Cultural Discovery Tours
The philosophy behind Silk Road Treasure Tours is, quite simply, to offer the best cultural journeys possible. We are committed to providing you with a travel experience that is authentic, exciting, enriching, safe, and enjoyable wherever you go. Founder and twice-named "Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for Central Asia" Zulya Rajabova has brought together a skilled international network of associates, guides, and travel industry connections who all make the impossible possible.
We are an award-winning tour operator providing unforgettable Cultural Discovery Tours to fascinating destinations along the Silk Road: Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran, China, Mongolia, Turkey, Russia, and beyond. We are passionate about creating fabulous, awe-inspiring memories for each of our travelers on every journey. Our destination experts tailor your cultural tour itinerary to individual interests, budget, and style. Our experienced guides introduce you to people, cultures, and traditions and share first-hand insights into this enchanting part of the world. See it, learn it, savor it...
On your Cultural Discovery Tour you can follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo, Chinggis Khan, and Alexander the Great exploring ancient trade routes, legendary cities, and off the beaten path destinations. Enjoy pristine landscapes across Central Asia; walk in the foothills of some of the highest mountains in the world, camel trek and picnic in the desert, and bake bread with a nomadic family in a rural village.
Create your own 1001 Nights dancing under the stars in Registan Square or celebrating Navruz, the springtime New Years festival across Uzbekistan, Iran and Central Asia. In May Bukhara hosts the annual Silk and Spices festival in the old city. Performers and craftspeople from throughout neighboring Silk Road countries bring their cultures and traditions to life. Thousand year old adobe walls, ruins of ancient fortresses, and sparkling turquoise tilework contrast with vibrant modern capital cities. High end boutiques vie with market stalls in ancient bazaars, and sleek high speed trains with donkey carts and Soviet era sedans. Beyond the borders of Central Asia are the lands along the eastern and western stretches of the great Silk Road. Celebrate Chinese New Year amongst the wonders Kashgar and Turpan in Western China. See the intriguing tombs of the dervishes in Konya, Turkey and visit Armenia's astonishingly beautiful capital of Yerevan, replete with classic Soviet architecture and European cafe culture.
Central Asia is a trove of fabulous museums and preserved architecture featuring local and regional art, handicrafts, music, history, and antiquities. Performances, workshops, and behind the scenes and private tours can be arranged with experts for enthusiasts in many fields. Explore the Savitsky museum of "forbidden" Soviet avant-garde art in the desert, the costume display at the Palace of the Moon and Stars of the last emir of Bukhara, the collection of relics and icons at the Orthodox St Nicholas Cathedral in Almaty, pre-historic petroglyphs of the Cholpon-Altai near Kyrgyzstan's alpine Lake Issyk-kul, or the layers of archaeological history and the ruins of ancient civilizations at Merv.
Sample fabulous wines in centuries old caravanserais; learn to make aromatic pilaf or kebab with local chefs, enjoy the warmest hospitality in the world whether at a yurt camp, luxury hotel, or guest house, create memories to treasure long after you return home.