Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan

After breakfast, your driver will escort you to the airport for a 1.5-hour flight to Khiva. Once landing, your local driver will pick you up and escort you to your hotel. After check-in, your guide will accompany you to Itchan Kala, Khiva’s inner city. Sun-baked brick walls unfold along a maze of cobbled alleys, remaining the cinematic skyline free of modern bustles, straight out of its 4th-century original appearance. 

Tick off the splendid Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah and Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasah first, and we’ll then meander to the Kalta Minor Minaret, a stalled project due to its commissioner’s accidental death but later becoming Khiva’s icon with the unique turquoise-clad stout body. 

To the east, Juma Mosque stands nearby, whose ceiling is supported by 218 intricately carved wooden pillars. A close look reveals the camel hair padded between the bottoms and stone bases, mothproof to help the mosque standing steadily for over 200 years. We’ll then move on to the Tosh-Hovli Palace, where nine elegant courtyards with 150 rooms mirror Khiva Khan’s opulent life.

After visiting the Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, let’s ascend to the Islam Khoja Minaret for a sweeping view of Khiva: adobe bungalows stretching out to meet the distant Kyzylkum Desert, dotted with a few brilliant turquoise domes. Remember to watch your steps when climbing the narrow internal stairs!

Today will culminate in a romantic sunset on the fortress Kunya-Ark, and then your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Asia Khiva (3 stars) or similar

Today, your guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby for a 7-to 8-hour road trip across the Kyzylkum Desert to Bukhara. Shortly after leaving Khiva, the fertile oases surrender to an endless expanse of gold dunes, with sparsely distributed ‌saxaul‌ trees and a large number of oil and gas pipelines. When approaching the Amu Darya River, emerald water will freshen your eyes. Upon arrival at Bukhara, you’ll check into our well-selected hotel. No rigid walls separate Bukhara’s storied past from everyday life, so expect for more authentic cityscapes awaiting tomorrow. Sweet dreams!

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Volida Hotel Bukhara (3 stars) or similar

After the hotel pickup, let’s kick off today’s sightseeing at Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, locals’ favorite gathering spot to chat or play chess around a 17th-century pool. Passing Magoki-Attori Mosque, we’ll find the tucked-away Chor-Minor Madrasah. Its four turquoise-capped spires cut a fairytale-like figure, complete with a lifelike sculpture of a bird building its nest on one of them.

Next comes the Trading Domes, where the Silk Road commercial spirits linger among stalls selling local specialties, from miniatures to handwoven carpets. Quickly glimpsing the Ulugh Beg Madrasah and Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah, we’ll arrive at Kalyan Minaret, a marvel so stunning that even the great Mongolian conqueror Genghis Khan (1162 - 1227 AD) had once ‘pardoned’ it during his ruthless massacre.

Continue to the Ark Fortress, a massive ‘city within a city’ encompassing Khan’s palace, treasury, jail, mosque, and military bases. Opposite the square where occasional visitors pose for memorable camelback photos is the Bolo Hauz Mosque, whose 20 spectacular wooden carved pillars are perfectly reflected in the octagonal artificial pond.

Our journey will then extend to the Samanid Mausoleum, savoring its ingenious geometric weave built entirely by unadorned bricks. Your day will end at Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, where Bukhara grew up around a well under its conical dome. Later, we’ll escort you back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Volida Hotel Bukhara (3 stars) or similar

Ready for a Bukhara suburb foray after receiving warm morning greetings from your guide and driver. The first stop is the Summer Palace, a 19th-century time capsule that concentrates gilded artifacts, furniture, and fine glassware collections from Bukhara royal family. To distinct their identities, rooms and wardrobes are specially designed in different colors. 

Later, we’ll tour the Memorial Complex of Bahouddin Naqshband, where many pilgrims worship the revered Sufi spiritual mentor. Your Bukhara exploration will wrap up at Chor-Bakr Necropolis, a walled sanctuary of noble family tombs and greenery courtyards, shrouded in tranquil and solemn beauty. 

From there, we’ll embark on a 4-hour golden road journey to Samarkand. In 1220, Genghis Khan came to Samarkand, erasing the Sogdian relics from its ground. 150 years later, the city retrieved its swagger, serving as a window into the Timurid Empire’s (1370 - 1507 AD) unformidable power. After arriving, your guide will help you check-in.

Meal: Breakfast 
Accommodation: Hotel Grand Samarkand (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your hotel for a thorough city tour. First, uncover the flyleaf of Samarkand’s history at Registan Square. Having witnessed empire’s scientific pursuits, cultural fusion, and religious loyalty, this public space is now active with festival events and gatherings.
► FYI: The square will shift into a dreamland between 20:00 and 21:00, when a 30-minute 3D or laser light show illustrates the city’s history. If interested, take a 10-minute taxi from your hotel on your own and arrive early to stand in the front row. 

Follow the main street east to the Siyob Bazaar, where foodies can’t stop pausing for enticing somsa after stalls browsing. Each of these baked stuffed buns filled with onion and mutton cost only UZS 5,000 (less than USD 0.5). Standing alongside is the Bibi Khanym Mosque, which overwhelms you with the pinnacle of geometric work. Are those headache-inducing spatial math problems inspired from them? 

Then, we’ll visit the Ulugbek Observatory and learn about this monarch’s contribution to astronomy. Next up is the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, whose continuous glazed bule tiles and layered domes are ideal backdrops for portrait blockbusters. The light-colored, flowing attire will work better.

Our Samarkand sightseeing will finish at the Gur-Emir Mausoleum. Under the resplendent dome lies Amir Timur’s (1336 - 1405 AD) dark green jade tomb, carved with a curse saying that ‘Whoever digs my tomb will suffer’. Coincidentally, the day after Soviet anthropologist opened his chamber in 1941, Hitler attacked the Soviet Union. After a full day of exploration, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Grand Samarkand (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, your driver will escort you on a 1-hour drive to the Jartepa Border, where your Tajikistan guide and driver will warmly greet you and accompany you on a journey to Panjakent (aka Penjikent). Largely shaped by Sogdians, Panjakent thrived during the 5th and 8th centuries alongside the Silk Road, a must-stop for any caravans who proceeded to Samarkand for trades.

Let’s trace the origin of Sogdian civilization from Sarazm Ancient City first, where covered relic excavations reveal the city’s layout: without city walls, the houses, altars, and workshops stretch out aimlessly in all directions. From your guide, you’ll learn about how ancient Central Asians built houses with mud bricks mixed with straw, as well as how they smelted metals and planted crops.

Meandering through the busy local bazaar, we’ll then proceed to Republican Museum of History and Local Lore of Rudaki, home to immense handicrafts found in Sarazm Ancient City, including intricate ceramics, jewelry, and scepters. Today will conclude at Ancient Panjakent ruins, which was gradually abandoned after the Arab forces’ occupation. Remaining never been rebuilt, it showcases well-preserved Zoroastrianism temples, houses, castles, and mausoleums. Finishing the visit, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel in Panjakent.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Panjakent Plaza Hotel (3 stars) or similar

★ Seven Lakes: A String of Color-Shifting Jewels Under the Fann Mountains

Overwhelmed by too much cultural relics? After the hotel meet-up, let’s penetrate into the heart of Shing River Valley under Fann Mountains, where Seven Lakes are threaded by rushing mountain streams, shimmering with gradient shades of turquoise, blue, and even purple. Since the paths are entirely unpaved and become more primitive as the altitude rises, it’s recommended to bring pills for potential carsick. Stop by every lake to take in their various shapes and colors, the sixth, Marguzor Lake, among which is the largest and most stunning with the backdrop of snow-capped peaks. From there, a 2-hour hike will lead you to the last hidden gem - the highest Hazorchashma Lake. 

Along the way, we’ll also explore the local Shing villages, where residents are as hospitable as they’re in those viral travel vlogs. Observe their poise riding donkeys among mountaintop stone houses, and enjoy terraced fields on the fringe of the mountains. Later, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in Panjakent.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Panjakent Plaza Hotel (3 stars) or similar

Early this morning, journey to Istaravshan with your guide and driver in 4 hours. Dating back to the 4th century BC, it was one of Central Asia’s oldest commercial and handicrafts towns. Upon arrival, head to the Mug Tepe Fort first, left behind few remains after invasions of Alexander the Great and the Arabs. Yet, an imposing blue-roofed brick city gate built to celebrate the city’s 2,500-year-old birthday lends to its grace, from which you can capture the stunning skyline. 

After visiting the Medressa of Abdulatif Sultan, which stands out prominently in the narrow and winding alleys with its turquoise dome, let’s hang out in the local bazaar. Apart from ubiquitous spice, meat, and nut stalls, the blacksmith workshops may pique your interest. We’ll pause for a wonderful live demonstration if time permits.

To conclude the day, you’ll enjoy a 1.5-hour private car transfer to Khujand.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Parliament Hotel Khujand (4 stars) or similar

With your guide and driver, your Khujand exploration will begin at Historical Local Lore Museum of Archeology and Fortification, also known as the Historical Museum of Sughd Region. A massive marble mural that depicts the life story of Alexander the Great indicates Khujand was once under the Macedonian Empire’s (808-168 BC) dominance, while a large number of Tajik handwoven carpets, embroideries, and national attire showcases the city’s strategic location on the Silk Road. Then, visit the Mausoleum of Sheik Muslekheddin built in honor of the city’s founder and explore the Panjshanbe Bazaar nearby.

Continue our way to Arbob Cultural Palace, whose delicate columns, arches, colorful mosaics, and lush courtyards are inspired by the Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg, seamlessly blending the Soviet styles with local elements. Today’s last stop is the Kayrakkum Reservoir, a large artificial lake treasured by locals as the ‘Tajik Sea’ due to its limitless boundaries. Wander along the shore and you’ll scope out numerous shallows dotted with rose willows, olive trees, poplars, and acres of reeds, sheltering thousands of wintering waterfowl, waders, and birds of prey. Afterwards, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in Khujand.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Parliament Hotel Khujand (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, your Tajik driver will escort you on a 1-hour drive to the Uzbek Border, where your Uzbekistan driver will pick you up. Three hours later, you’ll reach Kokand, which guards the vital trade routes from Central Asian steppes to Xinjiang, China. 

Here, join your guide to visit the Khudoyar-Khan Palace. Although Khan was mired in controversy for the mammoth project that hired over 16,000 workers and 1,000 carriages, he left an unrivaled palace with never repeated decorative patterns of tilework. Move on to the Norbut-Biy Madrasah, Kokand’s largest religious center, followed by the Modari Khan Mausoleum, which boasts a mosque for funereal ceremonies and a fenced yard dotted with tombs. Ceramists from Rishton exhausted all the possibilities to combine yellow, green, and red tiles on porches, overshadowing other soft-toned oriental monuments.

As we just mentioned, Rishton is Uzbekistan’s most renowned pottery center, home to nearly 90% of ceramic souvenirs and utensils. We’ll drive 1 hour there and step into a master’s workshop, where you’ll have the chance to shape clay and witness it finally transforming into thin, durable pottery under the guidance of a local master. After that, your driver will escort you back to your hotel in Fergana in 1.5 hours.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Asia Fergana (4 stars) or similar

Accompanied by your guide and driver, reinvigorate with a leisurely walk in the Ahmad Al-Fergani Monumental Complex while hearing about stories of this scientific pioneer of Muslim civilization. A 30-minute drive will then lead you to Margilan, Central Asia’s silk industry center.   

After briefly visiting the Ahmad-khoja Madrasah, tap deep into the historical Altas and Ikat textile skills at Yodgorlik Silk Factory. Local craft dye the threads into required colors in section by tie-dyeing before weaving, which blurs the pattern edges of the finished cloth, a dynamic smudge effect far surpassing mass-produced printed ones. 

Leaving behind Margilan, we’ll drive 1 hour to Andijan, the birthplace of Babur, the descendant of Timur who established India’s Mughal Empire (1526 - 1858 AD) and always pined for his birthplace in the memoirs. Your guide will show you around the Babur Park and the Art and Literature Museum before escorting you to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Mehran Hotel, Andijan (3 stars) or similar

Today, your Uzbek driver will escort you to Dostyk Border Crossing, where your Kyrgyz guide and driver will be waiting for you. For those who long for escaping into primeval lakes, mountains, grasslands, Kyrgyzstan is your ultimate utopia. 

Your discovery will start from the Sulaiman Mountain, revered as Osh’s spiritual heart. Halfway up the mountain hides the Museum Sulaiman-Too, which provides insights into the city’s religious evolution through prehistorical petroglyphs and shamanic ritual vessels. Despite its cave setting, countless light bulbs and strings of glass balls make it as bright as day and accentuate the alien vibe.

Following the local bazaar scout, your driver will escort to the airport for a 45-minute flight to Bishkek. Upon landing, the driver based there will escort you to check in to your hotel. Once settled, perhaps have a self-guided city overview around Ala-Too Square, a 15-minute walk from your hotel, where the statue of the national hero Manas looks majesty against the backdrop of Heavenly Mountains, alongside with other important monuments.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Solutel Bishkek (4 stars) or similar

After the hotel pickup, you’ll enjoy a 1.5-hour escort to Burana Tower, which guards the 11th-century Balasagun ruins alone. Efforts to climb the almost vertical spiral steps inside are worthy when seeing sweeping views of undulating snow-capped mountains and surrounding valleys.

Continue our way to Cholpton Ata with a 3-hour drive along the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, during which you can soak up the dry grasslands alternating with gravel landscapes, sometimes dotted with grazing sheep and cattle. Pause at the Nomad Museum for rich history and culture of the Turkic nomads, who left abundant evidence, including attire, leathers, and wooden stuff, for their skilled handicrafts, yurt construction, and carriage making.

When arriving at Cholpon Ata, a health resort since the Soviet era, you’ll have a seaside illusion, as alongside the endless azure lake lies the beaches packed with tourists enjoying sun bathing. After checking in, join them or try amazing floating on salty lake water at your own expense. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Kapriz Issyk Kul Resort, Cholpon Ata (3 stars) or similar

Meet with your guide and driver at your hotel lobby, and head to today’s first stop, Petroglyphs Museum. There, you can check Turk’s unique ‘rocky memos’, on which they recorded their daily life with tamed animals, such as deer with horns, horses, and cattle, as well as exciting hunting scenes.

Later, embark on a 3-hour journey to Karakol, where your guide will accompany you to Holy Trinity Cathedral, whose golden onion domes hint at the city’s past as a Tsarist martial garrison. Next up is the Dungan Mosque, designed and built by Dungans, Muslims who fled the war in China, in the late 19th century. Their sudden influx caused a population boom while introducing advanced cultivation skills into Karakol, with about 50% of the country’s vegetable grown by them.

Prepare for the splendid Jeti-Oguz Gorge subsequently! Crimson knife-cut sandstone evokes that of in Arizona, yet more vibrant with a green canyon and a gurgling river. Zoom in on iconic Seven Bulls Rock and Broken Heart Rock, and immerse yourself in the tracts of woods and villages. Finally, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel in Karakol.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Green Yard Hotel, Karakol (3 stars) or similar

Wonder why Kyrgyzstan is deemed ‘the country on horseback’? Karakol Animal Market will speak to it if it is Sunday today! Your guide and driver will pick you up early as herdsmen often lead their horses and other livestock like cattle, sheep, and camels there at dawn. Observe how they trade with simple gestures and eye contact, as well as stalls selling saddles and common farm tools.

Then, a 2-hour road trip will lead you to the Kazak border, with a stop at San Tash Village en route. Characterized by large burial mounds, this village is relative to legends about Timur and his troops. Before their expedition, every soldier was demanded to pick up one stone and pile them, so that they could check fallen counterparts by doing it again after the battle.

When arriving at Karkyra Border Crossing, you will meet your Kazak driver, who will escort you to your guest house in Saty Village for rest. Cut Kazakhstan off the world map to place it over Europe, and it would cover the landmasses from Ireland to Turkey. So, imagine how many landscapes you will unlock in the following days: steppes, alpine lakes, canyons, and deserts… 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village guest house or similar

Accompanied by your guide and driver, light two alpine ‘pearls’ on your Kazakhstan travel map today! The first one is the Lower Kolsai Lake, where turquoise mirror-like waters stitch expansive meadows and green forests. Idle away with an enjoyable lakeside hike and have a lunch box there. Adventurers can further challenge the 6-hour round-trip hike to the Middle Kolsai Lake by informing your guide in advance. 

► When to Visit Kolsai Lakes
June to September is the best time for stunning lake views and adrenaline-pumping outdoor activities. Perhaps avoid the crowds during this period and arrange your trip between April and May, when the average temperature hovers around 14.5℃ (58℉) and path conditions are ideal for hike. 

Next comes the Kaindy Lake, a quake lake that seals a spruce forest beneath. Almost all tree trunks remain intact in the icy water, with clearly visible needles on the branches. Hop on a nostalgic Soviet minibus with your guide to the lake in 20-30 minutes, as private cars are not allowed into the scenic area. Bidding farewell to the enigmatic lake, we’ll drive back to Saty Village. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village guest house or similar

Today will kick off with a 1.5-hour drive to Charyn Canyon National Park. Dubbed as the ‘Grand Canyon of Central Asia’, it is impressive with dramatic fiery sandstone formations. What maximizes the visual impact is the Valley of Castles, captivating with 30-meter (98-foot) high stone pillar arches, gravity-defying mushroom behemoths, and layered city walls. There, you can choose to walk along the flat top edge to take in their sandbox-like panoramic views or head down to the bottom for detailed silhouettes. These relaxing hikes typically cost about 2 hours, and remember to wear comfy shoes and slather on sun creams.

After this adventure, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel in Chunja Hot Springs in 1.5 hours.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch-box
Accommodation: All Seasons Chundzha or similar

Morning! After breakfast, your guide and driver will accompany you on a 2.5-to 3-hour journey to Basshi Village. Once settled at a local guest house, venture into the Altyn Emel National Park. This Kazakhstan’s largest natural preserve takes on kaleidoscopic landscapes, shifting from endless grasslands inhabited with wildlife and desolate gobi desert to lunar-like indentations and ancient settlements. 

We’ll focus on the Aktau Mountains today, once the bottom of an ancient ocean. Aktau, meaning ‘white’ in Kazakh, is a bit suboptimal, as striped sedimentary rocks are everchanging in green, red, blue, and white hues. The surroundings may seem lifeless at a first glance, but hiking along the seabed unveils some yellow and pink dogwood, as well as precious fossils of giant prehistoric crocodiles. After a full appreciation, you’ll enjoy a private car transfer back to your guest house in Basshi Village.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch-box, Dinner
Accommodation: Local guest house, Basshi Village

In the Altyn Emel National Park, wind is both sculptor and composer. Get ready to check it working magic at Singing Dunes after the hotel meet-up with your guide and driver. Your keen ears will instantly grasp the low humming resonated by sand grains rubbing against each other on windy days. Why not ‘make some noise’ by yourself? Remove your shoes and walk along the ridge to the top, where Ili River and snow-covered mountains from afar will reward your 30-minute climbing. Sunglasses will be helpful to pose for cool portraits while preventing sand from blowing into your eyes.

Following that, we’ll embark on a 3.5-hour road trip to Almaty and check into the hotel.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Kazzhol Park Almaty (3 stars) or similar

On the final day, your driver guide will escort you to the airport at the appointed time. Hope you had satisfied with our service. Safe travels and look forward to seeing you again soon!

Meal: Breakfast