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Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour

21 days
From Bishkek to Tashkent
4.8
23 traveler reviews
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-10%
US $4,491 per person

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Plan your adventure:
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Medium Intensity
Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
Guided in English
Other languages on request: German, Spanish
Group Size 1 - 15
All Ages Welcome
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Explore Bishkek's vibrant city landmarks
  • Discover Issyk Kul Lake and ancient petroglyphs
  • Journey through the scenic Grigorevka Gorge
  • Tour Almaty's historical sites and museums
  • Experience the bustling bazaars of Samarkand

Itinerary

View Full Itinerary
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Bishkek
  2. Day 2 BISHKEK to Issyk Kul Lake
  3. Day 3 Issyk Kul Lake / Bishkek
  4. Day 4 Almaty
  5. Day 5 Almaty
  6. Day 6 Dushanbe
  7. Day 7 DUSHANBE TO MARGUZOR LAKE , Penjikent
  8. Day 8 Penjikent-Sarazm
  9. Day 9 Penjikent to Samarkand
  10. Day 10 Samarkand
  11. Day 11 Samarkand - Bukhara (Train or Drive)
  12. Day 12 Bukhara
  13. Day 13 Bukhara
  14. Day 14 Bukhara to Mary 380 km
  15. Day 15 Mary to Ashgabat flight or drive
  16. Day 16 Ashgabat city tour
  17. Day 17 Ashgabat to Darvaza drive
  18. Day 18 Darvaza to Khiva 400 km
  19. Day 19 Khiva tour and fly to Tashkent at night
  20. Day 20 Tashkent city tour
  21. Day 21 Departure
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What's Not Included

  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Customer Photos

Operated by

Steppe Journeys

Number of tours

17

Age Range

1 to 89 years old

Response time

6 hours

Response rate

92%

Central Asia is a region of ancient cultures, fairy-tale cities, open...

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Customer Reviews

  • Overall Rating
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Itinerary
    Excellent
    4.7
  • Guide
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Transport
    Excellent
    4.5
  • Accommodation
    Excellent
    4.4
  • Food
    Excellent
    4.5
  • 4.7
  • Most Recent
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  • JC
    · December 17th, 2025
    All the guides were good and the fact they had diverse backgrounds and beliefs added interest to the tour. Sam, our Turkmenistan guide, was a standout. He went above and beyond with getting us through border crossings and distracting a difficult member of the tour. Unlike other reviewers, I very much enjoyed interacting with locals in the mountain villages (Gazza & Voru). Although Samarkand, Bukhara & Khiva were interesting, I found the commercialisation (Shops & tourist shows) too much at times. Overall a good balance of sights, culture and activities with little unutilised time.
    Show more
    Steppe Journeys commented on this review
    Dear John Thank you very much for your kind and valuable review on the trip. Hope you really had a great time in Central Asia with and enjoyed nature, history and culture of Stan’s. Thank you Odil Akhmedov Steppe Journeys & team.
    Trip date: August 2025
  • AO
    · October 21st, 2025
    Central Asia in Three Weeks --------------------------- The Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour (21-day trip) had everything. Mountains, deserts, lakes and cities. The historical, cultural and natural. And even the spice of danger (Anzob tunnel, alias the Tunnel of Death). Most of the guides were good and competent, but two were below standard. At short notice Steppe Journeys provided a replacement for one of these without being asked, thankyou. There were three excellent guides - Nurissa (Kirghizstan), Natasha (Turkmenistan) and Bek (Tashkent). Our personal favourite parts of the trip were Bukhara and Khiva. In fact, at almost the end of the tour, we liked Khiva so much when we arrived that we asked to stay an extra night. Steppe Journeys made the arrangements at minimal extra cost, thankyou. The trip was full-on. The travellers on our tour were not in the first bloom of youth and we reluctantly opted to miss two places that would have required a lot of travelling, namely Shakhrisabz and Old Urgench. The itinerary of the Fan mountains and the seven lakes, included a stay in Nofin by the lakes. This was changed to a stay in Gazza far away, which necessitated a long night-time ride over unmade roads. It was too dark to see the village when we arrived. Staying nearer the lakes would have saved a lot of time and uncomfortable travelling. The diversion to Gazza added nothing. One of us is asthmatic. Prior to our holiday we had been assured that we would be helped in obtaining a small oxygen cylinder in Dushanbe for use in case of delays in the Anzob tunnel, which are notorious. When there. the driver and guide were uninterested in helping us, despite our request to them. In the event, our drive through the tunnel was free of blockage and quick, but could have been risky otherwise. We are a couple, and one of us thought that the overnight trip to the Burning Gas Crater in Turkmenistan, across very poor and bumpy roads, was unnecessary. On the other hand, an experience of the desert under different circumstances gave the flavour of so much of the territory of Central Asia, we spent a night in a yurt, and the Crater itself was redolent of a volcano. Let the reader decide. Our main criticism is the arrangements for crossing frontiers. Wonderful Nurissa personally took us across the frontier to the waiting driver in Kazakhstan, but the arrangements at the other frontiers were more hands-off. There were two frontiers where there was a problem, one of which was the responsibility of Steppe Journeys. We recommend that, in future, guides/drivers on both sides of the frontier should be in phone communication with the travellers and with each other, to avoid or at least ameliorate potential difficulties.
    Show more
    Steppe Journeys commented on this review
    Dear Antony Thank you very much for sharing your thoughtful and detailed feedback — we truly appreciate the time you took to reflect on your 21-day Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour. It’s wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the diversity of... Show more
    Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 1Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 2Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 3Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 4Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 5Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 6
    Trip date: September 2025
  • Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour reviewer 3
    · August 27th, 2025
    I went on the Central Asia combined Sile Road tour with Steppe Journeys in Sep 2024. Steppe Journeys is one of the few tour operators that go to all five Stans. All in all, it was well organised and the tour covered a large number of amazing sights in all five countries. All hotels were three or four stars. Some were excellent and some less so, but they were all clean and comfortable. Also the transportation was good and comfortable. Ilya, our guide in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan was a gem. Also Ahmed in Tajikistan was very good. Our experience of guides in Uzbekistan was not a good one. It was very disorganised and we had several guides in each city and some were with us for a few hours only. Often the English was not good and it was difficult to understand. Steppe Journeys is a good operator but will be better if they improve communications. My suggestion to the company is to create a WhatsApp group chat with each group so that the company can communicate directly with the members of the group and not through the guides, which is not always effective. Also, please give the group members the names and telephone numbers of the local guides, if possible. If you go on this tour, please bear the following in mind: 1) If you need a visa for Tajikistan, book well in advance as it takes time. the website crashes, payments do not go through etc. 2) If there are any problems contact Odyl (the owner) directly as the members of his team are not that quick and effective. 3) Get the contact details of the local travel agent in each country that Stepp Journeys works with and also the telephone numbers of Odyl and staff members. We were stuck in the Turkmenistan border for over two hours as the local guide did not turn up. It was not a nice experience. Our phones and internet networks did not work inside Turkmenistan. After a lot of attempts, one phone worked and we managed to contact Odyl. It would have been far easier if we had the local agents contact details. 4) In Turkmenistan, there are buses to take the passengers at the borders on either side and they charge a dollar or equivalent local currency per person. We did not have the right money as we were not aware. Therefore keep some local currency or one dollar notes for the buses. 5) Crossing the borders was a hard but interesting experience. You need to walk long distances on broken roads carrying your luggage. So, keep the suitcases light. 6) Download Taxi.Yandex app before you leave home. You cannot download it when you are there. I am so glad I went on this tour and Stepp Journeys did a lot to make us comfortable. A big thanks to Odyl. I will never forget Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva in Uzbekistan, the natural beauty of Kyrgyzstan and the amazing capital cities. I wish I had more time to visit these countries in more detail. Well worth going on this trip.
    Show more
    Steppe Journeys commented on this review
    Dear Jinny Pohl Thank you very much for sharing such a detailed and thoughtful review of your Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour with us. We are truly delighted to hear that you enjoyed the overall organization of the trip, the comfort of the... Show more
    Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 1Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 2Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 3Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 4
    Trip date: September 2024
  • DD
    · June 30th, 2025
    Excellent trip from start to finish. Very happy with all the sights visited in the short time. The only thing I would change is the time spent in Bukhara felt excessive and the time spent in Almaty was too short. If those could be switched around it is a perfect trip. Furthermore, the stay in Issyk Kul felt wasteful we literally drive hours and just stay there and head back to Bishkek the day after. It would be good to include a some activity or a short trip to the lake itself even if its the following morning. The guides were exceptional, Nurisa, Amin, Utkir and finally the best Nur-Mohamad.
    Show more
    Steppe Journeys commented on this review
    Dear Dipendra Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback and for joining us on this journey through Central Asia. We’re delighted to hear that you had an excellent trip overall and that you enjoyed the sights and especially appreciated our guides... Show more
    Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 1Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 2Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 3Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 4Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 5Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 6
    Trip date: June 2025
  • PS
    · June 9th, 2025
    Automatically translated. View in EnglishRate this translation
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    In April'25 we were participants on this fantastic 21-day trip. Since only the organization Steppe Journeys offers all 5 countries in Central Asia, we chose this trip. The group size of 9 participants (max. 10) was ideal. The trip was well organized except for a few points (postponed night flights, Almaty on Monday when everything is closed). To compensate for this, we were given delicious food. The tour guides and drivers were friendly, nice, punctual and well prepared in all countries/cities. In Uzbekistan, the tour guides changed for each city. The hotels/accommodation were good/very good and mostly centrally located. We also had good weather, only rain on 2 days and temperatures between 2 degrees in the mountains and 43 degrees in the desert. We had doubts about the departure on April 10th because we thought that it might still be cold in the "early season", but the weather was perfect and we didn't need a winter jacket. A transition jacket is still recommended for the mountains. The road conditions are sometimes very adventurous (maybe think of travel pills), at the border crossings you need a lot of patience. Only Uzbekistan was very touristy, but we saw few tourists in the other countries. From our point of view, the stay in Bukhara was far too long and in Kazakhstan (Almaty) and Dushanbe far too short. Thank you for a very good and varied trip! We recommend TourRadar to others.
    Show more
    Steppe Journeys commented on this review
    Dear Piet-Hein Thank you so much for sharing your thoughtful and detailed feedback following your April 2025 journey through Central Asia with us! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the 21-day adventure and found the itinerary diverse, the group... Show more
    Trip date: April 2025
  • KT
    · May 8th, 2025
    My partner and I went on a 21-days tour to the 5 Stans countries along the silk road organized by Steppe Journeys on 10-30 April 2025. Our tour had 9 people, the right size for a group tour. We had an excellent trip, very well organized logistically and good hotels besides 1 night in a guest house and 1 night in a yurt. The drivers and tour guides were very reliable and punctual. They were always at the pickup points before we arrived to save us from being anxious of what would happen. We saw many beautiful sceneries of nature, such as mountains and lakes, many mosques, madrasah (religious schools), mausoleums, bazaars (local markets), and UNESCO World Heritage places. Culturally, the trip was very good. I learnt so much about various ancient sites along the Silk Road, the history and the cultural aspects of Central Asia. The food was very good. Steppe Journeys generously offered us a few free meals in very nice restaurants. I tried a Turkish hammam and a few massage session, all that was memorable. The cost of the trip was inexpensive for the values we received. I highly recommend this trip with Steppe Journey.
    Show more
    Steppe Journeys commented on this review
    Dear Kim Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you had a memorable and enriching journey through the 5 Stans with us. It was a pleasure organizing this adventure for you, and we truly appreciate your recommendation! Cheers and... Show more
    Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 1
    Trip date: April 2025
  • Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour reviewer 7
    · November 11th, 2024
    Itinerary, tour guide and the accommodations were excellent. I would love to do this tour again with steppe journeys.
    Show more
    Trip date: September 2024
  • AF
    · October 11th, 2024
    Wonderful trip through Central Asia, perfectly organized 21 days through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in August 2024 Since we, 3 Germans and Austrians, wanted to get to know all 5 Stan countries in Central Asia, we decided to book directly with Steppe Journeys (Tashkent). We did exactly the right thing! When we booked, we received immediate answers to our questions and everything went very smoothly in the 21 days on site (communication in English). Tour guides and drivers were ready on time in all countries/cities according to the program. They were all professional and very nice. The hotels were good/very good and mostly centrally or well located. At this point we would particularly like to mention the hotels in the old towns of Bukhara (Komil, in a historic building with a sensational dining room) and in Khiva (Zukhro, roof terrace with a great view over the old town of Khiva). An example of the excellent service: During the difficult entry into Turkmenistan, the Turkmen tour guide waited for us already before the whole procedure and accompanied us confidently through the various stations (customs declaration, visa, cashdesk, entry, customs, etc.). In advance, the tour guide / caravan steppe in Bukhara (Uzbekistan) considered our first aid kit to be too voluminous for Turkmenistan. Medications in particular pose a problem when entering the country as if they could be drugs (it is best to carry medication in the original packaging and with an information leaflet). In order to avoid any difficulties in advance, we had the opportunity to give a large part of our unneeded first aid kit to a driver from Bukhara to Tashkent. After re-entering Uzbekistan, we picked up the bag at the hotel in Tashkent on our last day. Based on our consistently positive experiences, we can highly recommend Steppe Journeys (taschenknt). We would like to thank Odil, Bobur and the entire team. Astrid F., Germany
    Show more
    Trip date: August 2024
  • Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour reviewer 9
    · October 6th, 2024
    Our operator Steppe Journeys delivered each and every item exactly as they were supposed to. The trip went off without a hitch. Most of the guides were excellent in both knowledge and communication skills. Very enjoyable trip,
    Show more
    Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 1Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 2Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 3Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 4Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour customer review photo 5
    Trip date: September 2024
  • Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour reviewer 10
    · October 3rd, 2024
    It was a good experience visiting five stan countries. Steppe Journeys, especially Odil, provided outstanding customer service before and during the trip. Local tour guides were all friendly and knowledgeable. Accommodations were generally comfortable throughout the trip, except for the guesthouse in the Seven Lakes, Tajikistan. Overall, it was a good trip, and I highly recommend Steppe Journeys to anyone who wants to visit the stan countries in Central Asia.
    Show more
    Trip date: August 2024

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
  • R

    Rachel

    Asked on November 5th, 2025

    How could we get VISA for Turkmenistan? Are your firm issuing invitational letter to us privately by post mail or e-mail?

    Visa
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten November 2025

      We will submit visa application and get approval for your visa and then visa will be stamped at the border on your passport. Visa fee $90 per person.

  • C

    Carlos

    Asked on October 25th, 2025

    Are the flights from Almaty to Dushanbe included in the tour price? Are there airport pickups on Day 1? What are the arrangements if our flight is late? For Day 11, are there any transfer options between Samarkand and Bukhara? Will there be a free airport transfer on the last day?

    Flights / Transfers
    Tour Details
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten October 2025

      Flight from Almaty to Dushanbe ($120 per person) is included in the tour price. Airport pickup is included. If you arrive late on Day 1, you'll skip the city tour but continue from Day 2. For Day 11, you can choose between train, private car, or shared van to Bukhara at no extra cost. Complimentary airport transfer is included at the end of the tour.

    • C

      Carlos

      TravelerWritten October 2025

      If I arrive one day earlier in Bishkek, can airport pickup be arranged? Can you help book an extra night at the same hotel? What are the best arrangements for Turkmenistan visa? Is May a good time to visit these five countries? What is your typical tour group size?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten October 2025

      Airport pickup can be arranged for early arrival. Extra night at Golden Dragon hotel costs $80 for a double room. For Turkmenistan visa, we recommend getting a Letter of Invitation to obtain visa at the border. May is an excellent time to visit with temperatures between 20-30°C. Tour groups typically have 8-14 travelers.

    • C

      Carlos

      TravelerWritten October 2025

      For the Samarkand to Bukhara route, will the car stop for photo opportunities? What do most guests choose? If only 2 people have booked the 1/5/26 tour, will it still depart? What is the price difference between private and group tours? Why isn't Charyn Canyon included in the itinerary?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten October 2025

      For Samarkand to Bukhara, the car will stop at scenic spots for photos. Most guests prefer the route via Shakhrisabz. The May 1, 2026 tour is guaranteed to depart even with 2 participants. Private tours cost 15-20% more than group tours. Charyn Canyon is not included due to time constraints, but can be arranged as an optional day trip.

    • C

      Carlos

      TravelerWritten October 2025

      Does visiting Charyn Canyon require a full day? If I want to visit before the tour, what are the additional costs and arrangements? When would I need to arrive in Almaty?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten October 2025

      Charyn Canyon visit requires a full day. You'll need to arrive in Almaty on April 30th morning. A two-day tour including Charyn Canyon and transfer to Bishkek costs $300 per person, including transport, hotel, guide, and entrance fees.

    • C

      Carlos

      TravelerWritten October 2025

      For the 21-day tour, how many dinners and lunches are included? Are all breakfasts included?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten October 2025

      All 20 breakfasts are included. Some complimentary meals include lunches and dinners in specific countries like Tajikistan, one dinner in Bukhara with a show, one dinner in Khiva on a rooftop restaurant, and one dinner in Turkmenistan in a yurt. Other lunches and dinners are on your own.

    • C
      8 more answers
  • L

    Laura

    Asked on September 14th, 2025

    do you provide pick up and drop off for your tours..? From the airport

    Tour Details
    Transport
    • L

      Laura

      TravelerWritten September 2025

      How many days does the visa take?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      Yes we provide pick up and drop off service as complimentary

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      Turkmenistan LOI process takes around 10 business days or two weeks.

    • 2 more answers
  • D

    Derek

    Asked on September 5th, 2025

    Is all the accommodation in hotels and with en-suite facilities

    Accommodation
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      yes all hotels en-suite facilities but in Yurt stay in Darvaza the toilet is outside . And in the mountain village in Tajikistan also shared bathroom one night.

    • D

      Derek

      TravelerWritten September 2025

      In the Yurt and Homestay do you also share the sleeping area with other travellers?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      in Yurt yes, you will share a yurt with 3-4 people in the group and in a guest house it is a private room.

    • D

      Derek

      TravelerWritten September 2025

      Unfortunately, for medical reasons it is not possible for my wife to share accommodation with others. Is it possible for us to miss this part of the trip or have our own yurt and pay extra?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      yes we can provide a private yurt for you or you can skip this overnight and don't go there and fly from Ashgabat to Dashauz and then cross the border to Uzbekistan z. which option you would like to take? extra private yurt can't be guaranteed in advance. However if there is one yurt available we will provide for you only. Or the second option, fly to Dashaus from Ashgabat and skip yurt night. nonextra charge for any option.

    • D
      4 more answers
  • J

    Juan

    Asked on September 4th, 2025

    Is it possible to go hiking somewhere on the trip? If I book the trip for the 5th of October is it still enough time to apply for the visas? Do you also book the flights?

    Flights / Transfers
    Tour Details
    Visa
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      Yes, there are opportunities for light to moderate hikes in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. For an October 5th, 2026 departure, there is sufficient time to arrange visas. International flights are not included, but domestic flights and trains within the region are included in the program.

    • J

      Juan

      TravelerWritten September 2025

      Unfortunately I won't be able to make it in October however, I have this journey saved, and I really would like to take it in the future so I'm thinking about next April or May with more time to organize visas.

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      You can join our spring 2026 tours in April or May.

    • J
      2 more answers
  • K

    Katie

    Asked on September 3rd, 2025

    do you go there on this tour? If not do any other of your 5 Stan trips go there?

    Tour Details
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      Yes, the 21-day program does include Samarkand. In Uzbekistan, the tour covers the three major Silk Road cities – Tashkent, Bukhara, and Samarkand – with guided city tours highlighting Registan Square, Gur-Emir Mausoleum, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda, and other world-renowned sites. Day 9 and Day 10 you are in Samarkand.

    • K

      Katie

      TravelerWritten September 2025

      Can you also tell me what part of the world most of your clients come from?

    • K

      Katie

      TravelerWritten September 2025

      detail the number of breakfasts lunches and dinners included in this tour

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      all breakfasts daily included in the hotels, and only as complimentary some lunch and dinners are included only: Day 2, Lunch in Kyrgyzstan family. All lunch and dinners in Tajikistan 4 days. One dinner in Bukhara with a local folk show in old Madrasah, one dinner in Yurt in Darwasa in Turkmenistan, one rooftop Dinner in Khiva. All other lunch and dinners are on your own.

    • K

      Katie

      TravelerWritten September 2025

      how much should I estimate for all the other meals? what countries (mainly) do your clients come from?

    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      The average meals cost in Central Asia when it is not pre arranged and when you just enter any cafe and local chayhana is about US$3-$5 per person. When you book and order in advance as a group meal it is about US$10-US$15 per person. Most of the travelers on this trip are USA, Europe, UK, Australia and Canadian and some from Singapore also but most of them are English speaking travels and the tour is conducted in English.

    • K
      K
      5 more answers
  • A

    Amelia

    Asked on September 2nd, 2025

    Send the 21 day itinerary. I will be flying from Istanbul to Bishkek. What is the latest time I need to be there?

    Flights / Transfers
    Tour Details
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten September 2025

      You can be in Bishkek by 10 Am to join the group tour in Bishkek or you can arrive one day earlier.

  • K

    Kristen

    Asked on August 30th, 2025

    Are you planning on travel dates for May 2026, if so when will they be available?

    Tour Details
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten August 2025

      Yes we have I. May three departures on 1, 12, and 22nd May 2026. you are welcome to join any of the suitable departure.

  • A

    Alex

    Asked on August 19th, 2025

    Will there be enough time to process my LOI/visa to get approval by 4 Oct, to enter Turkmenistan? If not, I can also join the tours that start on 2 Oct, 2025 or 5 Oct, 2025. I hold an Australian passport.

    Visa
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten August 2025

      Short answer: yes, getting Turkmenistan approval by 21 Sep or 4 Oct 2025 is realistic if we start your paperwork now. It will take two or three weeks to process only. Tourist entry still revolves around a Letter of Invitation (LOI) approved by Turkmenistan's State Migration Service. You will get visa stamped at the border together with other group members and pay cash usd$90 pp and pcr test for $35 pp.

  • R

    Richard

    Asked on August 8th, 2025

    What are the main differences between this 21 day tour Central Asia Combined Silk Road Tour and the 23 day tour 5 Stans Discovery tour from Ashgabat to Almaty? Will the cover the same places, just different departure dates? There is a considerable price difference too. I am planning to travel in the Spring of 2026.

    Price / Availability
    Tour Details
    • Steppe JourneysOperatorWritten August 2025

      Countries covered: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (all five 'Stans'). Signature Silk Road cities: Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, Penjikent/Dushanbe, plus Ashgabat & the Darvaza gas crater ('Door to Hell'). Style: Fully guided, small group, comfortable 3-4★ hotels (with a desert camping night at Darvaza on both).

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US $4,491 per person

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 138324

  • Currencies
    Tenge
    Kazakhstan
    с
    Som
    Kyrgyzstan
    ЅМ
    Somoni
    Tajikistan
    $
    US Dollar
    UZS
    Uzbekistan Sum
    Uzbekistan
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F, I. As a traveler from Australia, New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.

    Type C
    Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
    Type E
    Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
    Type F
    Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
    Type I
    Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Kazakhstan.Kyrgyzstan.Tajikistan.Turkmenistan.Uzbekistan. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Kazakhstan.Kyrgyzstan.Tajikistan.Turkmenistan.Uzbekistan. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Tuberculosis - Recommended for Kazakhstan.Kyrgyzstan.Tajikistan.Turkmenistan.Uzbekistan. Ideally 3 months before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Kazakhstan.Kyrgyzstan.Tajikistan.Turkmenistan.Uzbekistan. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Rabies - Recommended for Kazakhstan.Kyrgyzstan.Tajikistan.Turkmenistan.Uzbekistan. Ideally 1 month before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for Kazakhstan.Kyrgyzstan. Ideally 10 days before travel.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Kazakhstan.Tajikistan. Ideally 3 months before travel.
    • Cholera - Recommended for Tajikistan. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before February 26th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after February 26th, 2026, a minimum payment of 20% is required to confirm your booking with Steppe Journeys. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 70 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Steppe Journeys will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Steppe Journeys" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

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See Uzbekistan with Steppe Journeys

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2025

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Feb
Mar
Apr
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2027

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