3 Stans tour: 14 days in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & Uzbekistan

3 Stans tour at a glance

Countries

• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Uzbekistan

Length

14 days / 13 nights

Style

Silk Road & mountains

Price

from $2643 per person (10–11 travellers, 3*)

3 Stans trip itinerary, day by day

1. Day 1

   Almaty, arrival

   We meet you in Almaty early in the morning and take you to the hotel to rest after the flight (early check-in is included). Later we set out across Kazakhstan’s largest city, under the snowy Tien Shan: the Green Bazaar, Panfilov Park with the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, and the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame. We ride up Kok-Tobe Hill for the view over Almaty, come down by cableway, then head into the mountains: Medeo, the world’s highest skating rink, and the cable car to Shymbulak Ski Resort at 3,200 metres. Back to the hotel in the evening. Overnight in Almaty.

   Meals: breakfast

2. Day 2

   Almaty – Charyn Canyon – Kolsay Lakes, 440 km by road

   After breakfast we drive east to Charyn Canyon, often called the “little brother” of the Grand Canyon, which runs for more than 150 km. Within two hours we reach the Valley of Castles, where wind and rain have shaped the sandstone into fortress-like cliffs. We walk down for about 40 minutes to the Charyn River between red and orange walls. Lunch is at a café near the canyon, then we continue to the Kolsay Lakes in the northern Tien Shan, arriving in the late afternoon. Home-style dinner and overnight at a guesthouse.

   Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

3. Day 3

   Kolsay Lakes – Kaindy – Kegen land border – Karakol, 250 km by road

   After breakfast we check out and drive to Kaindy Lake, formed after the 1911 earthquake when a landslide dammed the valley and flooded a spruce forest; the trunks still rise from the turquoise water. We walk down the slope to the lake, or ride on horseback (optional, arranged on the spot). On the way back we stop at a village home for a homemade lunch. In the afternoon we cross the Kegen border into Kyrgyzstan and drive to Karakol, at the foot of the Tien Shan. Overnight at the hotel.

   Meals: breakfast, lunch

4. Day 4

   Karakol & Jety-Oguz Gorge

   This morning we see Karakol’s landmarks: the Dungan Mosque, built of wood without a single nail, the wooden Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, and the museum of Nikolay Przhevalsky, the Russian explorer who mapped much of Central Asia. Later we drive into Jety-Oguz Gorge (“Seven Bulls”), where red cliffs rise above spruce forest, to see the “Seven Bulls” and “Broken Heart” rock formations. Back in Karakol, hotel check-in and rest.

   Meals: breakfast

5. Day 5

   Karakol – Skazka Canyon – Bokonbaevo village – Kochkor village, 250 km by road

   After breakfast we follow the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul to Skazka (“Fairytale”) Canyon, where wind and water have carved red and yellow clay into towers, castles and ridges. In Bokonbaevo village we meet eagle hunters and watch a traditional falconry demonstration. Lunch on the way. In the evening we reach Kochkor, a village known for its felt crafts. Dinner and overnight in Kochkor.

   Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

6. Day 6

   Kochkor – Bishkek, 200 km by road

   This morning we join a felt-making master class in Kochkor, where artisans show how shyrdaks (felt carpets) are made and what their patterns mean. We drive back to Bishkek, arriving in the afternoon. The rest of the day is free; Osh Bazaar, with its spices, dried fruit, textiles and crafts, is a good place to start. Overnight in Bishkek.

   Meals: breakfast

7. Day 7

   Bishkek – Tashkent by evening flight

   After breakfast we tour Bishkek: the Monument to Manas, hero of the Kyrgyz epics, the Changing of the Guard on Ala-Too Square, the State Historical Museum, the statues of Kurmanjan-Datka and Lenin, and leafy Oak Park with its sculptures and the Fine Arts Gallery. In the afternoon we transfer to the airport for the evening flight to Tashkent. On arrival, transfer to the hotel and overnight.

   Meals: breakfast

8. Day 8

   Tashkent – Samarkand by evening train

   We spend the day in Uzbekistan’s capital: Khast-Imam Square with its madrasahs and mausoleums, and the Chorsu Bazaar. After lunch we walk through Independence Square and Amir Temur Square, and ride the Tashkent Metro, whose ornate stations feel like an underground gallery. In the evening we take the train to Samarkand and go straight to the hotel.

   Meals: breakfast

9. Day 9

   Samarkand

   After breakfast we start at Registan Square, framed by the Ulugbek, Sher-Dor and Tilla-Qori madrasahs, then visit the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum, resting place of Tamerlane and his dynasty. After lunch we see the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, once one of the largest in the Islamic world, walk the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis with its blue-tiled mausoleums, and end at the Ulugbek Observatory. Overnight in Samarkand.

   Meals: breakfast

10. Day 10

    Samarkand – Bukhara, 280 km by road

    After breakfast we drive to Bukhara across the Kyzylkum plains, once a caravan route between oases. In the old town we begin at the Po-i-Kalyan Complex and its minaret, then visit the Miri-Arab Madrasa, the Magoki-Attori Mosque and the Ulugbek Madrasa, and finish at Lyabi-Hauz Square, where mulberry trees shade the pool. In the evening we check into the hotel.

    Meals: breakfast

11. Day 11

    Bukhara

    Breakfast at the hotel. We visit the Ismail Samani Mausoleum and the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, linked with the legend of the Prophet Job, walk through the local bazaar, then see the Bolo-Khauz Mosque and the Ark Citadel with its old Zindan prison. In the afternoon we drive out to the Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace, summer residence of the last emir, and the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi. In the evening a local family welcomes us for a plov master class and a homemade dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

    Meals: breakfast, dinner

12. Day 12

    Bukhara – Khiva, 460 km by road

    After breakfast we set off on a long drive across the Kyzyl-Kum Desert and along the Amudarya River. We stop for lunch on the way and reach Khiva, a walled medieval city, with free time for its lanes, workshops and craft shops. Overnight in Khiva.

    Meals: breakfast

13. Day 13

    Khiva – Urgench, 30 km by road; evening flight to Tashkent

    After breakfast we explore Ichan-Kala, Khiva’s walled inner city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, the Kunya-Ark Fortress and the Islam Hajji Minaret. After lunch we visit the Tash Khauli Palace, the Juma Mosque with its 200 carved wooden columns, the Muhammad Aminkhan Madrasah and the Avesta Museum. In the evening we transfer to Urgench for the flight to Tashkent; on arrival, transfer to the hotel.

    Meals: breakfast

14. Day 14

    Tashkent, departure

    Early morning transfer to the airport for your international flight. Depending on the flight time, breakfast or a lunch box is provided.

    Meals: breakfast

We may adjust the order of visits and activities, such as museums and sites, if the weather or other circumstances call for it. If we do, we plan the change around your comfort and keep the overall journey intact.

Add a short Almaty trip

Optional private trips from Almaty that you can add before or after this tour. We plan them with you and include them in your quote.

Turgen Gorge & Assy Plateau, 2 days

2 days / 1 night

from $364 per person (4–6 travellers)

Day tour

Bogdanovich Glacier day hike

1 day

from $104 per person (4 travellers)