G-Adventures logo

Journeys: Stories of Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan

11 days, Tashkent to Ashgabat

!

Note for UK passport holders: An e-Visa is required. Ensure your application reflects the Day 8 entry date as stated in your LOI. If you're unsure about visa requirements, check your nationality-specific entry info here: - link

11 days - Tashkent to Ashgabat

From$3299USD
Valid on Oct 8 2026
Trip Code: AUTNG

Need a flight? We can help.

Call us to book your flights! We'll find you the best option!

Is this tour for me?

Travel Style: National Geographic Journeys

Greater exploration, insider access, and the freedom to roam – all without sacrificing comfort.

Service Level: Upgraded

Quality accommodations and more inclusions than on other G Adventures tours, like meals, private transport, and activities.

Physical Rating: 3 - Average

Some tours may include light hiking, biking, rafting, or kayaking in addition to walking.

Trip Type: Small Group

Small group experience; 16

Age requirement: 12+

All travellers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Check Your Visa Requirements

Before booking, use our handy entry requirements tool so you know which documents you need to enter and travel through the countries on your trip.

View our Entry Requirements tool

11 days - Tashkent to Ashgabat

From$3299USD
Valid on Oct 8 2026
Trip Code: AUTNG

Need a flight? We can help.

Call us to book your flights! We'll find you the best option!

See how your trip uplifts communities

In a number of impactful ways, your adventure directly benefits the local people and places we visit.

Trees for Days

Help us spread love around the world with Trees for Days. Together with Planeterra, we'll plant one tree in your name for every travel day.

Trees planted for this trip: 11

Itinerary

Day 1TASHKENT

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Welcome Moment Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group

Meals included:

Dinner

Day 2TASHKENT

Set out on a guided tour of the State History Museum of Uzbekistan, where ancient artifacts and exhibits trace the region’s evolution–from early civilization to Silk Road empires, then Soviet rule. After, step into the spiritual heart of the city at the Religious Center of Tashkent, home to the beautifully restored Hasti Imam complex and the revered Museum of the Koran to see one of the world’s oldest Qurans. Then, wander through the vibrant lanes of Chorsu Bazaar, where local life rushes around the mounds of spices, fresh produce and handwoven goods. At the bazaar, sample honim, a beloved Uzbek dish of steamed dough filled with spiced vegetables.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 3TASHKENT/ SAMARKAND

Travel this morning through the Uzbek desert on a high-speed train to Samarkand–one of the Silk Road’s most legendary cities. Upon arrival, take a guided tour beginning at Ulugbek Observatory. We’ll hear the story of its namesake, the 15th-century astronomer and ruler who mapped the stars with astonishing precision, leaving behind one of the Islamic world’s most important scientific legacies. Continue to the Afrosiob Museum, positioned on ancient Samarkand. Here, we’ll meet with the head archeologist who will share insights into the city’s ongoing excavations. This evening, join a local family to try the nation’s signature rice pilaf dish, plov. As you learn how the meal is prepared, the family will also explain its symbolism.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Archeologist Guided Afrasiab Museum Visit| Your Local Living Moment Plov Cooking Demonstration and Dinner

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 4SAMARKAND

Continue exploring Samarkand with a guided visit to two of the city’s most iconic landmarks: Guri Amir Mausoleum, the resting place of Timur, the great conqueror, and the beautiful Registan Square, where madrasas showcase some of the finest Islamic architecture in the world. The afternoon is yours to explore this amazing city at your own pace. In Samarkand, your options for cultural exploration are endless. Maybe head to the peaceful Konigil Village to visit the Meros Paper Mill, where artisans use traditional, centuries-old silk paper making techniques. Or take a trip out to the Mausoleum of St Daniel. Wander the colorful stalls of Siyab Bazaar or this evening, experience a performance at the El Merosi Theatre of Historical Costumes, where centuries of Uzbek dress and dance come to life.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 5SAMARKAND/ BUKHARA

Climb aboard the high-speed train as we travel to the UNESCO World Heritage destination, Bukhara. This city is known as one of the most culturally rich and ancient places along the Silk Road and was a battle zone for conquerors like Genghis Khan, the British Empire and Russian Bolshevik troops. Head into the Old Town, where over 2,500 years of history thrive to this day. Start at Ismail Samanid Mausoleum, an Uzbek icon from the 10th century and one of the oldest Islamic monuments in all of Central Asia. The next stop is Ark Fortress, a towering symbol of Bukhara’s political and spiritual power. End the tour at the Kalyan Minaret, a nearly 900-year-old brickmade watchtower. This evening, we head to a local restaurant to learn to make the famous Uzbek dumplings, manti.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Hands-On Moment Manti Making

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 6BUKHARA

Today begins with a visit to the Naqshbandi Mausoleum, a place dedicated to Central Asia’s most revered Sufi scholars and a historic pilgrimage site. Meet with a local expert in Sufism to learn about its spiritual philosophy and lasting influence on the region’s culture and identity. Continue to the opulent Sitorai Mokhi Khosa, once the summer palace of the last Emir of Bukhara, now a striking display of Russian and Persian architecture. The afternoon is free to explore the city on your own. Choose to visit an 18th-century hammam or do some shopping along the ancient trading domes of the old Caravanserai. This evening, gather in the stunning Madrasah Nadir Devon Begi for a traditional dinner and a folklore show that puts Uzbek heritage on full display.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Naqshbandi Mausoleum Sufism Experience

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 7BUKHARA/ KHIVA

Drive through the Kyzylkum desert toward the ancient city of Khiva. See the everchanging sand dunes, once crossed by travellers on the Silk Road carrying goods from the far corners of the world. Gaze upon the distant mountain peaks before arriving at the ancient walled city of Khiva, a living museum, with some of the best-preserved Islamic architecture in the world.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 8KHIVA

Explore Khiva, an ornate and beautiful ancient city that makes you feel like you’ve been transported back in time to the Silk Road over 2,500 years ago. Within the Ichan-Qala, the inner walled town of Khiva, you’ll be immersed in a kaleidoscope of colourful alleyways, tiled mosques, historic madrasas and towering minarets. Khiva is a town so steeped in preservation as Sophie Ibbotson explains in her “6 reasons to visit Khiva, the tourist capital of the Islamic world for 2024” National Geographic article. Together we’ll wander its paths, hearing the stories of traders, scholars and historic explorers and adventurers. This evening, explore Khiva culture at a Khorezmian dinner celebrating the region's historic music and dance.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 9KHIVA/ ASHGABAT

This morning, cross the border into Turkmenistan, a unique country rich with historic traditions still alive to this day. Our first stop is at the beautiful and haunting ruins of Kunya Urgench. Once a rich and lively center for Islamic scholars, it is now full of crumbling minarets, sacred tombs and mausoleums. After a visit at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, continue to Dashguz to board an evening flight to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan’s capital city.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 10ASHGABAT

Head out to Old Nisa, the former capital of the Parthian Empire from 200 BCE.. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an important archaeological location full of ruins and well-preserved artifacts. Take in the remnants of mudbrick royal complexes and fortresses through remains of a civilization that once rivaled Rome. Fast forward from the past to the present as we head to the futuristic Alem Centre, a chance to admire its incredible architecture. This evening, gather for a farewell dinner in the city and reminisce about the incredible journey we’ve had through the Stans.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 11ASHGABAT

Depart at any time.

Meals included:

Breakfast
View full itinerary

What's Included

  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Archeologist Guided Afrasiab Museum Visit, Samarkand
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Naqshbandi Mausoleum Sufism Experience, Bukhara
  • Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
  • Your Local Living Moment: Plov Cooking Demonstration and Dinner, Samarkand
  • Your Hands-On Moment: Manti Making, Bukhara
  • Arrival Transfer
  • State History Museum of Uzbekistan
  • Religious Center of Tashkent
  • Chorsu Bazaar
  • Guided Tour of Samarkand
  • Archeologist Guided Afrasiab Museum Visit
  • Plov Cooking Demonstration and Dinner
  • Guri Amir Mausoleum Visit
  • Registan Visit
  • Free time in Samarkand
  • Bukhara Orientation Walk
  • Manti Making
  • Naqshbandi Mausoleum Sufism Experience
  • Sitorai Mokhi Khosa
  • Free time in Bukhara
  • Nodir Devonbegi Madrasah Monument Dinner
  • Khiva Orientation Walk
  • Khiva Ancient City Exploration
  • Free time in Khiva
  • Khorezmian Music and Dance Show
  • Kunya-Urgench City Visit
  • Ancient Settlement of Nisa
  • Ashgabat City Tour
  • Internal flights
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodations

Hotels (10 nts)

Meals

10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 6 dinners
Allow USD255-335 for meals not included.

Transportation

Private Vehicle, Plane, Walking, Train.

Staff & experts

CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.

Available extras (Add these to your tour when you book)

My Own Room - From $759.00

If you're travelling solo and would prefer to have your own private room throughout your trip, select this option during the online booking process.

Make it a private tour

Book this tour as a private departure, with your own CEO and all the benefits of a G Adventures group tour.

Journeys: Stories of Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan

| 11 days - Tashkent to Ashgabat - from $3299 USD