The Five Stans of the Silk Road

On this adventure through The Silk Road, we spend 19 nights in hotels and guest houses, and 3 nights in traditional yurt camps (only 1 night on the reverse itinerary). The accommodations typically used can be found on the day-to-day itinerary. However, below are a selection used on this trip. Ashgabat: Sport Hotel Sport hotel is a 4-star hotel located in the heart of Ashgabat close to the city's major attractions. The hotel offers spacious and well appointed rooms, as well as a number of amenities, including wi-fi, a swimming pool, fitness center, sauna, and a on site restaurant. Bukhara: Kavsar Boutique Hotel Taking over an old mansion, this small boutique hotel is one of the standout accommodations on this itinerary. It’s embellished with intricate design features and plenty of antiques, while an atmospheric central courtyard provides a wonderful place to gather as a group. Darvaza, Son Kul and Issyk Kul: Yurt Camps Yurts are traditional housing for nomadic communities across Central Asia and are generally quite cosy. On the itinerary starting in Ashgabat and ending in Almaty: we have four nights in yurts: one night in Darvaza near the Door to Hell crater, and two nights at Son Kul Lake and a night by Isyyk Kul lake. For the two nights in the yurt camp at Son Kul (days 17 and 18), you may have to share with four people to a yurt. Men and women who are not travelling together don’t usually have to share a yurt, but this cannot be guaranteed. The yurts at Son Kul have western-style toilets and a ‘shower yurt’ with proper showers and wash basins. There is hot water when the generator is running (usually morning and evening) but it is not wholly reliable. On the itinerary starting in Almaty and ending in Ashgabat: we only have one night in a yurt - at Darvaza in Turkmenistan. This itinerary runs later in the year when the weather can be too cold for yurt stays in Kyrgyzstan, so we stay in hotels or guesthouses instead and follow a different route. Almaty: Hotel Kazzhol Almaty Located in Kazakhstan's largest city, this modern hotel is a 25-minute drive from Almaty International Airport. It offers free Wi-Fi, and features an indoor pool, sauna, massage, gym, and cosy restaurant serving European and national cuisine. Worth knowing If you prefer to have your own room, a limited number of single supplements are available on a ‘first-come, first-serve’ basis on some nights of the tour – please request this at the time of booking. Please note, a single supplement is not available at the yurt camp (three nights) and in these locations you may have to share with four people per room. In Turkmenistan, hotels charge a daily tourist tax of around US$2 per person per day – this is included in the holiday price for the main tour, so you needn’t worry about it. However, if you book extra nights’ accommodation in Ashgabat before the tour, you will need to pay directly to the hotel yourself. If you book pre-tour accommodation in Turkmenistan (and will be staying in the country for more than three days plus your arrival day), you will be required by law to register your passport with the State Service of Turkmenistan – our local partner will assist with this.