The Five Stans of the Silk Road - Ashgabat to Almaty

On this adventure through the Silk Road, we spend 19 nights in hotels and guest houses, and three nights in traditional yurt camps. The accommodations typically used can be found on the day-to-day itinerary. However, below are a selection used on this trip.



Ashgabat: Sport Hotel







A four-star hotel in the heart of Ashgabat, close to the city’s major attractions. It has spacious and well-appointed rooms, plus several amenities, including a swimming pool, fitness center, sauna, and restaurant.



Bukhara: Kavsar Boutique Hotel







Taking over an old mansion, this small boutique hotel is one of the standout accommodations on this itinerary. It’s embellished with intricate design features and plenty of antiques, while an atmospheric central courtyard provides a wonderful place to gather as a group.



Darvaza, Son Kul and Issyk Kul: Yurt camps







Yurts are traditional housing for nomadic communities across Central Asia and are generally quite cosy. We have four nights in yurts: one night in Darvaza near the Door to Hell crater, and two nights at Son Kul Lake and a night by Isyyk Kul lake.



For the three nights in yurts in Kyrgyzstan (nights 17-19), you may have to share with four people to a yurt. Men and women who are not travelling together don’t usually have to share a yurt, but this cannot be guaranteed.



The yurt camps have shared Western-style toilets, showers and wash basins. There may be hot water but it is not wholly reliable.



Almaty: Uyut Hotel







In the centre of Kazakhstan’s largest city, this modern hotel is a 25-minute drive from Almaty International Airport. It has a heated indoor pool, sauna, laundry service, bar and restaurant serving Asian, European and Eastern cuisine.



Worth knowing



If you prefer to have your own room, a limited number of single supplements are available on a ‘first-come, first-serve’ basis on some nights of the tour – please request this at the time of booking. Please note, a single supplement is not available at the yurt camps.

In Turkmenistan, hotels charge a daily tourist tax of around US$2 per person per day – this is included in the price for the main tour, so you needn’t worry about it. However, if you book extra nights’ accommodation in Ashgabat before the tour, you will need to pay directly to the hotel yourself. If you book pre-tour accommodation in Turkmenistan (and will be staying in the country for more than three days plus your arrival day), you will be required by law to register your passport with the State Service of Turkmenistan – our local partner will assist with this.