Highlights of the Silk Road overland tour

Planet

We are committed to positive environmental impacts through our Responsible Travel Policy. As an overland company we have extremely low carbon emissions throughout all our journeys. This journey operates over 4,343 km departing from Almaty, traveling through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan before concluding in Tashkent. We like to ensure that rail travel is used where possible, allowing for the journey to be shared between many. We also ensure to use experienced drivers who know the areas best when transfers are needed. This allows us to be confident there will be no risk of damage to the environment and local flora.

We use local partners who work with us to design journeys an optimal way to limit our impact on the environment. We make certain to reduce plastic waste by promoting reusing drink bottles instead of buying bottled water. Where possible our clients stay in smaller-scale accommodation, such as locally owned guesthouses, in support of the local people.

When we stay close to Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan the overnight stay includes a camping experience under the stars. This further reduces our use of energy as we use solar powered lighting during the evenings and utilise large communal dispensing bottles for water.

We try to include as many local lunches, dinners and wineries in our journeys which enables us to spread economic benefits while also promote cultural understanding. We also make certain that none of our scheduled sightseeing visit zoos or orphanages.

People

We have a very clear mandate to support the local community and without these Local Partners our on ground experiences wouldn’t be the same. We have been operating journeys throughout Asia for over 50 years and strive to build on our long established reputation for having the utmost respect for the places and communities that we visit. With all our community based support we strive to improve the quality of life for people of Central Asia. More than half the population in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan reside in remote, mountainous communities with limited infrastructure, services and opportunity, our journey look to improve that opportunity.

We contract the services of local guides and City Ambassadors through our Local Partners. We use Djonghir, a trusted Local Guide from Samarkand for many of our tours. Djonghir loves showing our travelers the lifestyle in Samarkand and has even been known to demonstrate how to make local cuisines upon request. He wants all travelers to leave Uzbekistan loving it as much as he does.

In addition, we partner with local families, which we find not only enriches the overall experience but allows us to understand local traditions and create sound relationships between clients and locals.

We visit local markets where possible again helping to serve as an authentic and cultural experience and one, which maintains a closer bond between client and local. We always encourage our group to buy locally and encourage local trade and artistry.