The Stans of Central Asia

The Stans of Central Asia - for thousands of years, lands were sought after and conquered by some of the world’s greatest leaders from Alexander, Attila, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Babur, Cyrus and Darius of ancient Persia. Today it is the world’s greatest adventure seekers who are drawn to these exotic lands of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – lands filled with harsh deserts, towering snow-capped peaks, ancient cities and fortresses with exotic cultures. Explore the markets and history of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s old capital. In Krygyzstan explore Lake Issyk-Kul and hike in the stunning mountains – an extension of the Tien Shan Range - surrounding Bishkek. Explore Bishkek, the capital city and visit the site of ancient stone gods, which still remain a mystery.

In Bukhara and Samarkand, two of the best preserved Silk Road wonders, we see mosques, tombs and monuments that provide a majestic ending to this Silk Road journey. Fly to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, our transfer point to the historic cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, which evoke images of caravans traveling across deserts and over mountains, linking the worlds of east and west. These open-air museums are beautifully preserved Silk Road wonders, filled with mosques, tombs and monuments.

In Tajikistan, visit Penjikent to see the archeological ruins of Sogdiana, an important town in pre-Islamic Central Asia.

Crossing the border into Turkmenistan we explore an area with hundreds of dinosaur prints dating back 150 million years. We explore Gonur (5,000 BC) and Merv, consisting of 4 ancient cities which moved over the centuries as the river moved. Our journey leads us to Ashgabat, the splendid capital built predominantly of white marble and a superb place to bid farewell to your Central Asian odyssey.