Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan

Three weeks across five former Soviet republics along the ancient Silk Road — from Almaty's Tien Shan foothills to the marble city of Ashgabat. This self-launched version swaps the guided group minibus for shared taxis, marshrutkas, local trains and one internal flight, and replaces group hotel rates with budget guesthouses and mid-range hotels you book directly. You'll hit every major highlight — Charyn Canyon, Issyk-Kul, Burana Tower, Bishkek, the Fergana Valley, Khujand, the Seven Lakes, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and the ruins of Merv — at a fraction of the Exodus price. Visas are the most complex logistical element: Uzbekistan is visa-free for many nationalities, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are easy e-visa or visa-free, Tajikistan requires a GBAO permit if travelling to the Fann Mountains, and Turkmenistan requires a tourist visa arranged well in advance through a registered Turkmen agency (unavoidable and included in cost estimates). Allow extra time at border crossings — some can take up to two hours. Costs below are approximate per-person estimates for a solo budget traveller sharing twin/dorm accommodation where possible.

Travel Crew

~£1,350