The Great Silk Road Adventure

Overview:

Please note this tour has departed. Please select another date under Dates and Prices

China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran & Turkey - This amazing trip offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for those with sufficient time to travel the entirety of one of the major branches of the Silk Road all the way across Asia from Xi’an in central China to Istanbul in Western Turkey, covering a distance of some 12,000 kilometres and six contrasting countries.

Following in the footsteps of travel luminaries Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, Hsuan-Tsang and a million ancient Silk Road traders, we’ll take in not only some of the world’s most iconic sights like Xi’an’s Terracotta Army, Samarkand’s Registan Square and Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, but we’ll also cross mountains, deserts and grasslands and meet amongst others the Uighur, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Turkmen peoples who have made these lands their home.

One of our biggest trips to date, we look forward to welcoming you on this epic continental journey through one of the world’s most engaging and little-known regions.

Highlights:

Journey through six countries on a trip of a lifetime along the Silk Road from China to Turkey
Tour the cultural wonders of Shiraz, Isfahan and Tehran in Iran
Explore atmospheric Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan and try haggling at the bazaars
Drive through stunning mountain scenery in Kyrgyzstan, staying in homestays along the way
Experience world-renowned Iranian hospitality and cuisine
Discover the ancient desert city of Merv and the bizarre city of Ashgabat in Turkmenistan

Tour Includes:

Full services of a Tour Leader with local guides and drivers
47 breakfasts, 44 lunches, 38 dinners (typically in local restaurants where viable)
All transport (minibuses, boats, cars, domestic flights and trains)
47 nights' accommodation (42 in comfortable hotels, 2 in homestays, and 3 on overnight trains)
All entrance fees, sightseeing, excursions and activities as per the itinerary
A carbon-offsetting contribution to Carbon Clear (if booking international flights through our office)

NB. Please note that there are some differences between the itineraries for departures in different years, so please be sure to refer to the individual tour itinerary for full details.

ALL OUR SMALL GROUP TOURS HAVE NO LOCAL PAYMENTS, HIDDEN EXTRAS OR COMPULSORY SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS.

Trip rating:

Adventure Rating - 8

Tours that fall into this category will often involve remote, unpredictable and long journeys in emerging destinations. They can be incredibly rewarding but are definitely best suited to experienced travellers.

Comfort Rating - 8

You can typically expect most nights to be spent in comfortable and often characterful accommodation, making your overnight stays a real highlight of the trip.

Fitness Rating - 4

These tours will typically involve a couple of days of easy/moderate trekking (3-5 hrs/day) or perhaps a more active approach to a cultural itinerary. For riding trips see the Riding Information section

Culture Rating - 10

With this rating, you can typically expect a tour with a strong focus on culture. Depending on the trip this could involve exploring ancient sites, medieval architecture, ethnographic museums and/or having tribal encounters.