Turkmenistan

A self-launched independent version of G Adventures' 19-day National Geographic Signature expedition across the Five Stans — from Bishkek to Ashgabat. Trace the Silk Road through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan using overnight trains, shared taxis, budget flights and marshrutkas. Swap five-star hotels for well-rated hostels, guesthouses and boutique budget stays, and replace private guided access with self-bookable city tours, local guides and independent visits to the same madrasahs, mausoleums and mountain landscapes. Roughly £2,000-£2,300 per person versus the operator's ~£9,200 asking price.

Travel Crew

~£2,150

A 21-day self-launched version of Penguin Travel's "5 Stan-s" tour, tracing Genghis Khan's Silk Road across Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan — Bishkek's Soviet squares, Chon-Kemin yurt country, Issyk Kul and Karakol, Charyn Canyon, Almaty, the Fann Mountains and Seven Lakes, Khujand, Samarkand and Bukhara's madrassas, Khiva's walled Ichan Kala, and finally the Darvaza gas crater and Ashgabat's white-marble monuments. Using public buses, shared taxis, Afghan-built shared 4x4s to the crater, local guesthouses and self-booked day guides, you get the same route for roughly a third of the guided group price. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP; border-crossing bureaucracy and Central Asian roads are the real challenge here, so build in buffer days.

Travel Crew

~£1,310

Trace the legendary Silk Road through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan exactly like the G Adventures National Geographic Journeys trip — but entirely self-launched. Wander the frozen-in-time streets of Khiva, gaze at Samarkand's iconic turquoise madrasas, meet head archeologists at ancient ruins, and cross into mysterious Turkmenistan to explore the Parthian capital of Old Nisa and the haunting Karakum Desert. Stay in boutique guesthouses and heritage hotels, ride the high-speed Afrosiyob train, and connect with locals over plov and tea — all for a fraction of the tour price.

Travel Crew

~£453

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

Experience the full sweep of Central Asia's legendary Silk Road independently — from Bishkek's Soviet boulevards to the Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan. This self-launched version follows the same epic route through all five 'Stans, swapping the group tour markup for local marshrutkas, budget guesthouses, family-run homestays, and self-booked guides. You'll sleep in yurts on the shores of Song Köl, wander Samarkand's turquoise domes, and watch the Darvaza gas crater burn at midnight — all at a fraction of the commercial price. Central Asia remains one of the world's most underexplored and affordable adventure regions, and independent travellers are warmly welcomed across all five countries. Estimated costs below are approximate and per person.

Travel Crew

~£1,450

An epic self-launched journey through five former Soviet republics along the ancient Silk Road — from the marble-white streets of Ashgabat to the mountains of Almaty. This itinerary mirrors the Exodus guided route, replacing group minibus transfers with shared taxis and local transport, swapping guided walkthroughs for self-bookable tours via GetYourGuide and local agencies, and choosing guesthouses and budget hotels over tour-operator-contracted accommodation. Note that Turkmenistan requires a visa and pre-arranged arrival transfer by law; independent travellers must apply for a tourist visa in advance and book a licensed local guide for the Turkmenistan leg (typically Days 1–4). Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are significantly more accessible independently. Costs are approximate estimates per person based on budget/backpacker travel rates.

Travel Crew

~£1,450