Central Asia Tours
With its ancient blue-domed cities, colourful bazaars and ornate mosques, Central Asia encapsulates the romance of the Silk Road. Kyrgyzstan guided holidays explore wild mountain landscapes, sweeping desert plains and magnificent cities, whilst on an Uzbekistan escorted tour you can explore some of the most striking Islamic architecture in the world. We can also offer private Central Asia tours in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan – please contact us for more details.
Finding & Loading Tours
Uzbekistan - Jewel of the Silk Road
- 11 Nights - Tashkent and Back
- Fly Tour from £2,399
Samarkand. Bukhara.Khiva. The names conjure up images of ‘Arabian Nights’, Eastern exoticism and caravans crossing the Red Desert to bring silks, spices and jewels to the bazaars of the Near East. Our journey through Uzbekistan follows the Silk Road route, exploring the mosques, palaces, museums and madrasahs of these crossroad cities. Our adventure also takes us through the dramatic desert scenery of remote Karakalpakstan and reveals the grand tombs of the Biblical prophet Daniel and medieval warrior-emperor Tamerlane.
- 9 Nights - Bishkek and Back
- Fly Tour from £2,195
Discover the spectacular landscapes of one of Central Asia’s most picturesque countries. From the white peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and the deep-blue of Lake Issyk-Kul, to the striking red cliffs of Djety-Oguz and the green alpine meadows of Chon Kemin valley, this tour explores the country’s most colourful highlights and the nomadic lifestyle of some of its inhabitants.
Uzbekistan: Heart of Central Asia 2020
- 11 Nights - Tashkent and Back
- Fly Tour from £2,295
Set on the Silk Road, Uzbekistan has played host to waves of conquerors and nomads. See the legacy they left behind in the towering fortresses of Khiva and Bukhara, and the Islamic architecture of Samarkand. The remnants of more recent Soviet history are evident in the capital city, Tashkent.
Uzbekistan: The Golden Road to Samarkand
- 11 Nights - Tashkent and Back
- Fly Tour from £2,995
Visit the most magnificent cities of the ancient Silk Road with Islamic expert Diana Driscoll or William Taylor. These include Uzbekistan’s second largest city, Samarkand, built by the infamous 14th-century Emperor Tamerlane; the medieval city of Bukhara, with its dazzling blue mosaic domes; the jadegreen city of Khiva; and Nukus, which once protected the Russian avant-garde art collection of archaeologist and artist, Igor Savitsky from the Soviets.
Discover Central Asia
With beautiful scenery, incredible architecture and ancient silk routes to explore, a Central Asia touring holiday has something for everyone.
Kyrgyzstan’s breathtaking landscape is packed with towering mountains, deep gorges and valleys and sparkling lakes. A Kyrgyzstan guided holiday may include visits to the stunning Lake Issyk-Kul and the soaring Tian Shan mountain range.
An Uzbekistan escorted tour uncovers the ancient history and culture of the most enthralling destination in Central Asia. Set on the ancient Silk Road, the architectural legacy left by traders, nomads and conquerors is awe-inspiring. In Samarkand, Bukhar and Khiva medieval fortresses rise up from the desert and intricately decorated mosques adorn the city centres, whilst in the capital of Tashkent modernist and Soviet architecture are equally fascinating.
Highlights of Central Asia
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Osh
Osh is Kyrgyzstan’s second largest city and is believed to be one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. In the 10th century, Osh was a centre for silk production and was an important point on the Great Silk Road. Today it is a lively, multicultural city with colourful bazaars, ornate mosques and fascinating museums. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sulaiman-Too Mountain has served as a place of pilgrimage for centuries.
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Karakol
The small town of Karakol began life as a Russian military garrison town in the 1860s, and today has many whitewashed colonial style houses that recall the town’s Russia-ear heyday. Highlights of the town include the beautiful wooden Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral topped with green-roofed towers and gold onion domes, and the Chinese pagoda-style mosque.
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Bukhara
Bukhara was one of the key stops along the Silk Route and has the greatest concentration of monuments in Uzbekistan, with the spectacular Ark, Kalon Minaret and Maghok-i-Attar mosque just some of the superb architecture on offer.
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Khiva
The walled city of Khiva was founded in the 6th century, and flourished as a Silk Road trading city. Its labyrinth of streets have been well preserved, with elaborately restored ornate mosques, mausoleums and madrassas (religious schools).
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Samarkand
Mythical Samarkand is one of the world's oldest cities with over 2,700 years of history. It was destroyed by Alexander the Great, the Arabs and Genghis Khan but rose from the ashes to become one of the most powerful cities in the world and an important scientific centre. The tiled expanse of the Registan, the city’s impressive public square, is enclosed by decorative portals, patterned minarets and gleaming cupolas.
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Tashkent
Tashkent dates back over 2,500 years to a time when Indian spice merchants and Chinese silk trader passed through the city’s colourful bazaars whilst travelling along the fabled Silk Route. Captured by the Russians in 1865, today the city retains a Soviet flavour with unique Russian architecture, but tour Tashkent’s old quarter to see mosques, mausoleums and madrasas dating back to the 15th century.
