Explore the fabled Silk Road as you journey through Central Asia’s Five ’Stans: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
The Silk Road: A Journey to Central Asia
Featuring the Five “Stans” of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan
17 days from $8,795
Explore the fabled Silk Road as you journey through Central Asia’s Five ’Stans: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
Tour Details
TOUR BROCHURE
brochureWHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY
- Bechir R.A fascinating tour in a fascinating world. Don't miss it.
- Adrienne D.Our trip to the Silk Road cities of days of yore was a fascinating journey into the past. Ancient cities like Bukhara and Samarkand took on a modern cast after our fabulous Smithsonian trip there.
- Janice S.Central Asia with Smithsonian Journeys was an eye-opening experience to a little-known part of the world. One of the most memorable trips I have ever taken.
- Laura G.Our trip to the Five Stans with Smithsonian Journeys was extraordinary. Exploring the Silk Road fulfilled a lifelong dream—particularly Samarkand with some of the most magnificent Islamic architecture on the planet.
JOURNEYS DISPATCHES
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Hotel Oguzkent
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Elegant yet traditional, the Oguzkent Hotel is situated in Ashkabad's city center, across from Neutrality Park. Designed for comfort and convenience, rooms come with a minibar, safe, air conditioning and WiFi. Three restaurants, a spa and mall are also located within the hotel.
Asia Hotel Khiva
Khiva, Uzbekistan
Located just outside of Ichon Qala and a two-minute walk from the city wall, Hotel Asia Khiva offers a beautiful lobby, a restaurant with its own bakery, bar, conference hall, Internet, pool and sauna. All rooms have air-conditioning, satellite TV, phone and minibar.
Latifa Begim Hotel
Bukhara, Uzbekistan
The beautiful Latifa Begim Hotel is one of Bukhara's best and newest properties. It is conveniently located just off the central Lyabi Hauz Square and within easy walking distance of most of the Old Town area. The hotel features traditional Bukharan design elements including plaster carvings, woodwork, and tiles. All rooms include air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and other modern amenities.
Emir Han
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Located only a mile from Samarkand's historic center, the Emir Han hotel features two restaurants, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a Finnish sauna and a Turkish bath. Rooms come furnished with a flat-screen satellite TV, minibar, in-room safe, air-conditioning, and complimentary WiFi.
Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Located in the heart of the city, the updated Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace re-opened in 2013. The elegant hotel features two restaurants, one of them on the rooftop, serving regional and international cuisine. A piano bar, fitness center, outdoor pool, sauna and spa services round out the amenities. Rooms include deluxe beds, air conditioning, WiFi, satellite TV, minibar and hairdryer.
Novotel Bishkek City Center
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Opened in March of 2021, the Novotel Bishkek offers modern and contemporary 4-star comforts in the center of Kyrgyzstan's capital city. Onsite amenities include a fitness and spa facilities with a Turkish bath and sauna, massage rooms, an indoor swimming pool, and a restaurant serving local and Mediterranean fare. Multilingual front desk and concierge services are available 24 hours a day and high-speed Wifi is available throughout the property.
InterContinental Almaty Hotel
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Located in downtown Almaty, the five-star Intercontinental is beautifully appointed with a grand atrium entryway. Rooms have a minibar, air conditioning and satellite TV. Multiple restaurants on the property serve everything from Chinese to Turkish cuisine and the French-inspired Belvedere Grill with its rooftop-dining terrace is known as one of the best restaurants in the city. A Turkish bath is available at the onsite spa along with an indoor pool, tennis courts and golf courses.
Expectations: Longer trip featuring an exotic and sometimes challenging destination, with multiple hotel changes, two internal flights, and long coach rides (from three to eight hours). (Coaches are all modern and comfortable but do not provide a restroom.) This tour features a fast pace, long days of touring with daily activity of five to eight hours on most days, with extended walking of generally two to three miles. Walking entails sometimes difficult terrain (uneven surfaces, uneven steps in older buildings, city hills, steep staircases without handrails, little access to elevators even in some hotels), walking to city centers where coaches are prohibited, and navigating through crowds. Road conditions may vary from smooth highways to bumpy asphalt roads with potholes. Overland border crossings may require crossing up to half a mile on foot while carrying your own hand luggage. This tour entails altitudes up to 6,000 feet, which may cause some travelers additional effort. Every effort is made for comfort during this trip, however flexibility, a sense of humor, and a willingness to accept local standards of amenities and services are essential components to the enjoyment of this trip.
Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit, lead active lives, are comfortable participating in long days of activities, and expect some physical exertion.
WHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY
- Bechir R.A fascinating tour in a fascinating world. Don't miss it.
- Adrienne D.Our trip to the Silk Road cities of days of yore was a fascinating journey into the past. Ancient cities like Bukhara and Samarkand took on a modern cast after our fabulous Smithsonian trip there.
- Janice S.Central Asia with Smithsonian Journeys was an eye-opening experience to a little-known part of the world. One of the most memorable trips I have ever taken.
- Laura G.Our trip to the Five Stans with Smithsonian Journeys was extraordinary. Exploring the Silk Road fulfilled a lifelong dream—particularly Samarkand with some of the most magnificent Islamic architecture on the planet.
Explore the life, art, and influence of the greatest traders of the Silk Road at Smithsonian's Freer Gallery and Sackler Gallery of Asian Art.
Highly Recommended
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For the convenience of our travelers, Smithsonian Journeys includes a basic medical expense and evacuation plan through Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand, at no additional charge. This plan provides post-departure Medical and Dental coverage of $250,000 per person and Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage of $1,000,000 per person (U.S. Residents Only). Note: For full details regarding these coverages please review the following Plan Documents here.
In addition, we recommend that travelers purchase a travel protection plan to help protect their travel investment from unforeseen events such as cancellation due to illness, flight delays due to adverse weather, baggage loss, and more. For your convenience, Smithsonian Journeys offers an optional Travel Protection Plan administered by Trip Mate, a Generali Global Assistance & Insurance Services brand. For those interested, optional "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage is available for an additional charge. Note: Certain eligibility requirements apply and Cancel for Any Reason coverage is not available to New York residents. For full details regarding this coverage please review the following Plan Documents here.
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