Description
Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Expedition: Cities of Silk & Deserts of Fire
Step into the surreal and spellbinding heart of Central Asia, where ancient civilisations, dazzling Islamic architecture, and haunting desert landscapes await. This 11-day expedition across Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan brings together Silk Road opulence and modern-day mystique in one unforgettable journey.
Begin in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s bustling capital, before stepping into the storybook cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva — living museums where blue-tiled minarets rise above old town walls and centuries of history echo through ornate madrassahs. Wander vibrant bazaars, sip local tea, and watch the sunset from rooftops once trodden by traders and poets.
Then cross into Turkmenistan, a land of stark contrasts and surreal wonder. Camp beside the fiery Gates of Hell in the Karakum Desert, explore the eccentric marble capital of Ashgabat, and step through the crumbling remnants of Kunya-Urgench, once one of the greatest cities of the Islamic world.
Along the way, you’ll stay in homestays and yurts, hike through mountain villages, and contribute to a solar power initiative supporting off-grid communities in Uzbekistan’s Nuratau Mountains.
Highlights
• Ancient Silk Road cities: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva
• The dramatic Darvaza gas crater ("Gates of Hell")
• Rooftop sunsets, caravanserais, and underground hammams
• High-speed trains and remote border crossings
• Soviet relics, desert ruins, and village homestays
• Ashgabat’s white marble skyline and bizarre monuments
• 5% of your tour cost supports a solar project in Nuratau (SDP)
Highlights
- Independence Day celebrations
- Ancient Silk Road cities
- Village stay
- Gates of Hell
- Ashgabat’s marble city.
Evening arrival in Tashkent. Meet your guide and your Far Corners Tribe, and enjoy an introductory city tour featuring Amir Temur Square and Independence Square before a welcome dinner and drinks in Tashkent's bustling centre.
Overnight: Tashkent (hotel)
Tour Tashkent's metro, the Monument of Courage, and the Khast Imam complex housing the 7th-century Koran of Khalif Osman. Wander Chorsu Bazaar before catching the Afrosiyob high-speed train to the jewel of the Silk Road, Samarkand.
Overnight: Samarkand (hotel)
Visit Registan Square, Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the grand Bibi-Khanum Mosque, and the Afrasiyab Museum on a deep dive into Samarkand’s Silk Road legacy.
Overnight: Samarkand (hotel)
Tour the wonders of Shakh-i-Zinda necropolis, Ulugbek Observatory, and Konigil village to see the traditional art of paper-making in action.
Overnight: Samarkand (hotel)
Drive to Ukhum village in the Nuratau Mountains, transfer to the guesthouse by local vehicles, and hike to ancient petroglyphs. Enjoy a home-cooked dinner. SDP Deliver and install solar panels for our local guesthouses in x village as part of our social development projects.
Overnight: Ukhum village (guesthouse).
Enjoy a morning hike through scenic Ukhum, then drive to Bukhara with stops at Malik Sardoba and a traditional pottery workshop in Gijduvan.
Overnight: Bukhara (hotel)
Take a stroll through Bukhara’s old town, pass the Ark Citadel, Kalyan Minaret, Silk Road tea house, traditional hammams, and Lyabi-Hauz complex.
Overnight: Bukhara (hotel)
Sit back and relax as we journey through the vast desert landscape to Khiva. Arrive by late afternoon and settle in for a relaxing evening in this hidden gem of Uzbekistan.
Overnight: Khiva (hotel)
Wander through Ichan Kala fortress, exploring mosques, palaces, and madrassahs that date back to the 10th century.
Overnight: Khiva (hotel)
After breakfast, transfer to the Dashoguz border crossing into Turkmenistan. Visit the UNESCO-listed ruins of Kunya-Urgench before heading to the fiery Darvaza gas crater, ‘the Gates of Hell’. Enjoy dinner beside the flaming pit.
Overnight: Karakum Desert (traditional yurt).
Day 11 - Travel through the desert via mud and water craters with a stop in Yerbent village. Arrive in Ashgabat and explore the National Museum, Artogrul Gazi Mosque, and the Russian Bazaar. Take a nighttime city tour including the Neutrality Arch and Olympic Village.
Overnight: Ashgabat (hotel)
Visit the Parthian fortress of Nisa, the State Carpet Museum, and battle sites from the 1879–81 Turkmen-Russian war. Meet Akhalteke horses at a private stable and stop at Ruhy Mosque and the Mausoleum of the first Turkmen president.
Final dinner in Ashgabat before late evening flight home