The Five Stans: A Silk Road Journey
What this journey is about
Five countries, one of the great overland journeys on earth. This is the Silk Road as it was meant to be travelled — slowly, across the heart of Central Asia, from the turquoise domes of Samarkand and Bukhara to the high passes of the Pamir and the wide skies of Kyrgyzstan.
Because every traveller comes to the Stans for something different — the architecture, the mountains, the people, the sheer remoteness — this is a starting framework rather than a fixed tour. Tell Mark what pulls you here and he will reshape the route, pace and length around it: a fortnight focused on Uzbekistan's Silk Road cities, or a slower month threading all five countries together by road and rail.
Planned + led by Mark Huggins
Every tailor-made journey is shaped by a single UD specialist from first conversation to homecoming — the same person who plans your route is the one you speak to throughout.
A starting point
Everything below is a template — dates, pace, accommodation level and activities can all be tailored when you speak to your specialist. Tap any day to open it.
01 Arrive Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Land in one of the world's most surreal capitals — a city of white marble and gold domes. Meet your guide and settle in before an evening welcome meal.
02 The Karakum Desert & the Darvaza Gas Crater
Drive north into the Karakum to stand at the edge of the 'Door to Hell' — a vast burning crater that glows through the desert night. Camp alongside it.
03 Cross into Uzbekistan — Khiva
Overland to Khiva, a walled desert city that feels frozen in time. Sleep within the Itchan Kala itself, its minarets lit at dusk.
04 Bukhara — heart of the Silk Road
A full day in Bukhara's living medieval centre — trading domes, the Ark fortress, and tea houses where merchants have rested for a thousand years.
05 Samarkand & the Registan
Stand in the Registan square at golden hour — three vast tiled madrasahs facing one another. Few sights on the Silk Road match it.
06 Tashkent & the road to Tajikistan
A fast train to Tashkent, then cross the Fergana valley into Tajikistan and the ancient city of Khujand on the banks of the Syr Darya.
07 Into the Pamir Mountains
Climb onto the 'Roof of the World' — the Pamir Highway, one of the highest road journeys on earth. Stay with a Pamiri family and share their table.
08 Cross to Kyrgyzstan — Osh & the high country
Descend into Kyrgyzstan and the bustling bazaar city of Osh, where the landscape opens into the green valleys and nomad pastures the country is famous for.
09 Song-Kol lake & nomad life
Finish high in the mountains at Song-Kol, sleeping in a yurt among herding families — horses, open grassland, and some of the clearest night skies in Central Asia. Onward to Bishkek to close the journey.
Your trip, your way
Everything here is a starting point. Travel for two weeks focused on Uzbekistan's Silk Road cities, or take a slower month across all five countries. Choose your comfort level — boutique heritage hotels or authentic homestays and yurts. Adjust the pace for more time in the Pamirs, add a trekking section in Kyrgyzstan, travel solo or as a small private group, and pick the season that suits you. Mark prices each version individually.
Typically included and not
Included
- All accommodation, from heritage Silk Road hotels to family homestays and a yurt camp
- Private, English-speaking local guides throughout
- All land and rail transport between cities
- All border crossings and permits (including the Pamir GBAO permit)
- Daily breakfast and meals as shown in the itinerary
- 24/7 in-country support and a single UD specialist from enquiry to homecoming
Not included
- International flights to Ashgabat and home from Bishkek
- Central Asian visas (we guide you through every one)
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed, drinks and personal spending
- Tips for guides and drivers
Start planning your The Five Stans: A Silk Road Journey
Tell Mark Huggins when you'd like to go, how long for, and any specifics that matter. Typical reply within 24 hours, no enquiry fee, no pressure.
Start planning your trip
