BootsnAll Travel Community

We are really keen on doing the Silk Road trip from Beijing to Istanbul at some point (2010, if we're lucky!), and from what we've seen, Sundowners offer pretty much the ideal trip for us. We would like to do the 39 day tour, through several 'Stans', and northern Turkey, which we missed the first time through.

Anyone here done the Silk Road trip, in some form, or travelled with Sundowners? Any stories to tell, feedback, likes, dislikes....

PS - I tried to add tags, but they aren't showing up. um... feeling kind of dumb. what did I miss?

The tags box shows up underneath the main message field.

ok, that's weird, they are there now. is there a delay or something? does someone check all of the tags before they are posted?

No, we don't check before they are posted. Sometimes we add a few.

A tour along the silk road is a complete rip off. 4,280.00 US$ for 31 days.

If you go with a tour, you are basically deciding that you are going for the sights. You know, the mosques, the mausoleums, etc. However, the best thing about Central Asia are the people. And if you go on a tour, they will protect you away from the people. You'll miss out. Big time.

Central Asia is always made out to be 'dangerous' and 'very difficult' to travel around. That's just a load of western BS. It's pretty easy to get around. And like I said, if you travel independently and with the locals, you'll actually see what Central Asia is all about.

Thanks for the input. Keeping in mind that Neil and I have backpacked through the Middle East, and hardly consider central Asia to be 'difficult' or 'dangerous'.

Our reason for considering this option is simply a matter of time - the trip we are looking at is 39 days from Beijing to Istanbul. Ideally, we would want to do the tour independently, over the course of several months, as we did in the Middle East. Unfortunately, we have now succumbed to the work-a-day and mortgage lifestyle, and thus this would be a compromise.

I asked specifically about Sundowners for exactly the reason you mentioned - most tours are in large groups, herding people from spot to spot, sleeping in hotels and keeping things 'sanitized'. Sundowners, from all that we can see, doesn't do this. They seem to allot a considerable amount of time for personal exploration, they encourage mingling with locals, to the point of seeking them out for a visit, and try to offer as much local perspective as possible, with the use of local guides in most, if not all, areas.

Is this the kind of tour that you would discourage? And given the option of tour, or don't go, would you still turn down the tour?

Finally I have found somebody who is also considering Sundowners... we are an older couple who are looking at doing the Moghul caravan trip this year, we have always been independent travellers but this trip less the hassles of looking for accommodation at the end of a long drive appeals to us. Having said that the cost is over the top so I am searching forums for testimonials from others who have travelled this path...sadly to no avail, so will be interested to see if you get any feed back. As for your question as to tour or not to go...GO, you can always go back and do it on your own, not that I would as there are always other destinations to explore.. but at least its another option
. Happy travels

I agree it sounds very expensive.

Its a bit of a different thing but I'm thinking of going on Buddhabus. Its loads cheaper than what you're talking about.

Don't understand how companies get away with charging thousands of pounds for what is basically a bus ride!

Please correct me if you think I'm wrong.

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If time is your concern, then just cut down the distance you want to travel. Fly into Kashgar, head up into Kyrgyzstan (Osh) and travel to Uzbekistan and Turkmensitan from there. That is quite feasible in 39 days, will leave you enough time to do some of the fantastic treks and yhurt stays and will let you be in contact with the time.

In my opinion, you always have to ask yourself: is it work missing out on the people, just so that you can say you've been there?

quote:

Originally posted by amieweston:
I agree it sounds very expensive.

Its a bit of a different thing but I'm thinking of going on Buddhabus. Its loads cheaper than what you're talking about.

Don't understand how companies get away with charging thousands of pounds for what is basically a bus ride!

Please correct me if you think I'm wrong.

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A

I would srongly suggest to contact local agencies for the entire route, it could be twice cheaper. Just google them. In general, Central Asia is not cheap. Food, transportation, hotels are not cheap even if compared to, say, US.