60th Anniversary - The Great Trans Asia Railway Odyssey Westbound

Our Journey begins in the bustling city-state of Singapore. This evening you join your Tour Leader and fellow group members at 5:00pm for your Welcome Meeting  and later a welcome drink at Raffles Hotel.

An early transfer will take us across the Johar Causeway to Malaysia and Johor Bahru Sentral station where we board our first train on the journey to London. Connecting via Gemas we will continue to Kuala Lumpur.

We continue our journey up the Malay peninsula through lush tropical forest and plantations to the Thai border at Padang Besar where we join the overnight sleeper service to Bangkok.

With just 30 hours in Thailand's colourful & flamboyant capital, our local guide will share some of the classic highlights as well as some less well known aspects of this amazing city.

We escape the city this morning to explore the calm and cool gardens and private collections of the Prasart Museum before joining our overnight train to Nongkhai and the Laos border.

Tree-lined boulevards blend Buddhist temples with French colonial era architecture. Our sightseeing includes the 16th century Pha That Luang and Wat Si Saket. This evening enjoy a sunset stroll along the banks of the Mekong River.

A day to further explore Vientiane from the unique Buddha Park with its multitude of Buddhist and Hindu statues, Patuaxi, often called the 'Arc de Triomphe' of Vientiane and Wat Phra Keo with its collections of Lao and Khmer works of art.

This morning we rejoin the train north to the beautiful UNESCO city of Luang Prabang. The Royal Palace Museuem, Wat Mai and Wat Xiengthong highlight the history, culture and architecture of Laos. Enjoy sunset at Wat Prabath before visiting the city's famous night market .

With its headwaters from the Tibetan Plateau, the Mekong River was the main route of trade and conquest for centuries, today we cruise upstream and enjoy the tranquil countryside and visit the Pak Ou Cave monastery. This afternoon we visit the Kuang Si waterfalls.

This morning we board the train for the recently completed 750km rail link from Luang Prabang to Kunming, China.  The journey will take us through the incredible scenery of northern Laos and southern Yunnan Province.

The climate and relaxed ambience of Kunming is perfectly suited to a leisurely walk, and our sightseeing today will take us through the old alleys to Cuihu Park, with its many bridges and pagodas, and nearby the Yuantong Buddhist Temple.   

Beyond the city we visit the enchanting 'Stone Forest' - these unusual and unique karst stone formations are a highlight of Yunnan Province.

Back aboard the train enjoy some stunning scenery as we travel to Chengdu (Sichuan Province) famous for giant pandas and spicy food.

This morning we enjoy a tour of the city. Sichuan cuisine is renowned in China and internationally, we sample some of its classic dishes this evening before boarding the overnight train to Xining, Qinghai Province - high on the Tibetan Plateau (2275m).

We arrive into Xining, capital of China's Qinghai Province and a cultural crossroads of the Muslim, Tibetan and Han peoples brought together with the trade of the ancient Silk Road. We enjoy just a brief introduction to the city and province before we board our onward train to the Tibetan plateau and Lhasa.  

Across the 'roof of the world' aboard the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. At an altitude of 4000m and 5072m at its highest point - this is the world's highest railway, this remarkable engineering feat links Tibet and the city of Lhasa to the world - by train.

While it is the Potala Palace that dominates the city skyline and our sightseeing, we also visit Norbulingka Palace, the summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas and Drepang Monastery.

Considered the most sacred temple by Tibetans, the Jokhang was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2000. Surrounding the temple, Barkhor Square allows us to see some of the daily life and rituals of the city.  This afternoon we will visit Sera Monastery, once home to over 6000 monks, while today just 600 monks remain in residence.

We depart as we arrived by train aboard the overnight service to Lanzhou capital of Gansu Province.

Transfer to our hotel and free time to relax or explore the city.

The city's Silk Road history is reflected in the collections in the Gansu Provincial Museum, while across the Yellow River in Baitashan Park the hill-top pagoda provides excellent views to the river and city. This evening we board our overnight train to Xinjiang Province, skirting the northern fringes of the Taklamakan Desert to the city of Urumqi.

Transfer to our hotel and free time to relax or explore the city.

Bound by the Tien Shan and Altai mountains to the north and the Taklamakan Desert to the south Urumqi is one of the most remote cities in the world and our gateway to Central Asia. The Xinjiang Regional Museum houses one of the most extensive collections of Silk Road artefacts.  Tonight we join the internatinal train for Almaty, Kazakhstan.

We cross the Tien Shan mountains through the Dzungarian Gate - through which Silk Road caravans and conquering armies traversed the mountains separating China and Central Asia.

Kazakstan's largest city and  former capital, Almaty is a surprisingly green and relaxed town. We explore the city; Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral and ride the cable car to Kok Tobe for panoramic views of the city and surrounding Alatau mountains.

Beyond the city we visit Issyk Lake and Charyn Canyon. This evening we board the overnight train to Taraz.

Taraz (Talas) is one of the oldest cities of Central Asia founded by the Sogdian empire over 2000 years ago. It was an important trade centre on the Silk Road and retains many monuments from different eras and empires. The UNESCO recognised mausoleums of Babadzhi-khatun and Aisha-bibi demonstrate the masterful ancient architecture of the region.  

An ancient and holy city its known as the 'spiritual capital of the Turkic world' and home of the UNESCO site commissioned by Tamerlane as a mausoleum for the Sufi Sheikh, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi, who lived here in the 11th Century.

The receding Aral Sea has left once thriving ports marooned in the steppe, and 'ship cemeteries' dot the horizon. Aralsk's Old Harbour, museum and surrounding lake bed lay witness to the environmental tragedy.

Beyond the city we visit Tastubek on the lake shore and meet some of the fishermen still relying on the diminishing lake for their livelihood.

Set up as a workers town for the port and petrochemical industry all addresses in Aktau consist of just 3 numbers; City Block Number/Building Number/Apartment Number.

We are here to join commercial ship across the Caspian Sea to Baku, Azerbaijan. Subject to vessel availability and timings we will have additional time on one side of the crossing. If we have time in Kazakhstan we will explore the unique and 'lunar' lanscapes of the Mangyshlak Peninsular.

Across the Caspian Sea, the world's largest endorheic basin.

We reach the port of Azerbaijan, Baku.

If our Caspian Sea crossing schedule provides additional time in Azerbaijan we will explore the Gobustan and Absheron peninsulas discovering 'mud volcanoes', Zoroastrian Fire Temples, ancient petroglyphs -  and Roman legionnaires graffiti! 

A full day to discover the incredible ancient and modern arcitecture of Baku. The explore the old walled city and some of the new, and stunning, civic buildings. This evening we leave the Caspian aboard our overnight train to Tbilisi, Georgia.

A free morning to relax before our afternoon city tour followed by dinner and an introduction to the incredible food and wine of Georgia.

Beyond the city we discover the UNESCO sites and Georgia's ancient capital, Mtskheta, where christianity was proclaimed the state religion in the 4th century. We continue along the Georgian Military highway to Kazbegi and the Gergeti Trinity Church (2170m) high in the Caucasus Mountains.

Enjoy the day exploring Tbilisi, or join the optional tour to the Kakheti wine region for some tastings, lunch and a visit to the beautiful hill top town of Sighnaghi. This evening we board the overnight train to Yerevan, Armenia.

A free morning to relax before our afternoon city tour followed by dinner and an introduction to the unique food & wine of Armenia.

We journey beyond the city to discover the Areni wine region. Our sightseeing will include Noravank Monastery and Khor Virap Monastery, with its incredible vistas of Mount Ararat.

As the first state to adopt Christianty (303AD) ancient history is never far away in Armenia. Today we visit the pagan temple of Garni and the UNESCO site of Geghard monastery.

A free morning to enjoy the city with its tree lined boulevards, parks and public art & sculpture before joining the overnight train to Batumi, Georgia's summer playground on the Black Sea. 

Our first seaside since leaving Singapore 44 days ago; we can relax, enjoy a swim in the Black Sea, or just stroll the waterfront promenade before a local seafood restaurant for dinner this evening. 

The 300km section by road today is the only significant road section on the whole journey from Singapore to London, yet there is a railway line linking Tbilisi with Kars - it is just not yet open to passenger trains. Freight only. This afternoon an optional excursion to Ani, the ruined medieval Armenian city founded in the 5th century and now a significant UNESCO heritage site.

We join the Dogu Express this morning for the scenic journey across the eastern Anatolian Plateau to Turkey's capital, Ankara.

Morning arrival into Turkey's cosmopolitan capital, Ankara. Enjoy a day at leisure to explore the city with your tour leader or relax.

Without the tourist crowds of Istanbul, Ankara offers a more relaxed and authentic Turkish experience. Our sightseeing includes the citadel and Roman ruins, the Museuem of Anatolian Civilisations and Anitkabir - the mausoleam to Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic  who declared Ankara its capital in 1923. This evening we join the overnight train to Istanbul.

And at last to Europe - well, at least at the crossroads between East & West. With just 36 hours before we join our train to Bulgaria choose to do and see as much or as little as you wish. Join our local guide for an introduction to the major landmarks of the city, or plan to revist some of you favorite places. Or just get lost in the back streets and markets, enjoy a traditional fish sandwich on the waterfront, take a cruise on the on the Bosphorous. We will endeavour to ensure you enjoy your brief stay to the full.

A further full day in this most historic and beautiful of cities. Join our local guide for a structured sightseeing program discovering the tastes and flavours of the city from the Spice Market to lunch at 'local' turkish restaurant. Or explore and discover at your own pace. This evening we join the overnight train to Veliko Tarnova - Bulgaria's historic and cultural capital.

Sited on 3 hills and the Yantra River this charming town rose to strategic and cultural importance during the Middle Ages. Its unique architecture displayed in the many palaces and  mansions, churches and  cathedrals.

Enjoy a morning stroll through the beautiful old town before joining the train to  Bucharest, Romania.

We discover the wonderful and eclectic architectural mix of Bucarest's old town; the Stavropoleos Monastery and the imposing 1100 room Soviet-era Palace of the Parliament. This evening we join the overnight train to Budapest, Hungary.

We take the funicular up Castle Hill to Buda's Old Town and Trinity Square, home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the Fishermen’s Bastion with sweeping views over Budapest.

Our sightseeing continues with a cruise on the Danube River offering the best vantage point for many of the city's landmarks.

We join our train to Vienna, Austria with a free afternoon to explore this beautiful city.  

Our city tour reveals the rich history, cultural influences and elegant architecture of Vienna. The Hofburg and Schonbrunn Palace's of the Imperial Hapsburg dynasty highlighting the wealth and opulance of the city. 

A free day to further discover Vienna with your Tour Leader. This evening we join the overnight train to Paris.

Join your tour leader for a walking and metro tour taking in the city's landmarks and the Sunday Bastille market. And being the first Sunday of the month many museums have free entry including the Louvre, Orsay and Piccasso. This evening we will enjoy our farewell dinner to celebrate our remarkable overland adventure from Singapore to London.  

Some free time to enjoy an early morning stroll down the Champs Elysees or perhaps explore a different part of the city before boarding our final train: the Eurostar from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras. Our incredible journey complete.