Classic Uzbekistan & Kyrgyzstan

Suggested Itinerary

Overview

The two most popular of the ‘Stans, these neighbouring countries lie at the centre of the region and provide a complimentary look at the most emblematic scenes of Central Asian landscapes, traditions and heritage

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TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Suggested Itinerary

This is a suggested itinerary. Our experts have all travelled widely in the region and will be happy to tailor any of our itineraries to suit your tastes, or build a trip from scratch.

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Day 1 Arrive Tashkent: The Capital’s Highlights

Day 1 Arrive Tashkent: The Capital’s Highlights

A very early arrival to Tashkent sees your guide meeting you at the airport ready to take you straight to your hotel where a comfy bed is waiting. After recuperating from the flight, this afternoon you’ll have another chance to get acquainted during a tour of the city. A visit to the central Amir Timur Maydoni square, dominated by a statue of Tamerlane on horseback, and the Alisher Navoi theatre, designed by the architect responsible for Lenin's tomb, provide a good background to the most influential aspects of the country’s history. Meanwhile, the Applied Arts Museum and the extensive Chorsu Bazaar are great places to delve into Uzbek culture. Depending on energy levels, the capital also has a selection of 16th and 17th-century madrassahs, mausoleums and mosques to explore, though these a sure to be surpassed in grandeur by those in Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand.

Navruz Hotel
Breakfast

Day 2 Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva: Wander Medieval Streets

Day 2 Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva: Wander Medieval Streets

An early morning flight to Urgench followed by a short drive brings you to the UNESCO city of Khiva. Dropping your bags off at your boutique hotel located within the fortified walls of the ‘Ichan Qala’, you’ll immediately head out on foot to explore the historic madrassahs, mausoleums and palaces enveloping you. A huge part of Khiva’s allure is how the unique, walled oasis town has been preserved in its entirety since medieval times. Individual sites of note within it include the ‘Kunya Ark’ which was the Emir's residence, comprising a magnificent summer palace and harem, and Juma Mosque, with its 200 individually carved wooden pillars. Enjoy an evening at leisure in this truly magical setting.

Zarafshon Boutique Hotel
Breakfast

Day 3 Khiva – Bukhara: Across the Kyzylkum Desert

Day 3 Khiva – Bukhara: Across the Kyzylkum Desert

Driving through the desert, today’s full-day drive of around eight hours evokes moments of reflection on the journeys of the past as you pass through the vast Kyzylkum, or Red Sand, desert to the magical city of Bukhara. Along the way, you’ll stop at a viewpoint overlooking the region’s bloodline, the Amu Darya river, known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as the Oxus. Making stops to stretch your legs, take photos and get a bite to eat at a remote café, you’ll arrive to Bukhara in the late afternoon with the evening free to settle into your boutique hotel set in a historic Jewish merchant’s home.
*History buffs may be interested in taking an old Soviet sleeper train to Bukhara instead of a road transfer.

Sasha & Son
Breakfast

Day 4 Bukhara: History Tour & Homecooked Plov

Day 4 Bukhara: History Tour & Homecooked Plov

Begin with a walking tour this morning by navigating the narrow streets of the Jewish quarter around your hotel, stopping at one of the country’s oldest synagogues and the old house of a wealthy 19th-century merchant. Moving on to the Islamic heart of the city is the central Lyabi Hauz, a serene complex of madrassahs built around a 17th-century pool. Within walking distance are also the massive Ark Citadel and Zindan Prison and the Kalon minaret and ensemble. After a break at a typical tea house, you’ll then continue on to the historic trading domes for a lesson in Silk Road trade, and perhaps the chance for some shopping at one of the stalls. Enjoy some downtime at the hotel before heading to a local Bukharan’s home this evening for a cooking demonstration and a homecooked plate of the national dish, plov.

Sasha & Son
Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 Bukhara – Samarkand: Award-winning Pottery & High-Speed Train

Day 5 Bukhara – Samarkand: Award-winning Pottery & High-Speed Train

Head out of the city along the Golden Road to meet the potters of Gijduvan, stopping to admire the grand minaret of Vabkent along the way. During your visit of this celebrated local pottery workshop, the family’s 5th generation of potters will talk you through their refined craft and why the earth in Gijduvan is renowned across the country. After lunch you’ll catch Uzbekistan’s high-speed rail to the legendary Silk Road city of Samarkand.

Hotel Bibikhanum
Breakfast

Day 6 Samarkand: Grand Islamic Architecture & Silk Carpets

Day 6 Samarkand: Grand Islamic Architecture & Silk Carpets

With a history dating back 2,700 years, Samarkand became famous as the capital of the vast state created by Tamerlane and later ruled by his grandson Ulugbek in the 14th-15th centuries. After breakfast, you’ll be whisked around the fabled city’s star attractions including the iconic Registan Square, surrounded on three sides by glittering blue tiled madrassahs, and the captivating Shah-i-Zinda necropolis. During the course of the day, you’ll also pay a visit to a silk carpet factory run by an Afghan family to learn about the infamous commodity that made the city famous the world over. From its humble beginnings, this factory has grown over just two generations to win awards for the quality of their carpets as well as the training and employment opportunities they have provided to surrounding villages.

Hotel Bibikhanum
Breakfast

Day 7 Samarkand – Tashkent: Time at Leisure

Day 7 Samarkand – Tashkent: Time at Leisure

Enjoy a morning and an afternoon free in the captivating Silk Road city, perhaps making use of its teahouses, dining options and shopping opportunities - it's a great place to pick up some precious silk souvenirs with many establishments offering international shipping options. For those that prefer to keep busy, your personal guide will still be on hand to advise on other sites to be explored before you take the swish, high-speed train back to the capital later in the day.

Navruz Hotel
Breakfast

Day 8 Tashkent – Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan): Fly Between Capitals

Day 8 Tashkent – Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan): Fly Between Capitals

After a fond farewell to your Uzbek team at the airport and a short flight, you’ll be met with a warm welcome in Bishkek, splendidly set against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Take the rest of the afternoon to settle and relax into your new surroundings.

Garden Hotel Bishkek
Breakfast

Day 9 Bishkek: Ala Archa National Park & City Tour

Day 9 Bishkek: Ala Archa National Park & City Tour

Escape the city this morning and head to Ala Archa Canyon, part of the Ala Archa National Park, about an hour south of the capital. Here, you can walk one of the various routes into the mountains for amazing views over the pine and juniper-covered park. Ala Archa is a favourite getaway of the citizens of Bishkek and you can follow their lead hiking through its unspoilt nature and a stopping for a picnic at one of the many scenic spots, perhaps under a cooling waterfall. Head back to the city later for an afternoon exploring its highlights such as the main square, the State National Museum and the Osh Bazaar filled with aromas of freshly baked Kyrgyz bread.

Garden Hotel Bishkek
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 Bishkek – Karakol: Burana Tower & Issyk Kul Lake

Day 10 Bishkek – Karakol: Burana Tower & Issyk Kul Lake

Departing Bishkek, you’ll head for the ‘warm lake’, Issyk Kul. The second largest mountain lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America, Issyk Kul measures 182km by 58km and is heated from below by volcanic activity, never freezing even in the depths of winter. Stops at the Burana Tower and petroglyphs, said to date from between 500 B.C. to 100 A.D., and lunch at one of the lakeside towns break up the day’s journey. Arrive to Karakol in the early evening and check into your guesthouse in the sleepy provincial town sandwiched between the lake and the imposing Tien Shan Mountains.

Matsunoki Guesthouse
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Karakol: Jety Oguz Excursion

Day 11 Karakol: Jety Oguz Excursion

Today you’ll drive one hour along the southern shore of lake Issyk Kul into the Jety Oguz valley. One of five beautiful valleys located in this eastern province, Jety Oguz is named after the ‘Seven Bulls’ rock formation which you will stop to see at a nearby viewpoint. There are various walking opportunities, as well as horses to rent, to explore the peaceful landscape dotted with mountain pastures and grazing flock. Your guide can advise on the best route for you before you set off past ice-cold charging rivers and slopes shrouded with forests of Tien Shan spruce, walnut trees and wildflowers. After a stop to enjoy a picnic with a view, begin heading back towards the car and return to Karakol for the evening.

Matsunoki Guesthouse
Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12 Karakol – Chon Kemin Valley: Yurt Making

Day 12 Karakol – Chon Kemin Valley: Yurt Making

Explore the backstreets of Karakol this morning, full of Russian flavour and cottages shaded by white poplars. Included on the tour of the characterful town is the wooden Holy Trinity Cathedral built in 1895 and the Chinese Dungan Mosque. Later on, you’ll circumnavigate the lake’s southern shore to your next guesthouse near the Kazakh border. Stop at one of the lake’s lesser-visited southern villages to meet a yurt frame maker and learn about these traditional Kyrgyz homes.

Kemin Guesthouse
Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13 Chon Kemin Valley – Bishkek: Hike or Horse Ride

Day 13 Chon Kemin Valley – Bishkek: Hike or Horse Ride

Spend the morning exploring the beautiful Chon Kemin valley the local way, on horseback. Venture as far as you like, spending as little or as long as you feel, upon your sturdy steed with the option to take a packed lunch for longer journeys or head back to your guesthouse for a homemade lunch following a shorter, leisurely ride. In the afternoon, you’ll transfer from the rural alpine countryside, along the valley river with the hills on either side eventually flattening out to agricultural land, arriving back to the busy capital for your final evening.

Garden Hotel Bishkek
Breakfast, Dinner

Day 14 Depart Bishkek

Day 14 Depart Bishkek

Depending on your flight time, you may have the morning free for some last-minute shopping or sightseeing, before you’re taken back to the international airport where your adventure through Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan comes to an end.

Breakfast

SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATION

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Hotel Rating

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Accommodation listed here is intended as a guide only, to give you a taste of what we can do. Our experts can tailor any aspect of this itinerary and accommodation to suit your budget and tastes.

GUIDELINE PRICE & WHAT'S INCLUDED

14 days from A$8,463

MEALS

As specified in the itinerary, sampling some of the country's finest cuisine.

TRANSPORT

Private air-conditioned vehicles with experienced, dedicated drivers.

ENTRANCE FEES

Tours and admission fees, including tickets specified in the itinerary.

EXPERT TEAM

Licensed English-speaking guides and a support team available 24/7.

ACCOMMODATION

As specified in the itinerary, using some of our favourite local properties.

WILD MILES

This tour will earn you 6518 Wild Miles

ACCOMMODATION

Ultra
The best of the best, the ultimate in luxury
Luxury
Outstanding service and facilities, giving you the 5* experience
Premium
Excellent standards offering a higher-end experience
Superior
Good quality service and overall comfort
Simple
No frills, basic accommodation, but often in the most exciting of places

Wild Miles Club

When you book a trip with Wild Frontiers you are awarded points, which are based on the return distance from London to the arrival city of your trip. Points are awarded for all our holidays, including both our escorted group tours and tailor-made trips. When you accrue points, you will qualify for the following discounts on all future bookings:

Blue More than 10,000 points 2.5% discount
Bronze More than 30,000 points 5% discount
Silver More than 45,000 points 7.5% discount
Gold More than 60,000 points 10% discount

This itinerary is aimed to give you an idea of what we can offer. The price shown above is per person, based on two people travelling outside of peak periods. As this itinerary is only a suggestion and can be tailor-made to suit your interests and budget, your final price may differ.

Positive Impact of this Trip

Tree
Ten trees are planted per passenger on this trip
Community
Supports Wild Frontiers Foundation community projects
Wind Turbine
A contribution to renewable energy projects

WHEN TO GO

START PLANNING YOUR TRIP

Our team of experts have a wealth of knowledge and experience to help you plan your adventure of a lifetime.

WHY WILD FRONTIERS?

Meet the expert, Natalie

Natalie is our Central Asia expert, who has travelled extensively in the region.

Speak to Natalie by calling
+44 (0)20 3944 6258

Kyrgyzstan is truly the breathtaking and ‘wild’ Stan, perfect for landscape and activity lovers. Each day brings new spectacular vistas; from lakes and valleys to mountains and canyons.

OTHER ITINERARIES IN KYRGYZSTAN