Tashkent to Tbilisi Overlander - 34 Days
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Overview
Highlights
- Tashkent - begin your adventure in Uzbekistan's clean and modern Soviet-Style capital city
- Samarkand - discover the jewel of Timur's empire and see highlights including the stunning Registan
- Kyzylkhum Desert - stay in traditional felt yurts in the remote desert and opt for a camel ride over the rolling dunes
- Darvaza - marvel at the flaming gas crater which is known by the Turkmen locals as the "Door to Hell"
- Ashgabat - enjoy a guided minibus tour of Turkmenistan's bizarre capital city which is home to marble architecture and golden statues
- Baku - see the bubbling mud volcanoes and petroglyphs at Gobustan and enjoy free time in Azerbaijan's capital which is a mind-boggling contrast of old and new
- Sheki - spend the night in an ancient Silk Road caravanserai where weary merchants used to rest and resupply their caravans
- Stepantsminda - hike in the rolling hills to the tiny Tsminda Sameba Church which is surrounded by the towering Caucasus Mountains
- Vardzia - admire the breathtaking cave city which was mostly abandoned in the 16th century but is still inhabited by a handful of monks
- Tbilisi - explore Georgia's charming capital independently to see sights including the Sioni Cathedral and Metekhi Temple
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Trip includes
- 20 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 11 dinners
- 24 nights in hotels / guesthouses
- 7 nights camping (including 3 nights wild camping, 1 night camping with facilities & 3 nights camping without facilities)
- 1 overnight ferry from Turkmenbashi - Baku
- 1 night camping in a traditional yurt
- 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 Khiva, Bukhara & Samarkand in Uzbekistan
- Visit to Gobustan to see the petroglyphs and mud volcanoes
- Guided tour of Ashgabat and visit to the Darvaza Gas Crater in Turkmenistan
- A stay in the ancient Sheki caravanserai in Azerbaijan
- Visits to the Garni Temple, Geghard Monastery & Khor Virap Monastery in Armenia
- Tour of Vardzia Caves and Telavi wine tasting in Georgia
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Itinerary
Welcome to Uzbekistan! On arrival in Tashkent you can make your way to our start hotel and there’s a pre-departure Welcome Meeting at 10:00. The rest of your first day is then free to explore Uzbekistan’s clean and modern Soviet-style capital at leisure.
Tashkent - Samarkand. Climb aboard our overland expedition truck for the first time today as we drive to the jewel in Uzbekistan's crown - the beautiful Silk Road city of Samarkand. On arrival in the city, the rest of the day is at leisure before we begin exploring the city tomorrow.
On day 3 we enjoy a tour of the characterful Silk Road city of Samarkand. The most famous site in Samarkand is the incredibly beautiful Registan Square. The Registan is dominated by three towering madrasahs which rise up against the skyline - madrasah is Arabic for 's...
Samarkand - Nurata. This morning we leave Samarkand and venture into the wild Kyzylkhum Desert. Later on we can hike in the Nurata Hills and you may wish to take a dip in Lake Ajdar Kul. There’s an optional camel ride over the rolling sand dunes of the desert and we s...
Nurata - Bukhara. Today we head out of the desert to the historic Silk Road city of Bukhara, where we'll be staying for the next three nights. We'll make a quick stop in Nurata en route.
On day 7 we enjoy a guided tour of Bukhara, taking in highlights including the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Kalon Mosque and Ark Fortress. You’ll also get to see the Kalyan Minaret. This beautiful tower hides a sinister past - it’s nickname of “Death Tower” has been earne...
Bukhara - Khiva. On day 9 we say goodbye to Bukhara and embark on a long drive to the welcoming city of Khiva. The next day there’s a guided tour of the city, taking in highlights including the incredible city walls, the turquoise Kalta Minor Minaret and the blue pala...
Khiva - Kunye Urgench (Turkmenistan). Today we leave Uzbekistan behind and cross the border into the closed off country of Turkmenistan. Browse the markets in the border town of Dashoguz before we explore the Kunye Urgench ruins towards the end of the day. Once ...
Kunye Urgench - Darvaza Gas Crater. We continue our journey through the desert today, reaching the incredible Darvaza Gas Crater, known locally as the 'Door to Hell'. The crater was created by accident in 1971 when Soviet oil drillers released gas into the atmos...
Darvaza Gas Crater - Ashgabat. Today we make our way to the mind-boggling, bonkers capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat. The city holds the world record for the highest concentration of marble clad buildings anywhere in the world as well as a number of other unusual world records, much to the delight of the country's eccentric President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
Today we embark on a minibus tour of this off the beaten track capital city. Look out for the bizarre marble architecture and some of the golden statues which dot the city. The President of Turkmenistan has a fascination with collecting world records and some of the more unusual architecture you may spot includes the worlds largest indoor Ferris wheel.
Ashgabat - Turkmenbashi. Today we have a long drive across Turkmenistan to Turkmenbashi, on the Caspian Sea Coast. If we have time, we'll visit the spectacular Kow Ata Underground Lake on the way. Please note: Our itinerary in Turkmenbashi and over the Caspian...
Turkmenbashi - Baku (Azerbaijan). Today we will hopefully be able to board the ferry across the Caspian Sea to Baku, Azerbaijan. The ferry is a fantastic local experience but please do not expect any luxury whatsoever. These ferries are budget vessels for the locals and cargo hauliers, and are not designed with travellers in mind. There will generally only be seats available for the crossing.
After we've disembarked in Baku, we'll arrive at our hotel. The next few days are free to explore Baku as you please. The oil-rich city is an amazing contrast of the old and new, with glistening skyscrapers contrasting against the old architecture such as the famous M...
Baku - Lahij. This morning we drive to Gobustan, the region known for its bubbling mud volcanoes and ancient petroglyphs. After exploring this site, we continue to Lahij, an ancient mountain settlement which is famous for its copper and arms production. Explore the site at leisure and camp with facilities tonight.
Lahij - Sheki. Today we journey across Azerbaijan to Sheki and visit the beautiful Khan’s Palace. After our visit here, we arrive at our accommodation for the night. There’s a real treat in store as we stay in a hotel built inside an old Silk Road caravanserai, where weary merchants used to stop for a rest and to resupply their caravans.
Sheki - Lagodekhi National Park (Georgia). Today we say goodbye to Azerbaijan and cross into Georgia. We'll spend the night camping in the lush scenery of Lagodekhi National Park, which is located fairly close to the border.
Lagodekhi National Park - Telavi. We head into the Alazani Valley this morning and visit the impressive Gremi Citadel en route to Telavi. We'll be basing ourselves in this famous wine region for the next couple of days.
Today we have plenty of time to explore Telavi and its surrounding villages, many of which grow their own grape varieties. We visit some of the local vineyards where we can watch traditions such as grape harvesting in action. For lunch we enjoy some Georgian hospitality with a meal and of course, wine tasting at a local family-run winery.
Telavi - Stepantsminda. Leaving Telavi behind, we drive to the town of Stepantsminda, which is nestled in beautiful scenery. During our stay here we’ll enjoy a trek up to the tiny Tsminda Sameba Church, which is hidden away in the rolling hills and mountains of the Georgian Caucasus. There’s also an optional cooking class where you can learn how to make delicious Georgian kinkhalis (meatballs).
Stepantsminda - Mtskheta. This morning is free to relax in Stepantsminda, or we'll hike up to the Tsminda Sameba Church if there wasn't time yesterday. Later in the day we'll head to the town of Mtskheta, where we visit the beautiful 11th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.
Mtskheta - Vardzia. We head out of Mtskheta and make our way to Borjomi National Park. Enjoy a short hike in the ancient forest and opt to ride a cable car up the mountain before we continue to the incredible Vardzia cave city. First inhabited during the Bronze ...
Vardzia - Armenian Highlands (Armenia). This morning we explore Vardzia if there wasn't time yesterday. We then set off for the Armenian border, finding a suitable spot to wild camp once we have crossed.
Armenian Highlands - Yerevan. On day 30 we visit the Khor Virap Monastery, near the Turkish border. This important pilgrimage site is set in the shadow of Mt Ararat and on a clear day there will be incredible views of the snow-capped peak. After our visit we continue ...
Yerevan - Lake Sevan. Say goodbye to Yerevan as we make our way towards Lake Sevan. There are included stops en route at the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery and Garni Temple. The Geghard Monastery was carved into the rock face of the Azat River Gorge, whilst Garni Tem...
Lake Sevan - Tbilisi (Georgia). Today we board our overland truck for the final time. We cross back into Georgia and pass through the amazing scenery of Dilijan National Park to reach Tbilisi, Georgia's endearing capital city. The rest of today is free to explore the quaint Old City as you please. Consider heading up to Narikala Fortress for amazing views over Tbilisi.
Today our amazing overland tour comes to an end. If you wish to extend your stay in Tbilisi, then speak to our sales team.
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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.
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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 - $1450pp, 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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