The Silk Road & 3 Stans
11 - 24 October 2024
1 - 14 November 2024
24 January - 6 February 2025
Description:
Visit the historical Silk Road cities of Tashkent, Bukhara & Samarqand. Spend a night in the cozy comfort of a traditional nomadic yurt (tent) erected in Kyrgyzstan's lush and tranquil Ferghana Valley.
Explore the Soviet-built capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, where Soviet emblems and buildings still stand, and statues of Lenin and Marx still have a pride of place. Take in the sights of pristine and azure lakes in southern Kyrgyzstan, and experience living in a traditional Kyrgyz village in the Ferghana Valley with a homestay.
End the trip with a hiking and camping trip to Kazakhstan's Charyn Canyon, a geographical formation often compared to the Grand Canyon.
Countries: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan
Trip length: 14 days, 13 nights
Cost: USD1900 (Approximately SGD2580, MYR9000, EUR1785)
Start city: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
End city: Almaty, Kazakhstan
Max. Capacity: 6 travellers
What's included in the price:
Accommodation (Twin sharing)
Transportation (Trains, Private-hire vans, Intra-city transport)
Domestic flight (Osh to Bishkek)
Guide Fee
Camping Gear Rental (Tent, All-weather sleeping bag)
Tickets to places of interest (Historical sites, national parks)
Camping and Homestay experience
Breakfast at guesthouses
What's not included in the price:
Travel insurance
Meals (Lunch & Dinner on most days)
Visa (If applicable)
Flight tickets to and from home country
Zioedy Wong (Singapore)
My experience with The Untold Direction has been nothing short of amazing. As it was my first time in Central Asia, I didn't know what to expect, but this has to be hands down my favorite travel memory to date... The camping experience at Kazakhstan was also very interesting and I will forever miss the taste of campfire laksa.
Suan Yean Ong (KL, Malaysia)
Took the 14 day tour to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and it was truly one of the best travelling experiences I’ve had... The itinerary was planned out really well with a good balance between culture and nature. Two weeks flew by far too quickly! I would recommend TUD to anyone in a heartbeat.
Days 2-4: Explore Silk Road Cities
Take a stroll down the timeless back alleyways of the Silk Road cities of Samarqand & Bukhara. These cities were major towns along the Silk Road, and centuries-old markets, mosques, schools and buildings dating back to that era are preserved in pristine condition.
4th night: Travel like a local
After exploring Bukhara for the day, spend the night on board a sleeper train that will whisk you across the country’s vast farmlands and deserts. Travelling on platskart class (6 bunk beds a compartment) is an experience in itself, where you get to be up close with citizens from all walks of life, such as cross-country traders, farmers visiting a neighbouring village for a wedding ceremony, students returning home for the semester, and hawkers peddling their goods on board.
During our trips, we take other forms of public transportations too (metro, marshrutkas, trolley buses, public buses) to experience how locals travel.
Day 5: Explore Tashkent, the Uzbek Capital
Walk the streets and take in the sights of Tashkent's unique cityscape, where centuries-old Silk Road buildings stand juxtaposed to their more modern Soviet counterparts. Ride the Tashkent Metro - home to some of the world's most beautifully decorated subway stations - and see the Samarkand Kufic Quran - one of the world's oldest copies of the Quran - on display!
Learn how this young nation is blazing its own path after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Days 6-10: Live like a local
The Muzayev family warmly welcomes you to stay at their home for a few days in the Kyrgyz countryside. Experience living in their village Borbash and get a taste of life and customs in the rural, peaceful and picturesque Ferghana Valley.
The women of this family of bakers and farmers will also teach you how to cook plov, a traditional rice and meat dish, over an open-air fire.
End the day with a trip to the village’s banya, a traditional sauna house.
Days 7-10: Bazaars, Eat Local, Kok Boru Matches & Explore Canyons & Lakes
Visit traditional Kyrgyz bazaars where produce, food, livestock and traditional garments are sold. Watch a match of Kok Boru, a traditional nomadic game played on horseback.
Nature lovers will certainly love the short hikes along lakes and in canyons.
Sample the rich & delectable cuisine of the region.
Days 8-9: Cup of Tea, the Valley, the Milky Way
Spend the night in the cosy comfort of a traditional nomadic yurt erected in the middle of a lush and green valley.
At night, sit out for a while, with a cup of hot tea in hand, and share stories with your travel mates. Or look up and marvel at the beauty of the sky filled with bright stars and, possibly, the Milky Way.
Get up just in time for sunrise to enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding valley.
Day 10: Explore Bishkek, the Kyrgyz Capital
It's often said that wandering the streets of Bishkek is a throwback to Soviet times. The city is flanked by numerous monumental brutalist-style buildings built by the Soviets and many of them still have Soviet emblems affixed on their facades. Lenin, Karl & Engels still stand atop pedestals in many of Bishkek's parks.
During our time in the city, we will travel using the city's extensive trolley bus network, which is one of the world's largest.
Day & night 13: Hike Down & Pitch a Tent in the Charyn Canyon
Trek down and camp in the Charyn Canyon, a magnificent geographic formation often compared to the Grand Canyon. This canyon was carved into the otherwise flat steppe over the course of millions of years by the swift rapids of the Charyn river.
Learn how to pitch a tent, start a fire, and cook on an open fire.
Subject to weather conditions. During the winter months, when it may be too cold to camp there, we will instead do a day trip to the Charyn Canyon from Almaty.
Days 12 & 14: Almaty, a taste of Kazakhstan
Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest city. Recently, it has experienced a building boom, and many swanky new skyscrapers have sprouted in the city.
Take a gondola up Kok Tobe hill, and enjoy panoramic views of the city surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
If shows are running during our visit, we'll make our way to the Kazakh National Opera House Named after Abay to watch either a ballet or opera spectacle.
