Central Asia Explorer
Central Asia Explorer
Central Asia Explorer
17 Days Starting in Bishkek and ending in Tashkent
Visiting: Bishkek, Issyk-Kul Lake, Song-Kol Lake (3016 metres), Kyzyl-Oi, Suusamyr Valley/Chychkan River/Toktogul, Osh, Border Crossing/Andijan/Tashkent, Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand
Tour operator:
Tour code:
KFSR
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Age range:
15-99 years
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Tour Overview
Be entranced by the beauty of Kyrgyzstan and historical wonders of Uzbekistan on this 17-day tour. Traverse landscapes of alpine lakes and mountains interrupted only by dots of yurts, feel the divine artistic power of the detailed mosaics and towering minarets of ancient cities, and be welcomed into homes and family-run businesses by locals. A mix of ancient nomadic cultures, various iterations of both conservative and progressive Islam, Soviet influence and post-independence nationalism mean Central Asia is home to unique traditions. Travels here will leave you raving about the region for years to come and planning your next trip back as soon as you get home.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Bishkek
Location: Bishkek
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: dinner
Welcome to Bishkek! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Tomorrow you’ll take a tour of the city, so don’t stress too much if you don’t have time to see much today. Bishkek is tree-lined town of parks and gardens, handsome houses and wide streets perfect for strolling. If you arrive with time to spare, maybe head out in search of some samsa (pastry pockets filled with meat and vegetables).
Day 2: Bishkek
Location: Bishkek
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Embark on city tour that showcases the various stages of Bishkek’s history. Visit the severe Ala-Too Square, once known as Lenin Square, and learn about the towering statue depicting folkloric hero Manas. Continue to Dubovy Park, and wander among the open-air galleries before strolling between the century-old oaks along Freedom Avenue. In the afternoon, you'll have some free time to further explore Bishkek. Quite the contrast to the relaxed quiet streets, square and parks in the city centre, Osh Market is noisy, crowded, and a perfect peek into local life. You'll find all kinds of things on sale here, from spices and fruits to clothes and carpets.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 3: Issyk-Kul Lake
Location: Issyk-Kul Lake
Accommodation: Tourist yurt camp
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
This morning, up and on the road through the beautiful landscaps of Kyrgyzstan. You'll be travelling with our vehicle for the next few days so get ready for a road trip through some pretty stunning mountains and lakes. Firstly stop at Burana Tower, a minaret that is the most visible remnant of the ancient city Balasagun. Then continue to Don Aryk and meet a local Kyrgyz family and enjoy a home-cooked lunch. Then onto the destination of today - Issyk-Kul Lake, the second-largest alpine lake in the world. At 170 - kilometres-long and 70-kilometres-wide, her beauty is a real sight to behold. Your yurt camp for tonight is set up along the south shore of the lake where you'll get a fantastic view of the snow-capped mountains setting behind the lake. Made of felt and tarpaulins on a round frame, yurts are the traditional dwellings of the Kyrgyz people and this will be your 'settlement' for today and tomorrow.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Issyk-Kul Lake
Location: Issyk-Kul Lake
Accommodation: Tourist yurt camp
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
With relaxed plans for today, you'll head out to Kyzyl Tuu - known for yurt making. Almost every family here is a yurt making and the village is known far beyond Kyrgyzstan. You'll visit an artisan family who’ll teach you more about their traditional yurts. With a special workshop, you’ll learn the basics of how these nomadic dwellings have been manufactured and how they play an important role in the community here. Enjoy a free afternoon and evening, relax in your yurt camp, jump into the lake, take a hike or sit back and watch the world goes by.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Song-Kol Lake (3016 Metres)
Location: Song-Kol Lake (3016 metres)
Accommodation: Tourist yurt camp
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Back on the road and travel to Song-Kol Lake, another alpine stunner that is considered a sacred place to many Kyrgyz people, as well as one of the best summer pastures for nomadic herders. On the way, stop at Kochkor to visit the local market and a women's felt co-op. The landscape today will change depending on the season but is sure to be beautiful no matter when you travel. In the summer you might see nomadic herdsmen and their families watching over goats, sheep, and horses. Enjoy exploring your surroundings for the rest of the day, maybe hiking one of the many trails. Tonight, fall asleep in yurts set up along the shore. Tomorrow, those daring enough for an invigorating morning splash can use the lake to wash off the sleep.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Kyzyl-Oi
Location: Kyzyl-Oi
Accommodation: Guesthouse/Homestay
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Travel along gravel roads to the tiny village of Kyzyl-Oi, which is squeezed between mountains. On the way, pass large coal deposits and travel along the Kokomeren River, which feeds into the Syr Darya. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the banks of the river in the shade of the trees and use your free time to explore the village on arrival. In the evening, learn how the locals cook their favourite snack - Boorsok.
Included Activities:
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Day 7: Suusamyr Valley/Chychkan River/Toktogul
Location: Suusamyr Valley/Chychkan River/Toktogul
Accommodation: Guesthouse/Homestay
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Get ready for a full-day of driving though big, beautiful landscapes. As the roads in Kyrgyzstan see little regular maintenance, even short distances on a map can take hours. The road crosses the Suusamyr Valley – a high steppe plateau situated at around 2200 metres above sea level. The mountainous surroundings are often dotted with yurts. Continue along the Chychkan River that cuts through the Tien Shan mountain range. Stop here for a while and soak up the amazing scenery. Arrive at tonight's accommodation which is part of the local community based tourism network in Toktogul sometime in the early evening.
Day 8: Osh
Location: Osh
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
After breakfast, get ready for another all-day journey to Osh, the second-largest city in Kyrgystan. Stop en route at Uzgen, an ancient trading town and handicrafts centre along the Silk Road. Although much of the ancient city has been destroyed, a minaret and three mosques that have survived remain important examples of medieval Central Asian architecture. Continue to Osh. Located in the Fergana Valley in the south of the country, Osh is often referred to as the 'Capital of the South' and is the oldest city in the country.
Included Activities:
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Day 9: Osh
Location: Osh
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Rise and shine for a visit to the only World Heritage site in Kyrgystan, the Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain, also known as Solomon's Throne. For centuries Silk Road travellers have sought out the mountain's caves and their petroglyphs in the belief that they would be blessed with longevity or healthy children. Visit the National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex. In the afternoon, enjoy some free time in Osh. Perhaps visit the Jayma Bazaar, where you might pick up an interesting souvenir or two. Or maybe take a self-guided tour of the remnants of Osh's soviet past with a walk to the giant Lenin statue in the city square.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 10: Border Crossing/Andijan/Tashkent
Location: Border Crossing/Andijan/Tashkent
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning, drive to Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, which is just outside of the city. Transfer to Andijan and board a local train to Tashkent (approximately 5.5 hours). The train is a great place to meet locals, so don’t be surprised if people want to chat to the chet ellik (foreigner). Arrive in the evening and check into the hotel.
Day 11: Tashkent
Location: Tashkent
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Begin your introduction to Uzbekistan by exploring the capital today. Follow your leader on a city walking tour - explore Amir Timur square at the city center, then hop on the metro and lose yourself in the exciting Chorsu Bazaar, browsing traditional wooden cradles, handmade musical instruments, and the extensive vegetable and spice markets. Enjoy a free afternoon and maybe go and visit the Khast Imom complex, a restored series of religious buildings (including a mosque) and a library containing an ancient Qur’an, parts of which have been dated to the ninth century, or simply relax and enjoy some well deserved downtime after a busy journey in Kyrgyzstan.
Included Activities:
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Day 12: Bukhara
Location: Bukhara
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Travel to Bukhara by train this morning. Located on the ancient Silk Road, Bukhara was an important regional and world hub for many, many years and has a long, fascinating history featuring invasions by both Genghis Khan and the Soviet Red Army. Explore this fascinating city with your tour leader on an orientation walk after arrival and head to the Lyabi-Haus area, a busy 17th-century plaza with hundreds-years-old trees and there is time to wander the small craft studios tucked into the nearby madrasas and trading domes.
Day 13: Bukhara
Location: Bukhara
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Enjoy a day of sightseeing in beautiful Bukhara. First visit the Sitorai Mohi Khosa, once the summer residence of the last Emir. Designed by Russian architects, it has interiors decorated with traditional filigree plaster, mirrored surfaces and delicate floral wall paintings by local artisans, then visit the Ark Fortress, the symbol of Bukhara before getting to one of Central Asia's oldest and most exquisite structures, the tenth-century Ismail Samani Mausoleum, the superb decorative brickwork of which has survived 1000 years of rugged history. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore this ancient Silk Road town. Maybe visit Bolo Haus Mosque, Chor Minor, Kalon Mosque and Minaret, or Ulukbek Madrassah and Abdulaziz Khan Madrassa.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 14: Samarkand
Location: Samarkand
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Have a free morning to yourself for some further exploration of Bukhara. In the late afternoon,transfer to the station for train to fabled Samarkand. This city is located at the very centre of the ancient Silk Road. Arrival early evening and follow your leader on a short city orientation walk and maybe an optional dinner together.
Included Activities:
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Day 15: Samarkand
Location: Samarkand
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Enjoy a tour of Samarkand. First up is the central square called the Registan, which features mosques and mausoleums that are true pinnacles of Islamic architecture. Continue to Guri-Amir, where Tamerlane is buried, and then the enormous Bibi-Khanum Mosque. Visit Shak-i-Zinda, a necropolis that features a series of gleaming blue-tiled mausoleums. This sacred site has monuments from the 14th–19th century, reflecting the development of the monumental art and architecture of the Timurid dynasty onwards. It is photo worthy at every turn, just remember to be respectful as pilgrims visit the complex. In the evening, you’ll visit a local family to learn the secrets of plov cuisine during a cooking demonstration in the evening.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 16: Tashkent
Location: Tashkent
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning, take the train back to Tashkent. Enjoy a free afternoon and why not celebrate this great adventure with an optional farewell dinner tonight?
Day 17: Tashkent
Location: Tashkent
Meals Included: breaksfast
There are no activities planned today and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time after check out.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Guesthouse/Homestay (2 night), Hotel (11 nights), Tourist Yurt Camps (3 night) -
Bishkek - City Tour
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Shamsy Valley - Burana tower
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Tokmak - Dungan family visit and home-cooked lunch
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Issyk-Kul Lake - Yurt workshop
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Issyk-Kul Lake - Eagle Hunter Visit
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Uzgen - Uzgen Minaret & Complex
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Osh - Sulaiman-Too Mountain
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Osh - National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex
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Tashkent - Chorsu Bazaar
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Tashkent - Amir Timur Square
What's Not Included
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International Travel
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Tipping and Gratuities
Included Activities
- Bishkek - City Tour
- Shamsy Valley - Burana tower
- Don Aryk - Local home visit & horsemanship demonstration
- Kochkor - Market
- Kochkor - Women's Felt Co-op
- Uzgen - Uzgen Minaret & Complex
- Osh - Sulaiman-Too Mountain
- Osh - National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex
- Tashkent - Chorsu Bazaar
- Tashkent - Khast Imom Complex & Moyie Mubarek Library Museum
- Tashkent - History Museum of the People of Uzbekistan
- Samarkand - Bibi-Khanym Mosque
- Samarkand - Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
- Samarkand - Shakh-I-Zinda
- Samarkand - Registan
- Samarkand - Paper making workshop & home cooked lunch
- Shakhrisabz - Ak Saray Palace
- Shakhrisabz - Kok-Gumbaz Mosque
- Shakhrisabz - Dor-ut Tilovat Memorial Complex
- Shakhrisabz - Dorus Saodat Complex
- Bukhara - Ismail Samani Mausoleum
- Bukhara - Sitorai Mohi Hosa Palace
- Bukhara - Chor-Bakr Necropolis
- Bukhara - Ark Fortress
- Bukhara - Kalon Mosque
- Vobkent - Minaret
- Gijduvan - Ceramics workshop
Transport
- Private Bus , Metro , High Speed Train , local train
Accommodation
- OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
- TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
- Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on a different Intrepid trip than your own.
- CHECK-IN TIME
- Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
- PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
- If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
- HOMESTAYS:
- Please note that at our homestays you might be required to share a room with people of other genders, or with your leader. Because we stay at real people's homes, beds might be pull-out couches or mattresses on the floor, or even a yurt in their backyard. Some of the accommodation along the way is very basic, staying in local guesthouses, yurts and homestays with limited facilities. Some facilities are shared and some accommodation has cold water only or no bathroom facilities.
Important Information
- 1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 3 to Day 7 where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 2. We'll need your passport details no later than 45 days before departure in order to purchase train tickets on this trip. Delay in providing these details or providing incorrect details may result in extra fee in change or being unable to secure services.
Mode of Transport
- Private Bus , Metro , High Speed Train , local train
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
Central Asia is a remote destination, perfect for Intrepid travellers! You will venture well away from cities, right off the beaten track and be able to immerse yourself in local food, life and culture. Accommodation may on occasion be more basic than what you are used to, especially in local homes, guesthouses and at the yurt. Shower and toilet facilities will be limited in some places and non-existent in others. While the comfort level won't always be high, the rewards of living in true local style in this far-out part of the world are immeasurable.
This is an overland journey, so there will be some very long days of travelling and driving, often over rough terrain. This can be tiring and require patience. The vehicle we use is small enough to access places where the general road condition doesn't allow for buses, but this means it can be a cosy journey when the group is almost full. We find this is a great way for the group to bond and share an amazing journey together and there will be stops along the way to take photos and stretch your legs.
What Kyrgyzstan lacks in historical sights (compared to the Silk Road monuments and Old Towns of Uzbekistan) it makes up for in incredible natural landscapes and plenty of opportunities for interaction with local families in small villages.
This trip spends 1 night at high altitude at Song-kol Lake (over 3000 meters) and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. We recommend not partaking in any strenuous activity until you have time to gauge your reaction to the high altitude. See the ‘Health’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions