3-Week Central Asia Tour Packages
Central Asia brings together cities with long, layered histories. Bishkek introduces everyday life in Kyrgyzstan, while Issykul Lake and the Burana Tower reflect older routes through the region. In Turkmenistan, the ruins of Merv recall the Silk Road, Ashgabat shows a newer national style, and Bukhara’s madrasahs and bazaars remain largely intact.
Insider tips: Recommended 3-week Central Asia tour itineraries
Compiled by
MelissaCentral Asia travel expert at TourRadar
16 Day Central Asia Itinerary, incl. Bishkek and Samarkand
A fascinating 16-day journey covers 10 major cities from Bishkek to Tashkent. Highlights include Almaty's Panfilov Park, Samarkand's Registan, and Turkmenistan's ancient Merv, enhanced by daily breakfasts, local flights, and expert guides offering cultural insights.
- Days 1-2
Bishkek & Issyk Kul Lake
Start your journey in Bishkek and visit Ala-Too Square early to avoid crowds. "The State Museum of Fine Arts offers fascinating insights into local culture - go in the afternoon when the lighting is best for photography." Take a 4-hour drive to Issyk Kul Lake on Day 2 and stop at the historic Burana Tower along the way.
- Days 3-4
Almaty
A 4-hour drive takes you into Kazakhstan to explore Almaty. Visit Panfilov Park and the wooden Zenkov Cathedral in the morning for the best photos. Make sure to visit the Green Bazaar with small bills in local currency to try dried fruits and nuts. Head to Kok-Tobe hill for sunset views over the city.
- Days 5-7
Samarkand
Take a flight to Tashkent followed by a fast train to Samarkand. "Start at Registan Square right at opening (8 AM) before tour buses arrive. The intricate tile work is incredible in morning light." You'll need two full days to see the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, and Gur-e-Amir mausoleum. The evening light show at Registan is worth staying for.
- Days 8-9
Bukhara
Catch the morning train to Bukhara. Book a hotel in the old town to walk to major sites easily. In the evening, join locals at the Lyab-i Hauz plaza. The covered bazaars offer great shopping for traditional textiles and ceramics.
- Days 10-11
Mary & Merv
The drive to Mary in Turkmenistan takes 5-6 hours including border crossing. Explore the ancient ruins of Merv but bring a hat and water for shade. "Hire a local guide at the museum for deeper insights into this fascinating UNESCO site."
- Days 12-13
Ashgabat
Fly to Turkmenistan's capital to see its unique white marble buildings best photographed in morning light. Visit Tolkuchka Bazaar on Thursday or Sunday when it's busiest. The Wedding Palace and world's largest indoor Ferris wheel are must-see attractions.
- Days 14-16
Khiva & Tashkent
Enter Uzbekistan again to explore Khiva's preserved old town. Get sunset views from the Kalta Minor minaret. End your trip in Tashkent where you can visit Chorsu Bazaar and take rides on the decorated metro system.
21 Days in Central Asia, incl. Bishkek and Samarkand
A grand 21-day tour winds through 19 cities from Bishkek to Ashgabat. Marvel at UNESCO treasures like Khiva's Ichan Kala and Samarkand's Registan Square, rest in traditional yurts by Issyk Kul Lake, and witness the spectacular Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan.
- Days 1-2
Bishkek & Chon-Kemin Valley, Kyrgyzstan
Start exploring Bishkek's Oak Park and Ala-Too Square. "Bishkek is surprisingly green and modern - get to Oak Park early for the best morning light photos." On your second day drive to the ancient Burana Tower before heading to scenic Chon-Kemin Valley. You can go horseback riding in the afternoon to see authentic mountain views.
- Days 3-4
Issyk Kul Lake & Karakol
Visit Issyk Kul, the second-largest mountain lake in the world. You'll stay in traditional yurt camps with 4 people per yurt and watch an eagle hunting demonstration. Take a drive along the southern shore to Karakol and stop at the red rocks of Jety Oguz Valley. The wooden Orthodox Church and nail-free Dungan Mosque are must-see spots.
- Days 5-6
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Enter Kazakhstan through Charyn Canyon. A recent visitor advises: "The canyon drive is bumpy but worth it - bring motion sickness pills if needed." In Almaty you can see the wooden Zenkov Cathedral and take a cable car up to Medeo ice rink for great city views. The city is easy to navigate thanks to its wide boulevards.
- Days 7-9
Dushanbe & Iskanderkul Lake, Tajikistan
Fly to Dushanbe to see Rudaki Park before driving to beautiful Iskanderkul Lake. The road winds a lot but offers amazing mountain views. You'll continue to historic Penjikent. If you want to hike the Seven Lakes it takes about 2 hours each way to reach the highest one.
- Days 10-11
Khujand & Tashkent
Start at Khujand's huge Panjshanbe Bazaar before crossing to Uzbekistan. When in Tashkent visit the metro stations. As one traveler said: "They're like underground museums." You can see one of the world's oldest Qurans at the Khast Imam Complex.
- Days 12-14
Samarkand & Bukhara
Take a 2-hour high-speed train to Samarkand. Visit the stunning Registan Square early to avoid crowds. In Bukhara walk through the old town's trading domes and see the Ark Fortress. A recent review notes: "The evening light on Poi Kalyan minaret is magical for photos."
- Days 15-16
Khiva
Travel through the Kyzylkum Desert to historic Khiva. The walled inner city Ichan Kala has over 50 historic monuments. Get the best views from the Islam Khodja Minaret but avoid the hot midday hours.
- Days 17-21
Turkmenistan
Enter Turkmenistan and visit the Darvaza Gas Crater known as the "Door to Hell." Spend a night camping in the desert before going to modern Ashgabat. The Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque and National Museum are highlights. One traveler observed: "The contrast between ancient sites and modern Ashgabat is striking."
21 Days in Central Asia, incl. Bishkek and Tashkent
This 21-day Central Asian tour visits 20 cities including Bishkek, Samarkand, and Ashgabat. UNESCO sites like Ancient Merv and Kunya Urgench dot the route. Guests stay in historic hotels like Komil in Bukhara and camp near the Darvaza gas crater.
- Days 1-3
Kyrgyzstan
Begin your journey in Bishkek. Visit Victory Square and the History Museum. "Watching the local life unfold at Duboviy Park gives you a real sense of modern Kyrgyz culture." Take a 3-hour drive to Lake Issyk Kul through mountain scenery and visit the ancient petroglyphs at Cholpon Ata. Bring a light jacket since evenings by the lake can be surprisingly cool even in summer.
- Days 4-5
Kazakhstan
Take a 4-hour drive into Kazakhstan to explore Almaty. Visit the wooden Zenkov Cathedral before 10 AM to avoid crowds. Shop at the Green Bazaar but remember to bring cash. Take the cable car up to Kok Tobe hill for beautiful sunset views of the city against the mountain backdrop.
- Days 6-8
Tajikistan
Take a 2-hour flight to Dushanbe to explore Tajikistan's capital. "The National Museum's collection of Buddha statues was incredible - get the audio guide, it's worth it." Take a drive through the Fan Mountains to Khujand and stop at Iskanderkul Lake. Consider bringing motion sickness medication if you're sensitive to mountain roads.
- Days 9-13
Uzbekistan (First Part)
Cross into Uzbekistan to explore Samarkand and Bukhara. "The tilework at Registan Square is best photographed at sunrise before tour groups arrive." Book a stay in Bukhara's old town at places like the Komil Boutique Hotel. Take time to browse the covered bazaars for carpets and suzani textiles.
- Days 14-17
Turkmenistan
Visit Mary, Ashgabat and the Darvaza gas crater. Ashgabat's modern marble architecture is impressive but plan indoor activities between 11 AM-4 PM during hot summers. "The crater looks most spectacular after sunset - bring warm clothes as desert nights get cold." Expect basic camping facilities at Darvaza.
- Days 18-21
Uzbekistan (Final Part)
Return to Uzbekistan to see Khiva before finishing in Tashkent. Explore Khiva's old city in early morning or late afternoon light. Visit Tashkent's ornate metro stations where photography is now permitted. "Book an extra day in Tashkent if possible - the Chorsu Bazaar and Applied Arts Museum deserve unhurried visits."
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What people love about 3-week Central Asia tours
- Central Asia 16 days Start in Bishkek
Superb holiday. Guides, transport and overall coordination from Steppe Tours was excellent. Very obliging at all times.
- The 5 Stan-s - Follow in the footsteps of Genghis Khan
This is a review of the 21 day trip to the 5 Stans by Penguin Travel. ITINERARY - Overall, I think Penguin has a very good itinerary for this trip. It includes a good combination of nature and culture. A couple things I personally would change: - In Tashkent, we spent about an hour in rush hour riding the packed metro to see some stations. I found this unnecessary and unpleasant. I would just go down to the Cosmonaut station, look at it and go back up. The stations don’t measure up to Moscow’s, and the time would be better spent exploring the waterfront, for example. - There was practically no time in Dushanbe. We arrived after dark, and left in the morning. I struggle to even call it a stop on the route, instead of just a layover for sleep. We did walk around a little bit in the dark. - Immediately after Dushanbe is the optional trip to the 7 lakes. The lakes themselves are nice; but it requires 2 nights in Penjikent in a horrible hotel (more on that later). If anyone opts not to do the lakes trip, there is nothing to do in town. Plus, it requires backtracking when coming out of Panjikent to get back on route to the next destination. Unless more time can be dedicated to Dushanbe, I would skip this leg altogether. There are other nice lakes on the way. ACCOMODATION - My absolute favorite was the guesthouse in Karakol. The rooms were beautiful, and the demonstration of the traditional instruments in the evening was great. - The homestay in Chon Kemin is mediocre. The walls of the house (both inside and out) were OSB boards, that just seemed that they ran out of money before putting up the façade and interior wall covering. Also, water was either just dripping, or not coming out at all. - The first yurt camp in Issyk Kul was beautiful. Very nice yurts and good showers. The second yurt camp in Darvaza is very primitive, with just dripping water (not enough to even consider a shower). - Most hotels were good, with the exception of Ashgabat and Panjikent. Both had stained sheets and dirty towels, stinky bathrooms, and overall places that you just don’t want to touch if you can avoid it. I used a sleeping bag liner and that helped a little. FOOD - All breakfasts are included, and most were good Some better than others. Ashgabat was horrible. - I would not even bother buying a lunch on the way from Bukhara to Khiva. They are small and mostly inedible portions, and they charge more than some very good meals elsewhere. A snack would have been more worthwhile. - Portion sizes in Turkmenistan tended to be at least twice as big as in the other countries. TRANSPORTATION - In Kyrgyzstan and Kazahstan we were in Sprinter vans. There were 15 guests plus the tour leader, guide and driver, plus all the luggage. The vans were fully packed with people and luggage, with suitcases spilling over into the seats. There were even suitcases in the aisle, that had to be moved when we needed to get in an hour. It was not safe, and definitely not comfortable. - Eventually Penguin sent a second vehicle to carry the luggage and later used a bigger bus, but it took them a week, two countries and several complaints to do so. GUIDES - We were lucky to get a very good tour leader. He was professional, friendly, and handled tour logistics well. - Some local guides were decent, some were outstanding (eg the lady in Almaty and the lady in Samarkant), and one was absolutely abysmal (the guy in Tajikistan). - We should have gotten better leadership/guidance for the border crossing into Turkmenistan. We left Khiva at 7:30, got to the border just before 9, and crossed at 3pm. We should have left at 6am to avoid the crowds. TIPPING - Some guides/drivers change every day, and in some cases we have more than one driver a single day (or in the case of the border crossing to Turkmenistan, 3 drivers). That is a lot of small change in local currency that needs to be managed. - It might work better if all the tip money (plus a little extra) were collected by the tour leader in the beginning. At the end of each day, the group could rate the guide, and tipping would be made according to the rating. - This would enable a) easier cash management, b) ensuring that every guest pays equally, and c) encourage guides to do a good job. It makes no sense for a great local guide to be compensated equally as one that just comes along for the ride. TOUR SETUP - Penguin should cap this trip at about 12 people. We were 15, which is too many for the smaller vehicles, the uneven number makes it hard to rotate seats, and often feels like too large of a group. - There should also be a rule for luggage size accepted for this tour. Ideally each passenger should be able to handle their on bags. Luggage needs to be moved every day, in and out of vehicles, up stairs, dragged across border crossings, etc. As mentioned, luggage didn’t even fit properly in vehicles in the beginning. Also, the group leaders should not be expected to handle everyone’s humongous suitcase. HEALTH PROTOCOL - This could be a controversial suggestion, but I think it would be nice to establish from he beginning that if someone has a respiratory illness, they should wear a mask. The local guide should have a box of masks to give out as needed. This might prevent a cold from going around in the group. NET PROMOTER SCORE: 9 - It was a good trip, and a good value. As everything, it has a few opportunities for improvement, and some would be quite easy to change. If anyone is more independent and doesn’t particularly enjoy group travel, the 4 countries (except for Turkmenistan) can also be done alone – although it would take a bit more time and energy in logistics.
I ended up being on my own. Every tour guide was tremendous, explained things well and gave me time to look around and not rush me. Odil was tremendous at the beginning assisting with all preparations. I recommend Steppe Journeys to any one wanting to have a tour of the 'Stans'. The counties felt safe and never an issue even when looking around at night. You read a lot about Turkmenistan, the North Korea of Central Asia....I find that extremely unfair. Probably Uzbekistan was my favourite, but there were positives in every country. My knowledge off the area and their history has increased and I have a thousand photos to remind me of the tour. Again Steppe Journeys are a first class tour company, don't put the fact that they are not one of the big western companies unsettle you.... it is actually a positive.
Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour
