A regular feature in our annual travel programme, few landmarks tantalise travellers more than the legendary cities of Central Asia. This journey will take you along the Golden Trade route across Central Asia, exploring cities that, until the demise of the Soviet Union, were almost impossible to visit. Visit Samarkand and continue your journey through the beautifully preserved town of Bukhara, and across the fabled Oxus Riber and the Karakum Desert into Turkmenistan.

Highlights

• Visit the Registan in Samarkand, described by Lord Curzon as the 'noblest square in the world’
• Explore the beautifully preserved town of Bukhara, home to some of the finest and most important monuments in the Islamic world
• Discover the citadel of Merv in Turkmenistan, the second most important city in Asia Minor during Medieval times
• Visit the ancient walled city of Khiva and experience the timelessness of a Central Asian town
• Enjoy meals in private homes