Shymkent to Turkistan: the old Silk Road south
Ruined cities, a saint's tomb and the great blue dome that was never finished.
- Starts and ends
- Shymkent
- Distance
- 420 km by road
- Length
- 2 days, 1 night
- Start time
- 08:00
- Season
- All year
- Language
- English, Russian
- Level
- Easy
- Options
- Group or private
Group: join others on a fixed date. Private: your own guide and car on your date.
Turkistan, 2 days
The south feels different. The towns are older and the bread is warmer. The mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is the point of the trip. Your guide explains why the builders stopped.
Itinerary
Day 1: Shymkent to Turkistan
- Pick-up in Shymkent
- Arystan-Bab mausoleum
- Otrar, a Silk Road city destroyed in 1219
- Check-in in Turkistan, dinner
Day 2: The mausoleum
- Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
- Hilvet, the underground prayer cell
- Lunch and a walk through the old citadel
- Drive to Shymkent
Times are a guide and can shift with season and road conditions. If weather or a road closure blocks a stop, your guide offers another one. Refunds do not apply to a stop skipped for safety.
Included
- Guide and driver
- One hotel night
- Breakfast
- Entry tickets
Not included
- Lunches and dinners
- Tips
Group or private
Prices are in US dollars. The deposit and balance rules are below.
Group
$245per person, adults and youths 13 and over.
Children 5 to 12: $196.
Under 5: not on this trip.
Small group, up to 12 guests. Meeting point: Hotel pick-up in Shymkent.
Book a group seatPrivate
One group of travellers, no one else. Total price for the whole party.
| Guests | Total | Each, about | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $760 | $380 | 4x4 or minivan |
| 3 | $775 | $258 | 4x4 or minivan |
| 4 | $790 | $198 | 4x4 or minivan |
| 5 | $820 | $164 | Minivan |
| 6 to 7 | $1,065 | $152 | Van |
| 8 to 12 | $1,445 | $120 | Minibus |
More than 12? Send us a message for a custom price.
Book privatePick a date
Know this
- Cover shoulders and knees at the mausoleum.
- Summers are very hot. Winter mornings are cold.
Not for everyone
- Suitable for most ages.
Deposit and changes
- Group: 30% deposit. Free change up to 24 hours before.
- Private: $100 per booking. Free change up to 72 hours before.
- We cancel a group 48 hours ahead if fewer than 4 guests book or if weather or roads block it. You choose a new date or a refund.
- Balance goes to your guide on day one.