Central Asia Tours: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan & the Silk Road

When well-travelled clients ask us "where haven't we been?", Central Asia is our most frequent answer. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan deliver what the over-touristed world no longer can: genuine discovery — Silk Road cities that predate Venice, canyons that rival Arizona's, and steppe landscapes that reset your sense of scale — with visa-free entry for Australians and New Zealanders in both countries and infrastructure that has quietly become very good.

Uzbekistan: the Silk Road's greatest hits

Samarkand's Registan is the single most spectacular square in the Islamic world; Bukhara and Khiva are entire medieval trading cities preserved almost intact. The classic route — Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva — takes eight to ten days, with high-speed rail now linking the first three. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) bring blue-tile skies and mild days.

Kazakhstan: the surprise package

A week based from Almaty rearranges expectations fast: Charyn Canyon's red rock amphitheatres, the eerie sunken forest of Lake Kaindy, Kolsai's alpine lakes, and Big Almaty Lake sitting impossibly turquoise at 2,500 metres — all within day-trip or overnight range of a genuinely cosmopolitan city. Seven days covers it well; our travellers consistently rate it among their most surprising trips.

Combine them, or go deeper

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan pair naturally into a two-week Silk Road itinerary with a short flight between Almaty and Tashkent. The ambitious add Kyrgyzstan's mountains or continue the full arc toward the Caspian. Group tours handle the logistics — accommodation quality varies outside the cities, and a good local guide transforms the history from names into stories.

Practicalities

• Visas: not required for Australian or New Zealand passport holders for short stays in either country.
• When: April–June and September–October. July–August is hot on the Uzbek plains but ideal in Kazakhstan's mountains.
• Getting there: one-stop connections from east-coast Australia and New Zealand via Dubai, Doha, Istanbul or Seoul.

Your questions answered

Is Central Asia safe for travellers?

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are among the safer destinations we sell — low street crime, welcoming locals, and well-established tourist circuits. Normal travel awareness applies, as anywhere.

How many days do I need?

Seven for a single country done properly; twelve to fourteen for the two-country Silk Road classic.

Group tour or independent?

Uzbekistan's classic route is very doable independently; Kazakhstan's nature highlights are far easier with a driver-guide. Most of our travellers choose a small-group or private touring arrangement for both.

Explore our Central & East Asia collection or ask the Pack Ya Bags team to build your Silk Road itinerary.