These active small-group Uzbekistan tours combine the legendary Silk Road cities with remote mountain trails, traditional villages, desert landscapes, and nights beneath the stars. They are designed for curious travellers who want to explore Uzbekistan’s history and architecture while also hiking through quiet mountain landscapes most visitors never see.
Choose between the fresh colours of spring or the warm landscapes of autumn. Both journeys are locally led, limited to a maximum of 11 travellers and created for people who enjoy culture, hiking and meaningful local experiences.
Choose your UZBekistan Adventure
Uzbekistan in Bloom: 14-Day Spring Tour
Experience Uzbekistan during one of its most colourful seasons. This active spring journey combines Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand with five guided hiking days through the little-visited Nuratau Mountains.
Follow spring-fed rivers through green valleys, camp in remote mountain landscapes and look for seasonal wildflowers against a backdrop of snow-covered peaks.
March 28th – April 10th, 2027 April 25th – May 8th, 2027
Discover Uzbekistan as summer gives way to autumn. This journey combines the country’s celebrated Silk Road cities with guided hikes through the Tian Shan and Nuratau Mountains, remote camping and desert experiences near Lake Aydarkul.
Autumn often brings comfortable temperatures for exploring the cities and hiking, along with warm colours and clear mountain views.
September 15th – September 29th, 2026 October 5th – October 18th, 2026
September 12th – September 25th, 2026 September 26th – October 9th, 2026
Spring or autumn: which Uzbekistan tour should you choose?
Both journeys visit Uzbekistan’s legendary Silk Road cities and venture far beyond the classic tourist route. The main difference is how the hiking days are divided and the seasonal landscapes you will experience.
Spring Tour
Autumn Tour
Seasonal highlight
Green valleys, mountain streams, blossoms and seasonal wildflowers
Warm colours, clearer skies and autumn landscapes
Tian Shan Mountains
1 flexible, weather-dependent hiking day
2 hiking days
Nuratau Mountains
5 hiking days divided over two mountain sections
3-day mountain trek
Camping
3 nights
2 nights
Desert Experience
2 nights in a yurt camp, optional camel ride and Lake Aydarkul
2 nights in a yurt camp, optional camel ride and Lake Aydarkul
Best suited for
Travellers drawn to spring scenery and extended mountain trekking
Travellers wanting a balanced mix of hiking, cities and autumn conditions
Still unsure? Choose spring if seeing Uzbekistan’s mountains at their greenest appeals to you most. Choose autumn if you prefer warm seasonal colours and more hiking in the Chimgan Mountains.
Comfortable where it matters, simple where the adventure takes us
These tours are designed for travellers who value meaningful experiences over luxury.
In Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, you will stay in comfortable locally owned hotels or guesthouses with private bathrooms, hot showers, electricity and Wi-Fi. In the mountains and desert, accommodation becomes simpler: shared tents, sleeper-train compartments and traditional yurts.
The contrast is part of the experience. One night you may be sleeping in a comfortable hotel near the monuments of Samarkand; a few days later, you could be watching the sun set from a remote mountain camp.
The tours include local transport, guides, accommodation, most meals, activities and entrance fees as specified in each itinerary. You therefore know in advance what the journey will cost, with no need to arrange trains, mountain teams, camps or local transport yourself.
Are these Uzbekistan tours right for you?
These journeys are a good fit if you:
Enjoy culture and history but do not want to spend the entire tour sightseeing
Have good general fitness and experience with full-day walks
Are comfortable with simple accommodation during the outdoor sections
Want to visit places that are difficult to reach independently
Enjoy travelling with people of different ages and nationalities
Value locally led experiences and carefully organised logistics
The hikes are non-technical, but some days cover between 15 and 20 kilometres. These are active, experience-packed journeys rather than slow-paced sightseeing holidays.
You do not need to be a highly experienced trekker, but you should be comfortable walking for several hours on steep and uneven mountain terrain.
Why travel to Uzbekistan with Journal of Nomads?
I didn’t create these itineraries behind a desk. They grew from my own travels and hiking experiences in Uzbekistan, including time spent exploring both the Tian Shan and Nuratau Mountains.
I designed the journeys together with my trusted Uzbek partner, Ismat, and we have been running Uzbekistan tours together since 2023. We continue to refine the experience using our knowledge and feedback from previous groups.
Ismat is an experienced Uzbek tour leader and mountain guide. Now in his sixties, he is remarkably fit and brings extensive mountain experience, boundless energy and a wonderful sense of humour to every journey.
Together with specialist city guides, mountain teams, drivers, camp cooks and local host families, he coordinates the many moving parts of the tours while helping travellers experience Uzbekistan beyond its famous monuments.
Ismatand me during our expeditions through Uzbekistan
Journal of Nomads Uzbekistan tour reviews
This tour is a perfect mix of quiet nature and hiking and vibrant, colourful cities. The tour is so well-planned and organised and it gives you a good view of the versatality of Uzbekistan in only 14 days. I would recommend this tour to everyone!
Rosalie (the Netherlands)Highlights of Uzbekistan, September 2023
Meticulously planned, broadly covering most of must-see Uzbekistan, in one word – excellent!
Inga & Jãnis (Latvia)Highlights of Uzbekistan, September 2025
It’s a very unique way to discover Uzbekistan, because not many tours offer a trek through the villages and mountains of this country. It’s the perfect way to get to know the “real” Uzbekistan.
Sinem (the Netherlands)Highlights of Uzbekistan, May 2025
Walking into Khiva and experiencing the city for the first time; discovering Bukhara, the most colourful city, where you can truly experience everyday Uzbek life; hiking with the donkey handlers, staying with them overnight and enjoying an Uzbek sauna and their warm hospitality over dinner; travelling with a wonderful mix of ages and nationalities, which always led to interesting conversations; and, of course, Ismat! Ismat is a guide whose love for Uzbekistan shines through in everything he does. He becomes completely absorbed in his stories, shows us the most beautiful perspectives wherever we go and is always ready for a joke.
Anouk (the Netherlands)Highlights of Uzbekistan, September 2024
An amazing trip, very well organized and good group size. Felt very safe. It’s an amazing country to travel through and we truly had the best guide you could ever wish for; Ismat is such a wonderful person.
Johanne (Denmark)Highlights of Uzbekistan, October 2024
It was a great trip and one that I would recommend – fun and friendly people. Ismat was great, everything went off without a hitch and for a change it was a treat to let someone else handle all the details and logistics. The accommodations exceeded expectations. Other than the evening meal in Bukara (a combination of an inexperienced waiter and a so-so restaurant – the Old Bukhara restaurant was much better) I enjoyed the restaurant choices. I brought an ulta-light inflatable mattress which i used while camping and also in some of the hotels that had hard mattresses – I’m glad I brought it. I liked the full days and all the activities. I’m glad I visited Uzbekistan when I did, Hopefully I can do another trip with you.
Kevin (USA)Highlights of Uzbekistan, October 2024
The absolute highlight for us was undoubtedly the trek through the Nuratau Mountains. The surprising landscapes—with a small paradise hidden in every valley, golden eagles soaring overhead and magnificent rock formations—together with the warm welcome from the local host families will stay with us for a long time. We also thoroughly enjoyed the overnight train journey: the cosy atmosphere, sipping cups of tea and waking up to a vast, deserted landscape outside the window. It was all incredibly impressive. We also look back very fondly on Ismat’s warm and professional guidance. He truly went above and beyond to give us the journey of a lifetime. A huge thank you to both of you!
Matthijs & Lena (Belgium)Highlights of Uzbekistan, October 2024
This tour was one of the best ones in my life travelogue; up to the ‘first five’.I’d liked the international group; the people from different countries. At the same time, I was alone and I was in a group. I enjoyed attending, guiding, taking care of all arrangements as transport, catering… A real rest from my everyday tight hospital-work – two weeks as in fairy-tale, wandering in a beauty of nature (mountains, flowering desert) intertwined wih history and culture.
Kadi (Estonia)Highlights of Uzbekistan, May 2024
If you’re looking for a small intimate group to share an adventure with, I can’t think of anyone better than Journal of Nomads! I’m not saying that because she’s my friend but everything was well organized from Day 1 – from the time you express your interest in joining, to making payment, packing list until the day you arrive at your destination. Cynthia not only makes an excellent group leader but she’s so considerate and kind. There was a time where I had a nervous breakdown during one of the steep hikes; not only she calmed me down but she was with me every step of the way until we made it to the top! I will not hesitate to go on another tour with her (assuming she’ll have me again :)).
Christina (Malaysia)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
An adventurous tour that is the perfect combination of ciities, with their historical sites, and trekking through rarely visited stunning scenery. If you like walking and history and want to feel like you are having an adventure, while being well looked after, then this is a tour you will want to do.
Narelle (Australia)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
A wonderful adventure trip with a mixture of hiking and culture. especially the hikes and the the untouched nature were amazing. A big thank also to izmat, a wonderful guide!
Anna (Austria)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
If you want to visit the historic and cultural highlights of Uzbekistan AND see some of the country’s stunning (and under appreciated) natural beauty, this is the only trip for you. Cynthia and Ismat have crafted an immaculate itinerary to get off the beaten path and there is ample free time built in as well. As someone who prefers to plan my own trips, I was a bit apprehensive at first about joining a group tour. However, this trip felt more like traveling with a group of (new) friends where someone else handled all of the logistics rather than a big corporate tour (which you will come across in Uzbekistan). The highlight for me was the multi-day night trek through the mountains which I understand is only available on this tour (and not something one could feasibly find on his or her own). Finally, I should add that if you’re a vegetarian and have a good attitude about traveling to a region where not eating meat is almost unheard of you will definitely not go hungry on this trip.
Chris (USA)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
It was an amazing experience for me, I really appreciated the mix of the city visits and the hiking and days in the nature and the mountains. The mountain hike was unique, spending so long in such beautiful scenery with almost no human activity around you was an extraordinary experience. Also the entire trip was excellently organized and well thought out! Our group got along so well, we had a lot of fun and I really miss the company and the adventures.
Peter (Belgium)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
The tour has a great mix between nature and History. On the tour, you can enjoy the peacefulness of the mountains and visit magnificent ancient buildings with it’s fair share of adventurous parts.
Obe (Belgium)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
This tour was, for me, the perfect combination of culture and nature. Cynthia and Ismat made this program well balanced and interesting. It’s a unique tour you will see stunning architecture and experience nature that is truly untouched. The group size is just perfect. It was my second trip to central Asia with Journal of Nomads and I’m sure this wasn’t the last one. Big thanks to Cynthia, Ismat and my fellow travellers!
Liesbeth (Belgium)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
I think the tour provides an amazing discovery of Uzbekistan with a super varied program: the capital, historical cities, nature, etc. On top of that, I enjoyed travelling with a small group and a lot of local character in the tour.
Pascal (Belgium)Highlights of Uzbekistan, April 2023
A diverse experience of seeing the culture, having a slightly challenging hike(for me) while seeing the fantastic countryside and meeting lovely people from other countries.
Mary Anne (Australia)Highlights of Uzbekistan, September 2023
Beyond my expectations! I was completely wow’d. The people, landscape, culture, architecture and history were beautiful. It was refreshing also, that it was not hit by American tourism yet. I think I took over a thousand photos/videos. Also, Ismat was absolutely wonderful! He made the trip extra magical with his deep knowledge, stories, kindness and hilarious sense of humour. This was a trip of a lifetime and can’t wait to do more!
Chelsea (Canada)Highlights of Uzbekistan, September 2023
What I liked most about this trip was the balance between sightseeing, history and getting off the beaten path for camping, hiking, yurt stay and swimming. It was a very fast-paced trip so I wouldn’t describe it as “relaxing”. It felt very rushed much of the time. If your goal is to see as much of the country as possible in a relatively short time then this trip may be a good fit for you. Just know that there is very little true “free time” to get out and explore on your own.
John (USA)Highlights of Uzbekistan, September 2025
READY TO EXPERIENCE UZBEKISTAN BEYOND THE SILK ROAD?
Choose the season that speaks to you and discover the full itinerary, available dates and booking details.
