The Silk Road: Legends of the Five Stans

Crossing into Uzbekistan brings days in Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand with its Registan Square madrassahs and a wine tasting from cellars dating to the 1920s. Then the tour heads east to Tajikistan’s Dushanbe and Khujand, with lively bazaars and ancient forts en route. Kyrgyzstan follows, including a family-run guesthouse in Chon Kemin valley, an eagle hunting demonstration and unusual wooden architecture in Karakol.

The journey closes in Kazakhstan, taking in Charyn Canyon’s dramatic cliffs before time in Almaty with its Green Bazaar and musical instrument museum. The route covers several borders and provides varied cultural encounters with plenty of stretches for reflection amid the sweeping landscapes.