in true local style in this far-out part of the world are immeasurable.
  • Tourism is strictly controlled in Turkmenistan, with Letters of Invitation needed in advance in order to apply for your visa (which you can then get on arrival) and guides tending to be protective of what tourists see and fiercely proud of their nation and its leaders. Those used to more freedom of exploration and tour guides with a more global perspective may find their experience here different from in other destinations.
  • As there are a number of long travel days, plenty of time spent on your feet and days can be hot and dusty you'll need excellent general health and fitness to get the most out if this trip.
  • There is one night of basic camping included on this trip in the Karakum Desert. Sleeping bags, mattresses and tents are all provided, but there are no bathing or permanent toilet facilities at the campsite.

Itinerary

Map of Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Adventure including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Inclusions

Meals

17 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners

Transport

High speed train, Private vehicle, 4x4 vehicle, Overnight Train, Metro, Taxi

Accommodation

Hotel (13 nights), Yurt Camp (1 night), Homestay (1 night), Camping (1 night), Overnight Train (1 night)

Activities
  • Bukhara - Ismail Samani Mausoleum
  • Bukhara - Ark Fortress
  • Bukhara - Bolo Hauz Mosque
  • Bukhara - Magoki Attori Mosque
  • Bukhara - Kalon Minaret & Mosque
  • Bukhara - Ulugbek Madrasa
  • Bukhara - Lyabi-Hauz Plaza
  • Gijduvan - Ceramics workshop
  • Nuratau - village visit
  • Nuratau Mountains - Plov cooking demonstration & dinner
  • Samarkand - Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
  • Samarkand - Registan
  • Samarkand - Shakh-I-Zinda
  • Samarkand - Bibi-Khanym Mosque
  • Tashkent - Chorsu Bazaar
  • Tashkent - City tour
  • Tashkent - Amir Timur Square
  • Tashkent - Khast Imom Complex & Moyie Mubarek Library Museum
  • Tashkent - Metro tour
  • Khiva - Islom Hoja Minaret & Medressa
  • Khiva - Juma Mosque
  • Khiva - Tosh-Hovli Palace
  • Khiva - Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum
  • Khiva - Kuhna Ark
  • Darvaza - "Door to Hell" Crater
  • Yerbent - Village visit
  • Ashgabat - National Museum of Turkmenistan
  • Ashgabat - Nisa ruins
  • Ashgabat - Anau ruins
  • Ashgabat - Independence Monument
  • Ashgabat - Neutrality Arch
  • Ashgabat - Turkmenbashy Ruhi Mosque & Family Mausoleum of the First President of Turkmenistan
  • Ashgabat - Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
  • Ashgabat - Akhal-Teke horse Hippodrome
  • Mary - Abiverd ruins
  • Merv - Big & Small Kizkala
  • Merv - Erk Kala & Gayur Kala
  • Merv - Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum
Add on activities
  • Bukhara - Fayzulla Khojaev House - UZS20000
  • Bukhara - Sitorai Mohi Hosa Palace - UZS40000
  • Bukhara - Hammam Bozori Kord - UZS400000
  • Bukhara - Folklore & Fashion show - UZS70000
  • Bukhara - Zindon - UZS20000
  • Samarkand - Ulugbek's Observatory - UZS30000
  • Samarkand - Tomb of Daniyar - UZS25000
  • Samarkand - Afrosiab Museum - UZS30000
  • Samarkand - Siob Bazaar - Free
  • Tashkent - State Museum of History of Uzbekistan - UZS50000
  • Tashkent - Museum of Applied Arts - UZS25000
  • Tashkent - Art Gallery of Uzbekistan - UZS20000
  • Tashkent - Khast Imom Complex & Moyie Mubarek Library Museum - UZS40000
  • Carpet Museum - USD5

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 4 (Yurt) / Day 5 (Homestay), Day 10 (Overnight train) and Day 12 (Camping) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. This trip is a combination of KFSA & KFSM our most popular itineraries. As such the make up of your group and your leader may change on day 9.
3. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
4. Travel to Turkmenistan requires a Letter of Invitation. Please see Visa section in the Essential Trip Information for instructions.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Ghazala · Traveled August 2023
A wonderful trip, so much to see and do. Locals were truly welcoming and inclusive, leaving with us a lasting memory.
Review submitted 17 Sep 2023

Yee · Traveled August 2023
It took 3 years to finally bring this trip to fruition for me. Thank you to Intrepid Travel for helping me move this trip from 2020 to 2021 to 2022 and then to 2023. It was well worth the wait and the fact I did not give up on hoping this trip would run. Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will have a special place in my heart It was more than I had ever expected from these countries. Lochin, you are an amazing leader. Go before it gets super popular.
Review submitted 10 Sep 2023
Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Adventure
From
ZAR  62,968