Wendy Wu Road to Samarkand

– Cruise on the beautiful Lake Issyk Kul
– Discover the ancient city of Bukhara
– Visit the mesmerising cities of Samarkand and Khiva

Days 1-2: Fly to Bishkek

Fly overnight to Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek. Enjoy a welcome lunch before taking part in a city tour

Day 3: Ala Archa National Park

Drive to this national park for a leisurely hike through picturesque landscapes before heading back to Bishkek for a free afternoon

Day 4: Lake Issyk Kul

Visit the stunning Burana Tower before departing for Cholpon-Ata, home to a collection of petroglyphs. Later take a cruise on Lake Kul, where you can enjoy the alpine-esque views

Day 5: Drive to Karakol

Drive to Karakol, stopping at Semenov Gorge and Kyrchyn Jailoo ethnic village on the way. In the afternoon, visit the Przhevalsky Musuem, the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and the Chinese Mosque

Day 6: Jeti-Orguz Gorge

Immerse yourself in Karakol’s sunday morninig animal market before travelling to Jeti-Orguz Gorge. Visit an Irdyk village and enjoy a home-cooked dinner with a local family.

Day 7: Eagle Hunting

Travel to Skazka Canyon, before heading onwards to Bokonbaevo to watch an eagle hunting demonstration. Continue to Naryn

Day 8: Journey to Tash Rabat

Pass through the dramatic mountainous landscapes to reach Tash Rabat, a significant point during the height of the Silk Road. Return to Naryn

Day 9: Kochkor

Transfer to Kochkor, known for being a centre of Kyrgyz felt handicrafts, which you’ll learn about throughout the day. In the evening, continue on to a guesthouse near Chong-Kemin National Park

Day 10: Chong Kemin National Park

Enjoy a walk in the quiet valley before traveling to Bishkek for your flight to Tashkent

Day 11: Tashkent

Explore the many sights of Tashkent, including the Barak Khana Seminary and the Tila Shaikh Mosque. Browse the wares of Chorsu bazaar before experiencing a ceramic workshop

Day 12: Golden City of Samarkand

Travel to the legendary city of Samarkand where you’ll enjoy a tour of its best sights before having the rest of the day to do your own exploring

Day 13: Samarkand

Explore more of the city’s iconic sights, including Gur Emir, Bibi-Khanum and the Siab Bazaar.

Day 14: Konigil Village

Visit Ulugbek’s Observatory before visiting the ancient settlement of Afrosiab. Continue onto Konigil to visit a papermaking workshop before heading back to Samarkand.

Day 15: Shakhrisabz

Travel to the birthplace of Tamerlane and explore the city, including the remnants of the Ak-Sarai Palace and Kok-Gumbas Mosque. Returning to Samarkand in the afternoon

Day 16: Bukhara

Journey to Bukhara, visiting Gijduvan, famous for handmade ceramics. Continue onto Bukhara, where you can begin your exploration that afternoon

Day 17: Bukhara

Spend a full day exploring all of Bukhara’s historical sights, including the Ark Fortress and the Khonako Medrassah Mosque complex

Day 18 – Bukhara

Visit the Emir’s summer palace before heading to the Bahauddin Naqshbandi Mausoleum. After, return to Bukhara and spend the rest of the day at leisure

Day 19: Khiva

Take a journey across Kyzyl Kum desert, stopping at Amudarya River.

Day 20: Itchan Kala

Explore ancient Khiva, including the UNESCO inner-walled city of Ithcan Kala and the Kunya Ark.

Day 21: Fly to Tashkent

Transfer to Urgench to fly to Tashkent. On arrival, you’ll be able to visit the Museum of Applied Arts and Mustakilik Square.

Day 22: Fly Tashkent to UK

Transfer to Tashkent Airport for your journey back to the UK

You will be travelling through a rarely visited and undeveloped area of Kyrgyzstan for a few days; from the Chinese-Kyrgyz border to the shore of Issy-Kul. This is a remote area with villages, nomadic settlements, very small towns and little in the way of tourist facilities. This itinerary has been designed to use the accommodation offered by the CBT home stay project, staying in local houses/guest houses for a few nights. The CBT ‘Community Based Tourism’ project started in Kochkor Village, offering income to local families and guides while providing tourists the opportunity to stay with a local family, in their simple homes.

Three-star hotel: You will be staying in hotels of three-star standards or above for the remainder of the tour.

Kyrgyz Women Cooperative

In Kochkor, visit a local cooperative where women are trained in traditional handicrafts

Cruise Lake Issyk Kul

Take to the waters of Lake Issyk Kul, the second largest alpine lake in the world

Golden Eagle Hunting

Witness the skill and majestic of an age-old Kyrgyz tradition

– Return international flights
– All Accommodation
– All meals: 20 breakfasts, 19 lunches and 20 dinners
– All transportation & transfers
– All sightseeing & entrance fees
– English speaking National Escort & local guides
– Visa fees for UK & EU passport holders

Go Beyond

Venture off the beaten track to explore fascinating destinations away from the tourist trail. You will discover the local culture in depth and see sights rarely witnessed by other travellers. These tours take you away from the comforts of home but will reward you with the experience of a lifetime.

Most Wendy Wu groups consist of 10 travellers or more and will be accompanied by both a National Escort and local guides. There will usually be no more than 18 travellers in each group although you may encounter other Wendy Wu tour groups while you are travelling.

This tour has a physical rating of 4. A good level of fitness is required as you can expect to be walking, or taking part in a physical activity like cycling, for longer periods of time on several days throughout the tour, and may be required to tackle some more challenging terrain.