Backpacking Central Asia: The Silk Road Adventure – Have you ever wondered what it was like to travel on the ancient Silk Road? You don’t have to wonder anymore because you can travel the Silk Road on your own with my guide on how to travel back through Central Asia in a month. With tips on getting out, where to stay, and where to start, everything you need to plan your own trip. Without further ado, let’s get started, shall we?
Day 1-2: Almaty, Kazakhstan Almaty is a great place to start your journey in Central Asia as it is the travel hub of this region, with many flights to and from Almaty via Air Astana and others. an international airline. Getting here shouldn’t be a problem. Read more π Where to Stay in Almaty?
Backpacking Central Asia: The Silk Road Adventure
Day 3-5: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Bishkek is one of my favorite cities in Central Asia. With the combination of brutality and the nature surrounding it, there is always action here. Read More π Where to Stay in Bishkek?
Travelling In Central Asia: What To Expect
Days 6-9: Karakol, Kyrgyzstan From Bishkek, you can take a marshrutka to Karakol, the capital city to immerse yourself in all the beautiful mountains around Issyk Kul. An unforgettable trip I would recommend is the 3-day trek to Ala Kul which will take you through one of the most beautiful valleys and lakes in Karakol. Read more π Where to stay in Karakol?
Day 10: Kadji Hai, Kyrgyzstan After a long trek like Ala Kul, you’ll need a little rest, and there’s no better place than the small coastal town in the remote area of ββIssyk Kul. , the second highest Alpine lake in the world. Enjoy a quiet evening watching the sun set behind the Tian Shan mountains and listening to the sound of waves crashing along the shores of Issyk Kul. Read More π Where is Kadji Said?
Day 11-12: Kochkor and Song Kul, Kyrgyzstan After Kadji Say, we continue to another important part of Kyrgyzstan: Song Kul, an alpine lake 3000m above sea level. But before you arrive, you will have to go to Kochkor and find a tour to the Song Kul lake. You can go with a travel agency like CBT (Community Based Tourism) and Shepherd’s Life, which you can find in Kochkor, or arrange it from your hotel. The more people you can find to join you, the cheaper it will be. Read more π Where to stay in Kochkhor?
Day 13-14: Osh, Kyrgyzstan From Kochkor, it is best to return to Bishkek by marshrutka and fly to Osh to save time. A flight from Bishkek to Osh can cost as little as 30 USD, so if you don’t have enough time, flying is the best way. If not, you can take a night bus or taxi to Osh, which can take up to 8 hours. Read more π Where to Stay in Osh?
Central Asia Travel
Day 15-21: Pamir Highway, Tajikistan For the Pamir Highway, as mentioned before, you need to rent a jeep and hire a driver to cross the road. One way you can arrange this is through the Osh Guesthouse in Osh. This is the hub where you can plan a trip to the Pamir Highway and find other backpackers to share the jeep with. You can plan ahead and connect with other travelers online at the Caravanistan Forum and plan a trip together. I personally used the forum and ended up finding 3 more people to share the jeep with. Read more π Where is the Pamir Highway?
Day 22-23: Dushanbe, Tajikistan After Pamir Highway, you can spend a day in Dushanbe to relax, eat good food, and go for a walk around Rudaki Park to check out the second highest flag in world (first in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia). Read more π Where to stay in Dushanbe?
Day 24-25: Samarkand, Uzbekistan It should take you a full day to travel from Dushanbe to Samarkand via the Denau border. It’s a long trip, but when you arrive in Samarkand, you’ll start to feel like you’re walking along the Ancient Silk Road. Read more π Where to Stay in Samarkand?
Days 26-27: Bukhara, Uzbekistan After spending 2 days in Samarkand, head west to another important city on the Silk Road: Bukhara. Some of the beautiful old buildings that you should not miss in Bukhara are the Kalon Mosque and its Minaret, as well as the great ship of Bukhara. Read more π Where to Stay in Bukhara?
Central Asia βalong The Silk Roads
Days 28-30: Khiva, Uzbekistan Khiva is another ancient city that played an important role during the Silk Road. The entire city is a UNESCO site, surrounded by ancient walls that have preserved its traditions throughout the years. Read more π Where to stay in Khiva?
Day 31: Darvaza Crater, Turkmenistan At this time, you should plan a tour to Turkmenistan, inform your driver that you will cross the border at Khiva at the time. If everything goes according to plan, your driver should be waiting for you at the other end of the border where he will drive you to Darvaza Crater, set up the tent, make you dinner, and then you are free to roam the desert. . Read more π Where to live in Turkmenistan?
Day 32-33: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan After spending a night in Darvaza, you will travel to Ashgabat and register as a tourist. The whole process will be managed by your tour company; all you have to do is sign some documents, and then you are “free” to travel. You know, as free as tourists can be in a place like Ashgabat. Read more
Day 34: Yangykala Canyon, Turkmenistan Another great place to camp under the stars, Yangykala Canyon is one of the most beautiful canyons in Turkmenistan, displaying its red, pink, and orange colors. which stretched across the forest walls. Read more
Silk Road And Beyond: 5 Central Asia Journeys For Autumn
Day 35: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan After spending a night in Darvaza, you will go to Ashgabat and register as a tourist. The whole process will be managed by your tour company; all you have to do is sign some documents, and then you are “free” to travel. You know, as free as tourists can be in a place like Ashgabat. Read more
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Almaty is a great place to start your journey in Central Asia as it is the travel hub of this region, with many flights to and from Almaty on Air Astana and other international airlines. Getting here shouldn’t be a problem.
Almaty is also known as one of the best cities of all the cities you will visit here, with many cool things to do, such as visiting the beautiful Zenkov’s Cathedral. It is probably one of the most beautiful structures, if not the best, in the whole city.
Silk Road Tours
Places like the Green Bazaar, one of the oldest markets in the city that are always crowded with vendors selling all kinds of goods, Kok Tobe Hill, an important hill not far from Almaty that has amazing view of the city from above, and the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan, will allow you to get to know the culture of this region and prepare you for a great trip in the Central Asia.
If you can spare a few more days, you can take a day trip and visit places like Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake, and Kaindy Lake, which are some of the most beautiful places in the south. Kazakhstan, all in one day.
After you are done with Almaty, you can take a bus from Sayran Bus Station or arrange a private or shared car from Almaty to take you to Bishkek from the bus station. The journey should take between 4 and 10 hours, depending on traffic and delays at the border. For more information on crossing the border, please visit: Crossing the Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan border.
If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the tours and day trips.
Discover The Enchantment Of Central Asia With Silk Road Tours
Budget My Hostel Almaty $ | Dorm View Available Mid-range Hotel Delux $$ | Double Room View High-End Renion Park Hotel $$$ | Double View Available
Bishkek is one of my favorite cities in Central Asia. With the combination of brutality and the nature surrounding it, there is always action here.
You can go to Ala Archa and hike through valleys and alpine forests for a day, or you can go a little further east for a change of scenery and hike around Konorchek Canyon.
What do you want to see at night in Bishkek? Go to This Name Bar for a pint of
Summary: The Central Asia Budget Overland Tour By Madventure
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