The Five Stans of the Silk Road: Self-Launched Ashgabat to Almaty

Fly into Ashgabat International Airport. Due to Turkmen law, all foreign visitors must have a pre-arranged arrival transfer and a licensed local guide — book this in advance through a Turkmenistan-licensed tour agency (e.g. Owadan Tourism or Ayan Travel). Check into your hotel and recover from the journey. Many flights arrive very late, so rest is the priority.

🚌Fly into Ashgabat (ASB). Pre-arranged airport transfer required by law.

🛏Hotel Sport Ashgabat or similar mid-range hotel (~£35–45/night)

• →Arrange pre-trip Turkmenistan visa (e-visa or Letter of Invitation via a licensed agency, ~£50–80)
• →Mandatory arrival transfer via licensed agency (~£20–30 included in agency day-rate)
• →Rest and acclimatise

Spend the day exploring Ashgabat's surreal marble-clad cityscape with your mandatory local guide. The city's gleaming white boulevards, golden statues and monumental architecture — described as 'Pyongyang meets Las Vegas' — are unlike anywhere else on Earth. Visit the Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque, Independence Park, the Neutrality Arch, the Alem Ferris Wheel, the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex and the Wedding Palace. End with a night tour of the illuminated city.

🚌Local licensed agency minibus or taxi with guide (included in agency day-rate).

🛏Hotel Sport Ashgabat or similar (~£35–45/night)

• →Guided city tour with licensed local guide (mandatory; ~£40–60/day agency rate covering guide)
• →Visit National Museum of Turkmenistan (entry ~£3)
• →Evening illuminated city walk
• →Group dinner at a local restaurant (~£8–12)

Transfer east (~4 hours) to Mary, gateway to ancient Merv — once one of the largest cities on Earth and now a sprawling UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk among the crumbling towers, walls and mausoleums that evoke Merv's medieval peak. Return to Mary to explore the modern town, including the Juma Mosque and the small Russian Orthodox Church.

🚌Agency vehicle with guide, approximately 4 hours each way (mandatory for Turkmenistan leg).

🛏Margush Hotel or similar in Mary (~£25–35/night)

• →Transfer Ashgabat to Mary with licensed guide (shared agency vehicle; ~£25–35 contribution)
• →Merv UNESCO World Heritage Site guided tour (entry ~£5)
• →Visit Juma Mosque and Russian Orthodox Church in Mary

Return to Ashgabat in the morning, stopping at the Magtymguly Monument en route. Visit the UNESCO-listed Parthian fortress city of Nisa, and a local farm breeding the legendary metallic-coated Akhal-Teke horses. Transfer to Ashgabat airport for a domestic flight to Dashoguz in the north.

🚌Agency vehicle to Ashgabat airport; domestic flight to Dashoguz (~£40–60).

🛏Hotel Dashoguz or similar (~£25–35/night)

• →Visit Magtymguly Monument
• →Nisa Archaeological Site (UNESCO; entry ~£3)
• →Akhal-Teke horse farm visit (via agency; ~£10–15)
• →Domestic flight Ashgabat to Dashoguz (book via Turkmenistan Airlines; ~£40–60)

Drive 2 hours to Kunya Urgench, a UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving stunning 11th–16th century Islamic monuments including the 60m Gutlug Timur Minaret. Return to Dashoguz and continue to the Shavat border crossing into Uzbekistan (~20 min). Complete border formalities (have USD$1 for the shuttle bus across no-man's-land). Meet a local taxi or shared transport on the Uzbek side to Khiva (~30 min).

🚌Agency vehicle to border; shared taxi Uzbek side to Khiva (~£3–5).

🛏Malika Khorezm Hotel or similar guesthouse in Khiva (~£20–30/night)

• →Kunya Urgench UNESCO site tour with guide (entry ~£3–5)
• →Cross Shavat/Khojeyli border into Uzbekistan (have USD$1 cash for shuttle)
• →Transfer to Khiva by shared taxi or minibus from border (~£3–5)

Spend a full day exploring the UNESCO-listed walled inner city of Itchan Kala — one of the best-preserved ancient cities in Central Asia. Wander independently or join a local guided tour (bookable at the gate or via GetYourGuide). Highlights include the unfinished Kalta Minar, the Kunya-Ark fortress, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, Islam Khoja Minaret, Juma Mosque with its 218 carved columns and the Tash Khauli palace. Browse artisan workshops for carpets, ceramics and wood-inlay crafts.

🚌On foot within the old city.

🛏Malika Khorezm Hotel or similar guesthouse (~£20–30/night)

• →Itchan Kala combined entry ticket (~£7–10, covers most monuments)
• →Self-guided or local guided walking tour of Khiva old city (~£10–15 for a guide)
• →Visit artisan carpet and ceramics workshops (free to browse)
• →Sunset views from the city walls

Hire a local driver for the day to explore the Khorezm desert castles. The standout is Ayaz-Qala, a 6th-century hilltop fortress with panoramic steppe views. Other nearby castles (Toprak-Qala, Qizil-Qala) can be included if time allows. Return to Urgench by mid-afternoon and board the train to Bukhara — a 6.5-hour journey across the red Kyzyl-Kum desert in Soviet-era four-berth compartments. Pack snacks and water.

🚌Local taxi to desert castles; train Urgench–Bukhara (~6.5 hrs, ~£10–15).

🛏Sultan Hotel or similar in Bukhara (~£20–30/night)

• →Day hire of local taxi/driver for desert castles (~£25–35 split between travellers)
• →Ayaz-Qala fortress entry (~£2)
• →Train Urgench to Bukhara (economy class ~£10–15; book at station or via railway.uz)

A full day in one of the Silk Road's greatest cities. Bukhara's 2,000-year-old centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with magnificent Islamic architecture. Walk between the Lyabi-Khauz pool complex, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, the Samanid Mausoleum (a jewel of 9th-century architecture), the Ark Citadel, the soaring Kalyan Minaret and Mosque, Nodir Divanbegi Madrasah and the quirky Chor-Minor. An afternoon self-guided wander through the bazaars is a highlight.

🚌On foot — the old city is very walkable.

🛏Sultan Hotel or similar (~£20–30/night)

• →Lyabi-Khauz complex and teahouse (free to walk around)
• →Ark Citadel entry (~£3)
• →Poi Kalyan complex and Kalyan Minaret (~£2)
• →Samanid Mausoleum (~£1)
• →Chor-Minor (~£1)
• →Evening stroll and dinner at a local chaikhana (~£6–10)

Visit the Sitorai-Mokhi-Khosa Palace (Summer Palace of the Bukharan Emirs) on the outskirts of town — a fascinating blend of Russian Imperial and Central Asian design with intricate plasterwork and painted rooms. Return to the city and board the high-speed Afrosiyob train to Samarkand, one of the great journeys of Central Asia (~2 hours). Book tickets in advance at railway.uz.

🚌Taxi to palace and station; Afrosiyob high-speed train to Samarkand (~2 hrs, ~£8–12).

🛏Malika Prime or similar boutique hotel in Samarkand (~£25–35/night)

• →Sitorai-Mokhi-Khosa Palace (~£2 entry; taxi from centre ~£3–5 return)
• →High-speed Afrosiyob train Bukhara–Samarkand (~£8–12; book at railway.uz)

Spend a full day in one of the world's most ancient and iconic cities. The blue-tiled Registan Square — flanked by three magnificent madrassas — is unmissable. Also visit the Gur-Emir Mausoleum (tomb of Tamerlane), the Ulugbek Observatory, the vast Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis with its dazzling 14th-century tilework, and the lively Siab Bazaar overflowing with dried fruit, nuts and spices.

🚌On foot and occasional local taxi (~£1–2 per ride).

🛏Malika Prime or similar (~£25–35/night)

• →Registan Square entry (~£5)
• →Gur-Emir Mausoleum (~£2)
• →Shah-i-Zinda necropolis (~£2)
• →Bibi-Khanym Mosque (~£2)
• →Ulugbek Observatory (~£2)
• →Siab Bazaar and Afrosiab paper factory (free or ~£1)
• →Optional GetYourGuide walking tour of Samarkand (~£15–20)

Take a shared taxi from Samarkand to the Uzbek-Tajik border at Jartepa/Oʻzbekiston (approximately 1 hour). Cross on foot and pick up a shared taxi on the Tajik side to Penjikent (~20 min). Visit the UNESCO-listed Sarazm archaeological site (one of the oldest settlements in Central Asia, dating back 5,500 years) and explore the ruins of ancient Penjikent, a 5th–8th century Sogdian city. Check into your guesthouse.

🚌Shared taxi to border; shared taxi border to Penjikent (~£3–5).

🛏Panjakent Plaza Hotel or local guesthouse (~£15–25/night)

• →Shared taxi Samarkand to Tajik border (~£5–8)
• →Sarazm UNESCO Archaeological Site (~£2 entry)
• →Ancient Penjikent ruins and small local museum (~£2)

One of the highlights of the entire trip. Hire a local 4WD vehicle with driver to take you up into the spectacular Fann Mountains to the Seven Lakes (Haft Kul) — a chain of strikingly coloured glacial lakes in a dramatic rocky gorge. The colours shift from turquoise to emerald to orange-red depending on mineral content. Pack a picnic lunch. This is a full-day excursion; the road is rough but the scenery is extraordinary.

🚌Local 4WD hire with driver (~£30–50 total for vehicle).

🛏Panjakent Plaza Hotel or local guesthouse (~£15–25/night)

• →Hire local 4WD with driver for Seven Lakes day trip (~£30–50 total, split between travellers)
• →Hike between the lakes (free, no entry fee)
• →Picnic lunch in the mountains (~£5–8)
• →Photography and swimming in glacial lakes (seasonal)

Shared taxi north from Penjikent, stopping in Istaravshan — one of Tajikistan's most authentic and least-visited ancient cities, with a hilltop citadel, colourful bazaar and the ornate Kok Gumbaz mosque. Continue by shared taxi to Khujand, Tajikistan's second city, on the banks of the Syr Darya river. Arrive in the afternoon and explore the bazaar.

🚌Shared taxis Penjikent–Istaravshan–Khujand.

🛏Khudjand Delux Hotel or similar (~£20–30/night)

• →Shared taxi Penjikent to Istaravshan (~£8–12)
• →Istaravshan old bazaar, citadel and Kok Gumbaz Mosque (free / £1 entry)
• →Shared taxi Istaravshan to Khujand (~£5–8)
• →Khujand bazaar evening stroll

Morning exploration of Khujand — visit the grand Panjshanbe Bazaar and the Khujand Fortress Museum. Cross back into Uzbekistan at the Oybek border post by shared taxi. Continue into the Fergana Valley to Rishtan, famed for its beautiful blue-green pottery (workshop visits are welcome), then on to Margilan, the silk capital of Uzbekistan. Visit the Yodgorlik Silk Factory for a free demonstration of traditional silk weaving from cocoon to cloth.

🚌Shared taxis throughout; border crossing on foot.

🛏Hotel Asia Fergana or similar (~£15–25/night)

• →Panjshanbe Bazaar and Khujand Fortress (~£1 entry)
• →Shared taxi to Oybek border crossing (~£3–5)
• →Shared taxi border to Rishtan (~£3)
• →Rishtan pottery workshop visit (free or small tip)
• →Yodgorlik Silk Factory, Margilan (free tour)

Take a shared taxi from Fergana to the Dostuk border crossing into Kyrgyzstan, then onward to the southern city of Osh. Explore the sacred Sulayman-Too Mountain (UNESCO World Heritage Site) with its cave and small museum, and browse the lively Osh Bazaar. If time allows, divert to Uzgen to see its striking 11th–12th century minaret and mausoleums. Continue by shared taxi to Arslanbob.

🚌Shared taxis throughout; border on foot.

🛏Guesthouse Goodnight or CBT (Community Based Tourism) guesthouse in Arslanbob (~£10–15/night)

• →Shared taxi Fergana to Osh via border (~£5–10)
• →Sulayman-Too Sacred Mountain UNESCO site, Osh (~£1 entry)
• →Osh Bazaar browse (free)
• →Optional Uzgen minaret and mausoleums (~£1; ~1hr detour)
• →Shared taxi Osh to Arslanbob (~£5–8)

Arslanbob is a gorgeous Uzbek-Kyrgyz village nestled below one of the world's largest wild walnut forests. Spend the day hiking through the forest, visiting the Big and Small waterfalls, and exploring the surrounding mountains with their sweeping views. The Community Based Tourism (CBT) network here offers excellent local guides at very low cost. This is a wonderful slow day in a village that feels untouched by mass tourism.

🚌On foot / local hiking.

🛏Guesthouse Goodnight or CBT guesthouse (~£10–15/night)

• →Guided or self-guided hike to Big Waterfall (~5km return; CBT guide ~£5–8)
• →Small Waterfall hike (free, easy walk from village)
• →Walnut forest walk
• →Local family lunch or dinner (home cooking ~£5–8)
• →Evening in village guesthouse

Hire a 4WD or join a shared vehicle to make the dramatic ascent to Son Kul, a remote high-altitude lake (3,016m) sitting on a vast plateau surrounded by mountains. The journey takes 3–4 hours on rough tracks. Settle into a local yurt camp — community-run camps charge a fraction of what tour operators pay — and spend the evening with nomadic herder families. Dinner is included at the camp, typically hearty Kyrgyz lamb and bread.

🚌4WD or shared vehicle to Son Kul (~3–4 hrs on rough mountain road).

🛏Community-run yurt camp at Son Kul (~£15–25/night including dinner and breakfast)

• →4WD hire or shared vehicle from Arslanbob/Kochkor to Son Kul (~£20–35 split between travellers)
• →Arrive at yurt camp and settle in
• →Horse riding on the plateau (arrange with camp; ~£10–15/hour)
• →Sunset over Son Kul Lake (free)

A gloriously free day at one of Central Asia's most magical spots. Wake to silence broken only by horses and wind. Hike around the lake shore, ride horses across the plateau, help with daily tasks at the yurt camp, or simply sit and absorb the vast sky and mountain panorama. Meals are included at the yurt camp. This is slow-travel at its finest.

🚌On foot and horseback.

🛏Community-run yurt camp at Son Kul (~£15–25/night including meals)

• →Morning lakeside hike (free)
• →Horse riding with nomad herders (~£10–15/hour)
• →Eagle watching and birdlife observation (free)
• →Cultural exchange with host yurt family

Descend from Son Kul by 4WD and head north towards the enormous Issyk-Kul Lake — the second-largest alpine lake in the world. En route, arrange an eagle hunting demonstration with a local berkutchi (eagle hunter) — these can be booked through CBT offices in Bokonbaevo or Karakol for a fraction of what tour operators charge. Settle in at a guesthouse or small hotel on the lake's southern or northern shore.

🚌4WD from Son Kul plateau to Issyk-Kul (~3–4 hrs).

🛏Nomad Camp Hotel or CBT guesthouse near Issyk-Kul (~£15–25/night)

• →4WD descent from Son Kul to Issyk-Kul region (~£15–25 split)
• →Eagle hunting demonstration with local berkutchi (book via CBT Bokonbaevo; ~£10–15)
• →Issyk-Kul lakeshore walk and sunset views

Travel to Karakol, the main town on Issyk-Kul's eastern shore and a hub for trekking in the Tien Shan mountains. The town itself has a beautiful wooden Russian Orthodox Cathedral and a distinctive Chinese Dungan Mosque — both unmissable. Browse the Sunday animal market if your timing aligns. The surrounding mountains offer short day hikes into the Karakol Valley or Altyn Arashan gorge for the more adventurous.

🚌Shared marshrutka or taxi from Issyk-Kul south shore to Karakol (~£3–5).

🛏Amir Hotel or similar guesthouse in Karakol (~£12–20/night)

• →Dungan Mosque (free to visit, small donation welcome)
• →Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral (free)
• →Karakol local market browse
• →Optional hike into Karakol Valley or Altyn Arashan (~free, trail is well-marked)
• →Local Dungan food dinner (~£5–8)

Head west along Issyk-Kul towards the Kazakh border. Cross into Kazakhstan at Kegen and arrange a driver or shared taxi to divert to Charyn Canyon — often called Central Asia's Grand Canyon, with dramatic red-walled gorges. Walk the Valley of Castles (2km loop; ~1 hour). Continue to Almaty, arriving in the evening. The transfer from Charyn to Almaty takes about 3–4 hours.

🚌Shared taxi Karakol–Kegen border; onward to Charyn Canyon and Almaty (~4–5 hrs total).

🛏Uyut Hotel or similar budget hotel in Almaty (~£20–35/night)

• →Shared taxi or marshrutka Karakol to Kazakh border (~£8–12)
• →Charyn Canyon entry (~£3) and Valley of Castles walk (~2km loop)
• →Taxi/shared vehicle Charyn Canyon to Almaty (~£10–15 split)

Kazakhstan's former capital and most vibrant city. Spend the day at Panfilov Park, home to the beautiful wooden Zenkov Cathedral — built without a single nail. Visit the Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments next door. Head up to Kok-Tobe Hill by gondola cable car for sweeping panoramas. Explore the Green Bazaar (Zelyony Bazar) for local food, dried fruit and souvenirs. The city has a great café and restaurant scene — reward yourself after three weeks on the road.

🚌Metro, bus and on foot — Almaty has good public transport (~£0.50/ride).

🛏Uyut Hotel or similar (~£20–35/night)

• →Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral (free)
• →Museum of Folk Musical Instruments (~£2)
• →Kok-Tobe gondola and hilltop park (~£5 return cable car)
• →Green Bazaar browse and street food (~£5–8)
• →Celebratory dinner in Almaty (~£10–18)

The adventure ends in Almaty. Depending on your departure time, there may be time for a final coffee, last-minute souvenir shopping at the Green Bazaar, or a visit to the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan. Take the city bus or a Yandex taxi to Almaty International Airport (ALA). Safe travels!

🚌Yandex taxi or public bus to Almaty International Airport (ALA).

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Optional: Central State Museum of Kazakhstan (~£3)
• →Final Green Bazaar souvenir run
• →Airport transfer by Yandex taxi (~£8–12) or bus 79 (~£0.50)