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Islam Khoja minaret and the domes of Khiva at dusk

Local tour operator in Khiva

Private Uzbekistan & Central Asia tours from Khiva

Uzbekistan • Kazakhstan • Kyrgyzstan • Tajikistan • Turkmenistan

Silk Road cities, desert fortresses, high pastures and mountain roads. Journeys across the five republics, planned by a local team that lives here.

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Five countries

One region, five very different journeys

Tap a country to explore it. Most travellers start with Uzbekistan and add a neighbour.

UZBEKISTANKAZAKHSTANKYRGYZSTANTAJIKISTANTURKMENISTANCaspian Sea AlmatyAshgabatBishkekDushanbeSamarkandBukharaCharyn CanyonDarvaza gas craterIssyk-KulThe PamirsKhivaKolsai LakesSong-KulTashkentFann Mountains
Registan Square in Samarkand under a blue sky The Silk Road heartlandUzbekistanBlue domes, walled cities and the desert between them.Explore Uzbekistan Turquoise mountain lake among spruce forests in Kazakhstan Steppe, canyons and the Tien ShanKazakhstanAlpine lakes above Almaty, red canyons and endless steppe.Explore Kazakhstan White yurts on a mountain pasture in Kyrgyzstan Mountains and nomad cultureKyrgyzstanHigh pastures, yurt camps and the blue water of Issyk-Kul.Explore Kyrgyzstan Green valleys and snow peaks in Tajikistan The roof of the worldTajikistanThe Pamir Highway, the Fann Mountains and the Seven Lakes.Explore Tajikistan Desert, gas fire and ancient citiesTurkmenistanThe Darvaza crater, ancient Merv and the white-marble capital.Explore Turkmenistan

Popular destinations

Where travellers go first

All places to visit
Domed tombs and a turquoise portal in SamarkandUNESCO UzbekistanSamarkandRegistan, Shah-i-Zinda and the blue domes of Amir Timur. 2–3 days Kalyan minaret and the domed bazaars of BukharaUNESCO UzbekistanBukharaTwo thousand years of merchants, madrasahs and domed bazaars. 2–3 days Islam Khoja minaret and the domes of Khiva at duskUNESCO UzbekistanKhivaA walled city of gates, minarets and mud-brick lanes, and our home. 2 nights Almaty at night beneath the Tien Shan mountains KazakhstanAlmatyKazakhstan’s largest city, with snow mountains at the end of every avenue. 2–3 days Red rock formations of Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan KazakhstanCharyn CanyonRed sandstone towers carved by the Charyn river. 1 day KyrgyzstanIssyk-KulA vast mountain lake that never freezes, ringed by snow peaks. 2–3 days KyrgyzstanSong-KulA high alpine lake where herders move their yurts every summer. 1–2 nights TajikistanPamir HighwayFrom Dushanbe to Osh over passes above 4,600 m. 10–14 days

All places to visit

Signature journeys

Start from a complete itinerary

Day-by-day routes you can book as they are or reshape around your dates.

All tours

21 days5 countries

Central Asia grand tour: five countries in 21 days

Ashgabat → Darvaza gas crater → Kunya-Urgench → Khiva → Bukhara → Samarkand → Seven Lakes (Haft Kul) → Tashkent → Margilan → Osh → Bishkek → Song-Kul → Issyk-Kul → Almaty

From €2,935 per personView tour

All tours

Travel styles

Travel the way you like

Travel styles
The three madrasahs of Registan Square, Samarkand, at sunset Culture & historySilk Road cities, living crafts and the stories behind the monuments.11 tours Poi Kalyan ensemble in Bukhara lit up at night Silk Road journeysFollow the caravan routes across deserts, oases and mountain passes.8 tours AdventureHigh passes, desert camps and roads few travellers ever drive.6 tours Wide river valley and snow-capped ridges in Kyrgyzstan Mountains & lakesAlpine lakes, high pastures and scenic drives without hard trekking.6 tours Desert journeysYurt camps, camel rides, fortresses and the burning crater.6 tours White yurts on a mountain pasture in Kyrgyzstan Nomad experiencesYurt stays, horse riding, eagle hunters and life on the summer pastures.4 tours Kalyan minaret and the old trading domes of Bukhara Food & winePlov masterclasses, bazaars, home kitchens and Samarkand wine.1 tour Family travelShorter drives, hands-on activities and stays children will remember.1 tour

Experiences

More than monuments

Experiences
Rooftops and minarets of Ichan-Kala, Khiva, in evening light 2–3 hours · KhivaShivit oshi cooking class in KhivaMake Khiva’s green dill noodles by hand, then sit down to eat them. Full day, or overnight · Desert fortresses of KhorezmDesert fortresses and a yurt campClay castles of ancient Khorezm, and lunch or a night in a yurt below Ayaz Kala. Full day · Seven Lakes (Haft Kul), PenjikentSeven Lakes day trip from SamarkandCross into Tajikistan for a day among the turquoise lakes of the Fann Mountains. 2–4 hours · Tashkent, SamarkandHigh-speed train across UzbekistanRide the Afrosiyob between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.

Experiences

Multi-country

Combine two, three or all five

Borders, visas and seasons all matter. We plan combinations that work on the ground.

Multi-country journeys
Turquoise-tiled Kalta Minor minaret beside the mud-brick walls of Khiva

Why Darvaza Trip

"Darvaza" means gate. Khiva is a city of gates.

We named the company after the gates of our home town. A good journey should feel like being let in, not shown around.

  • Based in Central Asia

    Our office is in Khiva. We plan and run journeys ourselves, with local guides and drivers.

  • The whole region

    Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, alone or combined.

  • Planned around you

    Every itinerary can be changed in pace, hotels and focus before you confirm.

  • A real conversation

    Talk to a planner directly on WhatsApp, by phone or by email.

About Darvaza Trip

How it works

From first message to first morning

  1. 1

    Tell us your idea

    Dates, travellers, the pace you like and what you want to see. Rough ideas are fine.

  2. 2

    Get a proposal

    We send a day-by-day route with hotels, transport and a clear price. Change anything you like.

  3. 3

    Travel with a local team

    Guides, drivers and trains are arranged, and our office is a message away throughout the trip.

When to go

Pick your month

Spring and autumn suit the Silk Road cities; summer belongs to the mountains.

Read more Month-by-month calendar

October: Ideal

Clear skies and comfortable temperatures. Excellent for the desert fortresses.

Plan a trip for this month

Ideal Good Challenging

Travel guide

Know before you go

Travel guide
Crenellated walls of Ichan-Kala looking towards Kalta Minor visasVisas for Central Asia: country-by-country guideWhich Central Asian countries are visa-free, which need an e-visa, and what Turkmenistan’s letter of invitation involves. Registan Square in Samarkand under a blue sky seasonsBest time to visit Uzbekistan: month by monthWeather, crowds, festivals and what each month is good for, from a team that lives through every season in Khiva. Wide river valley and snow-capped ridges in Kyrgyzstan seasonsThe best time to visit Central AsiaSpring and autumn for the Silk Road cities, summer for the mountains: a month-by-month guide. Kalyan minaret above the rooftops of Bukhara at sunset planningHow many days do you need in Uzbekistan?What fits into 5, 7, 10 and 14 days, with the routes our planners actually use and the mistakes that cost time.

Travel guide

Rooftops and minarets of Ichan-Kala, Khiva, in evening light

Have a journey in mind?

Answer a few questions and a planner in Khiva will send a day-by-day route and a price. Free, with no obligation.

Build your own trip Chat on WhatsApp

Darvaza Trip · Koshona street 75/1, Khiva, Uzbekistan · WhatsApp +998 91 920 94 20 · tours.uzbekistan@gmail.com · darvazatrip.com/

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