Central Asia

The history of Central Asia is closely tied to its nomadic peoples and the ancient trade routes across the Asian continent. Little known and even less visited, the countries along the Great Silk Route provide spectacular surprises for the traveller willing to explore.

Experience Russia in winter and come away with lasting impressions of blue skies and snow on golden domes. Summers in St Petersburg unleash a riot of culture during the so called White Nights period of June. From the vast Siberian Steppe to steaming fumaroles in Kamchatka, from glorious palaces to unsurpassed museums stacked with priceless treasures, Russia offers the intrepid traveller a holiday of huge variety and endless superlatives.

The sparsely populated but wildly beautiful and untamed country of Mongolia represents one of the last bastions of unspoiled locations. From the starkly beautiful Gobi Desert to the mountains of Khentii, its culture is richly embedded with the horse. July’s three day Naadam Festival is a spectacle to behold as the whole country pauses to celebrate amid fierce competition in the three national sports of riding, wrestling and archery

Discover the fabled Khanate of Khiva and the dazzling Islamic monuments of Bukhara and Samarkand before crossing the windswept steppe to ride in the Tien Shan mountains or bathe in the clear waters of Issykul. These are true frontier countries rich in deep-rooted traditions and steeped in colourful history.

We have travelled extensively in Central Asia and will design a unique itinerary that truly captures the essence of this astonishing region. There are many more border crossings you can make between the ‘stans’ than mentioned in our sample itineraries, so do call us for options.

Russia

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Mongolia

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Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

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Kyrgyzstan

Kazakhstan

At night the sound of bells was heard, faint and hard to distinguish in the distance. Slowly it grew clearer, and its rhythm betrayed the measured step of camels. It came nearer and nearer, and when the first bell passed our tent its sound was loud and piercing. The others followed in due order, and finally we heard the last bell of the last camel in the caravan. I listened, moved by these old familiar bells, the special melody of the caravan route for a thousand years past, around which the whole desert life of traveller, driver, merchant unfolds its varied and fascinating picture.

Sven Hedin, The Silk Road, 1938

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