HOSTED JOURNEYS
Come with me.
I take very small groups to places I've explored myself, with good local people alongside us and enough time to enjoy being there.
I'll travel with you throughout, looking after the arrangements and working with local guides and hosts. We'll see the places we've come to see, but leave time to wander, enjoy a long lunch or change the plan when something interesting comes along.
You can enjoy the company of a small group without having every hour organised for you.
UPCOMING JOURNEYS
Where are we going next?
Uzbekistan: Silk Road and beyond
Explore the great Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, with time for local encounters, good food and a night in the Nurota Mountains.
12 days | Maximum 8 travellers
NZ$10,950 per person, twin share
2027 departures
27 April – 8 May | 11 – 22 May
14 – 25 September | 28 September – 9 October
All departures guaranteed.
Kyrgyzstan Family Adventure
Horse riding through mountain valleys, walking to alpine lakes, sleeping in yurts and experiencing Kyrgyzstan's traditions together.
A small-group adventure for families with teenagers who enjoy being active and want to go somewhere different.
12 days / 11 nights · Maximum 8 travellers
4–15 July 2027 · NZ winter school holidays
NZ$24,000 per family of four
Uzbekistan by classic Lada
JOURNEY IN DEVELOPMENT
Take the wheel of your own classic Soviet Lada and travel through Uzbekistan in a small convoy.
We'll follow scenic roads through Silk Road cities, rural villages and mountain landscapes, with time to stop, explore and enjoy carefully chosen places to stay.
This isn't a race or an endurance challenge. The pleasure is as much in the driving and the places we discover along the way as in the destinations themselves.
8 days · Maximum 8 guests
First departure planned for April 2027
Route and arrangements currently being finalised.
WHY SO SMALL?
Small by design.
The group
Most journeys have a maximum of eight guests. It's small enough to get to know each other, eat in local restaurants and travel without feeling like a tour bus has arrived.
The host
I plan the journey and travel with you throughout, working with knowledgeable local guides and hosts. You have someone looking after the arrangements without having to think about every detail yourself.
The pace
We'll have full days, but not every hour needs to be accounted for. There's time to spend longer somewhere you enjoy, take an afternoon off or follow something interesting that comes up.
FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE
I’ve travelled the routes myself.
I've taken the trains, driven the roads and stayed in the places I recommend. I've also learned which experiences deserve more time and which are better left out.
I work with local guides and hosts whose knowledge adds something I couldn't provide on my own.
ON THE ROAD
Well planned. Not over-managed.
The hotels, transport and important bookings are sorted before we leave, so we can enjoy the days without spending them organising the next one.
We might visit a market with a local guide in the morning, have lunch somewhere recommended by a friend and leave the afternoon free to explore.
There are plans, of course. I just don't believe every good moment needs to be scheduled.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
I take care of the important parts.
Before We Go
Accommodation and internal transport arranged.
Local guides and key experiences organised.
Practical pre-departure information.
Individual requirements discussed in advance.
While We’re There
I host the journey throughout.
Local guides join us where their knowledge is useful.
I manage the day-to-day arrangements.
I help deal with changes and problems as they arise.
Exact inclusions vary by departure. Each journey page sets out clearly what is and isn’t included before you book.
WHO IT SUITS
This might suit you if...
You want to explore somewhere less familiar, but you'd rather leave the organising to somebody else.
You enjoy meeting people, but don't want to travel in a large group or spend every hour together.
You appreciate a good hotel and a good meal, but you're also happy with an occasional simpler night when the experience makes it worthwhile.
You want someone looking after the practicalities without being told where to stand at 8:42 every morning.
And you still enjoy a little adventure, even if you now prefer a comfortable bed at the end of the day.
Travelling solo? You're welcome. Room-sharing options and single supplements are explained on the individual journey pages.
NOT SURE IF GROUP TRAVEL IS FOR YOU?
Let's talk about it.
If you like the idea of Central Asia but aren't sure whether a hosted journey would suit you, get in touch.
Tell me how you normally like to travel and what interests you. I'll explain how the journeys work, and we can decide whether one would be a good fit.
And if you'd be happier travelling independently, I can help with that too.