Istanbul To Tashkent

Days 1-2 Istanbul

Travel to Turkey and start your adventure in Istanbul. Have your fortune told in the Taksim, bargain up a storm in the Grand Bazaar or admire the imposing Blue Mosque.

Day 3 Tuz Golu/Bush Camp

Camp beside the salty Tuz Golu lake.

Days 4-5 Goreme

Discover Cappadocia's Goreme Valley and underground troglodyte cities and caves.

Days 6-7 Bush Camp

Head east before making camp in rural Turkey.

Day 8 Dogubeyazit

Situated at the foot of Mt Ararat, Dogubeyazit's Ishak Pasha Palace is well worth a visit.

Day 9 Kandovan

Cross the border into Iran and explore this bizarre volcanic village.

Day 10 Zanjan

Shop in Zanjan's thriving bazaars.

Days 11-12 Tehran

Travel to Tehran and trawl the souqs of this sprawling city.

Days 13-15 Esfahan

Visit the blue tiled Mosques of Esfahan.

Days 16-17 Persepolis/Shiraz

Admire the incredible ruins of Persepolis, once known as the 'City of the Persians'.

Day 18 Zein-o-din Caravanserai

Stay in traditional silk road accommodation.

Days 19-20 Yazd

Wind through the old city of Yazd and sign up for a scrub in a local hamam.

Day 21 Dasht-e Kavir Desert/Khoor

Travel through stunning desert landscapes to the village of Khoor.

Day 22 Damghan

See the ancient Jamrh Mosque.

Day 23 Shirvan

Explore Shirvan's tranquil gardens and natural springs.

Days 24-25 Ashgabat

Leave Iran and travel to Turkmenistan's futuristic-looking city of Ashgabat.

Day 26 Darvaza

Camp in the Karakum Desert on the way to Darvaza. Perhaps see the breathtaking Darvaza gas crater.

Day 27 Bush Camp

Continue the Overland journey through the Karakum Desert, and take in the parched landscape of Asia's hottest desert.

Days 28-29 Khiva

Gaze up at the ancient walls surrounding Khiva on the Silk Road.

Days 30-32 Bukhara

Get to know the bustling atmosphere of Bukhara, Central Asia's holiest city.

Day 33 Nurata

Spend a night in a desert yurt camp among the rolling dunes of the Kyzylkhum Desert.

Days 34-36 Samarkand

Larger-than-life monuments and a technicolour bazaar make Samarkand one of Central Asia's most magical destinations.

Days 37-39 Tashkent

Check out a risque cabaret show over dinner in one Tashkent's old Russian bars or shop at the Chorsu Bazaar for some USSR souvenirs.