A Classic Silk Road Survey
More than 2,000 years ago, the great trade routes that linked Europe and China opened Central Asia to foreign cultures, customs and religions. Join a modern-day caravan on an epic journey to five of these exotic countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Contact us today to secure your spot on this popular tour!
21 Day Trip
- Small Group
Limited to 16 passengers - Travels to:
Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan - Premier Series:
Almaty to Ashgabat
MIR Signature Why end mights on this Tour
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Meet Uzbek artisans in their workshopsRead More
Learn about the life and work of Uzbek silk and ceramic artisans during visits to their workshops in the rural Fergana Valley. ... -
Dine at the home of an Uzbek familyRead More
Dine at the homes of Uzbek and Karakalpak families and sample traditional Central Asian dishes.... -
Witness exhilarating horse gamesRead More
Witness the spirit of Kyrgyzstan at exhilarating horse games, such as oodarysh, a kind of wrestling match on horseback.... -
Tour the UNESCO-listed capital of the ancient Parthian KingdomRead More
Visit the site of the capital of the ancient Parthian Kingdom, Nisa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site....
Why Travel with MIR on this Tour

- Over 30 years of Central Asia travel experience
- Travel programs such as Vassar, Dartmouth and the Harvard Museum of Natural History have chosen MIR to guide them to Central Asia
- Twice named one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth”
- MIR affiliate office in Uzbekistan
- On-the-ground support and quality you can trust
- Personalized travel planning from start to finish
- Guides and tour managers that clients rave about
- Recommended by Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
Itinerary & Highlights at a Glance
Days 1-4: Almaty, Lake Issyk-Kul, Bishkek
Begin the tour in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan, driving into the majestic Tien Shan mountain range. Cross into Kyrgyzstan and spend a night at beautiful alpine Lake Issyk-Kul before exploring Bishkek.
Highlights
- Almaty, Kazakhstan’s business capital and largest city
- Panfilov Park, with candy-colored Zenkov Cathedral
Days 5-7: Osh, Fergana, Margilan, Rishtan, Khujand
Fly to the lush Fergana Valley, divided among three of the five ‘stans. Ascend to UNESCO-listed Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain, one of the holiest Islamic sites in Central Asia, rising from the outskirts of Osh, where you meet with a group of locals. In the Uzbek portion of the valley, visit Margilan and Rishtan, villages specializing in silks and ceramics. Cross the border into Tajikistan for an overnight in historic Khujand.
Highlights
- Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain, a UNESCO Site in Osh
- Margilan Sunday Market in the lush Fergana Valley
Days 8-16: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Nukus
Journey overland to Tashkent and admire one of the oldest Korans in the world. Explore the blue-tiled mosaics of Samarkand, Tamerlane’s UNESCO-listed Ak Saray Palace in Shahrisabz, the interlocking brickwork of Bukhara and the winding alleys of Khiva. Drive through the Kyzyl Kum (Red Sands) desert to the astonishing Savitsky Museum of avant-garde Russian art in remote Nukus, capital of Karakalpakstan, for an overnight.
Highlights
- Uzbekistan’s capital and largest city, Tashkent
- The Square of Independence, tracing Tashkent’s history
Days 17-21: Kunya Urgench, Dashoguz, Ashgabat, Nisa, Merv
In Turkmenistan, explore three UNESCO Sites: the ruins of Khorezm’s Kunya Urgench, the Parthian city of Nisa and mythical Merv. In the modern capital of Ashgabat, discover the white marble monuments so plentiful that they were awarded a Guinness World Record in 2013.
Highlights
- UNESCO-listed Kunya Urgench, with 11th century Kutlug-Timur Minaret
- Parthian Kingdom of Nisa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
See Dates & Prices for more details or to see suggested extensions.
Tour Dates & Prices
Land Tour Price, Per Person
based on double occupancy
- 5-16 Travelers $7,895
- Plus Internal Air $375
- Single Supplement $1,295
2019 Dates
- April 7-27 - SOLD OUT!
- April 21-May 11
- May 12-June 1
- August 18-September 7 - Limited space!
- September 8-28 - Sold out! Waitlist available!
- September 15-October 5 - Only one last spot is now available!
- October 13-November 2 - Limited availability - only 1 spot left!
- October 20-November 9 - New departure added!
- $7,895
- Max 16 Travelers
Group Size
Small Groups – Never More than 16 Travelers. Guaranteed!
What’s Included
On Your Tour
- Shared accommodations in well-located first class hotels in the major cities and best available hotels elsewhere.
- 20 breakfasts, 19 lunches, and 15 dinners. A few dinners are not included so that you may enjoy a chance to dine on your own.
- Restaurant tips for included meals.
- Services of an experienced, English-speaking MIR Tour Manager with local guides at specific sites.
- Arrival/departure transfers. MIR will arrange for all travelers to be met on arrival and seen off on departure whether we make your airfare arrangements or not, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates in the tour start/end cities.
- Ground transportation throughout itinerary by private coach or van (size of vehicle depends on group size).
- Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in itinerary.
- Special events, excursions and cultural performances per the itinerary.
- Baggage handling where available.
- Gratuities to local guides and drivers.
- Bottled water at group meals.
Before Your Tour
- Personalized pre-departure support from one of our knowledgeable Tour Specialists.
- Complete pre-departure information including detailed packing list and reading list.
- Touring with MIR handbook with country-specific information, maps, and travel tips.
- Customized visa application instruction kit (if applicable to your itinerary; please note, visa fees are not included in the tour price).
- Final document packet including luggage tags, final updates, and more.
- Assistance booking your custom flight arrangements (on request; please note that international and internal airfares are not included in the land tour cost).
Prepare for Your Trip

International Airfare
MIR's in-house, full-service air department will gladly assist with your air travel needs.
More Info
Reading List
MIR recommends reading up before you leave home. So settle back in your armchair with some of our favorite books about our favorite places.
More Info
Visas
Most MIR programs require one or more visas, and each visa requires a completely blank page in your passport. Visa information for this particular tour is listed in the Detailed Descriptive Itinerary.
More InfoTravel Insurance
Stay a Little Longer…
Many travelers choose to extend their Journey Through Central Asia program by adding one or more pre-tour nights in Almaty. Select departures of this tour are specifically timed to coincide with the Treasures of the South Caucasus tour or our Essential Iran package.
Or, choose from one of these suggested itineraries:
Is this Trip Right for You?
While the accommodations are as comfortable as possible for the region, they will vary from four and five star properties to relatively basic and simple hotels. It is important to keep in mind that the countries of Central Asia are, in general, not up to the standards North American travelers expect.
A full list of details about the rigors of this tour are explained in the Detailed Descriptive Itinerary.
Read our Travel Journals
MIR's Travel Journals offer first hand accounts of MIR's fascinating destinations.
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Chinese Turkestan & Central Asia: Exploring the Silk Road
Andrew Barron, MIR's Director of Scheduled Group Tours, visits the ancient Silk Road in Western China and the 'Stans with the Chinese Turkestan & Central Asia scheduled group tour. Read about his journey from Almaty to Urumqi, Kashgar and Bishkek.... Read More
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Treasures of the South Caucasus: Through Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan
Follow along with MIR Corporation Tour Manager Devin Mitchell as she accompanies MIR clients on MIR's Treasures of the South-Caucasus small group tour.... Read More
MIR in the News
Space Tour Spotlight in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Lonely Planet Blog & More
November 7, 2018
MIR’s one-of-a-kind exploration of the Russian space program has gotten a starring role in several media outlets recently, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, leading Spanish-language travel magazine Conocedores, the Mat... Read More
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October 23, 2018
Luxury Travel Advisor, a leading publication covering “the latest news and trends in luxury travel,” advises adding MIR’s new small group journey From the Heavenly Tien Shan to the High Pamirs to your 2019 bucket list. ... Read More
From the Blog
Amazing Why end mights You Can Only Have in Georgia
February 14, 2019
The bounteous country of Georgia in the South Caucasus is a heaven-on-earth kind of place. Georgia has everything a traveler could want. Now is the best time to travel to the Republic of Georgia. It’s gaining steam as a ... Read More
Award-Winning Writer (and MIR Tour Host) Authors New Pocket Guide on Delicious Georgian Breads
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Travel and food writer Carla Capalbo has published the first of a planned series of lightweight, small, pocket-style guides on Georgian food and wine. Perfect for carrying in a pocket or daypack, these little guides are avail... Read More