Central Asia Discovery - 63 Days
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Overview
Highlights
- Turkey - ExplorTelavi cultural Istanbul, stroll around legendary Ephesus, marvel at the Sumela Monastery and discover the magical landscape of Cappadocia
- Georgia - Relax in friendly Batumi, visit the capital Tbilisi, wander around ancient Kutaisi and enjoy wine tasting in Telavi
- Armenia - Camp on the shores of Lake Sevan, explore the ancient city of Yerevan and admire the stunning Khor Virap Monastery set against the snow-capped peak of Mt Ararat
- Azerbaijan - Stay in an ancient caravanserai in Sheki, stroll around the coppersmiths village of Lahij and lose yourself in the modern metropolis of Baku
- Turkmenistan - Gaze at the bizarre buildings of Ashgabat, visit the flaming Darvaza Gas Crater and explore the ruined city of Kunye Urgench
- Uzbekistan - Visit the ancient Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, discover Soviet-style Tashkent and sleep in a yurt in the Kyzylkhum Desert
- Kyrgyzstan - Hike in the Kyrgyz Fergana Valley, watch an incredible eagle hunter demonstration, relax on the shore of Song Kol Lake and end our adventure in charming Bishkek
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Activities
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Trip includes
- 44 breakfasts, 18 lunches and 25 dinners
- 39 nights in hotels / hostels / guesthouses
- 16 nights camping (including 2 nights on campsites, 5 nights wild camping and 9 nights camping without facilities)
- 3 nights camping in traditional yurts, 3 nights in a homestay
- 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
- Guided tour of Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus and Cappadocia
- Visits to the Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery and 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 and Samarkand in Uzbekistan
- Eagle hunter demonstration in Kyrgyzstan
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Itinerary
Welcome to Istanbul! On arrival, transfer to our joining hotel for a 10:00am Welcome Meeting before the rest of today is free to explore the city at leisure. Perhaps take a cruise on the Bosphorus, which marks the boundary between Europe and Asia. Or go for a wander to see highlights of the city including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia.
Istanbul - Eceabat. Today we board our overland truck for the first time and drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula. Here we’ll take a sobering guided tour of the site to see numerous WW1 memorials and battlefields including ANZAC Cove - the site of one of the bloodiest battles of WW1.
Eceabat - Selcuk. On day 3 we cross the Dardenelles by ferry and head to the fabled city of a Troy for a guided tour of the ruined city. See a replica of the Trojan Horse before we arrive at our hotel in Selcuk. The next day we’ll tour the legendary marble ruins of Ep...
Selcuk - Pamukkale. We drive inland this morning, to Pamukkale. There’s free time here to walk along the famous calcium white travertines and you can opt for a relaxing dip in the thermal hot spring if you wish.
Pamukkale - Olympos. On day 6 we drive to the popular Turkish beach town of Olympos. The rest of today and day 7 is free to relax or explore at leisure. There’s an optional sea kayaking adventure that you may wish to join. At dusk on day 7 we hike up the Chimera...
Olympos - Egirdir. Leaving Olympos, we drive to the ruined Pisidian city of Termessos for a quick visit, before continuing towards Egirdir. Tonight, we’ll find a suitable spot for our first night of wild camping.
Egirdir - Goreme. On day 9 we drive to the small town of Goreme in the heart of enchanting Cappadocia. Enjoy a guided tour of the surreal landscape on day 10 including the underground city of Kaymakli and see the ancient rock-hewn churches of Ihlara. There’s an optional hot air balloon ride over the region which you may wish to book.
Goreme - Zara. We have a full day drive today as we head towards the Sumela Monastery. We wild camp near Zara or the village of Alucra.
Zara - Sumela. Today we explore the jaw dropping Sumela Monastery, which was founded by two Athenian monks in 368CE. The site is perched at the top of a rugged cliff, 1,200m above the ground. The lush green forests and swirling mists of the valley give the monastery a...
Sumela - Batumi (Georgia). Today we cross the border from Turkey into Georgia and drive to the welcoming Black Sea city of Batumi. There’s an optional visit to the Archaeological Museum and plenty of time to discover the city your way. Nicknamed the “Las Vegas of the Black Sea”, Batumi is a popular summer getaway location for Georgians and travellers alike.
Batumi - Kutaisi. Leaving Batumi, we make our way to the ancient city of Kutaisi. On arrival, we’ll visit the pretty Bagrati Cathedral, resplendent in all its glory following recent renovation works. There’s also time to visit the 11th century Gelati Monastery and the nearby Prometheus Cave - the largest cave in Georgia.
Kutaisi - Tbilisi. On day 15 we drive to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. We may be joined here by some new travellers for the next leg of our Central Asian journey into Armenia and Azerbaijan. There’s free time to relax and you can visit the Old Town to see highlights ...
Tbilisi - Lake Sevan (Armenia). Say goodbye to Georgia for now as we cross the border into Armenia. Today’s short drive takes us through the stunning scenery of Dilijan National Park. We’ll either camp in the park or continue to the shores of Lake Sevan where we’ll se...
Lake Sevan - Yerevan. Leaving shimmering Lake Sevan behind, we make our way towards the ancient city of Yerevan. There’s a stop en route at the UNESCO-listed rock carved Geghard Monastery and the beautiful Graeco-Roman Garni Temple before we finally arrive in Yerevan. We have two nights here to explore at leisure and there’s an optional visit to the Ararat Brandy Museum.
Yerevan - Armenian Highlands. We leave Yerevan this morning and begin our drive across the pristine Armenian Highlands. We’ll stop for an included visit at the Khor Virap Monastery. On a clear day you’ll have magnificent views of the snow-capped peak of Mt Ararat. Tonight, we wild camp in the Armenian Highlands.
Armenian Highlands - Vardzia (Georgia). Crossing back into Georgia. we head towards the famous Vardzia Caves. This ancient cave city was mostly abandoned in the 16th century but the monastery is still inhabited by a handful monks who ring the bell at 07:00 every morni...
Vardzia - Mtskheta. We drive to Borjomi National Park today and enjoy a short hike through the ancient forest. Perhaps opt to ride the cable car up the mountain before we board our truck once again for the drive to Mtskheta. Here we can visit the 11th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and we’ll spend tonight in a local guesthouse.
Mtskheta - Stepantsminda. Today we journey to the spectacularly located town of Stepantsminda. During our stay here we’ll trek up to the tiny Tsminda Sameba Church, nestled in striking mountain scenery. There’s also an optional cooking lesson to learn how to create delicious Georgian kinkhalis (meatballs).
Stepantsminda - Telavi. On day 24 we drive to the wine-making town of Telavi. This entire region is famous for its vineyards and wineries and we’ll have an included visit to a family run winery during our stay. Enjoy lunch and some delicious local wines, and watch aspects of the production process including grape harvesting.
Telavi - Lagodekhi National Park. Our final full day in Georgia is spent heading towards the border with Azerbaijan. We’ll visit the beautiful Gremi Citadel en route and will wild camp tonight in Lagodekhi National Park, close to the border.
Lagodekhi National Park - Sheki (Azerbaijan). Today we enter the resource-rich Republic of Azerbaijan. Our first stop is the ancient town of Sheki, where we visit the exquisite 18th century Khan’s Palace. A special treat awaits us tonight. Our accommodation is a comfo...
Sheki - Lahij. Today we drive to Lahij, an ancient mountain settlement which is famous for its copper production and arms. Tonights campsite has facilities available.
Lahij - Baku. On day 29 we pay a visit to Gobustan, the region famous for its ancient petroglyphs and bubbling mud volcanoes. After exploring the area we continue to Baku, the sprawling capital of Azerbaijan. The city is an enchanting contrast of old and new, wi...
Baku - Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan). Today we will hopefully board the ferry bound for Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan. Our ferry will be basic, but the crossing is a fantastic authentic experience. Spend the night onboard but please note there will generally only be seats available for the overnight crossing.
Today we disembark the ferry at Turkmenbashi. We either stay in a local hotel or, if the ferry has docked early and we have time, we’ll begin our drive towards Ashgabat and wild camp en route.
Turkmenbashi - Ashgabat. On day 33 we drive to Ashgabat, the bizarre capital of Turkmenistan. The next day there’s an included minibus tour of this off the beaten track destination. Ashgabat is home to extravagant architecture including the world’s largest indoo...
Ashgabat - Darvaza Gas Crater. Today we leave Ashgabat and travel into the Karakum Desert. There’s an included visit to the amazing Darvaza Gas Crater, known by many as the “Door to Hell”. The crater was created accidentally in 1971 when Soviet oil drillers rele...
Darvaza Gas Crater - Kunye Urgench. Our journey across the Karakum continues today as we drive to the ruins of Kunye Urgench. The city was once a major settlement along the Silk Road and many of the ruins are very well-preserved. Genghis Khan opted not to destroy the ...
Kunye Urgench - Dashoguz - Khiva (Uzbekistan). On day 37 we visit the bustling market in the border town of Dashoguz before crossing into Uzbekistan. We arrive in the beautiful ancient city of Khiva, our home for the next two nights. There’s an included guided tour on...
Khiva - Bukhara. Day 39 sees us driving to the beautiful city of Bukhara and we’ll tour the city the next day. Visit the 10th century mausoleum of Ismail Samanid, the Bukhara Ark fortress and the Kalon Mosque. Bukhara hides a gruesome history and you’ll also get to se...
Bukhara - Nurata. Today we drive into the Kyzylkhum Desert, arriving near the town of Nurata. There’s an optional camel ride over the rolling sand dunes and we spend the night in traditional yurts in the desert.
Nurata - Samarkand. On day 43 there’s time to explore the Nurata Hills and to take a dip in Lake Ajdar Kul. Later, we drive to the famous Silk Road city of Samarkand - the jewel in Uzbekistan's crown and the former capital of the Timurid empire. There’s a tour of the ...
Samarkand - Tashkent. On day 46 we drive to the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. The city is a stark contrast to many Silk Road cities in Central Asia. Whilst places such as Samarkand, Khiva and Bukhara have retained much of their original architecture and ancient culture, Ta...
Tashkent - Kokand - Fergana. This morning we travel in local transport over the Kamchik Mountain Pass to Kokand. Here we visit the impressive Khudayar Khan’s Palace and the nearby Margilan Silk Factory. We continue through incredible mountain scenery to Fergana where we’ll be re-joined by our overland truck, which must pass over the pass without passengers.
Fergana - Arslanbob (Kyrgyzstan). Say goodbye to Uzbekistan on day 50 as we cross into Kyrgyzstan and travel to Arslanbob, a small village in the breathtaking Kyrgyz Fergana Valley. If delayed at the border, we’ll stay at the closer town of Jalalabad instead. There’s ...
Arslanbob - Kyrgyz Fergana Valley. We spend the next two days overlanding through the amazing scenery of the Kyrgyz Fergana Valley. We’ll stop for several short hikes and wild camp in the area en route (weather permitting). Soak up the scenery and admire the mountainous views as we travel.
Kyrgyz Fergana Valley - Song Kol Lake. On day 54 we arrive at the pristine Song Kol Lake, in the Song Kol Valley. The next two days are spent lakeside, staying in traditional yurts and meeting nomadic farmers to experience traditional Kyrgyz life. If travelling in low season, then Song Kol Lake is inaccessible and we’ll stay in yurts on the southern shore of Lake Issyk Kol instead.
Song Kol Lake - Kochkor. Today we drive to the village of Kochkor, where we’ll stay in small family-run guesthouses. Whilst here we visit the local museum and a women’s felt making cooperative. The women here produce ‘shyrdaks’, the felt carpets for which Kyrgyzstan is renowned.
Kochkor - Jeti Oguz. On day 57 we head up into the alpine trekking region of Jeti Oguz. Watch an included demonstration from an eagle hunter, who uses his well-trained birds to catch animals for their meat and skins. We then spend the next two days hiking in the region and admiring the towering red sandstone landscape. You may also opt for a horse-riding experience with the local nomads.
Jeti Oguz - Karakol. Today we have a relatively short drive to the Russian-style town of Karakol. The rest of the day is free - perhaps head out to admire the striking Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Karakol - Chong Kemin Valley. On day 60 we drive to the shore of Lake Issyk Kol and see the ancient petroglyphs at Cholpon Ata. Our journey continues to the Chong Kemin valley, our home for the next two nights. There’s free time to explore and an optional white-water rafting excursion. You can also choose to explore the region on horseback.
Chong Kemin - Bishkek. Today we board our overland truck for the last time as we head towards Bishkek, the colourful capital of Kyrgyzstan. We stop to visit the Burana Tower en route and there’s free time to relax and explore the city when we arrive.
Today our Central Asian adventure comes to an end. If you wish to extend your stay in this off the beaten track part of the world then speak to our sales team.
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- Sleeping bag and roll mat - please bring your own for camping
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