Tbilisi To Tashkent Overlander - 34 Days
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Overview
Highlights
- Tbilisi - explore the charming old town in Georgia's capital including the Sioni Cathedral and Metekhi Temple
- Vardzia - admire the breathtaking cave city which was mostly abandoned in the 16th century but is still inhabited by a handful of monks
- Stepantsminda - hike in the rolling hills to the tiny Tsminda Sameba Church which is surrounded by the towering Caucasus Mountains
- Sheki - spend the night in an ancient Silk Road caravanserai where weary merchants used to rest and resupply their caravans
- 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
- Ashgabat - enjoy a guided minibus tour of Turkmenistan's bizarre capital city which is home to marble architecture and golden statues
- Darvaza - marvel at the flaming gas crater which is known by the Turkmen locals as the "Door to Hell"
- Kyzylkhum Desert - stay in traditional felt yurts in the remote desert and opt for a camel ride over the rolling dunes
- Samarkand - discover the jewel of Timur's empire and see highlights including the stunning Registan
- Tashkent - end your adventure in Uzbekistan's clean and modern Soviet-Style capital city
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Details
Destinations
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- 22 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 11 dinners
- 25 nights in hotels / guesthouses
- 6 nights camping (including 3 nights wild camping & 3 nights camping without facilities)
- 1 night camping in a traditional yurt
- 1 overnight ferry from Baku - Turkmenbashi
- All necessary camping equipment (excluding sleeping bags)
- Transportation in an overland expedition vehicle
- Services of two crew (drivers/tour leaders) and local guides along the way
- Sightseeing as per itinerary
- Tour of Tbilisi, Vardzia Caves and Telavi wine tasting 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
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Itinerary
Welcome to Georgia! On arrival in Tbilisi you can make your way to our start hotel and there’s a pre-departure Welcome Meeting at 18:00. The evening is then free for you to explore Georgia’s charming capital at leisure.
Today we take in the main sites of Tbilisi’s delightful and historic Old Town, visiting the fascinating National Museum, the Sioni Cathedral and Metekhi Temple, which sits on a hilltop overlooking the Mtkvari River. Optional activities later today include a trip to th...
Tbilisi - Lake Sevan (Armenia). Climb aboard our overland expedition truck for the first time today as we say goodbye to Tbilisi and head into neighbouring Armenia. After the border crossing, we’ll drive through the picturesque scenery of Dilijan National Park and may...
Lake Sevan - Yerevan. We set off this morning for the ancient city of Yerevan, one of the oldest continuously inhabited human settlements in the world. En route we’ll pay a visit to the impressive UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery, which was carved from the rock face of...
Yerevan - Armenian Highlands. Today we leave Yerevan and head into the remote Armenian Highlands. There’s a stop near the Turkish border at the Khor Virap Monastery, an important pilgrimage site in the shadow of towering Mt Ararat. On a clear day you’ll have fantastic views of this snow-capped peak. Tonight, we wild camp in the scenic Armenian Highlands.
Armenian Highlands - Vardzia (Georgia). Today we cross back into Georgia and drive to the incredible Vardzia Caves. This subterranean city was built to protect medieval Georgians from invading Mongol hordes. Though mostly abandoned in the 16th century, the monastery i...
Vardzia - Mtskheta. We explore the incredible Vardzia Caves if there wasn’t time yesterday, then make our way to Borjomi National Park. There’s time for a hike in the forest and you may wish to ride the cable car up the mountain. We then complete our journey to Mtskheta where we’ll discover the pretty Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.
Mtskheta - Stepantsminda. Today we drive to Stepantsminda, a town surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. During our stay in the town we’ll trek up to the tiny Tsminda Sameba Church, which is nestled in the hilly scenery. There’s also an optional Georgian cooking lesson where you can create delicious kinkhalis - Georgian meatballs.
Stepantsminda - Telavi. We journey to the wine-making region of Telavi on day 10 and spend the next two days exploring the area. Nearly every village in the region grows its own variety of grape and we’ll visit some local vineyards to watch aspects of the wine product...
Telavi - Lagodekhi NP. Today we visit the ancient Gremi Citadel and journey into Lagodekhi National Park. Tonight, we’ll wild camp in the park, close to the border with Azerbaijan. Opt for a stroll through the park from our camping spot.
Lagodekhi NP - Sheki (Azerbaijan). Say goodbye to Georgia today as we cross into the resource-rich country of Azerbaijan. We’ll drive to Sheki and visit the beautiful Khan’s Palace before arriving at our accommodation for the night. There’s a real treat in store as we...
Sheki - Lahij. Today we drive into the mountains to visit the small village of Lahij, which is known for its coppersmiths and arms production. We stay at a campsite with facilities close to the village tonight.
Lahij - Baku. On day 15 we visit Gobustan to see the ancient petroglyphs and bubbling mud volcanoes that the region is known for. Later we’ll arrive in bustling Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The city is a wonderful contrast, with ancient sites such as the Maiden To...
Baku - Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan). Today we will hopefully be able to board the overnight ferry bound for Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan. The ferry crossing is a fantastic and authentic experience but please don’t expect too much luxury! The crossing is an overnight journey but please note that there will generally only be seats available for the overnight crossing.
Today the ferry will hopefully dock in Turkmenbashi. Depending on timings we'll either stay at a local hotel in Turkmenbashi or begin our drive towards Ashgabat, finding a suitable spot to wild camp. Please note: Due to the unpredictability of the ferry, please get your Turkmenistan visa issued with at least two 'flexible' days before the entry date given on the tour.
Turkmenbashi - Ashgabat. Day 19 is a travel day as we drive to Turkmenistan’s capital city, Ashgabat. Ashgabat is like nowhere else on the globe with its bizarre marble architecture, plethora of golden statues and unique attractions including the world’s largest indoo...
Ashgabat - Darvaza. Driving north from Ashgabat, we head into the wild Karakum Desert and stop to admire the incredible Darvaza Gas Crater, known by the locals as the “Door to Hell”. These never-ending fires in the middle of the desert were created in 1971 when Soviet...
Darvaza - Kunye Urgench. Our drive across the Karakum Desert continues today and we stop to visit the ruined Silk Road city of Kunye Urgench, which was spared by Genghis Khan during his ruthless invasion. Highlights of the well-preserved settlement include the towering Kutlug-Timur Minaret, which is the highest minaret in Central Asia. Tonight, we camp in the desert close to the city.
Kunye Urgench - Khiva (Uzbekistan). On day 23 we browse the market in the border town of Dashoguz before crossing into Uzbekistan. We then journey to the ancient city of Khiva, enjoying a guided tour the next day. Take in the well-preserved city walls and other highli...
Khiva - Bukhara. Day 25 sees us embark on a long drive to the beautiful ancient city of Bukhara. There’s a guided tour on day 26 which takes in the Kalon Mosque, Ark Fortress and the Ismail Samani Mausoleum. We also see the giant Kalyan Minaret, which earned the nickn...
Bukhara - Kyzylkhum Desert (Nurata). Today we venture into the wild Kyzylkhum Desert. There’s an optional camel ride over the rolling sand dunes and we spend the night in a traditional yurt tent near the town of Nurata.
Kyzylkhum Desert (Nurata) - Samarkand. This morning there’s time to hike in the Nurata Hills and take a dip in Lake Ajdar Kul if you wish. After lunch we drive to the Silk Road city of Samarkand, our home for the next three nights.
On day 30 we enjoy a tour of the characterful Silk Road city of Samarkand. Visit sites including the beautiful Registan Square, Ulug Beg Observatory and the ruins of the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. The mosque was once the jewel in the empire of Timur, the famous warlord who was born in Samarkand. Optional activities on day 31 include a visit to the nearby city of Shakhrisabz.
Samarkand - Tashkent. Spend the morning of day 32 at leisure in Samarkand before we drive to the clean and modern Soviet style city of Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The rest of today and tomorrow is free to explore or join optional activities. Perhaps visit the Hast Imam Square to see the world’s oldest copy of the Koran.
Today our tour comes to an end - please get in touch with our sales team if you'd like to book any extra nights accommodation in Tashkent.
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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 - $1460pp, 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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