Central Asia · Five Countries · One Journey

Five Stans Central Asia Tour

Travel through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in one coordinated journey across Central Asia.

Request Your Five Stans Journey See the Journey

Five countries, one connected Central Asia journey

Discover five very different countries in one connected Central Asia journey: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Ashgabat Tour coordinates multi-country Central Asia itineraries with trusted local partners, while the Turkmenistan section is handled by our own local Turkmenistan team.

A Five Stans journey can combine Silk Road cities and desert landscapes, mountain scenery, nomadic culture, UNESCO heritage sites and overland travel between the countries. Programs are adapted around the travel time you have, the pace you prefer, your entry point into the region and the countries you would like to explore in greater depth.

The route, country by country
KAZAKHSTAN UZBEKISTAN TURKMENISTAN KYRGYZSTAN TAJIKISTAN AFGHANISTAN IRAN CHINA RUSSIA Ashgabat Darvaza Khiva Bukhara Samarkand Dushanbe Bishkek Almaty
  1. 1 Turkmenistan
  2. 2 Uzbekistan
  3. 3 Tajikistan
  4. 4 Kyrgyzstan
  5. 5 Kazakhstan

An indicative overview of how the five countries connect — not a fixed itinerary.

The Five Stans, country by country

1 / 5

Turkmenistan

Operated by our own local team

Our strongest local expertise. Our Turkmenistan team coordinates local logistics, visa and LOI support, licensed guides and travel arrangements on the ground.

2 / 5

Uzbekistan

With trusted local partners

The classic Silk Road leg. Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand are the usual connection points between Turkmenistan and the rest of the region.

  • Khiva
  • Bukhara
  • Samarkand

3 / 5

Tajikistan

With trusted local partners

Mountain country. Cultural routes and overland sections here are strongly seasonal, so the itinerary is shaped around the time of year you travel.

4 / 5

Kyrgyzstan

With trusted local partners

Mountain landscapes, lakes and nomadic culture — usually the part of the journey travellers slow down for.

5 / 5

Kazakhstan

With trusted local partners

Cities, steppe and desert landscapes, and the onward connections that open the rest of Central Asia.

Why Plan Your Five Stans Journey With Us?

Our strongest local expertise is Turkmenistan. That is where our own team works: local route knowledge, visa and Letter of Invitation coordination, licensed guides, transport and support on the ground across Ashgabat, the Darvaza gas crater, ancient Merv, Kunya-Urgench and the Yangykala canyons.

We coordinate multi-country Central Asia journeys with trusted local partners. The Turkmenistan segment is operated by our local Turkmenistan team.

That matters most at the join between countries. Turkmenistan entry documents need to be prepared weeks in advance, and the border days are usually the part of a Five Stans route that goes wrong when nobody owns them. We handle that section directly rather than passing it on.

Choose Your Travel Style

Classic Five Stans Journey

A balanced route across all five countries.

Silk Road Focus

Historic cities and the major cultural sites.

Overland Central Asia

More road travel and regional landscapes between the cities.

Private Custom Journey

Built around your own dates, pace and interests.

Special Interest Journey

Photography, motorcycle, cultural and overland groups, where this is operationally possible.

Request a Custom Itinerary

How Long Does a Five Stans Journey Take?

15–18 days

A faster highlights journey across the five countries.

18–22 days

A balanced classic route with time in each country.

22+ days

A slower, deeper Central Asia route with more overland sections.

These are planning examples, not fixed departures. Every Five Stans journey is quoted individually once the route, dates and group size are agreed.

Travellers Across the Five Stans

We completed the 5 Stans tour through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in June and it was truly the trip of a lifetime!

J. Five Stans of Central Asia · August 2025 · Indy Guide

Read traveller reviews

Planning Your Central Asia Trip

Useful next steps: read the Turkmenistan visa and LOI requirements, browse our Turkmenistan tours to see the segment we operate ourselves, look at routes crossing from Uzbekistan, or consider a motorcycle or overland journey instead of a standard vehicle route. You can also read traveller reviews or find out more about our team.

Ready to Cross Central Asia?

Tell us your preferred dates, travel style and the countries you want to include, and we will help coordinate a Five Stans journey around your plans.

Request a Five Stans Itinerary

WhatsApp WhatsApp