Our Silk Road vacations
Traveling overland in a small group is the most enjoyable, most immersive way to explore the Silk Road – the vast network of ancient trade routes that linked Asia and the Middle East with Europe. Our Silk Road vacations take their time tracing the fascinating history of different routes through the ‘Stans, China and Iran, past cities such as Samarkand, and through remote areas that rarely benefit from tourism, where local guides are an invaluable key to understanding the culture. Staying in a succession of small, family-owned accommodations throughout, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of traditional ways of life in communities along the way.
Our top Silk Road vacations
The Silk Road small group tour
From
US $4179 to US $4479
14 days
ex flights
Discover the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China
Small group2023: 13 Jun, 20 Jun, 18 Jul, 8 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 26 Sep, 2024: 14 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 11 Jun, 18 Jun, 16 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 24 Sep
Central Asia overland tour, the stans
From
£4999 to £5699
26 days
ex flights
An epic journey through the five 'stans' of Central Asia
Small group2023: 2 Sep, 2024: 7 Sep
The five stans silk road vacation
From
US $7549 to US $7999
23 days
ex flights
Step into the pages of history on a silk road tour
Small group2023: 10 Jun, 17 Jun, 1 Jul, 8 Jul, 29 Jul, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, 26 Aug, 16 Sep, 2024: 1 Jun, 8 Jun, 15 Jun, 22 Jun, 29 Jun, 6 Jul, 27 Jul, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 24 Aug, 7 Sep, 14 Sep, 21 Sep
Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan vacation, Silk Road explorer
From
£2685 to £2735
16 days
ex flights
Discover the fascinating ancient history of the Silk Road
Small group2023: 22 Apr, 16 Sep, 2024: 20 Apr, 14 Sep
Silk Road tour, cities of the Silk Road
From
£3995
14 days
ex flights
Discover important cities of the old Silk Road
Small group2023: 2 Sep, 16 Sep, 30 Sep
Kazakhstan vacation, Steppe to the Silk Road
From
£1949 to £2049
10 days
ex flights
Cultural and natural heritage in a Central Asian secret
Small group2023: 20 May, 2024: 18 May
The five Stans of the Silk Road vacation
From
US $6360 to US $7140
22 days
ex flights
Journey through the 5 Stans of Central Asia
Small group2023: 7 May, 4 Jun, 23 Jul, 13 Aug, 3 Sep, 17 Sep
Silk Road vacation, small group
From
£3345 to £3995
15 days
ex flights
Discover amazing Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan
Small group2023: 16 Apr, 10 Sep, 2024: 14 Apr, 8 Sep
Uzbekistan tour, Road to Samarkand
From
US $2240 to US $2640
12 days
ex flights
Travel the ancient Silk Road through remote Central Asia.
Small group2023: 31 Mar, 3 Apr, 19 May, 26 May, 2 Jun, 4 Aug, 11 Aug, 1 Sep, 8 Sep, 15 Sep, 22 Sep, 29 Sep, 2 Oct, 6 Oct, 13 Oct
About our Silk Road vacations
The history of the Silk Road
The history of the Silk Road dates back to around 114 BC, when China’s Han dynasty began to expand its influence, opening up new trade routes that merchants were quick to seize upon. Along with tea, perfumes, paper and (of course) silk, new cultures, languages and architecture travelled from east to west. That went both ways – Marco Polo is known to have followed the Silk Road from Europe to China. The Han dynasty met the Roman Empire in Central Asia, allowing the cities along this spidering network of routes to flourish with even greater prosperity and cultural exchange.
Travel advice
Given the number of available routes for Silk Road vacations, and the sheer amount there is to see in cities from Tashkent to Almaty, and Samarkand to Bukhara, you’ll find our Silk Road travel advice a veritable goldmine of useful tips. We’ve tapped our Silk Road vacation experts for their thoughts on things like how to cope with long road journeys pitted with potholes, what to pack, what to expect from the cuisine, and where to shop for the best traditional handicrafts. You’ll also find handy Silk Road health and safety advice, and some first-hand knowledge from previous travelers.
Small group Silk Road vacations
In past centuries, merchants and traders on the Silk Road would wisely travel together for safety. While bandit raids are a thing of the past, small group vacations remain the best way to explore the Silk Road. You can travel classic routes knowing that all the logistics – from visas to accommodation – have been sorted out by professionals. Groups are accompanied throughout by local guides adept at introducing you to people and their culture along the way. You also have the social aspect. You’ll bond quickly with like-minded travelers on a two- or three-week trip through the Stans.
