Lupine Travel

The 5 ‘Stans of Central Asia: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan are an underappreciated world of their own. This region is home to a little bit of everything. Friendly and diverse locals, tasty food, Islamic architecture, and alpine national parks are just the beginning of what makes these five countries a must for any traveller.

Itinerary

Day One, Oct 10 2026
Arrive in Ashgabat

• Arrive in Turkmenistan’s capital, Ashgabat and transfer to the hotel.

• There are no arranged activities today, so you are free to spend the day at leisure. Your tour leader will be able to help with recommendations for things to do, or you are free to relax at the hotel.

• This evening, your tour leader will arrange a welcome dinner where you will also meet your fellow travellers.

• Overnight in Ashgabat.
Day Two, Oct 11 2026
Darvaza ‘The Gates of Hell’

• This morning we will take a tour of Ashgabat, seeing sites such as The Tower of Neutrality, Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque and Independence Monument.

• After lunch, we will transfer into 4x4s and start our journey (approximately 5 hours) to the Darvaza Gas Crater. Once we leave the main roads of Ashgabat and enter the Karakum Desert, the roads become rough and bumpy, so be prepared for a tiring but rewarding journey.

• We’ll stop along the way at two lesser-known craters before finally arriving at Darvaza in the early evening.

• Our local team will prepare dinner whilst we take this time to relax and enjoy the massive campfire-like aura of “The Gates of Hell”.

• Overnight in 2/3 bed yurt camp near the crater.
Day Three, Oct 12 2026
Dashoguz

• This morning, you will have the opportunity to witness the sunrise over the crater while our local team prepares breakfast.

• After breakfast, we will head north in our 4x4s (approximately 6 hours) to Konye Urgench, a UNESCO World Heritage site containing the remains of the Achaemenid Empire’s capital, Khwarazm.

• The roads are similar to yesterday, but we will make several stops along the way, including a lunch stop at a local roadside cafe.

• We will then drive onwards to Dashoguz, where you will have the evening at leisure.

• Overnight in Dashoguz.
Day Four, Oct 13 2026
Khiva

• This morning, we bid farewell to our Turkmen guide before crossing the border into Uzbekistan, where our Uzbek guide will meet us.

• Upon crossing the border, we’ll drive for approximately 90 minutes to Khiva, arriving early in the afternoon.

• After lunch, we’ll take a walking tour of the city, visiting the legendary Ichan Kala fortress. This ancient site was the last resting place for caravans about to cross the desert to Persia. It contains minarets, a madrassah, mosques and mausoleums.

• You will then have the evening at leisure to enjoy Khiva at your own pace.

• Overnight in Khiva.
Day Five, Oct 14 2026
Bukhara

• After breakfast, we will depart on a 7-hour drive across the desert to Bukhara.

• We will stop for lunch along the way at a Chai Khanah (Uzbek tea house).

• Upon arriving in Bukhara, we will check into our hotel and you will then have the evening free to spend at leisure.

• Overnight in Bukhara.
Day Six, Oct 15 2026
Samarkand

• Today we will start with a half-day tour of Bukhara, visiting the Samanids Mausoleum, Poi Kalon complex, trading domes, the Lyabi-Hauz complex and Chor Minor.

• After lunch, we will drive approximately 5 hours to Samarkand, where we’ll check into our hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.

• Overnight in Samarkand.
Day Seven, Oct 16 2026
Samarkand Tour

• Today we’ll have a full day tour of Samarkand, starting with Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Ulugbek Observatory and Afrasiab museum.

• After a traditional Uzbek lunch, we will visit Gur Emir Mausoleum and Registan Square before ending our day at Siab Bazaar.

• You’ll have the evening to spend at leisure, but we recommend re-visiting Registan Square to experience the spectacular light show!

• Overnight in Samarkand.
Day Eight, Oct 17 2026
Ancient Penjikent

• We’ll have an early breakfast before crossing the Jartepa border from Uzbekistan to meet our Tajik guide.

• From the border, we’ll drive 20 minutes to ancient Penjikent, where we can explore the ruins of an old Sogdian town founded in the 5th century and abandoned in the 8th century by Arabs. We’ll see the excavated ruins of house foundations, the city bazaar, and the citadel, which contains Zoroastrian fire temples. Penjikent is the birthplace of Abu Abdallah Rudaki, who is considered the father of Persian poetry; we will visit the museum showcasing some of his work.

• Afterwards, we’ll head for lunch and then drive for approximately 5 hours to Dushanbe, passing through the 5km long Anzob Tunnel a.k.a. The Tunnel of Death, a vital roadway which connects Tajikistan’s two largest cities.

• Overnight in Dushanbe.
Day Nine, Oct 18 2026
Dushanbe

• Today is a well-earned day of rest. You can use the day to relax or explore independently.

• For those interested, our local guide can lead an optional tour to show you the city’s highlights.

• Overnight in Dushanbe.
Day Ten, Oct 19 2026
Khujand

• Start the drive to Khujand in the morning, passing back through the 5km long Anzob Tunnel.

• En route, we arrive at the emerald-coloured Iskanderkul Lake, where we’ll have the afternoon to swim, hike to the waterfall, or go on speed boat rides around the lake (approx $10 pp).

• Later, we will continue to Khujand to check into our hotel and spend the evening at leisure.

• Overnight in Khujand.
Day Eleven, Oct 20 2026
Osh

• After breakfast, we will head to the border and say goodbye to our Tajik guide and cross into Kyrgyzstan.

• After crossing the border, we will travel approximately 5 hours to Osh, before checking into our hotel and spending the evening at leisure.

• Overnight in Osh.
Day Twelve, Oct 21 2026
Toktogul

• This morning, we will visit the sacred Sulayman Mountain, before setting off on our journey toward the capital city of Bishkek.

• Today’s drive is long (approximately 8 hours), but the road rivals the Pamir Highway for the most beautiful and scenic journey in Central Asia. We pass huge mountains, canyons and valleys, as well as crossing a host of different climatic zones and vegetation levels. We’ll see the natural and cultural divide of the country through the Fergana Valley and the Tien Shan mountain range.

• We will stop overnight in Toktogul and enjoy dinner with a local family.
Day Thirteen, Oct 22 2026
Bishkek

• Today we have another long drive (approximately 6 hours) and we will continue the scenic journey to Bishkek over the Ala-Bel and Tyua-Ashuu Passes, stopping along the way to admire the views.

• You will have the afternoon and evening at leisure to explore the capital.

• Overnight in Bishkek.
Day Fourteen, Oct 23 2026
Ala Archa

• This morning, we will drive to Ala Archa, a beautiful alpine national park in the Tian Shan mountain range. Spending the majority of the day hiking and exploring the wild scenery or relaxing and taking in the clean air of the mountains.

• We will return to Bishkek for mid-afternoon, where you will then have the rest of the day at leisure.

• Overnight in Bishkek.
Day Fifteen, Oct 24 2026
Kazakhstan

• After breakfast, we will depart Bishkek and head to the final country of the tour – Kazakhstan.

• We’ll have an afternoon tour of Almaty, seeing the sights. We’ll visit Panfilov Park, home to the bright-yellow towers of Zenkov Cathedral.

• This evening we’ll head out for a final farewell dinner.

• Overnight in Almaty.
Day Sixteen, Oct 25 2026
Tour Ends

• After two weeks of travel, our tour sadly ends today.

• You can depart Almaty at any time, or you are welcome to add extra nights in Kazakhstan on request.