Take an adventure through Uzbekistan, a country famous for its ancient Silk Road cities overflowing with mosques, mausoleums and mystery. Beginning and ending in Tashkent, the nation's capital, this trip will have you following in the footsteps of traders, pilgrims, Alexander the Great and Tamerlane himself. Walk in the shadows of ancient, blue-tiled buildings, sleep in a yurt under thousands of desert stars and spend an evening at a home stay with a family in the Nuratau Mountains. Highlights
The much-photographed Registan in Samarkand is one of the true pinnacles of Islamic architecture. You'll be wowed by the scale, grandeur and beauty of the monuments to iconic figures such as Tamerlane and the Persia-influenced madressas, mosques and mausoleums.
Central Asia is a fascinating and unique mix of ancient Silk Road culture, Soviet influence and striving to redefine nations post independence. Geographically and for a time historically, it is the real centre of Asia.
Spend an evening in the isolated Kyzylkum Desert, warming yourself by the fire and sleeping in a yurt.
Get to really know the stories and people of Uzbekistan while sharing home-cooked meals with local families, including a home stay in the remote Nuratau Mountains.
Spend time in World Heritage-listed Bukhara, a 6th-century-BC city that's drenched in history and home to the formidable Ark of Bukhara.
