Istanbul to Singapore (24 weeks) Trans Asia

An epic overland adventure across 14 countries, from the edge of Europe, along the ancient Silk Road to China and then through the tropics of South East Asia, ending in in the ultra-modern metropolis of Singapore. 

Experience diverse cultures, discover unkown and often-turbulent history, explore varied landscapes and surroundings from wide verdant grasslands and barren deserts to towering snow-capped mountains and dense rainforest, and get lost in some of the world's most vibrant and chaotic cities.

 

Itinerary

Day 1

• Istanbul
• Our first day is free in Istanbul

Days 2 to 12

• Turkey
• Gallipoli - visit the battlegrounds and war graves of the forces that fought here in WWI.
• Ephesus - built by the Greeks 1000 years BC, then rebuilt by the Romans
• Pamukkale - hot springs and stunning waterways
• Cappadoccia - explore dwellings carved from the eerily eroded landscape

Days 13 to 20

• Georgia
• Batumi - on the Black Sea Coast
• Foothills of the Caucasus - bush camps in rural Georgia
• Kutaisi - Georgi'a second largest city
• Gori – birthplace of Stalin
• Tbilisi – Georgia’s capital
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• Days 21 to 22
• Georgia
• Telavi – ancient wine-growing region
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• Days 23 to 27
• Armenia
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• Savanavank – monastery on the shores of Lake Sevan
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• Yerevan – Capital of Armenia, cafes, museums and world-famous brandy
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Days 28 to 42

• Iran
• Tabriz - explore the bazaar and the Blue Mosque
• Tehran - Iran's non-stop capital
• Esfahan - discover this historic and beautiful city
• Persepolis - ancient ruins partly destroyed by Alexander the Great
• Shiraz & Yazd
• Dasht e Kavir Desert - desert crossing with an overnight Oasis stop
• Mashhad - home to the stunning Imam Reza Mosque
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Day 43

• Turkmenistan
• Ashgabat – Free time and City Tour

Days 44 to 45

• Turkmenistan
• Kara-Kum Desert – drive across the barren desert
• Darvaza Gas Craters – the ‘Door to Hell’, a result of Soviet-era gas exploration.
• Kunye Ugench - see the 60mtr high minaret

Days 46 to 55

• Uzbekistan
• Aral Sea - ships marooned in the desert
• Khiva - explore the ancient medressas, mausoleums and museums.
• Bukhara - an important stop on the Silk Rd of old & home to over 350 mosques & 100 Islamic colleges.
• Kyzylkum Desert - beauty & harshness in one.
• Samarkand - as old as Babylon, view the beauty of the Registan, medressas & mosques.
• Tajikistan
• Drive south towards Tajikistan border.
• Stop off in the unesco Town of Shahrisabz (time allowing).
• Dushanbe – Tajikistan’s Capital.

Days 56 to 61

• Fann Mountains – 5000 mtr + peaks.
• Iskanderkul Lake and Tajikistan’s highest waterfall.
• Khujand – an important city on the old Silk Road.
• Kyrgyzstan
• Fergana Valley – the home of silk and where the great route started from.
• Osh – home to oldest bazaar in Central Asia.
• Stunning mountains and lakes
• Bishkek - the Kyrgyzstan capital.  Soviet built city with tree lined boulevards and parks.  A chance to let our hair down, relax and maybe remind our taste buds about western food!

Days 62 to 63

• Bishkek - the Kyrgyzstan capital.  Soviet built city with tree lined boulevards and parks.  A chance to let our hair down, relax and maybe remind our taste buds about western food!

Days 64 to 76

• Almaty - Kazakhstan's largest metropolis
• Lake Issyk-Kul - a massive mountain lake with magnificent scenery & loads of activities to choose from.
• Altyn Arashan
• Karakol/Jeti Orguz Region - hiking into the surrounding Terskay Ala-Too Mountains.
• Lake Song Kol - Traditional yurt stay, horseback riding and trekking the surrounding areas.
• Tash Rabat - visit this ancient caravanserai.

Day 77

• Transfer over the Torugat Pass into China.

Day 78

• Full day guided tour in Kashgar, using local transport.
• Time to relax or explore further.

Days 79 to 83

• Overnight train to Jiayuguan
• Jiayuguan - our first taste of the Great Wall of China
• Train to Dunhuang, a city on the edge of the Gobi desert.
• Visit Mogao Grottoes (Caves of the Thousand Buddhas).
• Visit to Ming Sha Hill and the Crescent Moon Pool.
• Board the night train to Lanzhou.

Days 84 to 88

• Overnight train to Lhasa – one of the highest cities in the world.
• Explore the city with our Tibetan guide.  Must see sights include Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Square, the stunning Potala Palace and time allowing, the Sera Monastery.
• Private bus to Shigatse, crossing the Gampala Pass (4790 mtrs).
• Visit the home of Panchan Lama - Tashilunpo Monastery.

Days 89 to 91

• Rongbuk – the highest Monastery in the world.
• Visit to Everest Base Camp.
• Tingri – on the Friendship Highway
• Gyantse - Pelkor Chode Monastery and Kumbum Stupa. 

Days 92 to 95

• Yamdrok Tso Lake
• High altitude train to Chengdu (2 days)
• Chengdu (2 nights) – visit the Giant Panda Sanctuary
• Xi’an – visit the famous Terracotta Warriors

Days 96 to 97

• Xi'an

Days 98 to 102

• China
• Chengdu - visit the nearby Giant Panda Breeding Centre.
• Kunming - capital of Yunna Province

Days 103 to 116

• Laos
• The 'Land of a Million Elephants'
• Luang Namtha - jungle hikes, rafting
• Luang Prabagn - visit the Buddhist Temples, learn to cook Lao food, walking and outdoor options
• Vientiane -relaxed colonial capital city with a disinctly French feel
• Phu Hin Bun National Park - longtail boats up the Mekong River and riverside bush lodge

Days 117 to 127

• Vietnam
• Hue - visit the Citadel in one of Vietnam's cultural and religious centres, or take a day trip to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)
• Hoi An - unspolit beaches and cheap suits, beach lodge
• Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam's fast and frenetic capital, visit the floating markets on the Mekong Delta, check out the War Remnants Museum, dodge the motorbikes!

Days 128 to 136

• Cambodia
• Phnom Penh - a bustling city on the up after the years of the Khmer Rouge. Visit the chilling Tuol Sleng Prison, or Killing Fields. Royal Palace
• and Silver Pagoda
• Boat trip up the Tonle Sap to Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat

Days 137 to 148

• Thailand
• The 'Land of a Thousand Smiles'
• Bangkok - Thailand's cosmopolitan and chaotic capital. Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha, Khlong (Canal) Tours, modern shopping malls, the infamous Khao San Road
• Kanchanburi - Home to the Bridge on the River Kwai
• Ko Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan - islands of tropical paradise with scuba diving and a free week (accommodation not included)

Days 149 to 168

• Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore
• Sumatra - relax on Lake Danau Toba and home of the Batak people
• Gunung Leuser National Park - Get up close to the majestic orang-utan at the Bukit Lawang Feeding Station, hike through the national park
• Medan -  bustling capital of Sumatra
• Penang and Georgetown - colonial town with fantastic food
• Pula Perhenthian Besar - tropical paradise and Malaysia's showpiece island, undeveloped and unspoilt beaces
• Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's modern and relatively relaxed capital, Petronas Towers, bargain on Jalan Petaling
• Malaka - unique multiculturual city with a rich history
• Singapore - our final stop, an ultra-modern and diverse city