Central Asia consists of five independent republics. For this 11-day tour, we have chosen the three most popular countries with diverse traditions, cultures, and breathtaking scenic beauty for you to explore. Begin the tour from Almaty in Kazakhstan, which is the best-developed country in Central Asia. Continue to the majestic mountain-fringed Kyrgyzstan and discover incredible natural landscapes. Finally, end the tour in Uzbekistan, the historic hub of Central Asia, and appreciate its iconic monuments.
Highlights
- Enjoy breathtaking views from Big Almaty Lake, which offers a scenic backdrop of snowy peaks, green valleys, and rare birds.
- Explore Soviet-era style stations and try the subway in Tashkent.
- Relax at Issyk-Kul Lake with champagne and fresh fruits on a private boat trip.
- Discover the various monuments in Bukhara and Samarkand, which take you back in history to the rule of the Timurid Dynasty.
- Explore the different local bazaars to get an up-close experience of local life.




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I have never hear of this company…
I have never hear of this company before , and after reading all these reviews ,I decided to give it a try . The professionalism and communicative skill received by one of the agent , Sharon of Asia Highlights , convince me that She was the right travel agent for my trip in Asia . Very quickly she communicated with me and got all the detail of my desire vacation . Sharon made me a great itinerary with great experiences that I am dreaming to experience and I am looking forward to it . Thanks Sharon for been so great and crafting me a dream vacation with great suggestions. More
orge alvarez,
May 2023
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Coco Yang worked tirelessly to…
From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods More
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May 2023
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Sharon from Asia highlights has been…
Sharon from Asia highlights has been amazing. She offered her amazing ideas to other tours I wanted. We have planned the perfect 9 day itinerary to Thailand. She worked in my budget and was very flexible when I had to change my flights. Thank you sharon. Can’t wait for the trip. More
Heather Stern Wilensky,
Apr 2023
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Ms. Ning first review 4-2023
Ms. Albee Ning has been doing a great job accommodating my requests and itinerary changes. Remember the first itinerary is a rough draft and you may modify it to suit your tastes. Remember you can not do it all and see everything in 3 weeks. If the flight wasn't so long I would visit Southeast Asia more often. I will update my review in a few months. We don't leave for 9 more months. Asia Highlights is working well for me so far! More
Chiefray,
Apr 2023
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Perfect Trip To Thailand…
We had so much fun in Bangkok with Tanni and Tom as they kept laughing at all of our silly jokes. Paul, our guide and Chiang Mai was really thoughtful, fun and full of great information about the temples and sights. Thanks so much! Brian and Michelle More
Scott Orchard,
Mar 2023
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I highly recommend Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I worked with Alisa and she is fantastic! I was planning my honeymoon trip, and I changed the destination multiple times. Each time, Alisa provided me an updated itinerary with activities that matched my interests. Whether I had a small change to an activity, a question about one of the arrangements, or a change or destination, Alisa was helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable, providing me with updated options in an extremely timely manner. In the end, despite the fact that I changed my mind on location multiple times, I ended up booking a 17 day trip to Thailand for this upcoming November. I am extremely excited to experience everything that Alisa planned for us. I recommend Asia Highlights to everyone and look forward to using them again on any other trips to Asia in the future. Thank you Alisa and Asia Highlights! More
Britt Rosen,
Mar 2023
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Three weeks encompassing Vietnam
A special shoutout to our last guide in Bangkok - Ms. Ka-Noon who spoiled us with her kindness and then got us through check in and security for our flight home in record time at that huge Bangkok airport. More
Deby,
Feb 2023
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Over the last 5 years we've used Asia…
Over the last 5 years we've used Asia highlights twice. And both times we've had fantastic vacations. Would not want to do it any different when we travel to Asia from now on. Sharon was fantastic. She was a wonderful agent who helped us nail down our trip and make everything go as smooth as possible. More
Todd Atwell,
Feb 2023
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Family Trip to Thailand
Our trip to Thailand comprised three generations of the family , ten people and an age range of 4 to 70 so a potentially difficult brief.Our itinerary over two weeks involved four locations, and a number of different trips and tours.From out arrival at an extremely busy Bangkok airport Asia Highlights were terrific.In each location we were met by a smiling , knowledgeable and professional guide who simply made everything easy and stress free for everyone.Our transportation was clean and comfortable . Transport was always ready for us at the agreed time and the drivers were excellent.There were so many highlights enjoyed by all the age groups. The floating houses , railway market and elephant sanctuary were particular favourites.We had one minor glitch with the accommodation in Phuket which was immediately dealt with by Tip. I think we would have struggled to resolve the problem by ourselves. So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back. More
Roger Pyle,
Feb 2023
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Trip of a lifetime from Asia Highlights!
I recommend highly Asia Highlights as a travel company. Our travel consultant Albee took the time to connect with us during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with our itinerary. When we arrived, we were met by our guide and all the details were attended to. They picked great hotels and tours. I often describe our trip as the trip of a lifetime! Would definitely use them again when we come back to Asia More
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Feb 2023
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Asia Highlights and Albee - highly recommended
Asia Highlights is very reliable agency and Albee is an amazing representative of the company. From the moment when we contacted her until our departure, the whole support we received was 6* level. She prepared our trip offer within few hours and afterwards she was extremely flexible to adjust as per our needs. In the period between the offer and the trip, Albee was always available for all our questions and supported us on the best possible way. During the trip she was again flexible to add new activities/transfers and this went on the smoothest possible way. Thank you, Albee and Asia Highlights. Definitely we will approach you again for our next Asian trip More
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Feb 2023
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5 STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE BY MONICA
Monica is a very sweet young lady who speaks excellent English via email/WhatsApp, and knows the importance of excellent customer service. More
Trent,
Jan 2023
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We had an awesome experience with Asia Highlights
We started our trip in Bangkok, where Mr. Prassert our tour guide, met us. He was on time and the van was clean and well-maintained. Mr. Prassert was our guide for the 4 days we spent in Bangkok. He was helpful, kind, and willing to accommodate our pee and coffee breaks. The driver was safe and punctual. Next, we went to Chiang Mai.Gemma exceeded every expectation we had for our tour of Chiang Mai! She had a great attitude that made exploring the city fun and exciting, as well as an abundance of knowledge and experience. She was always spot on with figuring out logistics and coming up with unique ideas that suited our interests and schedules. Gemma was incredibly generous with her time and even walked us to security at the airport to make sure we could carry all of our luggage. That’s just one example of how far out of her way she went to make our trip easier and more enjoyable. Gemma was sincerely interested in making every minute of our trip count. We’re very grateful to have met her and feel like we have found a friend in Gemma! Our driver in Chiang Mai was also great and very accommodating to our changes in schedules. More
Lois Paskow,
Dec 2022
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Thailand & Cambodia 2022
Albee went above and beyond to make our trip perfect. She rearranged flights due to a mistake of mine. She made sure we were still picked up and escorted to the airport. I felt comfortable and safe with all our reps. She did an excellent job and I highly recommend her booking your next trip. Thank you, Albee. More
Karen Brooks,
Dec 2022
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Perfect vacation thanks to Albee we…
I can’t say enough about how much we appreciate all the efforts, attention to details and immediate responses to all questions that Albee and her team provided. The Asia Highlights team deserves more stars than the maximum allowed because of continually going above and beyond all expectations. Thanks Albee for making our vacation through south east Asia absolutely perfect!!! More
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Dec 2022
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2023 Chiang Mai CAD Yipeng Festival
We got early bird ticket and Bella was assisting us through whatsapp. Easy, competitive price, front row tickets. Thanks Bella, for being patient explaining everything to me. Highly recommended. More
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Dec 2022
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Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep
Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep. She was responsive and knowledgeable. Buying tickets from their website was super easy and the whole process was straightforward. Highly recommended. More
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Nov 2022
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I was ever so grateful to have a point…
I was ever so grateful to have a point of contact while in a foreign country for the first time, alone, that helped me through the Ins and outs of getting to and from my destination. Albee was readily available which brought me much comfort and feeling of safety. If in this part of the world again, I will not hesitate to use your services.. More
Omega,
Nov 2022
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Memorable Experience!!!
I booked tickets to the Chiang Mai Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Nov 2022. Bella was extremely responsive and helpful!! More
Bowen,
Nov 2022
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Personalized
It is the attention to detail and what we specifically wanted to see that made the reservation experience so exciting. More
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Nov 2022
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Suggested Route
Itinerary in Detail
This sample itinerary is designed for reference. Follow our tailor-made guidelines to create an ideal Central Asia travel holiday.
Arrive in Almaty. Your local guide will pick you up from the airport and drive you to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Your Almaty day tour includes visits to a cathedral, museums, and the local market. You will be first taken to see the Central State Museum, which is one of the largest museums in Central Asia. Continue to Panfilov's Park, where you will visit the Zenkov Cathedral and Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments. The Zenkov Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral, made entirely out of wood and without any nails. In the Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments, you will find a unique collection of unusual musical instruments.

Stop at the Green Bazaar and look for some traditional Kazakh foods at this sprawling market. The Green Bazaar is a local favorite and a renowned landmark in Almaty.
After lunch in a local restaurant, take a cable car up to Kok-Tobe Hill and enjoy the panoramic skyline. You can also enjoy the mini zoo, walking park, and the Beatles monument, which is a bronze statue of the Beatles band.
Kazakhstan is a resource-rich economy, and this tour will also give you the chance to appreciate the natural resources of this country.
After breakfast, drive down to Medeo (17KM), from where you will take the cable car to Shymbulak Peak. In the summertime, you will enjoy views of green mountains and valleys, while in winters, you will find a majestic view of snowy peaks and skiers.
Continue driving to Big Almaty Lake (45KM) for breathtaking views of the blue lake and the surrounding Ili Alatau Mountains. If you are lucky, you may spot eagles flying above the lake and some other rare birds. The months of September and early October offer the best views.
Return to Almaty and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

After breakfast, you will transfer to the airport to take a morning flight to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Upon arrival in Bishkek, your local guide and driver will take you to Cholpon Ata town (265KM), located on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. En route, you will visit Burana Tower, which used to be a minaret of the city's mosque. If you climb up the tower (the steps are very steep), you can enjoy magnificent views of this historical site from the top. Near the tower, there's the open-air museum of Balbas, with many carved stone figures.

At Cholpon Ata, you will take a one-hour boat ride, with champagne and fresh fruits served on board - an excellent way to discover Issyk-Kul Lake. Issyk-Kul Lake is the world’s second-largest alpine lake, which never freezes. If you are traveling between June and August, go swimming in the lake while enjoying an extraordinary view of the surrounding snowy mountains.

Before driving back to Bishkek, you will visit the Museum of Petroglyphs. The stone petroglyphs are found around Kyrgyzstan and are gathered here as a unique stone garden. Take your time to stroll through the rocks and study the petroglyphs that date back to more than 4,000 years ago.
Upon arrival in Bishkek, walk around the city and pass Victory Square, National Opera and Ballet Theatre, and Ala-Too Square with Manas Statue. Visit the Osh Bazaar and discover the vivid local life and buy some dried fruit, candies, and local fresh fruits.

Say goodbye to Kyrgyzstan as you take a morning flight to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. Tashkent is a unique mix of modern and Soviet-era architecture. You will have lunch on arrival before starting your trip to Tashkent.
Drive to the city center and visit the Amir Timur Square and Independence Square. Explore the Tashkent Subway, and visit some interesting subway stations like Kosmonavts, Alisher Navoi, and Pakhtakor with their unique and gorgeous decorations. Do ensure you visit the big, blue-color-domed Chorsu Bazaar. It is the biggest market in Tashkent and an excellent place to see the local side of Tashkent and Uzbekistan.

The evening is for you to explore the city by yourself. You may choose to attend a performance at the Navoi Opera Theater, the first opera and ballet theater in Central Asia. Classic productions like Swan Lake are performed with incredible artists here at affordable ticket rates.
Take a breakfast box with you early in the morning and transfer to the railway station to take the high-speed train Afrosiab to Bukhara (07:28 - 11:19 ). Upon arrival at Bukhara train station, your guide and driver will transfer you to the old city area to start your city tour.
There's a saying that Samarkand is the beauty of the earth, but Bukhara is the beauty of the spirit. Your spirit beauty tour starts with a visit to the Ark of Bukhara, a massive fortress which was formerly a governmental center and was later used as a fortress until it fell to Russia in 1920. It is now a collection of museums and mosques. From here, you will get great views of the city.

Next, visit Bolo Hauz Mosque, a good example of wood carving prowess and amazing ceiling painting skills; Samanid Mausoleum, a small brickwork building inside a park; and finally, the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, a holy place with Job's Well (named after the prophet Job) inside. Learn from your local guide about the irrigation system in the region and enjoy pictures of water merchants in ancient Bukhara and the equipment they used.

After breakfast, continue to explore Bukhara with a walking tour. You will start at Lyabi Khauz Square, and visit Nadir Divan-Beghi Madrasah, Divan-Beghi Khanaka, and Kukeldash Madrasah. Nadir Divan-Beghi was an important grandee, a vizier, and also an uncle of the Emir of Bukhara (Imam Quli Khan). There are interesting stories about the location of these buildings that your local guide will tell you.
Next, pass by the trade route and visit Magok-i-Attari Mosque, an Islamic mosque that dates back to Zoroastrian times. It is now a museum of carpets. You will reach the Trading Domes, which reflect what the old city looked like in the past. You will find Toki Zargaron (Dome of the Jewelers), Toki Sarafon (Dome of the Moneychangers), Toki Tilpak Furushon (Dome of the Headgear-Sellers), and Tim Abdulla Khan, which is famous for coffee and homemade cakes.
Continue walking to Poi Kalyan Complex, and visit Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, the most striking building in Bukhara. Not far from here, you can visit the landmark of Bukhara - the Kalyan minaret. It is interesting to learn how it survived the wrath of Genghis Khan, who destroyed most of the monuments of Central Asia.

On the way back to your hotel, stop at Chor-Minor for pictures. With four minarets, it is a part of the Bukhara landscape.
Check out from your hotel and start your journey to Samarkand (280KM). You will have two stops for sightseeing en route.
The first stop is the Sitorai Mokhi Khosa Complex, which was the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara, not far from Bukhara. It combines Russian architecture with Asian designs and tells you about the royals' lavish lifestyle and their taste in art and architecture. You will also see three different museums: the Museum of Applied Arts, Museum of National Costume, and Museum of Needlework.
The next stop is Shahrisabz, the ancient capital city of the Amir Temur Empire and Timur's hometown, 85KM from Samarkand. Visit the Palace Complex of Ak-Saray, which was the most grandiose of all of Timur's constructions. It is an authentic ruin as only parts of its gigantic 65m gate-towers survive, but you can still find the turquoise and blue tile work and imagine how ornate it must have been in the past.

Visit the Dorut Tilovat Complex before driving to Samarkand. There are two parts to this complex: a mosque and a mausoleum. Like most monuments in Bukhara and Samarkand, it has blue domes. Unlike other monuments of this region that are overpoweringly blue and brown, the prayer hall here is lightly colored and gives you a sense of quietude and peace.

Upon arrival in Samarkand, you are free to explore the city by yourself. Don’t miss the evening light-and-sound show at Registan Square, where you can take colorful pictures.
Samarkand is one of the most ancient cities in the world, with many magnificent architectural monuments. Today, we will discover the history of Samarkand.
You will first visit the Gur-Emir Mausoleum, the resting place of Timur, who was the first ruler of the Timurid Dynasty. The building is splendid both inside and out with a majestic blue dome.
Next, visit the magnificent Registan Square, a trade and crafts square, and the city’s cultural center in the 14th-15th century. During the daytime, you will have the opportunity to go inside and appreciate the three madrasahs around the square.

Drive to Bibi-Khanim Mosque, built by Amir Timur (Tamerlane) as a tribute to his wife. It was the Islamic world's largest mosque in Central Asia in the 15th century, with a splendid and richly decorated structure. Next door, there's Siab Bazaar, which functions as a modern-day supermarket.
The last stop is the Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, a mysterious and unique monument of Samarkand. It was a single religious monument around 1,000 years ago. Temples, mausoleums, and buildings were continually added between the 11th and 19th centuries, leading to a combination of various architectural styles, methods, and beautiful craftsmanship.

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Our Service Includes:
- Private transfers and English-speaking tour guide
- All guided sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary
- Hotel accommodation mentioned in the itinerary
- Breakfasts at hotels and lunches for every guided day
- Governmental taxes
Tour code: ah-cn-3
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
Why Travel with Asia Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.
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