Central Asia Highlights Journey

Arrive in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital on the Varzob River, backed by the foothills of the Hissar Range. Most international flights land late tonight or in the early hours of tomorrow, so we recommend booking pre–tour hotel nights to ease into the journey. If you would like extra time in the city, your sales representative can arrange additional nights.

At 9am we meet our tour leader for a welcome briefing before delving into Dushanbe’s story of history, culture and national pride. We visit the Ismail Somoni monument and the statue of Rudaki, pause at the towering National Flagpole, and explore the National Museum of Antiquities, home to the reclining Buddha and the Sogdian princess from Sarazm. We gather for lunch at a local restaurant to sample classic Tajik flavours, then admire the craftsmanship of Kokhi Navruz, with its carved ceilings and ornate halls. The afternoon is free – you can relax before dinner. In the evening we enjoy a gentle stroll past the Ayni Opera and Ballet Theatre and Kurushi Kabir Park, finishing along Rudaki Avenue where fountains and public spaces come alive.

After breakfast we leave Dushanbe for Hisor Fortress (about 45 minutes), a former Silk Road stronghold that our tour leader brings vividly to life. We return to the city for lunch, then drive for around four hours into the Fann Mountains to serene Iskandarkul, a lake linked to the legends of Alexander the Great. On arrival you can take a refreshing dip or simply unwind on the shore. Once settled, we explore on foot to the nearby waterfall known as Fann Niagara and continue to Snake Lake, a smaller alpine pool fed by mountain streams. There is time for an optional boat ride on Iskandarkul – you may choose to join. As evening falls, we dine by the water while the surrounding peaks take on the day’s last light.

We bid farewell to Iskandarkul and travel for about two hours through mountain passes towards Saratog, stopping at Panjchashma – the ‘five springs’ long believed to offer different healing properties. In Saratog we slow the pace with a village walk, meeting residents whose lives remain closely tied to the valleys, and take a gentle Arg Valley riverside hike with a bridge crossing along a largely level route. Continuing west, we drive around three hours to Panjakent, often dubbed the Pompeii of Central Asia, and sit down to lunch featuring Panjakent plov. Later we meet artisans for a suzani embroidery masterclass – Panjakent was recognised in 2025 as a World Craft City for suzani – and our hosts explain how patterns, colours and stitches reflect local identity. There may also be time to join an optional halva–making session – you will learn about this popular nutty–sweet confection.

Today we focus on Voru, famed for its dramatic terraced layout where houses are stacked into the mountainside so that one family’s roof becomes another’s courtyard. We drive for about 2 hours 30 minutes with photo stops to the river crossing, then hike approximately 9.5km – a four–hour round trip – to reach the village. In Voru we share tea on the rooftop of a family home, taking in wide views across the valley, and visit the blacksmith workshop of Master Sulton, whose family has practised this trade for generations using largely unchanged tools and methods. Lunch is hosted in Zimtut, where a local family serves a home–cooked meal. Back in Panjakent we explore Old Panjakent and the Historical Museum before enjoying dinner with a local family in their home.

We set off early for the Seven Lakes of Marguzor, driving around 2 hours 30 minutes with photo stops to this chain of alpine lakes shaped by both legend and geology. We begin at Mizhgon (Lake 1) and continue to Marghuzor (Lake 6) for lunch, then either continue by vehicle or, if you prefer, walk to Hazorchashma (Lake 7), the highest of the seven – you can choose on the day. Along the way we see how mineral content, depth and light create striking shifts in colour and character. In the afternoon we return towards Panjakent with a stop at Sarazm, Tajikistan’s first World Heritage site, dating to the fourth millennium BCE. By mid–afternoon we reach the Jarteppa border, where we farewell our Tajik tour leader, meet our Uzbek tour leader after formalities, and continue about 1 hour 15 minutes to Samarkand. We end the day with dinner in a local family home, an introduction to Uzbek cooking and hospitality.

Samarkand lies at the heart of the Silk Road, and today we explore how its architecture reflects centuries of power, learning and trade. We visit the grand Bibi Khanum Mosque and the magnificent Gur–Emir mausoleum, where Tamerlane, his sons and his grandson Ulugbek are buried. Late afternoon is free to browse the bazaar – you can linger over textiles and handicrafts that remain central to the local economy – and you may wish to join an optional wine tasting at the Khovrenko Winery with a cellar visit and degustation. As night falls, we visit Registan Square to see its three madrasahs beautifully illuminated.

We travel for around four hours by road to Gijduvan, pausing at the ruins of Rabat–i–Malik, once a key caravanserai on the Silk Road. In Gijduvan we visit a ceramics workshop where techniques and motifs are passed down through generations. Lunch is hosted by a master potter and their family, offering insight into how craft traditions are sustained today. We then continue about 45 minutes to Bukhara, arriving mid–afternoon with time at leisure – you can settle in or start exploring.

Historic Bukhara has been a centre of learning and religion for more than a millennium. On today’s guided walk we begin at the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, an early landmark of Islamic architecture in Central Asia, then continue to Chashma–i–Ayub and the Bolo–Hauz complex, where emirs once prayed. At the Ark Fortress our tour leader explains how rulers governed from behind its walls. At the Poi–Kalyan Ensemble we take in the Kalon Minaret, the Friday Mosque and the Miri–Arab Madrasa, still active today. The afternoon is free – you can explore at your own pace.

We continue our discovery of Bukhara, visiting the Kukeldash and Nadir Devonbegi madrasas, together with the associated khanaqa and pond that once stood at the heart of social life. We also stop at the Magok–i–Attari Mosque, among the city’s oldest religious sites. Later we browse Bukhara’s historic trading domes, once organised by profession and still lively today. In the evening we are welcomed into the home of the well–known Toshev family to share a home–cooked dinner, learn about their craft traditions and celebrate our Central Asian journey together.

We have traced Silk Road cities, walked through villages in the Fann Mountains, learned from artisans and crossed from Tajikistan into Uzbekistan – now it is time to begin the journey home. If you would like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative about available extension options.