Silk Road

Reality Check

This tour is operated in partnership with our sister company Intrepid Travel, as such the group may be a mixture of Exodus and Intrepid clients. This trip is booked through Exodus and you will receive the same award winning customer service that you are used to. Intrepid Travel operate with the same core principles used by Exodus and champion the benefits of small group travel.

With a mix of included activities and free time, plenty of opportunities are there to explore at your own pace and take part in activities that really get beneath the skin of a destination. While the occasional meal may be included, you'll have the freedom to seek out your own culinary adventures.

Accommodation is generally budget or tourist class (2-3 star), but you're as likely to find yourself as a guest of a local family as staying in a hotel or camping.

Transport will vary as well. Depending on the destination and the itinerary you could find yourself travelling on anything from a camel to a train or a private safari vehicle. It's all part of the adventure!

We use hard sleeper class trains for most of our overnight train journeys. These are not as rough as they sound - compartments are open-plan, clean, with padded three-tiered berths (6 to a compartment). Sheets, pillows and a blanket are provided.

Safe hot drinking water is always available for making coffee, tea or instant meals. We recommend bringing a mug, spoon, knife and fork if you will be preparing your own hot drinks or food on the train (as these are not provided in cabins) Basic bathroom facilities are situated at the end of each carriage with toilets and washbasins. Most trains have a dining carriage where meals are available three times a day, and there are often snacks available on the train along the way.

The comforts of home are more of a rarity.

English isn't common and the food will be quite different to home. It's important to observe some of the local customs to not cause offence. Many of the locals' standard of living may be confronting.

This is a demanding trip, which is suitable for the experienced traveller. The effects of altitude, long days of travel overland in cramped conditions over extremely rough roads, accommodation in shared home stays and yurt that vary in quality from the basic to the very basic and the possibility of severe and sudden climate changes means that this is definitely not a trip for the armchair traveller. Be prepared for no showers for several days and possible itinerary changes should weather or local events require. You will be travelling through countries that speak little or no English, where transport often runs only when it is full (and often overflowing), where hotels and restaurants have very different ideas of service and amenities, where the plumbing can sometimes be temperamental and the power will often just vanish.

Many of the places we visit are not used to people travelling outside of large coach tours so they will be uncertain of how to deal with us.

Bureaucracy is rife and border crossings sometimes seem never-ending.

This is a very challenging trip covering a wide range of peoples, cultures, religious and political beliefs. If you are able to bring with you a lot of patience and a huge sense of humour, then your experience will be greatly enhanced.

This trip will raise your heartbeat. Moderate physical activities are included and a good level of fitness is required. You need to have a good level of fitness and be in excellent health to take part in this trip. It's important that you are able to carry your own luggage (pack light!) as there is a lot of local transport on this trip and you will need to be able to take it on and off vehicles and trains as well as negotiate steps and train platforms etc.

You also need to be able to cope with extremes in temperature as we will be experiencing varying climates from extreme heat (up to 45C) to altitudes of over 3000m. Travel days and border crossings can also be long and hot.