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Unravel the splendid natural endowments of three Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, on a 14 days Silk Road cultural walk. Unearth the best of the Silk Road as you savour light pace walks in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to unveil its intriguing cities, culture and nature. Stay in a yurt camp and travel by train adding to this thrilling adventure to fully immerse in their culture.
The adventure starts at Bishkek, with a tour of the city's main sites such as the Ala To Suare. Visit the Ala-Archa National Park and hike to a waterfall or relax along the river. Onward to Chon-Kemin Gorge, stopping at a UNESCO-renowned minaret before arriving at Chon-Kemin National Park. Proceed to Issyk Kul Lake for eagle hunting, hiking, and lodging at a yurt camp. ...
The adventure starts at Bishkek, with a tour of the city's main sites such as the Ala To Suare. Visit the Ala-Archa National Park and hike to a waterfall or relax along the river. Onward to Chon-Kemin Gorge, stopping at a UNESCO-renowned minaret before arriving at Chon-Kemin National Park. Proceed to Issyk Kul Lake for eagle hunting, hiking, and lodging at a yurt camp. Walk on the Djety Oguz Gorge, head to Karakol City to see old Russian-style houses, and relish a local meal. Cross the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border and travel along picture-perfect valleys towards Charyn Canyon, before heading to Almaty for amazing discoveries. Head out of Almaty to Turgen Gorge and explore its scenic beauty, coupled with a picnic on a shady spot, before driving to Issyk alpine lake. Return to Almaty, the former Kazakhstan capital, for sightseeing and drive to a train station, bidding farewell to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Travel via a sleeper train from Almaty to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, spending the night on the ride. Arrive in Tashkent and visit the old city and independence square if time permits. Catch a train to Samarkand, and tour the city. Proceed to Urgut to explore the Ulugbek Observatory and other historic places. A morning train to Bukhara starts a two-day exploration, which includes a tour of the Lyabi Khauz and Poi-Kalyan complexes, the Kalyan Mosque, and the Bukhara Miri-Arab. End your incredible adventure with a visit to the Samanid Mausoleum and the Ark in Bukhara.
This adventure includes 13 nights accommodation on a twin share basis including 10 nights in hotels, 1 night each in a sleeper train, guest house, and a yurt camp. For a truly immersive and traditional experience the yurt camp is based on 4 people sharing each yurt with shared toilets, sinks and showers outside. For more information on accommodation please refer to our ‘More Information’ section below. Meals, transport and activities are included as specified.
Experience life in the stunning yet unsung climes of Central Asia while creating memories, experiencing diverse cultures and savouring exotic meals on a less traveled route.
Dates or itinerary don't fit? We are specialising in bespoke "tailor-made" luxury or private journeys. Please contact us for a "tailor-made" itinerary for your perfect adventure.
This tour is eligible to earn ONLYLUXE reward points.
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Your adventure begins at Bishkek, the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan with an afternoon city tour. For a few hours, we explore the city's main sites, including parliament square, the Lenin Statue, the Manas Monument, the White House, and Ala-Too Square. Early arrival in the morning is advised, and the process has been simplified with a previous night booking, so you can check in the afternoon or evening if you please.
The garden hotel or Hotel Bridges, Bishkek, will host us for the night in their posh and cozy interiors. Indulge in delectable meals and lush libations at the restaurant and bar. Relax in the peaceful atmosphere of the library or on the relaxing patios. Get swept up in the enchantment of Bishkek and let yourself be captivated by this contemporary wonder.
Today, we explorebthe Ala-Archa Alpine National Park in a nature reserve within the Tian Shan mountains. The reserve is inside a small valley in the Ala-Archa gorge, with its ridges perpetually drenched in snow and the surrounding slopes in spruce forests.
The park is a scenic beauty in Kyrgyzstan, and you can hike its longest trail along the Ala-Archa River, which is sourced from the melting glaciers, to behold some of its spellbinding sights. However, the best place to hike is the Ak-Sai waterfalls before returning to the hotel to enjoy the rest of the free afternoon.
We travel to Chon-Kemin Gorge on this day, stopping at a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the iconic mid-eleventh-century Karakhanid minaret, which is also the first of its kind in Central Asia. The minaret is housed in a complex comprising three mausoleums: Northern, Middle, and Southern, which were reconstructed. You can ascend to the tower's top with care since it's dark inside and the steps are narrow. Other interesting parts of the complex include the remains of a citadel, stone carvings, gravestones used by nomadic Turkic people known as balbals, and a small museum.
Our trip proceeds to Chon-Kemin National Park, which is our destination and is remarkable for its quaint and serene villages in the Chon-Kemin Valley and arable lands at the backdrop of majestic mountains. The Chong-Kemin River flows through the park, and its basin is home to seven lakes. This location is idyllic and one of the most picturesque in Kyrgyzstan.
You’ll stay at the charming Guest House Kemin in the valley, a hidden treasure in the Kyrgyz highlands. This adorable home has been thoughtfully crafted to provide visitors with a relaxing and pleasurable stay. A warm and welcoming sense of rustic charm pervades every corner of this charming guesthouse with an ample terrace for viewing the landscape and surrounding garden
Our journey progresses through the Tien Shan Mountains to the south shore of Issyk Lake, to behold the world's second-largest salt lake with a depth of 700m (2,300ft). The lake is a natural wonder as it never freezes, even in the coldest winter, and its name is translated in English as "Hot Lake" for this reason. Around the lake is a fine blend of forest and meadow, with mountains and glaciers behind.
A stop at Bokonbaev village is optional at the cost range of US$ (120 – 150) for each group. Here, you can observe the falconry and hunt with eagles, an indigenous lifestyle of the nomads.
Our next stop is Barskaun Gorge, where we can hike to a waterfall before visiting the Djety Oguz, translated in English as "The Valley of Seven Bulls." The valley is named after the seven red rocks in the gorge, and its slopes are coated in lush vegetation and shrubs. The majestic waterfalls are the high points of a visit here, and the Barskaun Fall at 100 metres, is a beauty to behold if you are energetic enough to hike to it. Be mindful of the trail, which can be slippery in wet weather.
We rest in a yurt camp in Djety Oguz for the night, which comprises six sleeping yurts for four or five guests each and a general dining yurt. A shower and three western-style WCs are available, including hot water for bathing on special request. The yurt receives electricity for three hours every evening from a generator and although not luxurious, it's a peculiar experience that one can relish while gaining insight into the nomadic lifestyles of Central Asia's mediaeval people.
Note: This accommodation changes in April and October when we camp at Almaluu Yurt, close to Lake Issyk Kul rather than Djety Oguz. The order of activities on this day will slightly differ due to differences in location.
After a morning walk in the Djety Oguz Gorge, the group moves to the city of Karakol, near the eastern end of Lake Issyk Kul. The city is renowned for its old Russian-style houses, but there's more to her. Sightseeing is fun here as we visit a Russian Orthodox church, Karakol bazaar, and a wooden Dungan Mosque. At night, we feast on a home-cooked meal at a Dungan Family home or local Uygur.
Accommodation for the night is at Matsunoki Hotel, In the beautiful Kyrgyzstan town of Karakol. Experience complete relaxation in this little cosy hotel with breathtaking views of the mountains. Indulge in some well-deserved R&R on the calm patio or in the garden's beautiful refuge.
Today we go over the Krygyz-Kazakh border, following all border procedures and travelling through the scenic beauty of Karkara Valley and its picturesque alpine meadows. The valley follows the Karkara River down to the border. En route to Almaty, we proceed towards Charyn Canyon, where we sight the beauty of a fascinating landscape caused by erosion from the Charyn River.
You’ll stay at the comfortable Plaza Hotel, Almaty, for the night. A cosy 4-star hotel set 300 m from the city’s centre. Enjoy city, mountain, or river views from your terrace, while premium amenities like, ensuite bathrooms with showers and a minibar await your indulgence to ensure you have a wonderful stay.
Today will be a long day filled with long drives, as we explore out of Almaty to the suburbs and rural villages. Our first stop is at the Turgen Gorge, where elegance and captivating scenery reflects in its waterfalls, some as high as 40 m (130 ft). On the way, we will halt briefly to grab food for the coming lunch picnic at a supermarket, followed by another stop close to the Scythian burial mounds with the ile-Alatau mountain looking from afar.
Arrival at the gorge is by late morning, before we embark on a 45-minute walk through rocky and sandy trails, trailing a river to an iconic waterfall, Bear Falls. With the hike over, we find a shaded spot to relax and have a picnic lunch before proceeding on the road trip for another 1 hour and 45 minutes to Issyk Lake. The lake forms a carpet for a prosperous forest and pastures of wildflowers, elevated at 1,706 m (5,775 ft) above sea level in the Issyk Gorge. However, this lake is different from the earlier visited lake, Issyk Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan.
We walk down the concrete staircase to explore the southern shore of the lake and then return to Almaty for a peaceful night’s rest.
We go on a full-day tour to explore the sights and sounds of scenic Almaty city against the backdrop of the Tien Shan mountains. The former Kazakhstan capital is the most developed, largest, and most culturally diverse city in Kazakhstan, with many tree-lined streets and cafes, giving it a European appeal. Breakfast this morning sets the exploration in motion, with a visit to the stunning Zhenkov Cathedral, entirely made of wood without nails. The monument of Panfilov 28 guardsmen, Panfilov Park, the Great Patriotic and Civil War monuments, and a national history museum are some of the interesting places on the excursion menu.
Exhausting our tour list, we drive to a train station, where we bid farewell to our tour leader so far, from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan, and meet a new tour guide for the rest of the trip in Uzbekistan. At 6:30 pm, we depart Almaty by train to arrive in Tashkent the next day afternoon. On the train route, we witness a vastly changing landscape, mingle with locals and spend the night on the sleeper train in it's not-so-luxurious but comfortable four-berth compartments.
This day, we arrive at Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital city by midday and tour the city briefly if time permits. On the tour, we visit Independence Square, remarkable for its beautiful water fountains and a stack of public buildings on all sides. We also visit the old city and its mausoleums (Hast Iman complex) and bazaar. Large parts of the old city were destroyed during the 1966 earthquakes, but the city has since been rebuilt to Soviet standards with wide tree-lined streets, plazas, fountains, monuments, and blocks of apartments.
You’ll stay at the charming Gabrielle International Hotel, a family-owned haven situated in the centre of Tashkent. Enjoy its plush amenities such as a sauna and pool, an exquisite restaurant and balconies to watch the moonlit sky and absorb the Uzbeki air.
This morning, we catch a fast train to Samarkand. We arrive by mid-morning for a day-and-a-half tour of the city, starting today and the remainder of tomorrow. The city which dates back 2500 years ago, is drenched in history, and renowned for its iconic mosques and mausoleums. The city's position on the silk road, the main route linking China and the Mediterranean, makes it a prominent stop on the route. The city is also remarkable for its Registan Square, home to the three world-renowned madrasahs (Islamic colleges): Ulughberg, Sherdor, and Tilya Qori.
For the next day and a half, we visit more historic sites like the grand square and Gur Emir Mausoleum, the tomb of Tamerlane, the man who named the city his empire's capital in the 14th century. Next, we visit Bibi Khanum Mosque and a series of 14th-century mausoleums in Shakhi Zinda. Our last stop is at the Siab Bazaar to taste a variety of fruits and local produce. The order of sites to visit may change according to the discretion of the tour leader.
You’ll stay at The Malika Prime Hotel for the next two nights in its beautiful interiors and orient-style architectural design. Situated within a stone’s throw from the dazzling Gur Emir Complex, it offers easy accessibility to sights and an entry into boundless ecstasy.
This day, we travel for one hour to Urgut and begin our half-day tour of the photogenic town, perched on the foot of Zeravshan Mountain Ranges. The tour includes a visit to Karepta reservoir, the four chinar gardens that host trees over 1,000 years old, the bazaar, and a pottery shop.
We return to Samarkand to unravel more of its marvels, like the Ulugbek's observatory, Necropolis, and a traditional paper factory. Take your time to dive into these discoveries before heading in for a pleasurable night’s rest and leaving for Bukhara the next day.
A fast train this morning takes us to Bukhara, where we will spend two full days touring the city. Bukhara is a UNESCO World Heritage on the Silk Road, an ancient city that dates back more than 2000 years, and Central Asia's most-preserved mediaeval city. We explore the Lyabi Khauz complex, which is outstanding for housing the oldest pool of its kind in Central Asia. The complex is fenced by Madrasahs, including Bukhara's largest Madrasah, Kukeldash, built in the 15th century, and a lodge for travelling Sufis.
The tour takes us to another complex, the Poi-Kaylan Religious Plaza, home to a 48 m (157 ft) minaret of the 12th century that serves as the symbol of Bukhara. We also visit the 15th-century massive Kaylan Mosque, easily noticed by the 288 domes in its galleries, and the 16th-century Bukhara Miri-Arab Madrasah. The Samanid Mausoleum holds an unparalleled status as the oldest Islamic structure in Central Asia and the graveyard of Ismail Samani, a 10th-century emir. Our last stop is the Ark, Bukhara's oldest building and a 5th-century citadel.
You’ll stay at the family run Kavsar Boutique Hotel, offering a warm embrace to us for the last days of our trip. Relax in its clean, simple and moderately sized air-conditioned rooms accoutered with essential amenities such as private bathrooms, WiFi, flatscreen TVs and more.
Savour a delicious breakfast, a perfect time to reflect on your incredible journey before your transfer to Bukhara International Airport for your onward travels. Alternatively, extend your stay to Khiva, another exciting major city on the Silk Road, at an additional cost and on request, please contact us to book.
NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.
Please contact us for private departures and group bookings. Single Supplement is available on request.
- The departure point is Bishek, Kyrgyzstan
- The finish point is Bukhara, Uzbekistan
- Major commercial flights provide convenient access to Bishek. The closest major is Manas International Airport and is 32 km from the center of Bishkek.
The walking level on this trip is rated Level 2 Leisurely/Moderate
Level 1 Leisurely: Experience is not necessary; anyone fit and healthy enough to complete a weekend walk will thrive. Walks are often optional. Trails are seldom flat, so expect a reasonable number of ascents and descents. You normally walk for two to five hours per day; daily ascents will likely be around 985ft to 1,640ft (300m to 500m), perhaps with the odd day around 1,970ft (800m).
Level 3 Moderate: Expect easy, medium-length walks or harder, shorter walks. Some experience is useful, but not essential. Good health and reasonable fitness are important. There will be walks at higher altitudes and some longer, harder days. Generally, though, the underfoot conditions will be fair. A walking day is normally five to seven hours; daily ascents will likely be around 1,640ft to 2,625ft (500m to 800m), perhaps with the odd day around 2,955ft to 3,280ft (800m to 1,000m).
Level 5 Challenging: Fitness is vital with extended walking in mountainous terrain. You might also experience high altitude, challenging climates and remote locations. Trekking experience is desirable, but not vital if you are confident in your physical condition. Walking days are usually between six and eight hours, although they may be longer for passes or peaks. Daily sacents can be around 2,955ft to 3,280ft (900m to 1,000m), perhaps with the odd day around 3,610ft to 3,940ft (1.100m to 1,200m).
Level 7 Tough: Trekking experience is essential and preferably at altitude. You need complete confidence in your ability to trek for many days over difficult terrain. You may encounter extreme altitude and weather conditions and may need to use ice axes and crampons. Stamina is essential as walking days last six to nine hours (sometimes more on occasions). Daily ascents will likely be around 2,955ft to 3,280ft (900m to 1,000m), perhaps with the odd day around 3,610ft to 3,940ft (1.100m to 1,200m).
Split and optional grades: Where a trip falls between two grades, an intermediate or 'split' grade is used. For example, Level 2 (Leisurely/Moderate). Occasionally there are optional ascents available; in this case, the grade will be highlighted.
These areas of Central Asia have long, extremely hot summers, but the winters are very cold. The July and August departures may be rather hot in the lowlands with afternoon temperatures often reaching 35C-40C (95F-104F) or more, which can make sightseeing tiring. Other trips are planned for spring and autumn, when the temperature should not be below 5C (41F) at night and may be up to 25C-30C (77F-86F) during the day. In the Kyrgyzstan highlands, temperatures are generally cooler. Sunny weather with clear blue skies should be experienced but there can be some rain in spring and autumn. Occasionally, there are periods of unexpectedly hot or cold weather.
This is a fast-paced trip with long days and early starts to make the most of the areas we visit within two weeks.
There are some walks, especially in Kyrgyzstan, including in Ala Archa National Park, Chon-Kemin and Djety Oguz. You should be comfortable sightseeing on foot for a few hours at a time.
The roads are generally paved but there are dirt sections. There are long drives on a few days, including the journey from Karakol to Almaty, which is about six hours excluding stops. We also use a long overnight train from Almaty to Tashkent. Most accommodation is modest but clean, mostly with private facilities. At the yurt camp, facilities are shared. At the guesthouse in Chon-Kemin, private facilities are not guaranteed.
Tourist services and facilities can be patchy and erratic; tolerance and flexibility are required, but the rewards are an insight into local life and a discovery of a beautiful, fascinating part of the world. Group meals can take longer than normal as often there are no English menus and the restaurant staff may not speak English – you leader will translate and help order for the group.
This trip includes 10 nights in standard hotels, one night in a guesthouse, one night in a yurt and one night on a sleeper train.
Throughout most of the trip, we stay in standard, two- to three-star hotels. On the train from Tashkent to Almaty, we use second-class carriages with four-berth cabins. The train was launched in 2017 and these cabins are comfortable, though not luxurious. Train travel has long been a popular way of travelling around the ex-Soviet Union and this is a great experience and insight into a different side of Kazakh life.
We also spend one night in a traditional yurt camp in the Djety Oguz Gorge in Kyrgyzstan. Yurts are traditional housing for nomadic communities across Central Asia and are generally quite cosy. The camp has six sleeping yurts, each normally shared between four and five people and there are three toilets and one shower.
Single supplement: from AUD 635 (Single supplements don’t apply to the night on the sleeper train or the night in the yurt camp).
In Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, we generally use minibuses, sometimes we may use more than one vehicle for the group. We travel from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan by sleeper train. In Uzbekistan, we have two high-speed train journeys, one from Tashkent to Samarkand and another from Samarkand to Bukhara.
Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.Payment DetailAll pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 100 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 100 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.Single SupplementAll accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.General Cancellation Policies- Outside of 100 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee- Within 100 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurancePlease Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.LiabilityThe participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.Child PolicyPlease consult travel consultant on age limit.Changes to ItinerariesLocal conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.Changes in PricesWhile we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age LimitsYou need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.Cancellation by The Tour OperatorThe tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a tour with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the tour has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any tour up to 60 days prior to departure if the minimum number requirement is unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the tour or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.Force Majeure'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.EvacuationsIn rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.Travel InsuranceIn view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.