Central Asia Adventure: Astana to Ashgabat

Set off on a 37-day adventure through all 5 stans of Central Asia – a region combining Silk Road history, Soviet influence and scenic landscapes. Journey from the shining capital of Astana to the whitewashed Ashgabat, taking your time to savour the different Stans along the way. Rub shoulders with locals in the bazaars, stay in traditional yurt camps and stand in front of the ever-burning crater – The Gates of Hell. Visit local homes, learn about the region’s history with your local leader by your side and take in the sweeping landscape changing from country to country. This trip covers a lot of ground. The trip is designed for those who are keen to travel the region in depth and understand each country through a variety of destinations rather than only ticking off the iconic sites. It’s suitable for experienced travellers who want to see an unknown part of the world. You'll need to be reasonably fit to handle a long overland journey like this., This is an overland journey, so there will be some very long days of travelling and driving, often over rough terrain. This can be tiring at times and will require a great deal of patience at others, especially at border crossings. The vehicle size can be rather compact when the group is almost full. This is to enable us to travel to small villages where the general road condition doesn't allow big buses. We find this is a great way for the group to bond and share an amazing journey together and there will be stops along the way to take photos and stretch your legs too., To visit Turkmenistan, Letters of Invitation is needed in advance to apply for your visa (which you can then get on arrival). There are difference visa requirements for different nationalities in all the countries visited on this trip, please see the ‘Passport and visas’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more details., Tourism is strictly controlled in Turkmenistan, On your own, you can explore nearby your hotel, visiting shopping centres or restaurants, but we recommend that further exploration is with your local leader. Please don’t take photos when not with your local leader. Photos of the streets, people in uniforms and many buildings are prohibited., Be prepared to experience the full legacy of the Soviet era – not just in the sights and history, but also in the standards of accommodation and service. A range of different accommodations are used on this trip, including yurt camp, home stay, guesthouse, hotels and camping. The condition at the yurt stays and the home stays are basic with shared facilities. This means the group being split between different houses, multi-share rooms/yurts and the bathroom facilities are separated from your sleeping quarters. You won't be able to take a shower every day on this trip., This trip is a combination of three trips. Please review the itinerary for details of when your fellow travellers and leader will change.