The tiled side wall and minarets of the Ulugh Beg Madrasa with the ribbed blue dome of the Sher-Dor Madrasa beyond, Registan, Samarkand

Caravan cities, desert and the Roof of the World

Central Asia & Silk Road Tours

Central Asia is five republics between the Caspian and China — Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan — and two quite different kinds of trip. In the west are the Silk Road cities of the desert oases: the walled town of Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand with the Registan. In the east the land rises into the Tian Shan and the Pamirs, where the Pamir Highway crosses a plateau at 4,000 metres and the road follows the Afghan border down the Panj.

Our two trips divide along that line. The Five Stans journey is a cultural trip with little walking and no altitude, crossing all five countries in fifteen days by road, train and one flight. The Pamir Highway trip is twelve days of mostly 4x4 travel through Tajikistan into Kyrgyzstan, with walking days at the Seven Lakes of the Fann Mountains and four nights above 3,600 metres.

At a glance

When to goApril to June and September to November for the Silk Road cities; June to September for the Pamir Highway.
Getting thereFly into Ashgabat, Tashkent, Dushanbe or Almaty, usually via Istanbul or the Gulf; Bishkek and Osh for the way home.
VisasTurkmenistan needs a letter of invitation and a guided trip. Tajikistan has e-visas, plus a permit for the Pamirs. The other three are visa-free for many passports.
How longTwelve days for the Pamir Highway; fifteen to see the headline sights of all five countries.

Trips we run

Central Asia tours

The crenellated mud-brick walls of the Itchan Kala, the walled old town of Khiva, Uzbekistan, with a long stair cut into the rampart

From US$ 3,490 /person

Five Stans Silk Road Odyssey

An overland journey across Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, tracing the old caravan routes from the Karakum to the Tian Shan.

15 days, Ashgabat to Bishkek Five countries: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Max altitude 2,200 m (Ala-Archa) Best season April to June, September to November 4 to 14 travellers Road, two fast trains and one flight

View trip & itinerary

Enquire

Karakul lake, deep blue below snow-capped ridges, seen across the stony high plateau beside the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan

From US$ 2,250 /person

Pamir Highway & Fann Mountains Trek

The M41 Pamir Highway from Dushanbe to Osh by 4x4 — the Wakhan, Murghab and Karakul — with walking days at the Seven Lakes of the Fann Mountains first.

12 days, Dushanbe to Osh Max altitude 4,655 m (Ak-Baital Pass) Best season June to September 4 to 12 travellers Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan Mostly 4x4, with walking days

View trip & itinerary

Enquire

Central Asia: common questions

Which Central Asia tour should I choose?

For the Silk Road cities — Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand — and a taste of all five countries, the Five Stans Silk Road Odyssey. For mountains, high roads and homestays, the Pamir Highway and Fann Mountains trip, which is more demanding and mostly overland.

When is the best time to visit Central Asia?

Spring and autumn for the desert cities, when days are warm rather than 40 °C. June to September for the Pamirs, when the high passes are clear of snow; even then, nights on the plateau drop below freezing.

Do I need a visa for Central Asia?

It depends on the country and your passport. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are visa-free for many nationalities. Tajikistan issues e-visas, and the Pamir region needs an extra GBAO permit. Turkmenistan requires a letter of invitation from a licensed agency, which we apply for once you book.

Is Central Asia safe to travel?

The routes we use are well travelled, and the everyday risks are roads, heat and altitude rather than crime. Borders between the republics can close at short notice, and some governments advise caution near the Tajik–Afghan border, so check your own government's advice before booking.

Can I see all five Stans in one trip?

Yes, in fifteen days, though not equally: Uzbekistan gets seven days and Tajikistan one. The Five Stans itinerary sets out how much of each country you see.

Other destinations

Photographs: Petar Milošević (CC BY-SA 4.0); Petar Milošević (CC BY-SA 4.0); Ekrem Canli (CC BY-SA 3.0); Tracy Hunter from Kabul,, Afghanistan (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

Plan your trip

Tell us who is travelling and roughly when. A trip planner — not a call centre — replies within three hours between 9am and 11pm Pakistan time with a day-by-day itinerary and the full price, per person, with nothing hidden underneath it.

Every itinerary written from scratch around your dates.
Licensed operator, running these routes since 2020.
A full costing up front — no deposit to see one.

+92 310 5344471
info@elhamasia.com
9am – 11pm PKT, seven days a week
Office No. 227, Rohtas Road, G-9/1, Islamabad, Pakistan

Chat on WhatsApp Call us

Active member & authorised by

Full name *

Email *

WhatsApp number *Include your country code.

Country of residenceTells us your visa and permit route.

Where do you want to go?

Preferred start dateLeave blank if your dates are open.

Hotel typeSets the quote. On trekking days the accommodation is tented whatever you pick here.

TravellersAdultsUnder 12

Anything we should know?

I’d like Elham Asia to contact me about this enquiry. We use your details to answer it and nothing else — never sold, never passed on, and deleted on request. *

No account, no deposit, no obligation. Prefer to talk? WhatsApp +92 310 5344471.