Caucasus To Kyrgyzstan - 49 Days
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Overview
Highlights
- Tbilisi - begin your adventure in Georgia's capital and enjoy a guided tour of the charming Old Town
- Ashgabat - explore Turkmenistan's off the beaten track capital city on a guided minibus tour taking in the plethora of white marble buildings
- Vardzia - discover this amazing cave monastery which was mostly abandoned centuries ago but is still inhabited by a handful of monks
- Samarkand - spend three days exploring the jewel in Uzbekistan's crown and see the stunning architecture of the Registan plaza
- Darvaza - admire the flaming Darvaza Gas Crater which was created accidentally in 1971 and is known by the locals as the "Door to Hell"
- Kyrgyz Fergana Valley - overland through the lush valley and stop often to hike in the breathtaking landscape
- Tashkent - relax in Uzbekistan's clean and modern Soviet-style capital and explore the city at leisure
- Baku - take in the sights of the emerging city independently and marvel at the modern skyscrapers which contrast against the ancient Maiden Tower
- Bukhara - learn about the gruesome history of this beautiful Silk Road city on a guided tour which takes in the Kalyan minaret and Zindon Prison
- Sheki - stay in a converted ancient caravanserai where weary Silk Road travellers used to rest and resupply their caravans
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Destinations
Activities
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- 37 breakfasts, 15 lunches and 21 dinners
- 30 nights in hotels / guesthouses
- 14 nights camping (including 1 night on a campsite, 10 nights wild camping & 3 nights camping without facilities)
- 3 nights camping in traditional yurts
- 1 overnight ferry from Baku - Turkmenbashi
- All necessary camping equipment (excluding sleeping bags)
- Services of two crew (drivers/tour leaders) and local guides along the way
- Transportation in an overland expedition vehicle
- Sightseeing as per itinerary
- Visit to the Vardzia Caves in Georgia
- Visits to the Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery & Khor Virap Monastery in Armenia
- A stay in the ancient Sheki caravanserai in Azerbaijan
- Visit to Gobustan to see the petroglyphs and mud volcanoes
- Guided tour of Ashgabat and visit to the Darvaza Gas Crater in Turkmenistan
- Guided tour of Khiva, Bukhara & Samarkand in Uzbekistan
- Eagle hunter demonstration in Kyrgyzstan
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Itinerary
Welcome to Tbilisi! Make your way to our hotel and join a pre-departure Welcome Meeting at 6pm so you can meet your tour group and crew. The evening is then free to explore Georgia’s vibrant capital as you please.
Today we discover everything that Tbilisi’s charming Old Town has to offer. Take in highlights including the fascinating National Museum, Sioni Cathedral and the pretty Metekhi Temple, then spend the afternoon at leisure. History buffs can visit the Museum of Soviet Occupation or you can hike up to ancient Narikala Fortress to admire the fantastic views of the city below.
Tbilisi - Lake Sevan (Armenia). Say goodbye to Tbilisi as we board our overland truck for the first time and set off for the border with neighbouring Armenia. Once we’ve crossed you can enjoy wonderful views as we journey through Dilijan National Park. Tonight, ...
Lake Sevan - Yerevan. On day 4 we drive to Yerevan - the capital of Armenia and also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on the globe. On the way to Yerevan we have an included stop at the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery, which was carved into the rock fac...
Yerevan - Armenian Highlands. Say goodbye to Yerevan as we head out of the city. We stop at the Khor Virap Monastery, which is perched in the shadow of mighty Mt Ararat, not far from the border with Turkey. The monastery is an important pilgrimage site and if it’s a c...
Armenian Highlands - Vardzia (Georgia). Today we cross back into Georgia and head to the incredible Vardzia Caves. This subterranean city was first inhabited in the Bronze Age but was mostly abandoned in the 16th century. A handful of dedicated monks still reside in t...
Vardzia - Mtskheta. We’ll visit Vardzia this morning if we didn’t have time yesterday. We then drive to Borjomi National Park and enjoy a short hike in the ancient forest. There’s an optional cable car ride up the mountain before we climb back aboard the truck and journey to Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia. We visit the charming Svetitskhoveli Cathedral on arrival.
Mtskheta - Stepantsminda. Today we drive through picturesque countryside to Stepantsminda. Either today or tomorrow morning we’ll enjoy a hike up to the tiny Tsminda Sameba Church, which is nestled in the rugged Caucasus Mountains. The scenery en route is simply spect...
Stepantsminda - Telavi. On day 10 we drive through the Alazani Valley to reach Telavi, an area famous for its wine. Over the next two days we’ll get to explore some vineyards and wineries to see local traditions including grape harvesting and wine making in action. On...
Telavi - Lagodekhi National Park. We leave Telavi behind today and head towards the border with Azerbaijan. There’s a stop at the impressive Gremi Citadel before we head into Lagodekhi National Park. Our final night in Georgia is spent wild camping in the park, close to the border.
Lagodekhi National Park - Sheki (Azerbaijan). Today we cross into Azerbaijan and drive to the ancient city of Sheki. Visit the exquisite Khan’s Palace before we arrive at our accommodation for the night, which is a hotel built inside an old Silk Road caravanserai. You...
Sheki - Lahij. Today we drive to the mountain village of Lahij, which is known for its copper and arms production. There’s time to explore the settlement and we spend the night camping with facilities close by.
Lahij - Baku. Today we drive to Gobustan where we can see the ancient carved petroglyphs and the bubbling mud volcanoes that this area is famous for. We then continue to the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. The city is a fascinating contrast of the old and new, with the a...
There’s a group meeting at 10am today to discuss the next few days in Turkmenistan. At some point in the next couple of days we’ll take the ferry across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan. However, the ferry timetable is notoriously unpredictable so our iti...
Baku - Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan). Today we will hopefully be able to board the Caspian Sea ferry bound for Turkmenbashi. The ferry is a fantastic and authentic experience but please don’t expect any luxury! There will generally only be seats available for the overnight crossing.
Today we dock at Turkmenbashi and disembark the ferry. We will either stay in a hotel in Turkmenbashi or begin our drive towards Ashagbat, finding a suitable spot to wild camp en route. Please note: Due to the unpredictability of the ferry, please get your Tu...
Turkmenbashi - Ashgabat. Day 19 sees us complete our overland drive to Ashgabat, the bizarre and modern capital of Turkmenistan. The city has a plethora of white marble buildings, a favourite of the eccentric President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. On day 20 we enjoy a m...
Ashgabat - Darvaza. Say goodbye to Ashgabat as we head into the remote Karakum Desert. There’s an included stop at the flaming Darvaza Gas Crater, which was created accidentally in 1971 when Soviet oil drillers caused gas to escape from underground. This created the c...
Darvaza - Kunye Urgench. We continue overlanding through the Karakum Desert this morning. There’s an included stop at the ruins of Kunye Urgench, once an important settlement on the Silk Road. The invading Genghis Khan opted not to destroy the city and structures including the 60m high Kutlug-Timur Minaret survive today for us to admire. Tonight, we wild camp near to Kunye Urgench.
Kunye Urgench - Khiva (Uzbekistan). On day 23 we browse the markets in the border town of Dashoguz before crossing into Uzbekistan. Continuing overland, we reach Khiva later in the day. There’s a guided tour of the ancient Silk Road city the next day during whic...
Khiva - Bukhara. Day 25 is a travel day as we journey to Bukhara. There’s a guided tour of the city on day 26, taking in highlights including the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Ark Fortress and Kalon Mosque. You’ll also get to see the giant Kalyan Minaret, which earned its ...
Bukhara - Nurata (Kyzylkhum Desert). Today we board our truck and say goodbye to beautiful Bukhara. We head into the Kyzylkhum Desert and enjoy an optional camel ride over the rolling sand dunes. Tonight, we’ll be camping near the town of Nurata in comfortable felt yurts - yurts are the traditional accommodation for nomads who roam across Central Asia.
Nurata (Kyzylkhum Desert) - Samarkand. On the morning of day 29 we have some time to explore the picturesque Nurata Hills and you can opt for a refreshing dip in Lake Ajdar Kul. We then continue overland to the incredible jewel in Uzbekistan’s crown - Samarkand. ...
Samarkand - Tashkent. The morning of day 32 is free to further relax in Samarkand. In the afternoon we make our way to Uzbekistan’s clean and modern capital, Tashkent. A Soviet-style city, Tashkent contrasts spectacularly with the Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara an...
Tashkent - Fergana. Today we cross over the mountainous Kamchik Pass in local transport, as our overland truck must journey over the pass without passengers. Arriving in Kokand we visit the Khudayar Khan’s Palace and the nearby Margilan Silk Factory before completing our journey to Fergana. We’ll be reunited with our truck this evening.
Fergana - Arslanbob (Kyrgyzstan). This morning we cross the border into Kyrgyzstan and make our way to Arslanbob in the lush Fergana Valley. If we’re delayed at the border then we may stay at the closer town of Jalalabad instead.
Arslanbob - Kyrgyz Fergana Valley. The next three days will be spent overlanding through the incredible scenery of the Kyrgyz Fergana Valley. We stop often to hike and enjoy the amazing views. We plan to wild camp en route but if the weather is too cold then we’ll sta...
Kyrgyz Fergana Valley - Song Kol Lake. On day 40 we arrive at the shore of Song Kol Lake. During our two days here there’s time for hiking, horse-riding and you get to experience the life of rural Kyrgyz mountain shepherds. We’ll stay in comfortable traditional yurts ...
Song Kol Lake - Kochkor. We drive to the small village of Kochkor today where we will be staying in small family-run guesthouses and experiencing some traditional Kyrgyz hospitality. There’s an included visit to the local museum and we visit a traditional women’s felt...
Kochkor - Jeti Oguz Valley. On day 43 we pass Lake Issyk Kol and journey up into the mountains to reach the alpine trekking region of Jeti Oguz. On the way we stop to watch a demonstration from an eagle hunter, who uses his well trained birds to catch animals for thei...
Jeti Oguz Valley - Karakol. Today we drive overland to the Russian-style town of Karakol. The afternoon is free to explore the town as you wish - perhaps head out to admire the striking Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Karakol - Chong Kemin Valley. We drive to the northern shore of Lake Issyk Kol today and visit the ancient petroglyphs at Cholpon Ata. Afterwards, we continue to the Chong Kemin Valley where the next day is free to explore. Hike in the stunning valley, opt for a horse-riding experience or join an optional white water rafting excursion. We wild camp in the valley.
Chong Kemin Valley - Bishkek. We complete our overland adventure today as we drive to the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, stopping en route to admire the Burana Tower. There’s time to relax or explore the hospitable city as you please.
Today our Central Asian adventure comes to an end. Please contact the sales team if you wish to book some extra nights accommodation in Bishkek.
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International flights and visas
- Items of a personal nature, additional meals and drinks
- Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
- Sleeping bag and roll mat - please bring your own for camping
- Local payment - $1880pp, paid in USD
Accommodation
18 and over. No upper age limit but anyone over 70 needs to complete a tour suitability form.
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