The Silk Road

Name: The Silk Road
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.5 (43 reviews)

16 Days Excluding Flights From

17 Days from

£ 3199

4.5/5 from

Culture

Activity Level

Moderate

Comfort Level

Classic

Ways to Travel :

Guided Group

Activity :

Culture

Group Size :

4 - 16

Ages :

16+

Trip Code :

AXF

Carbon Footprint :

36.5kg CO2e per person per day

Follow in the footsteps of ancient traders, uncovering the cultural and natural treasures of Central Asia

For centuries, merchant caravans voyaged through deserts, across steppes and over mountains, creating trade routes between the Mediterranean and Asia. Art and religion spread east and west, while monumental architecture sprouted alongside nomadic eagle hunter communities. Now uncover the best of the Silk Road for yourself: the minarets and domes of Uzbekistan, the beautiful Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and traditional culture throughout, including a night in a Kyrgyz yurt.

Highlights

Follow the legendary Silk Road through Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
Experience the nomad life with a night in a traditional Kyrgyz yurt
Marvel at the Islamic architecture of Samarkand and Bukhara
Discover the picturesque mountains and lakes of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

Key Information

Accommodation: 13 Classic nights (12 hotel, 1 guesthouse), 2 Simple nights (1 yurt, 1 sleeper train)
Travel by minibus and comfortable trains
Experience Silk Road cities, culture and nature
Group normally 4 to 16, plus leaders. Minimum age: 16

Countries visited: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan

What's Included

13 breakfasts and three dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Group arrival and departure transfers available

What's Not Included

Travel Insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

You’ll also find Thriving Nature, Thriving People moments across our trips. These experiences are often a highlight of your adventure, while also benefiting the natural world or local communities.

On this trip, we:

Have the chance to meet eagle hunters in Bokonbaev village to observe and learn about their traditional form of falconry, which plays a key role in the local nomadic lifestyle
Join a Dunhan or Uygur family in their Karakol home for an authentic meal and chance to learn firsthand about their cultures and customs

TRIP

AXF - The Silk Road

Departure Date

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Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

For flights call us on 0203 733 5948 or enquire when booking online

Regional flights available

Competitive flight prices

Specialist Flight Support

ATOL protected

Itinerary

Bishkek Urgench

The adventure begins in Bishkek. We have a city tour this afternoon, spending a couple of hours visiting the main city sites, including Ala Too Square, Parliament House, the White House, the Lenin Statue and the Manas Monument.

You can check in to the hotel from 10am.

Accommodation: Hotel Garden, Hotel Bridges or Hotel Plaza (or similar)

On the way to Chon-Kemin Gorge, we stop at an 11th-century Karakhanid minaret – Burana Tower, a Unesco World Heritage site and the first minaret of its kind in Central Asia. You can climb to the top of the tower. Take care, it’s quite dark inside and the stairs are steep and narrow.

Nowadays, it is a complex that includes the tower itself, reconstructions of mausoleums found on the site, remains of a citadel, collection of balbals (gravestones used by nomadic Turkic peoples), petroglyphs (stone carvings) and a small museum.

We will also visit Ak Beshim ruins, the remnants of an ancient city. We’ll see the remains of Chumysh Fortress, a Nestorian monastery, a complex of Christian churches and two Buddhist temples. There are also rock paintings and burial mounds.

Following our visit, we continue to Chon-Kemin National Park, a quiet valley with several small villages and farmed lands surrounded by magnificent mountains and fir forest. It is a wonderful place to be, to sit on the doorstep with a pot of tea.

Total drive time: 2hr 30min

Accommodation: Guesthouse Kemin (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

We continue our journey through the Tien Shan mountains along the southern side of Issyk Kul Lake. The second largest salt lake in the world, it measures 43mi by 112mi (70km by 180km) and reaches almost 2,300ft (700m) deep. The name translates to Hot Lake, as it never freezes over, even in the depths of winter. It’s surrounded by a mixture of forest and meadow with a backdrop of mountains and glaciers.

Optional excursion (approximately US$120 per group): Stop at Bokonbaev village to observe a traditional form of falconry found throughout Central Asia – hunting with eagles. Eagle hunting plays a key role in the nomadic lifestyle here and can also be seen during national competitions.

Next, we visit Barskaun Gorge and take a short hike to a waterfall, then drive to Djety Oguz.

Tonight we stay in a yurt camp, made of six sleeping yurts (each accommodating four to five people) and one communal/dining yurt. There is a shower and three Western-style flush toilets but hot water for washing must be requested specifically. There is also a generator for electricity for three hours in the evening. Spending a night in a yurt camp is a fantastic experience and a small insight into the centuries-old way of life for many nomadic people in Central Asia.

Accommodation: Yurt Camp, Djety Oguz (or similar)

Total drive time: six to seven hours

April and October departures: we will stay in Almaluu Yurt Camp close to Lake Issyk Kul, rather than a camp in Djety Oguz. We will still visit Djety Oguz, but due to the different location of the yurt camp, the order of activities today and tomorrow will differ slightly in these months. Almaluu is better suited than Djety Oguz for these cooler months.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we walk in Djety Oguz, which translates to the Valley of Seven Bulls, named after the distinct seven red-coloured rocks in the gorge. We can learn about the local legends behind the name as we walk out of the beautiful gorge (approximately two hours) through fir forest, yurt settlements and grazing lands. If you’re feeling energetic, there is also the option to hike to a waterfall. The trail can be slippery, so this is not advisable in wet weather.

We continue to the town of Karakol, where we enjoy a sightseeing tour taking in old Russian-style houses, a Russian Orthodox church, a wooden Dungan mosque, and Karakol bazaar. Tonight, we enjoy a home-cooked meal at a local Uygur or Dungan family home.

Total drive time: one hour

Accommodation: Amir Hotel, Green Yard Hotel or Matsunoki Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we cross the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border and, after border procedures (which may take one to two hours), travel along the picturesque Karkara valley, where mountain flowers attract many beekeepers. We head towards Charyn River, where the dramatic erosion caused by the river has created an impressive landscape. We have some time to observe the beginning of Charyn and Moon Canyons from different viewpoints. After a short walk and some time for photographs, we continue towards the Black Canyon. There is time for a picnic lunch in the canyon (you can buy your picnic from a supermarket earlier in the day). After our visit we continue to Almaty with an expected arrival time of around 5pm.

Total drive time: eight hours

Accommodation: Plaza Hotel or Kazzhol Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Today we head out of Almaty to stretch our legs and explore the countryside.

We begin by heading to Esik. We visit Esik Burial Mounds and the Esik State Historical and Cultural Museum. The mounds are one of the largest archaeological sites of the Scythian-Saka period. The site dates to the fourth century BCE. The museum is on the site of one of Kazakhstan’s most impressive archaeological finds – the tomb of the Golden Man – where a Saka prince was found in an intact tomb.

We continue to Issyk Lake (or Esik Lake), not to be confused with Issyk Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan, which we visit earlier in the trip. Amid thick forests and wildflower pastures, this alpine lake is 5,775ft (1,760m) above sea level within the Issyk Gorge. We walk down the concrete staircase to explore the southern shore of the lake. Finally, we return to Almaty for the night.

Total drive time: three hours

Accommodation: Plaza Hotel or Kazzhol Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Almaty is a beautiful city backed by the Tien Shan mountains and we have the whole day to explore it. With leafy streets and a cafe culture, the former Kazakh capital has a distinctly European feel. After breakfast, we visit several sites, including Zhenkov Cathedral (Ascension Cathedral), made entirely of wood and without the use of nails; Panfilov Park; the Monument of Panfilovs 28 Guardsmen; the Great Patriotic and Civil War monuments and eternal flame; and the Museum of National Instruments.

After the tour, we drive to the train station. Here we say goodbye to our tour leader who has been with us throughout Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and meet our Uzbekistan leader who’ll be with us for the remainder of the trip.

We travel overnight from Almaty to Tashkent. We leave Almaty in the evening and depending on train timetables, we’ll either travel by sleeper train all the way to Tashkent, a journey of about 16 hours, or we’ll travel as far as Shymkent by sleeper train, a journey of about 11 hours, then continue by road for two hours to the Kazakh-Uzbek border, then following the border crossing which typically takes 1-2 hours (the border crossing is a little chaotic and does not feature polite queuing!), we then continue for another 40 minutes by road to Tashkent.

Travelling on trains through this region is a great way to cover large distances (almost 620mi/1,000km in this case), see the changing landscape, and mingle with local people. We use four-berth compartments on this sleeper train, which is reasonably comfortable but not luxurious.

Accommodation: Sleeper train (four-berth compartment)

Meals included: Breakfast

We usually arrive in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan between mid morning and early afternoon. We’ll have a short tour of the city. Over the course of today and tomorrow we’ll visit sites including: Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City with its mausoleums (Hast Imam complex) and bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to keep the heat down in summer.

Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel, Medina Hotel (or similar)

We continue our exploration of Tashkent today an usually include a ride on the impressive metro system.

In the evening, we catch a fast train to Samarkand. The city is steeped in history, dating back 2,500 years and impacted by figures such as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, the latter made it the capital of his empire in the 14th century. A central position on the Silk Road meant it was an important stop on the route from Istanbul to Peking (now Beijing). At its heart is Registan Square, which is flanked by the three grand madrasahs (Islamic colleges) of Ulughbeg (15th century), Sherdor and Tilya Qori (both 17th century).

Accommodation: Ideal Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Over the next day and a half, we visit key sights in and around Samarkand, including: the Registan Square, Gur Emir Mausoleum, burial place of Tamerlane, his sons and his grandson, Ulughbek. The Bibi Khanum Mosque and Shakhi Zinda – the Living King necropolis – with its series of mausoleums dating to the 14th and 15th centuries. Siab Bazaar to try fruits, nuts and other local produce.

We also visit the Necropolis and Ulugbek’s Observatory and a paper factory where traditional methods are used.

Accommodation: Ideal Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

We continue our exploration of Samarkand.

In the evening, we take a fast train to Bukhara. The best-preserved medieval city in Central Asia, this Unesco World Heritage site dates back more than 2,000 years.

Accommodation: Kavsar Hotel or Grand Nodirbek (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

We have two full days exploring Bukhara and nearby sights.

Our city tour takes us to the Lyabi Khauz complex, built in the 16th and 17th centuries. It’s home to the oldest pool of its kind in Central Asia, surrounded by madrasahs and a khanaka (lodging house for travelling sufis), including the largest madrasah in Bukhara, the 15^th-century Kukeldash Madrasah.

We continue to the Poi-Kalyan religious complex with its 157ft (48m) tall 12^th-century Kalyan minaret – the symbol of Bukhara; the large Kalyan Mosque (15th century) with galleries topped by 288 domes; and the only active madrasah in the city, Bukhara Miri-Arab (16th century). Next is the Samanid Mausoleum, the oldest piece of Islamic architecture in Central Asia and burial site of the 10^th-century emir, Ismail Samani. Finally, we visit the Ark, a fifth-century citadel and the oldest building in Bukhara.

Accommodation: Kavsar Hotel or Grand Nodirbek (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

A late night/very early morning start sees us head to Bukhara station where we catch our train to Urgench. This train is slower and older than the ones we’ve taken earlier in our time in Uzbekistan, but we have compartments with beds. The journey takes about six hours, and sees us across the Kyzylkum desert, arriving mid morning. From Urgench, we drive for about an hour and a half to the 2,000-year-old ruined city fortress of Toprak-Qala, dramatically located with the Sultan Vais mountains as a backdrop. The settlement began in the first century BCE under Kushan patronage and was later devastated by Turkish raids that led to the depopulation of the town in the sixth century. Three large round towers and an impressive portion of the citadel remain, but the parchments and paintings found there are now in St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum. We also visit Qizil-Qala, formerly an important oasis with an impressive amount of remaining buildings, and finally Ayaz-Qala, an imposing hilltop fortress from the sixth century. We later drive to Khiva to spend the night.

Accommodation: Malika Khiva (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

We have a walking tour of Khiva today, we’ll visit the living museum that is the perfectly restored old city. See the khan’s old residence, the Kunya-Ark 12th century fortress, the tiled base of the never completed Kalta Minar, (which was originally planned to be taller than any minaret in Bukhara) and the beautiful mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud (Khiva’s patron saint) with its tiled courtyard. Many wedding parties and pilgrims come to visit the tomb and drink the water from the well in the courtyard. Also visit the Juma mosque – supported by 218 wooden carved columns.

Accommodation: Malika Khiva (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Our adventure ends in Khiva this morning. Land only travellers may join our group transfer to Urgench airport which is timed to fit with the Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul, or you may remain in Khiva.

Essential Info

This trip includes several train journeys, which are a great way to cover long distances in Central Asia. Tickets are in high demand. We recommend booking this trip at least 45 days in advance to ensure we can get space on trains. Please provide us with your passport details at the time of booking, without this we cannot purchase train tickets. Bookings less than 45 days before departure are welcome, but subject to availability of trains.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

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 Shymkent or 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.

Temperatures can vary from very hot to cold depending on the time of year, day and location.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Joining Instructions

Key information

Recommended arrival time: In the morning (or previous day) to make the afternoon tour on Day 1
Airport: Bishkek Airport (FRU)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 45-70 minutes’ drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are:

Take an Exodus transfer
Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

Make your own way
It’s possible to reach the start hotel by public transport, but the journey is complicated. We therefore recommend joining the group transfer where possible. If not, speak to your sales representative about organising a private transfer. On arrival at the hotel, please make the reception staff aware that you are part of an Exodus group and they will have more details on meeting with your leader and group.

If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.

You can check-in at the hotel from around 10am on Day 1.

Catching your return flight

There’s a group departure transfer to Urgench Airport (UGC). These transfers are for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Bishkek
Location end: Urgench

Vaccinations and Health

Kazakhstan

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, tuberculosis and typhoid. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

You will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from (or transiting through) a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Kyrgyzstan

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis and typhoid. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Uzbekistan

Visa

Kazakhstan

A number of countries including the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand Germany, Belgium and France can enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days without a visa.

Kyrgyzstan

British, most European and most other nationalities, including Australians, New Zealanders, Americans and Canadians do not require visas for visits of under 60 days. All other nationalities should contact the nearest Kyrgyzstan Embassy if in doubt. You should carry your passport or a copy of it with you at all times.

Uzbekistan

All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for at least three months beyond your entry date into Uzbekistan. It is your responsibility to have the correct personal documents and to obtain your own visa, if one is necessary, in accordance with the regulations of the country you are to visit. The information below is primarily for UK passport holders, and other nationalities should check with their travel agent or the relevant embassies. We are not responsible for the actions of local immigration and customs officials, whether at points of entry or otherwise, and any subsequent effects.

Anyone travelling on a British, Australian, New Zealand or Canadian passport can enter Uzbekistan as a visitor (for tourism or business purposes) for stays of up to 30 days without a visa. For a full list of nationalities that are eligible for a visa-free visit of up to 30-days, please visit www.uzembassy.uk/page/319?language=en

Many other nationalities are eligible for a simplified visa in advance (without the need for an authorisation letter of invitation), including USA. If you are eligible for a visa in advance then you should apply for one as for visas upon arrival, a letter of invitation is still required. Should you need an authorisation letter, please contact Exodus at least 8 weeks before departure as we can arrange this for you through our local operator.

It is no longer necessary for you to complete a currency declaration form upon arrival (unless you are carrying more than US$2,000 with you). You will still need to keep your receipts given by each hotel that you stay in – please hold on to these as they may be checked when you leave.

There have also been greater restrictions on bringing medicine into Uzbekistan. If you have any special medicine we recommend you check with the Uzbekistan embassy about allowed quantities. You should also bring copies of your prescriptions and declare them upon arrival. Visa regulations can change without notice. Please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.

Food & Drink

There are 13 breakfasts and three dinners included.

Common dishes in the region include shish kebabs and plov, which you’ll probably see plenty of. The kebabs can be from different meats, including lamb and beef, while plov is a rice-based dish (variants elsewhere are known as pilaf or pilau rice). Another main food is bread, especially in Uzbekistan where it is baked and sold everywhere. There are normally a couple of opportunities to try home-cooked meals.

Tea is also plentiful, both black and green, and drunk with most meals and throughout the day. Please note, vegetarian food choices may be rather limited. If you are strictly vegetarian or have any special dietary requirements, please notify us well in advance. In this region, the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home.

Drinking water is included and will be provided in large containers – please bring a reusable bottle with you.

Weather

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.

TRIP

AXF - The Silk Road

Departure Date

Number Of Passengers*

Message*

To enquire about an existing booking click here

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Keep me up to date with news and offers from Exodus by email.

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Find out more about how we use your data

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Hotel, yurt and sleeper train

This trip includes 10 nights in 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 two- or three-star hotels. The normal accommodations used on this trip can be found on the day-to-day itinerary; however, below are a few of the notable places we stay.

Djety Oguz: Yurt camp (night 4)

Djety Oguz Yurt Camp, Kyrgyzstan

Yurts are traditional housing for nomadic communities across Central Asia and are generally quite cosy. We spend one night in a traditional yurt camp in the Djety Oguz Gorge in Kyrgyzstan. The camp has six sleeping yurts, each normally shared between four and five people and there are three toilets and one shower.

Sleeper train: (night 8)

Sleeper train from Tashkent to Almaty

The railway has long been a popular way of travelling around the ex-Soviet Union and this is a great experience and insight into Kazakh life. On the train from Tashkent to Almaty, we use second-class carriages with four-berth cabins.

Bukhara: Kavsar Boutique Hotel (nights 12-13)

The Silk Road

Taking over an old mansion, this small boutique hotel is one of the standout accommodations on this itinerary. It’s embellished with intricate design features and plenty of antiques, while an atmospheric central courtyard provides a wonderful place to gather as a group.

Worth knowing

Single supplements don’t apply to the night on the sleeper train or the night in the yurt camp, and depending on the make up of the group may be mixed gender.
April and October departures: We stay in Almaluu Yurt Camp close to Lake Issyk Kul instead of the yurt camp in Djety Oguz.
In some places on this trip we use several different hotels. We will inform you before departure if your start hotel in Bishkek differs from what is mentioned in the Trip Notes.
On the sleeper train, you may be sharing a compartment with members of the public, depending on how the seats are allocated.

TRIP

AXF - The Silk Road

Departure Date

Number Of Passengers*

Message*

To enquire about an existing booking click here

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Keep me up to date with news and offers from Exodus by email.

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Find out more about how we use your data

Pack as light as you can as there is limited space on the trains for luggage, you will find it much easier if you pack a medium sized suitcase. On arrival in Kyrgyzstan, local sim cards were available to buy in the airport however I used esims for all 3 destinations and worked without any problems. All hotels had free wifi access with only the night in the yurt having the option for payable internet. A head torch is useful for the yurt stay. You will only need clothes covering knees and shoulders on days that you are visiting religious sites, on other days shorts are acceptable.

Jonathan Coles

Reviewed August 2024

The Silk Road

This trip was, without doubt, an experience of a lifetime. Yes, it is fast-paced and there are some early starts and full days, but I look back now over the two weeks and I am genuinely staggered by the number of experiences we packed into our time in this fascinating part of the world. Watching eagle hunters at work (and holding a golden eagle myself), visiting stunning mosques and Orthodox churches, walking through the awe-inspiring Charyn Cannon (Kazakhstan), exploring Almaty and being taken to see the very interesting Tashkent metro stations, climbing a minaret in Khiva to gaze into Turkmenistan… I can honestly say that this trip made the most of our time there, and the itinerary is well planned to take into account different interests and needs of guests.

Accommodation is clean, comfortable and full of local character. I don’t recognise the description in a previous review of ‘mediocre’ establishments – that was not my experience at all.

If you are interested in learning more about an often-forgotten part of Asia, definitely go for this trip – I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Most Inspirational Moment

There are too many to list, but the eagle-hunting demonstration in Kyrgyzstan is one that will stay with me for a very long time. The scenery and the birds were inspirational, and it was fascinating to learn of the bond the eagles establish with their handlers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Vitaliy and Dilshod were absolutely fantastic - I cannot rate them highly enough. They were exceptionally knowledgeable, very attentive to the needs of the group and really enhanced the trip. Dilshod did take us to visit local artisans in the Uzbek cities we visited, but there was absolutely no pressure on us to buy and we gained some interesting insights into local crafts and culture. Both guides knew the names of each of the guests and were dedicated, professional and a credit to their local companies.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The heat in July makes sightseeing tiring, so pack a sunhat and a reusable water bottle - water is freely available throughout the trip. There are early starts, particularly to allow guests to reach the sleeper trains, but this is all part of the experience. Go with an open mind and a love of travel and enjoy. It's brilliant!

Lucie P

Reviewed August 2024

Amazing destination spoilt by Exodus

Unfortunately I cannot recommend using Exodus to visit this incredible part of the world. Here’s 10 reasons why.

ITINERARY
1. Exodus have recently changed this itinerary, shortening the time spent in Kyrguzstan and Kazakhstan and adding an extension to Khiva. The first half of the new itinerary is abso-****ing-lutely stupid in these time scales, and the second half (likely due to timetable changes beyond Exodus’ control) invloves stupid logistics every single time you move between destinations. There are FIVE days where some form of overnight train travel/a pre-5am start or post-midnight arrival are included, and guests are expected to do a full day of sightseeing without the chance to catch up on rest. I’m energetic, in my late 30s and used to fast travel, but this was thoroughly unpleasant
2. Amount of travel time for first week was grossly mis-described by sales rep: first week was 6-8 hours every day on the bus (except one day which was only two hours), and the rep told me it was about half that. There’s no way I would have booked this trip knowing how much of it was on a bus
3. Doing the border crossing from Kazakhstan to Uzebekistan on foot rather than getting the through train between countries is stupid. If that through train has been cancelled it would make much more sense to fly between the two countries, rather than expecting guests to do an overnight train, get up at something stupid like 4am to drive to the border, engage in a 2-hour scrum fight to cross the border, and then take a 3 hour bus at the other side
4. Uzbek guide spent 1-4 hours every day (average 2 hours per day) taking the group to vendors where he clearly gets a kickback. I booked a cultural trip, not a shopping trip, and this infuriated me.

EXODUS COMPETENCE
5. Sales rep LIED – a bare faced, out-and-out lie – about the reason for the itinerary change. When I asked about it (and I pressed at length) she insisted the reason for speeding up the first week and adding on Khiva was because people were so keen on Khiva. Turns out that is completely untrue; it’s simply because Bukhara airport became inconvenient for Exodus to use. The previous itinerary seems like it would have been much more sensibly paced, and wouldn’t have involved a 3am start and a 6-hour night train to Khiva – and as usual, following little to no sleep, the group were expected to do a full day of sightseeing
6. Exodus were very slow (2 days) to confirm whether there would be an itinerary change following an airport closure, which meant it was impossible for me to sort out my own travel arrangements in a sensible timeframe. This was one week before travel, and I was left with literally a 2-hour window to make changes after Exodus had finalised their own plans. Even worse, they were slow and not proactive in communicating about what was going on. The trip support guy was lovely when I called and he tried to be helpful, but Exodus’ logistics team weren’t anywhere near fast enough so his hands were tied

FOOD, ACCOMMODATION AND VALUE FOR MONEY
7. This trip represents poor value for money, given how cheap hotels we stayed in were to book direct
8. Location of most (about two thirds) of the hotels was poor
9. Quality of most of the hotels was mediocre vs. the trip price

It’s a real shame, because I loved the countries and the first guide.

All in all, everything about this trip felt like it was designed to maximise Exodus’ profits at the expense of guests’ comfort, sanity, and level of sleep. No way on earth I would consider doing this trip or any other with them – I’m sure there are better operators and better itineraries available.

Most Inspirational Moment

These are really, really wonderful countries with a fascinating history. Overall I enjoyed the trip, but's that's in spite of and not thanks to Exodus.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Historical knowledge of both guides was very strong and both were very professional and competent. First guide was wonderful and created a great atmosphere, but the second guide didn't engage with the group personally and didn't bother to learn a single person's name.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't let this review put you off going - just think carefully about who you go with. Oh and a note for veggies - I'm vegetarian and was worried about this but the food was fine! There was always something veggie available, and often it was very good. But do brace yourself for a lot of soups, salad and bread, and for meat to be snuck into places you wouldn't expect.

Reply from Exodus

We’re genuinely grateful for Lucie taking the time to leave a review of her experience on our trip to Central Asia, though it is a huge matter of regret to learn that her time there wasn’t at all as positive as we would hope.

As we mention in our trip notes, this is a busy and fast-paced tour which allows our customers to take in the highlights of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan within a relatively short timeframe. As such, we explain that there are long days and early starts, and we feel that this serves to accurately set our customers’ expectations; we would disclose that, for departures operating with our new itinerary from June 2024 onwards, clients responding to our post-trip surveys rated their overall trip experience at an average of 4.28 out of 5, and the itinerary of the trip at a similarly high 4.23 out of 5, which means the vast majority of our customers rated their trip and itinerary as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.

We are, however, saddened that Lucie didn’t feel the same way about the itinerary, and we will certainly bear her feedback in mind going forward.

Regarding the border crossing into Uzbekistan, we are reluctant to use internal flights for several reasons. It would add to the cost of the trip for our customers, while also being considerably poorer from a sustainability perspective; moreover, we feel that the purpose of adventure travel is to experience the authentic side of a destination, which internal flights would bypass. We explain the border crossing process in our trip notes for Days 7 and 8 to let our customers decide whether this experience is something for them.

To touch on the reasons for the itinerary change, we must make clear that Lucie’s sales representative was correct when she explained why we added the visit to Khiva for this trip. We previously listed Khiva as an optional extension for our Silk Road departures, but as it is one of the highlights of the region, we received a huge amount of feedback from customers recommending it be added to the regular itinerary, which we listened to and actioned. We believe that adding Khiva strengthens the itinerary overall and allows our groups to get the most out of their time in Central Asia, and it has generally been a very positively received addition. However, we’re sorry if Lucie did not feel that same way and regret that she was given the wrong idea about the reasons for the change.

It was a real shame for us to read that Lucie was unimpressed with the hotels on this trip, and that she felt that value for money overall was poor. The scores we receive from our clients who’ve travelled on our Silk Road trips are on average 3.93 out of 5 for value for money, and 4.05 out of 5 for accommodation, which, again, means that the majority of clients are indicating that these aspects of the trip were ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. We feel that, given the expert leaders we employ, the clean and comfortable properties our groups stay in, and the huge amount they get to see and experience, this trip offers very reasonable value; however, again we’re sorry that Lucie did not feel the same way. We appreciate that value for money is a major factor for our clients, and it is something we are constantly reviewing on all our trips.

We were heartened and reassured to read the feedback we received in post-trip surveys from other members of Lucie’s group, which indicated that this was overall a very successful and enjoyable departure. However, as we say, we are genuinely sorry that this was not Lucie’s experience; we very much hope that she saw some amazing sights and had some unforgettable experiences in Central Asia which made the trip as a whole worthwhile.

– Thomas Manchester, Exodus Product Manager

Julie Bridge

The Lakes, very beautiful and scenic.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, very helpful and Knowledgeable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware of incompetent staff in immigration and hospitality. A member of my group had serious trouble entering and leaving Uzbekistan due to such people, another member of the group got into trouble as she was carrying US coins older the fifty years, it is an offence to do this in the same country.

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The Silk Road

4.5/5 from

16 Days Excluding Flights From

17 Days from

£ 3199

The Silk Road

Follow in the footsteps of ancient traders, uncovering the cultural and natural treasures of Central Asia

Sustainability and Impact

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Your Group, Your Adventure

Itinerary

Bishkek Urgench

Essential Info

Is this trip for you?

Joining Instructions

Key information

Getting to the start hotel

Catching your return flight

Vaccinations and Health

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Uzbekistan

Visa

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Uzbekistan

Food & Drink

Weather

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Hotel, yurt and sleeper train

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Reviews

Two trips in one!

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Scenic Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan with cultural Uzbekistan

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Amazing tour of 3 of the Stans!

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

An amazing holiday

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Fantastic journey across Central Asia

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

The Silk Road

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Amazing destination spoilt by Exodus

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Reply from Exodus

Brilliant trip!

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Excellent in spite of an emergency

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Perhaps some more about how the Silk Road functioned explained during the trips.

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

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