Road to Samarkand
Road to Samarkand
Road to Samarkand
22 Days Starting in UK and ending in UK
Visiting: Bishkek, Ala Archa National Park, Cholpon Ata, Karakol, Fairytale canyon "Skazka", Bokonbayevo, Naryn, Tash Rabat Caravanserai, Kochkor, Chon-Kemin, Chong-Kemin National Park, Tashkent, Samarkand, Ulugbek, Shahrisabz, Gijduvon, Bukhara, Sitori-i-Mokhi Khosa palace, Khiva, Urgench
Tour operator:
Tour code:
357
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
8 - 18
Physical rating:
Medium, A good level of fitness is required
Age range:
16-
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Meat
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$7605
$7106 (USD)
including Flights from the UK
Operator discount: -$500
Tour Overview
Take a journey along 2,000-plus-years of Central Asian Silk Road history. Discover the colourful markets and Swiss Alps like scenery of Kyrgyzstan, the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva and travel through stunning scenery in the footsteps of great explorers and conquerors.
Discover the mysteries of exotic Samarkand
? Learn about the ancient silk production
? Discover holy Bukhara and Khiva
? Mingle with nomads in Kyrgyzstan
? Lose yourself in vibrant bazaars
? Watch eagle hunting
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 - 2 : Fly To Bishkek
Location: Bishkek
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
Fly overnight to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital and cultural hub. Enjoy a welcome lunch at a local restaurant before embarking on a city tour to see Ala-Too Square, the White House and Oak Park
Day 3 : Ala Archa National Park
Location: Ala Archa National Park, Bishkek
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning drive to Ala Archa National Park for a leisurely hike through its picturesque scenery of rugged peaks and dramatic gorges. Return to Bishkek for a free afternoon.
Day 4 : Lake Issyk Kul
Location: Cholpon Ata
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Visit the magnificent 12th-century Burana Tower before departing for Cholpon-Ata. Set on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul, visit the astonishing collection of 8th Century petroglyphs etched into glacial stone nearby. Later, take a cruise on the beautiful Lake Kul, admiring its spectacular alpine-esque surroundings.
Day 5 : Drive To Karakol
Location: Karakol
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to Karakol, stopping at Semenov Gorge for a gentle hike, and Kyrchyn Jailoo ethnic village en route. This afternoon visit the Przhevalsky Museum, dedicated to the Russian explorer, and visit the striking Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and the Chinese Mosque.
Day 6 : Jeti-Orguz Gorge
Location: Karakol
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rise early to immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of Karakol's Sunday morning animal market which rivals Kashgar's famous animal market. In the afternoon, travel to the Jeti-Oguz Gorge for a walk through the canyon of red sandstone. Visit an Irdyk village and enjoy a home-cooked dinner with a local Dugan family. This evening enjoy a home-cooked dinner with a local Dungan family.
Day 7 : Eagle Hunting
Location: Fairytale canyon "Skazka", Bokonbayevo, Naryn
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Depart Karakol early and travel to Skazka Canyon, also known as Fairy Tale Canyon, due to its unusual shapes and colors. Travel further to the village of Bokonbaevo to watch an eagle hunting demonstration, a millennia-old Kyrgyz tradition practised with majestic golden eagles. Continue to Naryn, where you will stay the night.
Day 8 : Journey To Tash Rabat
Location: Tash Rabat Caravanserai, Naryn
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Pass through dramatic mountain andvalley landscapes to reach Tash Rabat, a small stone caravansary that was of great significance at the height of the Silk Road. Enjoy the peaceful valley said to contain some of the finest landscapes in Kyrgyzstan before returning to Naryn.
Day 9 : Kochkor
Location: Kochkor, Chon-Kemin
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transfer to Kochkor, the centre of Kyrgyz felt handicrafts. Visit a traditional 'shyrdak' (wool carpet) workshop and a co-op that provides training for local women in traditional handicrafts. In the evening you will travel to a guesthouse near Chong-Kemin National Park.
Day 10 : Chong Kemin National Park
Location: Chong-Kemin National Park
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel from Kochkor to Chong Kemin, a quiet valley with small villages surrounded by magnificent mountains. Enjoy a walk in the foothills before travelling to Bishkek airport for your flight to Tashkent.
Day 11 : Tashkent
Location: Tashkent
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explore Tashkent's sights, including the Barak Khana Seminary, Kukeldash Madrassahs, Tila Shaikh Mosque and their archives. Browse the wares of Chorsu bazaar before experiencing a ceramic workshop.
Day 12 : Golden City Of Samarkand
Location: Samarkand
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel to the legendary city of Samarkand where you will enjoy a tour of Registan Square, the Ulug-Bek and Tillya-Kori madrasah. Enjoy the rest of the day exploring at your leisure.
Day 13 : Samarkand
Location: Samarkand
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explore Gur Emir, the mausoleum of Tamerlane, the grandest structure of Amir Temur's times – the chief Friday Mosque called Bibi-Khanum and the Siab Bazaar and Shahi Zinda Necropolis. Later in the afternoon see Mausoleum of the Prophet Daniel.
Day 14 : Konigil Village
Location: Ulugbek, Samarkand
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Visit Ulugbek's observatory, constructed by Ulugbek (Grandson of the Great Amir Temur) in 1428-1429. Later see the ancient settlement of Afrosiab. Continue to Konigil Village to visit a papermaking workshop. In the afternoon return to Samarkand and remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 15 : Shakhrisabz
Location: Shahrisabz, Samarkand
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of the Great Amir Timur (Tamerlane). Explore the city, visiting sites such as the remnants of Ak-Sarai Palace, Dorus Tilavat cemetery and Kok-Gumbas Mosque. Return to Samarkand this afternoon.
Day 16 : Bukhara
Location: Gijduvon, Bukhara
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Journey to Bukhara. En route, visit Gijduvan, a centre of famous handmade ceramics. Here you will see the fascinating process of making these ceramics. Continue on to Bukhara where you will have the afternoon to begin to explore this fascinating city.
Day 17 : Bukhara
Location: Bukhara
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explore the legendary Poi Kalon minaret, the Ark Fortress, and Bolo Hauz Mosque. Wander on to the peaceful 16th-century Chor Minor and Chor Bakr necropolis to tour the colourful Khonako-Medrassah-Mosque complex. Later, visit the mausoleum of Ismail Samanid.
Day 18 : Bukhara
Location: Sitori-i-Mokhi Khosa palace, Bukhara
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning visit Sitora-i Mohi Khosa, the Emir’s summer palace, a 20th Century confection of a building! Continue to the Bahauddin Naqshbandi Mausolem of a famous Sufi spiritual leader of the region. The afternoon is at leisure. Return to Bukhara and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 19 : Khiva
Location: Khiva
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning you will set out for Khiva, a journey that will take you across Kyzyl Kum desert and a stop at Amudarya River. The route runs 480 kilometres through the stark beauty of the desert, the scenery changing from sparse saksaul trees to the lush riverbanks of the Amudarya.
Day 20 : Itchan Kala
Location: Khiva
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explore ancient Khiva, discovering the sights of the UNESCO World Heritage inner-walled city of Itchan Kala including the mighty Kunya Ark and the turquoise tiled Islom-Khodja. Wander through the fascinating Madrassah Rakhimkhon, a beacon of religious, astronomic, geographic and mathematical studies, and see the 19th Century Tash Hauli Palace, decorated in blue fine china tiles.
Day 21 : Fly To Tashkent
Location: Urgench, Tashkent
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transfer to Urgench to fly to Tashkent. Upon arrival visit the Museum of Applied Arts as well as the Mustakilik Square and the famous Tashkent Metro. With it’s marble and granite decorations the Metro feels like an underground palace.
Day 22 : Fly Tashkent To Uk
Location: Tashkent
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today according to your flight times, transfer to Tashkent Airport for your onward journey back to the UK.
What's Included
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Fully Inclusive
Touring with Guides and entrance fees
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Accommodation
20 nights in 3/4 star
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Airport Transfers at Destination
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All Domestic Transportation (including internal flights)
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Country Entry Visas
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Entrance Fees
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Fully Guided
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Local Taxes
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International Travel
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Meals – Full Board
Breakfasts: 20, Lunches: 19, Dinners: 20
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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Drinks with Meals
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes
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Are flights included in this tour?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
Yes
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Do I need to pack special clothes?
Modest clothing such as long lightweight pants and shirts that cover your shoulders for men and women is highly recommended. Headscarves for ladies are required for visits to mosques and madrassas throughout Central Asia. Your National Escort can assist you with purchasing a headscarf at a market visit in Bishkek on day 2 of the tour, however it would be useful to bring one with you when packing
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, we will endeavour to make these changes, but it may not always be possible. Any changes to confirmed bookings need to be sent to us in writing via your travel agent. Please refer to our booking conditions for further information and fees.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Customers booking to travel solo can choose our ‘Happy to Share’ option, which may enable them to share a twin room with other solo customers of the same gender who also request Happy to Share, thus avoiding the need to pay single room supplements. Note that ‘Happy to Share’ requests can be received when you make your booking with us but will not be confirmed until your final payment due date.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your Final Travel Documents are usually sent to you 2-3 weeks prior to your departure. Your travel pack will include your tour itinerary, hotel details, flight e-tickets and a travel guide. If you have booked with a travel agent, your tickets will be dispatched to your travel agent unless we have been otherwise informed.
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Will I be travelling with passengers from other countries?
Our passengers generally enjoy the mixture of British, Australian and American clients on tour. Occasionally we are joined by English-speaking passengers from other countries.
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Do you allow children on your tours?
We allow children 12 years and over on our group tours. We recommend that families with children of any age take advantage of our private or tailormade tours. This will give you more flexibility while on tour.
Reviews from Travellers on this Tour
Dates & Availability
Tuesday - Tuesday
May 07, 2024 - May 28, 2024Tuesday - Tuesday
Sep 10, 2024 - Oct 01, 2024Tuesday - Tuesday
Oct 01, 2024 - Oct 22, 2024Tuesday - Tuesday
May 13, 2025 - Jun 03, 2025Tuesday - Tuesday
May 27, 2025 - Jun 17, 2025Tuesday - Tuesday
Sep 02, 2025 - Sep 23, 2025Tuesday - Tuesday
Sep 09, 2025 - Sep 30, 2025Tuesday - Tuesday
Sep 16, 2025 - Oct 07, 2025Tuesday - Tuesday
Sep 23, 2025 - Oct 14, 2025Tuesday - Tuesday
Sep 30, 2025 - Oct 21, 2025Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Wendy Wu allows you to make 1 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 0 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
Wendy Wu requires a minimum deposit of 350 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of wendy wu charges.
Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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How we Keep you safe on our Tours
Your safety and well-being will always be our Number 1 priority which is why we’ve instituted the most stringent COVID health and safety protocols on all of our tours. Here is a brief summary of the steps we are taking to ensure you will be safe, secure and satisfied when you travel with us.
Guides and National Escorts
Our National Escorts and guides will conduct a Health and Safety briefing with you before the tour begins and will help everyone ensure they adhere to social distancing, hygiene practises and local regulations. They will carry a supply of face masks and hand sanitiser for you to use free of charge and will, of course, observe the highest level of personal hygiene at all times.
Should anyone on the group fall ill your National Escort will ensure the individual receives swift medical attention and can only return to the group once cleared to do so.
Transport & Sightseeing
Vehicles will be thoroughly cleaned with disinfectant after each excursion service, overnight and between different groups.
You will always have at least one seat between you and your fellow tourers, hand sanitiser will be given to the group on each embarkation and vehicles will be thoroughly ventilated prior to passengers boarding.
Drivers will always embark vehicles after clients, disembark the group vehicle prior to clients disembarking, and maintain social distancing and a high level of personal hygiene at all times.
Your guides will assess the situation on the ground avoiding large crowds – where possible, alter timings and splitting the group into smaller sizes.
Accommodation
Wendy Wu Tours will only offer hotels that have undergone a detailed hygiene assessment, have specific COVID-19 protocols in place and comply with government standards.
We will ensure these protocols include staff practising social distancing and wearing appropriate PPI, regular cleaning and disinfection of high frequency touch points in all areas and food safety.
Dining
All the restaurants we visit will be researched and inspected regularly to ensure that they follow the strictest health, cleanliness and safety guidelines.
All waiting staff will wear face masks and gloves and we will arrange à la carte dining, waiter-served meals or waiter-assisted buffets throughout the tour. We will not share open-buffet meals with other hotel or restaurant guests.
Hand sanitiser will be provided to the group before and after every food and beverage service.