Last year the G Touring brands launched new tour: The Silk Road Adventure: The Five Stans, as part of its Royal Geographical Society Collection.
Eight travel agents joined the fam trip for a taste of this tour, and were hosted by Jasmine Evans, key account manager – South, and trade sales director Tom Morgan.
Evans explained: “The Silk Road tour has truly captured the imagination of our customers, and achieved an outstanding NPS rating, so we wanted to give agents the opportunity to see it for themselves, so they can confidently and authentically promote it to their own customers.”
"The timing has worked perfectly, with Race Across the World set to feature the ‘Stans this year, we expect interest and demand to grow."
A blank page
Personal Travel Agent Liza Royce, with The Cooperative Travel, was incredibly excited to be offered the fam trip: “The ‘Stans' have always been on my radar, and as an agent in the industry for 40 years, I feel it’s part of our job to travel to emerging places and bring back our experiences to pass on. Around 50% of my business is touring and adventure so it ticked all the boxes for my customer base.”
Prior to the fam trip, she admitted she wasn’t sure what set Travelsphere and Just You apart from other escorted tour operators, and she had no idea what to expect from Uzbekistan. “I also had slight anxiety about travelling so close to Iran with the current situation, but I needn’t have worried,” she says.
Aliesha Mazey, branch manager at Hays Travel in Aylesbury, had never sold Uzbekistan before. “I really wasn’t very familiar with it as a destination,” she said.
She was more familiar with Travelsphere and Just You, having booked quite a few of their tours for her clients, and was looking forward to having first-hand experience of their touring style and pace.
Jackie Wall, assistant manager, Newell’s Travel in Bodmin was similarly unburdened by pre-conceptions about the destination.
“I approached Uzbekistan with curiosity rather than expectation, drawn by its reputation for Silk Road history and remarkable architecture. What I discovered far exceeded anything I had imagined.”
She had booked clients with Just You, and received “glowing reports back”.
Jackie Wall, Newell's Travel
The agents departed from Stansted Airport, flying via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. After landing in gateway city Urgench, they took a 40km transfer to Khiva, an ancient capital and Unesco World Heritage site.
Like a film set
Jackie described Khiva’s appeal: “It felt as though we had wandered onto a film set. With its towering walls, intricate tilework and remarkably preserved old town, Khiva feels like a living museum – calm, atmospheric and steeped in history. The ancient city walls, winding streets and peaceful atmosphere put me at ease. Our hotel – Orient Star Khiva Hotel – being within the walls meant we were fully immersed in the experience.”
Aliesha was also bowled over by Khiva: “It was like stepping back in time to many centuries ago. My favourite hotel was the Orient Star Khiva, a 17th century former religious school. I have never stayed in a hotel with so much history and character.”
“I left a bit of my heart in Khiva,” added Liza. “I would have loved to have stayed longer, in its maze of minarets, carved wooden doors and peaceful courtyards. Every turn revealed centuries-old craftmanship almost untouched by time.”
The transfer to Bukhara involved a 450km road trip: “We traced the path of ancient caravans across the vast Kyzylkum desert, the endless sands offering a real sense of the scale and challenge traders once faced,” Jackie explained.
Bukhara is a culturally-rich city bursting with bazaars, madrassas (Islamic educational institutions) and other beautifully preserved buildings.
“I loved sipping wine in the photogenic Lyabi-Hauz square. Watching the locals made the experience feel so authentic,” said Liza.
Hearty meals
“A highlight in Bukhara,” continued Jackie, “was a home-hosted cookery class, where we learned to prepare plov, Uzbekistan’s national dish – a combination of rice, meat, vegetables and spices. A dish so hearty they only ever serve it for lunch.”
Learning to cook plov was also a favourite experience for Aleisha, who described the food overall as heavily meat based with local spices and herbs. “We had tandoor-baked flatbread served with every meal too, which is a big part of their cuisine.”
Liza was impressed too: “The food was abundant, four courses at every dinner and the salads were incredible.” Jackie also noted how good and varied the food was for the vegetarian in their group.
Liza Royce, Personal Travel Agents
Next came Samarkand, the heart of the Silk Road, which lived up to its reputation, according to Jackie. “The breathtaking Registan Square is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and an absolute must-see, while nearby markets offer a feast for the senses, alive with colour, spices, and local life.”
Samarkand was equally a showstopper in Liza’s eyes. “Registan Square was so impressive with its towering mosaic-covered facades, we returned to see it lit up at night.”
The group’s final stop was Uzbekistan’s dynamic capital, Tashkent. Jackie said: “Here, contemporary life blends with lingering Russian influences, creating a city that feels both modern and distinctive. The people are warm and welcoming, and the city is safe and easy to navigate.”
One of Liza’s favourite parts of the metropolitan city was travelling on the metro through ornate stations. She also singled out Chorsu Bazaar, a 500-year-old market housed under a blue dome. ‘It was full of friendly vendors eager to share their wares, but never hassling you. Many purchases were made here!”
Camels to coaches
Once upon a time travellers used camels to traverse the Silk Road, but these agents traded the ships of the desert for luxury coaches and high-speed trains, and praised the travel arrangements as “seamless”.
“We travelled twice on the high-speed trains,” explained Aliesha. “In my opinion they were a better standard than our trains in the UK. They had spacious seats with lots of legroom, plug sockets, WiFi, and an onboard snacks and drinks service.”
Aliesha Mazey, Hays Travel
Jackie agreed, describing the trains as “modern, comfortable, and efficient.”
The coaches used were also praised for their comfort levels and air-conditioning, and facilitating stress-free travel between the sights.
Even Tashkent Metro was a hit. “Clean, efficient and affordable, it is both a practical way to explore and an attraction in its own right,” Jackie said. What really stood out for Liza was the cleanliness of the country, the feeling of total safety, and the warmth of the Uzbek people.
She said: “I loved that we stayed in well-rated four-star traditional hotels, not faceless corporate-style ones.”
Slow-paced cultural immersion
Armed with their new-found knowledge about Uzbekistan, the agents are ready to start selling the destination. Both Liza and Aliesha thought the trip would be a great fit for solo travellers, when sold with Just You’s guarantee of sole occupancy.
Liza said: “For a solo traveller, this trip had a great mix of independence and time together as a group.” Jackie added: “All the hotels we stayed in were perfect for our touring needs, clean, lovely staff and a nice early breakfast if you want it.”
Visiting a carpet shop in Bukhara
Aliesha thought this would be the perfect destination and tour for customers who are interested in history: “I was amazed by how much there was to learn, and how each of the four cities we visited played a distinct role. I hadn’t anticipated the sheer number of minarets, palaces and mausoleums adorned with intricate tilework and mosaics. It’s incredible to think they were all built and decorated by hand, with no modern machinery.”
Liza added: “I’d recommend this itinerary in a heartbeat for anyone who loves culture, architecture and history."
And Jackie concluded: “Uzbekistan would really appeal to my escorted touring clients, who are looking for something unique. I’ve found few travel experiences as evocative as following the ancient Silk Road and this tour was a captivating window into a historic world. Uzbekistan is an incredibly rich and visually striking destination.
“While each city brought its own charm, it was the experiences beyond the main sights that stood out. Visiting a local family home to enjoy freshly prepared plov felt really authentic, while a trip to a family-run ceramic workshop – spanning three generations – provided a fascinating look into traditional craftsmanship. It would be much harder to recreate these experiences independently away from the tour.”
