Five Stan Express — All Five in 15 Days
Overview
Five countries in two weeks: the Issyk-Kul loop, Charyn and Almaty, Tashkent and Samarkand, a day in Tajikistan’s Marguzor lakes, Bukhara, then Merv, Ashgabat and the crater. The pace is quick; the content is everything. Up to 16 travellers.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- Travellers who have exactly two weeks and want all five flags
- People who do not mind a fast pace
- You want Khiva — it is not on this route
- You like free afternoons
Our honest opinion
- The Marguzor day is a clever way to add Tajikistan
- Finishes with the crater
- Day 5 is eight hours with a border and a canyon
- Two yurt nights, no showers
Choose this if the five-country goal matters more than depth; choose the 21-day if depth matters more.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Line style shows how you travel each leg: solid = train, dotted = car, dashed = flight.
Day by day
Arrival and welcome dinner.
Burana tower and the north shore.
Round the lake to a yurt camp on the quiet shore.
Waterfalls, red cliffs and Karakol.
Border and the canyon on the way to the city.
Medeo, Kok-Tobe, the Green bazaar.
Flight; afternoon in the capital.
Train and the Registan.
Day trip across the border into Tajikistan’s Seven Lakes.
Train; the old town on foot.
Border and ancient Merv.
The road west.
City tour and Nisa.
The crater; dinner by the fire.
Back to the airport for evening flights.
What’s included
What’s not included
Where you’ll stay
Or equivalent, depending on season. Hotels are inside or beside the historic centres wherever the town has one.
Traveller reviews
What guests wrote
“All five in fifteen days. It is fast — that is the point and they say so — and if you want depth, take the 21-day. For me, with limited leave, it was perfect. Guides and logistics faultless. Knocked a star off only for pace, which I chose.”
Good to know
Most nationalities enter Uzbekistan visa-free for 30–90 days. If your passport needs an e-visa, it takes 2–3 working days online — we check your case and guide you at booking.
The local currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Visa and Mastercard work in city hotels, restaurants and supermarkets; keep some cash for bazaars, taxis and tips. ATMs dispense som and sometimes USD.
April–June and September–November are warm and clear — ideal for walking the old cities. July–August afternoons exceed 35°C; winter departures run at reduced prices.
Uzbekistan uses European plug types C and F, 220V. Travellers from the UK, US and Asia need a standard Euro adapter — one per device is enough, hotels have plenty of sockets.
Everyday dress is relaxed across all four cities. Inside mosques and madrasas, shoulders and knees should be covered; headscarves for women are only needed in a few active mosques — your guide will tell you when.
Your included eSIM is activated on arrival, so you’re online from the airport. Hotel Wi-Fi is reliable in all four cities; your coordinator stays reachable on WhatsApp or Telegram throughout.
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. 50% refund up to 15 days before; after that the booking is non-refundable, but you can move to another date once for free.
Medical insurance for the tour days is included. We still recommend personal travel insurance covering cancellation and baggage — we can suggest trusted providers.
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