The Five Stans - Tashkent Departure

Day 1: ARRIVE IN TASHKENT

No matter what time you arrive, you’ll be met at the airport by a welcoming face who will drive you to your accommodation. Drop your bags, because all amazing adventures begin somewhere – and on this trip, you’ll kick off in Tashkent, Uzbekistan at 10am today!

Meet your solo travel buddies in the hotel before heading out for a casual stroll around Tashkent city with your expert guide, and your first delicious tasting of Uzbek food. Have your camera ready in the afternoon because you’re going underground to uncover the Soviet-Era opulence of Tashkent’s Metro. This is no ordinary public transport, it’s famous for a reason!

Tonight is the group’s welcome dinner. You’ll head out to one of our favourite local restaurants and ‘break bread’ – another chance to get to know your Fencox Crew.

Accommodation: Consti Hotel (or similar), Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Included: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: TASHKENT

Stepping out in Tashkent, you immediately sense that a shift has happened – and it is dramatic. Due to a huge earthquake in 1966, large parts of the city were rebuilt in Soviet style, designed to be the best example of Soviet town planning and architecture. It creates quite a contrast, which you’ll explore today, making your way through monuments old and new – and getting your first taste of a Stan bazaar. Cameras at the ready!

Following lunch, a special treat is in store as you visit the crafts quarter of the city and meet a local artisanal family, the Rahimovs. Get caught up in their multi-generational passion for ceramics and the preservation of Uzbek culture as they proudly show you the inner workings of their Uzbek ceramics workshop.

Accommodation: Consti Hotel (or similar), Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 3: NUKUS

Nukus isn’t on typical traveller radars, but its remoteness and once Soviet spy intrigue will have you enthralled! Touch down from your early morning flight just after breakfast and head on over to the Savitsky Museum to see just a corner of the largest collection of works by avant-garde artists purged by Stalin in the 1930s. For decades, artist Igor Savitsky had collected and hidden their works for safekeeping, right under the collective nose of the KGB!

Images of political defiance will linger in your mind this afternoon, all the way to Khiva, as the stark desert rushes past your window. Later, as you dine with your group on a patio, watching the sunset glow over a labyrinth of alleyways and minarets, you’ll already find yourself falling head over heels for Khiva.

Accommodation: Hotel Bankir (or similar), Khiva, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 4: LOVELY KHIVA

Today you’ll spend the full day in the magnificent Silk Road oasis of Khiva, starting with its most magical centre point: the walled-in old town of Ichan-Kala. Walk its citadel walls during the morning, imagining yourself as a guard of old. Step through one of the towering gates to wander the residents’ quarters for an insider’s view of Uzbek life, along with a guided tour of some of the city’s historic monuments. Feast your eyes on explosions of colour, commerce, and the show-stopping Kalta-minor Minaret.

The afternoon is free for you to wander the magical streets or spend some time hunting for handmade souvenirs. Need a rest? Put up your feet in the shade of the minaret and enjoy a tea.

Accommodation: Hotel Bankir (or similar), Khiva, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 5: TURKMENISTAN

Jump out of bed early because today you’re road-tripping to Turkmenistan! While it’s not much more than an hour to the border and the crossing is only about 500 metres on foot, the paperwork process takes as long as it takes, so be sure to pack your patience as well as your bag!

With a new passport stamp, you and your leader are greeted by your Turkmenistan guide and driver. Meet Turkmenistan in Dashoguz, a caravan-stop-turned-modern hub that most tourists don’t see. You have time for a tour of its Soviet architecture (by now you’re probably a pro at spotting that era’s wide avenues and monuments of power) and maybe a quick stop at the have-it-all Peasant’s Bazaar before lunch.

After this little Turkmen teaser, a quick flight brings you to the country’s capital, Ashgabat, where a meatier course awaits you (and we don’t just mean the meat-filled dumplings you may be digging into at dinner!).

Accommodation: Hotel Olympia (or similar), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 6: OLD NISA FORTRESS

Old Nisa is a UNESCO site that’s famed as the first home of the Parthian kings. Under the gaze of the copper-coloured Kopet-Dag Mountains, you’ll set foot in half-crumbled fortresses that once fought off the Roman Empire from expansion into Central Asia. Then, it’s time to visit the Gokdepe Horse Farm in search of a golden horse (really!) that’s the pride of Turkmenistan. It’s the kind of morning to work up a real appetite, and Turkmenistan’s favourite flavours won’t keep you waiting, so head on over to lunch for a delicious surprise!

If your feet feel tired on your return to Ashgabat, we’ve got just the thing for you – lean back in your seat as you and the Crew drive around for a first proper look at the white marble city, weaving through some of the most iconic monuments in town. Hold up, driver, that looks like a gigantic book!

Accommodation: Hotel Olympia (or similar), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 7: ASHGABAT

Did you bring your sunnies? With Ashgabat outside your door, it’s a day of bright white marble ahead, so you’ll need them! Start the morning digging into history, with everything from archaeological finds to large carpets at the National Museum of History, before venturing into the Hakydasy Memorial Complex, a great chance to feel small among the towering monuments.

Best order an extra round of flaky, melt-in-your-mouth samsa at lunch, you’ll need the energy for the afternoon’s walking tour! Weave your way through town, inspecting carpets at the Altyn Asyr market, sampling unknown foods at the Russian Bazaar, and waving at Lenin, whose statue survived a major earthquake and points eternally to the future. Did you find your muse in the Park of Inspiration? It’s all in a day’s work for a Fencox explorer! If you haven’t had enough yet, use your free afternoon to visit Art Bazar, and meet a local artisan for a real, can’t-find-it-anywhere-else glimpse into ethnic Turkmen arts.

Accommodation: Hotel Olympia (or similar), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 8: ANCIENT MERV AND MARY

First stop today: Silk Road history. Head east into the bluffs of the Karakum Desert and back in time, to Ancient Merv. Waiting on the other side of weathered brick is a nexus of Islamic culture, the one-time capital of the Great Seljuk Empire. Solidly on the UNESCO list, Merv is the oldest and best-preserved of all the oasis cities along the Silk Road. Unravel the mysteries behind the huge corrugated palaces known as koshks and learn how Gengis Khan’s heirs staged massacres here in the 13th century.

A local painter in nearby Mary brings you back to the present, inviting you into his workshop to delight in his work. After so many impressions, a free afternoon may be just the ticket. Perhaps the crisp sheets of your hotel bed beckon you for a nap. Or, if you’re still itching to explore, ask your guide for a bonus excursion – the 126-year-old Russian Orthodox Church offering a striking contrast to its surroundings.

Accommodation: Hotel Margush (or similar), Mary, Turkmenistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 9: BUKHARA

Today you’ll be waving goodbye to Turkmenistan and saying hello-again to Uzbekistan. The drive to the border used to be egregious, but a brand new highway sets you up for a smooth ride to Bukhara. Can you believe it’s only day nine and you’re already taking the border crossings in stride? You’re a regular Silk Road pro, now!

Speaking of Silk Road travellers, the major cities of the Silk Road are very much discovered – and quite popular! We’ve timed your visits to give you the must-sees without the crowds where possible, but you may find your jaw dropping next to someone else’s wide eyes from time to time.

You’ll arrive just in time to check into your boutique hotel, nestled in the heart of the historic district, before it’s time for dinner in the Old Town. Doesn’t it feel like a magic carpet might be waiting around the corner?

Accommodation: Rizo Hotel (or similar), Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 10: BUKHARA

Bukhara is one of the crown jewels of the Silk Road trade route. A UNESCO-listed city, it serves up unending chances to zigzag through backstreets, shop like locals at the bazaars and gaze at historical monuments.

The city’s moniker, ‘Bukhoroi Shareef’, meaning ‘Holy Bukhara’, is named so for its hundreds of mosques and many mausoleums, and today you’ll be seeing plenty of them! After visiting some of Central Asia’s most important mausoleums and mosques, you’ll find yourself at the Poikalon complex, today’s centrepiece. Despite its religious origins, the highest minaret is nicknamed the ‘Tower of Death.’ See if you can figure out why! (Hint: it’s a long way down…) Come afternoon, you have some free time at the old town’s Labi-Havuz Plaza, where you can stroll around the peaceful pool just like local residents, mulling over the day’s events with your Fencox crew in a quiet contemplation that leads seamlessly into dinner.

Accommodation: Rizo Hotel (or similar), Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 11: BUKHARA TO SAMARKAND

There’s nothing better than waking up to a delicious breakfast spread and taking it out to a quiet courtyard, something we highly recommend today. It’s a peaceful contrast to the morning’s first stop: Ark Citadel – Bukhara’s original fortress and a symbol of power, quite possibly more than 2,000 years old. Then it’s time to make a big memory from something very small, with a bring-your-magnifying-glass visit to the studio of Davlat Toshev. He has mastered the miniature painting style that Bukharians have developed over centuries.

In the afternoon, you’ll hitch a ride on the comfy high-speed train to Samarkand – one of the world’s oldest cities. You and your fellow Fencox travellers are treated to quite the entrance to this melting-pot-jewel. On the way back from dinner, catch your first glimpse of the infamous Registan Square and watch past and future collide in a spectacle of lights against the backdrop of its ancient walls.

Accommodation: Arka Boutique (or similar), Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

PEELING BACK THE LAYERS OF HISTORY

Central Asia’s “Stan” countries reflect several overlapping historical layers, all still evident today. As key Silk Road hubs, cities like Samarkand and Bukhara developed a sophisticated, cosmopolitan Islamic culture shaped by trade, scholarship, and monumental architecture that still dominates historic city centres. Soviet rule reshaped cities with socialist planning, while pushing religion into private life. Since independence in the 1990s, Islamic monuments have been restored and national histories emphasised, but imposing Soviet architecture still clearly shapes the modern cities. For visitors today, this creates a distinctive experience: ancient Islamic cities and traditional nomadic cultures, Soviet modernist landscapes, and contemporary capitals all in one, making Central Asia feel less like a single civilisation and more like a living historical crossroads.

Day 12: SAMARKAND

Samarkand is one of the most popular sites of the Silk Road, and you’ll see why. Conquered by both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan, this key trading post is dripping with history. First stop is a return to last night’s standout spot, Registan Square. Far from feeling like a recycled experience, however, today you’ll get to dive deep into the three madrassas around the square to uncover ancient Samarkand.

But this is only one spot on the day’s packed itinerary – you’ll see a romantic gift that puts all others to shame, smell the spices and hear the chatter of the Siab Bazaar, get to know the man who built Samarkand and much more. By now, you know that the Stans have fantastic food, but if you’re ready to stretch your neck just across the Caspian Sea, the group may opt for a Georgian restaurant tonight that’s our guides’ favourite. Like sneaking in a sixth country to your itinerary!

Accommodation: Arka Boutique (or similar), Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 13: SAMARKAND

Another day of digging into the majesty of Samarkand awaits – best fill up on breakfast non, Uzbek flatbread straight out of the clay oven. Served with a dollop of kaymak – a thick and creamy dairy spread – it’ll get you ready for the day ahead!

Starting your explorations at a necropolis may seem like it would put a damper on your mood, but walking through 800 years of mausoleums and some of the finest tilework in all of Uzbekistan, you may just find yourself elated. One notable resident is astronomer and sultan Ulugh Beg, and visiting his observatory later this day will give you a whole new appreciation of his sophisticated, 15th century understanding of astronomy.

Somehow you’re two weeks into this trip, and on your last day in Uzbekistan. Take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come. Don’t the distractions of the West feel far away?

Accommodation: Arka Boutique (or similar), Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 14: PENJIKENT, TAJIKISTAN

Your time in Uzbekistan may be over, but that only means another Stan awaits! Next up: Tajikistan – a country that has been described as ‘mountains upon mountains upon mountains’. It’s another border crossing on foot, and waiting on the other side is the friendly face of your Tajik guide, full of new insights and secret tips. Well worth the walk!

Spend your day exploring world heritage ruins that date back to the Bronze Age, then it’s time to open your senses and meet Tajikistan’s rural majesty. The ride through the mountain valley of the Seven Lakes may be a bit bumpy, but you’ll be rewarded with friendly villages, mountains rising toward the heavens, and a stroll or two along lakes so emerald-green and clear to the bottom that you’ll think you’re looking into a crystal ball. Arriving in Penjikent for dinner, all that’s left to do is get recommendations on what to order – thankfully, your guide has all the answers!

Accommodation: Fariz Hotel (or similar), Penjikent, Tajikistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 15: ISKANDER KUL ON THE WAY TO DUSHANBE

This morning you and the rest of the Fencox crew head deep into the Fann mountains to a lake named after Alexander the Great. Iskander Kul is set at an altitude of 2,200 metres, and you’ll feel the lighter air up there.

Soak up the mountain scenery, or stretch those legs and take a short hike to a nearby waterfall. The pristine air will wake up your appetite for lunch. Then it’s back in the vehicle and you’ll reach Dushanbe in time to check into your hotel before heading out for dinner. After a few days on the road, your group will relish the extra choices available tonight!

Accommodation: Rumi Hotel (or similar), Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 16: DUSHANBE

Dushanbe is an absolute treasure of a city with just 800,000 people and a relaxed vibe. You’ll visit the National Museum of Antiquities, Rudaki Park and a few other sights on this city tour that spans the whole day.

One of your stops, Navruz Palace, was meant to be a spectacular tea house, but the owners got carried away and ended up with a monument of total excess. Described by someone as ‘opulence gone wild’, it is now the Presidential Palace of Tajikistan. Definitely worth a group pic in front of this exorbitant landmark.

Your visit to Tajikistan has been short but all the sweeter for it . You have just over a week left, so there is plenty more to see! Rest up tonight, because tomorrow you’ll be saying “Goodbye Tajikistan and Hello Kazakhstan!”

Accommodation: Rumi Hotel (or similar), Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 17: WELCOME TO KAZAKHSTAN

Your international flight to Almaty is not until after lunchtime, so take a chance to have a lie-in this morning, or spring out of bed for an early-morning trip to the market with your guide. Today’s itinerary is light on events, so it really is the perfect day to follow what you need – is it rest, is it a moment to write postcards, or maybe a loong cuppa with a fellow Fencox friend or two? You know best! All that’s left to do is hop on a flight to Kazakhstan, check in at the hotel, and let your guide guide you to one of their favourite spots for dinner.

Accommodation: Kazzhol Park Hotel (or similar), Almaty, Kazakhstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 18: ALMATY REGION

You might think it’s possible to tire of pristine mountain lakes, but the Stans are up for the challenge, where no glittering view is like the next. Kazakhstan boasts the snowy mountain-ringed Issyk Lake, in a region that holds sacred burial sites for the Saka tribes. On your drive back from your lakeside morning, visit the Golden Man in Esik, who dates to the 5th Century BC.

All of this history may have you hungry (and admittedly, a little thirsty). Stopping in to visit Slava Stolyar is just the ticket! Slava and his family produce cheese and wine – and they make a mouth-watering, finish-the-whole-thing pizza that you won’t want to miss. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy, you’ve plenty of time before returning to Almaty!

Accommodation: Kazzhol Park Hotel (or similar), Almaty, Kazakhstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 19: ALMATY CITY TOUR

With a week left and plenty of experiences under your belt already, you’ve earned a relaxed day! Stretch your legs this morning with a walking tour of Almaty. Walk side-by-side with a new Fencox friend on the wide, tree-lined avenues and reach Panfilov Park, where the wooden Zenkov Cathedral’s spires reach toward the sky. Standing in front of its colourful details and ornate decorations, you may be tempted to think you stepped into a storybook.

It’s a day for aimless wandering, blending in with Kazakhs as they go about their day. You may find yourself discussing traditional handicrafts with a local artisan or getting advice from a bazaar tradesperson on selecting the best dried fruits, traditional salty dried cheese kurt (nicknamed the Kazakh parmesan), or spices by the shot glass. You’ll want to pick up an apple while you’re here, too – ask your guide why! Wrap up your day with a delightful surprise that’ll make you feel on top of the world.

Accommodation: Kazzhol Park Hotel (or similar), Almaty, Kazakhstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 20: CHARYN CANYON TO KARAKOL

Kazakhstan has earned its reputation for broad, open spaces, but today also gives you a sneak peak at its mountainous southeast. So buckle up and get ready, you’re embarking on a whirlwind road trip where the scenery will have you glued to the window. Cityscapes give way to vast steppes and distant mountains that may feel more and more like an alien planet, before your spaceship lands at today’s highlight: Charyn Canyon.

Also known as Red Castles Valley, it’s an apt name. The red sandstone formations lead you deep into the chasm to the river below on an appetite-building walk that ends at a made-for-photos picnic lunch spot. What a way to end your Kazakhstan visit. Time to walk across the border to Kyrgyzstan, your final Stan on this trip. It’s been a long day’s journey, so tonight it’s a sample of Kyrgyz dishes for dinner and straight to bed!

Accommodation: Hotel 78 (or similar), Karakol, Kyrgyzstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunchbox, Dinner

Day 21: KARAKOL AND TAMGA

Your time in Karakol is short and intense, giving you a quick burst of its most interesting spots. As the fourth largest city in Kyrgyzstan, it immediately greets you with its multicultural air, and you’ll dig into both mosques and Russian Orthodox churches on this morning’s exploration.

Come lunch, be prepared to put in some elbow grease for your meal. Stepping over the threshold to a local Uighur family’s home, you’ll note the warm spices already wafting from the kitchen. On the menu: Lagman noodles, a national dish of Central Asia’s Uigur people, and one which you will help make!

Full of delicious food and newfound friendship, you and the Fencox crew make your way to the countryside, passing fiery sandstone and still waters to reach a lakeside yurt camp. It’s a rustic, outdoor-toilet kind of living, but the campfire surprise in the evening is more than worth it.

Accommodation: Yurt Camp (one toilet and shower per yurt, outside), Kyrgyzstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunchbox (picnic), Dinner

Day 22: TAMGA REGION AND ISSYK KUL

After breakfast, a trip to Skazka Canyons for a light hike is on the cards. This unusual, rocky landscape’s name means “fairytale”, and as the red rocks billow and swerve around you, you’ll get it. The fairytale feel gets an upgrade when you meet an eagle hunter and his trusted bird of prey. Is this actually happening?

Return to reality at lunch (but only almost), dining with a local family in the village of Kaji-Sai. The magic returns when they bring out their instruments! Oh, and bring your swimsuit if you’re up for a dip afterwards! You’ll return to your yurt camp tonight, or as you may come to think of it, your home under the stars.

Accommodation: Yurt Camp (one toilet and shower per yurt, outside), Kyrgyzstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunchbox (picnic), and Dinner

Day 23: FELT CARPETS OF KOCHKOR

Something special is in store for today as you meet the artisans behind the craft – a local women’s cooperative. Indigenous, ancient arts are flourishing in Kochkor, famous for its Kyrgyz felt carpet or ‘shyrdak’ tradition. Until recently, though, it was on the verge of disappearing. Thankfully UNESCO stepped in to protect this cultural asset, strongly tied to the age-old nomadic Kyrgyzstan identity. Another interesting stop is at the village of Kyzyl-Tuu, a yurt-making hub – who knows – you may just want to build your own yurt when you get back home!

And before you know it, your guide will be pulling out a picnic lunch to chow down on at an interesting roadside spot. The afternoon has a few more surprises in store as you explore the beautiful Kyrgyz countryside.

Accommodation: Hotel Nomads Lodge (or similar), Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan
Included: Breakfast, Picnic, and Dinner

Day 24: BURANA TOWER

You’ll hit the road today for your final destination, and the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. But first, interact with the past as your group stops at the medieval Burana Tower – the last remnant of the lost Silk Road city of Balasagun, once considered the centre of the world.

Together with your travel mates, you’ll watch a centuries-old, traditional horse sport, in a skilful game that appears similar to polo – only it’s often called ‘Goat’ and you’re about to find out why! Get to meet the horses after the event and take the opportunity for a photo or two with them.

By the late afternoon, you’ll be checking into your Bishkek hotel. Relax before dinner at a local restaurant – or maybe you’d like to take in a little more history today, with a quick visit to the National Historical Museum?

Accommodation: Freedom Hotel (or similar), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 25: BISHKEK

Have you been jealously eyeing the silk scarves draped across Bishkek locals since you arrived? Not to worry! After breakfast today, you’ll head to the workshop of a local Kyrgyz artisan, who will not only show you their silk products, but give you a real master class in making your own. Now that’s worth taking home!

After lunch, make the most of your last full day on this trip by enjoying Bishkek. Walk along the blissfully shaded paths of Oak Park and explore its open art gallery of sculptures. If you still need a few last-minute souvenirs, we’ve made sure there’s some downtime today for a bit of shopping.

Then there’s nothing left to do but reluctantly gather for a farewell dinner, where you may find yourself lingering… reminiscing with your Fencox crew over the vivid details of this memorable trip… comparing photos of the unreal panoramas you’ve seen… and probably grabbing a last group shot for the memories!

Accommodation: Freedom Hotel (or similar), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 26: FAREWELL FRIENDS!

Uzbek history. Turkmen bazaars. Tajik mountains. Kazakh steppes. Kyrgyz yurts. Just think that you’ve lived it for yourself and now have countless stories to tell! You will have witnessed each country’s precious culture, history and unique heritage. Whenever anyone mentions the Silk Road, you’ll be able to say… ‘I’ve been there!’

And, you’re all the more richer for having bonded with your newfound travel buddies after starting out as a solo adventurer. As you make a final swap of contact details and vow to continue on with the group WhatsApp, who knows… you may even see another trip in your future!

Included: Breakfast

Transfer to the airport.