Four Stans Odyssey: an 18-day 4 Stans tour of Central Asia

4 Stans tour at a glance

Countries

• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Uzbekistan
• Tajikistan

Length

18 days / 17 nights

Style

Silk Road & mountains

Price

from $3145 per person (10–11 travellers, 3*)

4 Stans trip: Central Asia 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

   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. Overnight in Tashkent.

   Meals: breakfast

9. Day 9

   Tashkent – Oybek land border – Khujand, 160 km by road

   After breakfast we drive to the Uzbek–Tajik border at Oybek and continue to Khujand, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. On arrival we tour the city: Panjshanbe Bazaar, the historical Museum of Khujand and the fortress walls. Overnight in Khujand.

   Meals: breakfast

10. Day 10

    Khujand – Istaravshan – Penjikent, 260 km by road

    After breakfast we drive to Istaravshan, a city with more than 2,500 years of history and once a stop on the Great Silk Road, to see its bazaars and the Kuk-Gumbaz Mosque. We continue through mountain country to Penjikent, known for the ruins of ancient Sogdian settlements. Hotel check-in and time to rest. Overnight in Penjikent.

    Meals: breakfast

11. Day 11

    Penjikent – Seven Lakes – Jartepa land border – Samarkand, 180 km by road

    After breakfast we visit the Sarazm ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site more than 5,500 years old, the Rudaki Museum and the local bazaar. Then we drive into the Fan Mountains to the Seven Lakes of Marguzor and visit six of them, with short walks on the shores and a traditional lunch at a family home near the fourth lake. In the afternoon we return to Penjikent, cross into Uzbekistan at Jartepa and continue to Samarkand. Overnight in Samarkand.

    Meals: breakfast, lunch

12. Day 12

    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

13. Day 13

    Samarkand

    This morning we visit the Afrosiab Museum and archaeological site, then the tomb of Saint Daniel, revered by Muslims, Christians and Jews. Later we see the Khujum carpet factory and a silk paper workshop, and walk through the Siab Bazaar. Back to the hotel in the afternoon; the evening is free. Overnight in Samarkand.

    Meals: breakfast

14. Day 14

    Samarkand – Bukhara by morning train

    After breakfast we take the morning train to Bukhara (09:55–11:38). We begin in the Old Town at Lyabi-Hauz Square, with the Nadir Divan-Begi and Kukeldash madrasas, then walk through the trading domes of Toki Zargaron, Toki Telpak Furushon and Toki Sarrafon, and the old lanes at sunset. Overnight in Bukhara.

    Meals: breakfast

15. Day 15

    Bukhara

    After breakfast we visit the Ismail Samani Mausoleum and the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, the local bazaar, the Bolo-Hauz Mosque with its wooden pillars reflected in the pool, and the Ark Citadel with its old Zindan prison. We finish at the Po-i-Kalyan Complex with its minaret, madrasa and mosque. In the evening a local family welcomes us for a plov master class and dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

    Meals: breakfast, dinner

16. Day 16

    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

17. Day 17

    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

18. Day 18

    Tashkent, departure

    Breakfast at the hotel and check-out before 12:00, then transfer to the international airport for your onward flight.

    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)