A TRAVEL FURTHER SIGNATURE JOURNEY
The Silk Road, by Lada.
Eight days. Four classic Ladas. Eight guests at most. A very different way to discover Uzbekistan.
We'll begin in Tashkent and travel towards Bukhara, taking in mountain country, Silk Road cities, quiet villages and the places we find along the way.
The Ladas are central to the experience. They bring us closer to everyday Uzbekistan and make the journey between destinations as interesting as the destinations themselves.
There will be time for Samarkand's great architecture, good meals, interesting detours and a night with local hosts in Sentob.
Most nights will be spent in carefully chosen, comfortable hotels. One night will be deliberately simpler, with a family in the Nuratau foothills.
I'll personally host the journey, working with local people who know the country and its roads.
April 2027 | Proposed 8-day journey, 8 nights | Maximum 8 guests
Indicative price: NZ$10,995 per person
Based on two guests sharing a Lada and accommodation. Final price, departure dates and arrangements will be confirmed following reconnaissance. Expressions of interest are open; bookings and deposits are not yet being accepted.
THE IDEA
The road is part of the trip.
There are quicker ways to travel across Uzbekistan.
This journey takes a different approach.
The great Silk Road cities are extraordinary, but there is a great deal of Uzbekistan between them. Travelling by Lada gives us a reason to take smaller roads, stop at roadside teahouses, visit markets and see places that rarely feature on the standard circuit.
We'll still make time for the important sights. This isn’t about a week spent sitting behind a steering wheel.
Some days we'll cover a fair distance. Others will be about parking the cars and enjoying where we've arrived.
The idea is simple: a memorable road journey, with good places to stay and plenty of reasons to get out of the car.
THE CARS
Why a Lada?
Because they belong to this part of the world.
For decades, Ladas were a familiar sight throughout Uzbekistan and the wider Soviet Union. Their uncomplicated engineering and distinctive character make them a particularly interesting way to explore a country where that history is still visible.
These aren't modern touring cars. They're manual, with simple interiors, more road noise and a very different feel from contemporary vehicles.
That's part of the appeal.
I like the thought of travelling across Uzbekistan in cars that have been part of its everyday life, rather than watching the country pass through the windows of a modern tour bus.
You don't need to be a motoring enthusiast to enjoy the journey. But you do need to appreciate the character, and occasional inconvenience, of an older car.
WHO IT SUITS
A journey for curious drivers, not just car enthusiasts.
This journey will appeal to people who like travelling as much as arriving.
People who enjoy a comfortable hotel at the end of the day, but are equally happy stopping at a roadside teahouse because something looks interesting.
People who enjoy meeting others, exploring unfamiliar places and leaving room for the unexpected.
If you want to drive, you'll need to be confident with a manual gearbox and comfortable with several hours at the wheel on some days.
You can also travel as a passenger, provided the person sharing your car is an eligible and confident driver.
The proposed route uses mostly sealed roads, although surfaces and conditions vary. There will be mountain roads, busy towns and occasional rough sections.
If you want a completely predictable journey in a modern vehicle, this is probably not your trip.
But if an interesting road, good company and a different view of Uzbekistan appeal to you, it may be just your sort of thing.
THE JOURNEY
Eight days across Uzbekistan
Tashkent → Chimgan → Zaamin → Samarkand → Sentob → Nurata → Bukhara
With a proposed mountain-road excursion to Shahrisabz.
We'll travel through several very different landscapes, from the mountains east of Tashkent to the plains and towns of central Uzbekistan.
We'll spend proper time in Samarkand, where the cars can stay parked while we explore the city.
We'll then travel into the Nuratau foothills for a night with local hosts before continuing to Bukhara.
This is a proposed route, not yet the final itinerary.
I'll return to Uzbekistan to drive it myself in a Lada, check the roads, driving times, stops and accommodation, and work out where the journey is best enjoyed.
If a different road, stop or overnight stay makes for a better experience, I'll change it.
The route matters. Getting it right matters more.
DAILY ITINERARY
The journey, day by day.
Eight days together, with eight nights' accommodation and breakfast the morning after our final night in Bukhara.
The daily plan below is provisional and will be refined after reconnaissance.
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We meet in Tashkent
Your arrival transfer is arranged, and the first day is deliberately easy.
Settle into the Lotte Tashkent Palace, recover from your journey and explore a little of the city if you feel like it.
Tashkent is green, lively and surprisingly contemporary, with good restaurants, remarkable architecture and plenty worth discovering.
We'll meet for dinner that evening, get to know one another and talk through the journey ahead.
The Ladas will be waiting for us.
Included: Arrival transfer, welcome dinner
Proposed overnight: Lotte Tashkent Palace -
Into the mountains
Approximately 85 km | 1½–2 hours' driving, excluding stops
Before leaving Tashkent, we'll spend time getting familiar with the cars and their controls.
Then we head east towards the foothills of the Tien Shan.
It's a relatively gentle first day behind the wheel, with plenty of time to stop for tea, photographs or simply because the view is worth it.
Our first night outside the capital will be in the mountains around Chimgan.
Included: Breakfast, dinner
Proposed overnight: Beldersoy Resort -
A proper road day
Approximately 330 km | 5½–6 hours' driving before longer stops
Today we cover a substantial stretch of Uzbekistan.
The mountains around Chimgan give way to plains, towns, farms and roadside stalls before we begin climbing towards the forests and hills around Zaamin.
This will be one of our longer driving days.
We'll break up the journey with stops for food and to explore places that catch our attention, arriving in Zaamin later in the day.
The timing and suitability of this section will be checked carefully during reconnaissance.
Included: Breakfast
Proposed overnight: Zamindor Resort -
Towards Samarkand
Approximately 185 km | Allow 4–5 hours including stops
We'll begin with a slower morning in Zaamin, with time for a walk, coffee and some mountain air.
Then we head west towards Samarkand.
By now the cars should feel more familiar and we'll have settled into the rhythm of travelling together.
After checking into our hotel, there may be time to see the Registan illuminated in the evening, a remarkable first introduction to the city.
Included: Breakfast
Proposed overnight: Zarafshon Parkside -
The cars stay parked
Today belongs to Samarkand.
We'll spend part of the day with a knowledgeable local guide, exploring the great monuments and the stories behind them.
The Registan and Shah-i-Zinda are extraordinary, but there is more to the city than its famous architecture.
The rest of the day will be less structured. You might return somewhere that caught your attention, explore the bazaar, visit a workshop or enjoy a long lunch.
I'll also include an experience selected during reconnaissance, something I think genuinely adds to the day.
Included: Breakfast, local guiding and the confirmed group experience
Proposed overnight: Zarafshon Parkside -
Over the pass
Today we propose taking the mountain road across the Takhtakaracha Pass towards Shahrisabz.
This is one of the reasons for bringing the cars.
The road winds through mountain country, with villages, roadside stalls and teahouses offering reasons to stop.
We'll spend time in Shahrisabz, a city closely associated with Amir Timur, before returning to Samarkand.
The drive is an important part of the experience, and we'll allow time for lunch and stops along the way.
The final route, driving time and decision to include this excursion will follow reconnaissance.
Included: Breakfast
Proposed overnight: Zarafshon Parkside -
The back road to Sentob
Approximately 175–180 km | 3½–4½ hours' driving
We leave the city behind and turn towards the Nuratau foothills.
The landscape changes again: villages, fields, dry hills and quieter roads where everyday life carries on far from the main tourist circuit.
By afternoon we'll reach Sentob, where we'll stay in a family-run village guesthouse.
Tonight will be different from the hotel stays.
We'll eat with our hosts, spend time together and enjoy an evening of local music.
The rooms and facilities are simpler, but that's part of the character of the place, and one of the reasons I've chosen to include it.
Included: Breakfast, dinner and local musicians
Proposed overnight: Sentob village guesthouse -
The road to Bukhara
Approximately 270 km | 4–5 hours' driving before longer stops
After breakfast with our hosts, we'll travel west towards Nurata and Bukhara.
The proposed route includes the Chashma complex at Nurata and Rabat-i-Malik, a reminder of the old caravan routes across this region.
We'll stop for lunch along the way before arriving in Bukhara later in the afternoon.
Here we'll leave the Ladas behind, settle into the Mercure Bukhara Old Town and head out on foot.
That evening we'll share a final dinner together.
After a week on the road, it may feel strange not to be getting behind the wheel again.
Included: Breakfast, farewell dinner
Proposed overnight: Mercure Bukhara Old Town
THE MORNING AFTER
And then?
Breakfast is included the following morning.
I'd encourage you to spend another day or two in Bukhara if your travel plans allow. Its old streets, architecture, workshops and places to eat deserve more than a brief visit.
You might continue to Khiva, take the train back to Tashkent or head elsewhere in Central Asia.
If you'd like help arranging what comes next, I can design that part of your journey too.
WHERE WE STAY
Good days deserve good beds.
An interesting road journey doesn't need to mean uncomfortable nights.
Most of our accommodation will be in carefully chosen hotels, selected for comfort, location and somewhere pleasant to return to after a day out.
Expect comfortable rooms, proper bathrooms and time to relax.
Sentob is deliberately different.
There we'll stay in a family-run village guesthouse, eat with our hosts and experience a quieter side of Uzbekistan. Rooms and facilities are simpler than in the hotels.
I'll confirm the room and bathroom arrangements before asking anyone to book.
Comfort where it matters, character where it's worth it.
ALONG THE WAY
Food that belongs to the journey.
Uzbekistan is a very good place to be hungry.
There's fresh bread from the tandir, plov, samsa, grilled meat, seasonal produce and roadside places where lunch depends on what's cooking that day.
Some meals will be shared experiences, including our welcome dinner in Tashkent, an evening with our hosts in Sentob and a farewell dinner in Bukhara.
Other lunches and evenings will be yours to choose.
I like leaving room for a restaurant someone recommends, a place we notice along the road or simply a quiet evening to yourself.
Breakfast is included each morning, together with the other meals specified in the itinerary.
And I'll always have suggestions about where to eat.
SMALL BY DESIGN
Four cars. Eight guests.
Eight guests at most, sharing four classic Ladas.
Two people travel in each car. One or both may drive, provided they meet the confirmed licence and insurance requirements.
The group is small enough to stop easily, share a table and change plans when something interesting comes along.
Most driving days will involve several hours in the cars, broken up with stops. We'll also have time in Samarkand when the cars stay parked.
I'll travel with the group throughout, alongside experienced local people.
It's not about covering the greatest distance. It's about enjoying the road we're on.
BEHIND THE JOURNEY
The freedom takes some planning.
Before the first departure, I'll return to Uzbekistan to drive the proposed route myself in a Lada.
I'll check the roads, accommodation, driving times and stops, and spend time with the local people who will help make the journey work.
Some places look wonderful on a map but are less enjoyable in practice. Others are easy to overlook until you've travelled the road.
That's what reconnaissance is for.
The cars, driving arrangements, insurance and contingency support will all need to be confirmed before I offer places.
I also want to be sure that the journey has enough time away from the wheel to enjoy the places we're visiting.
I'd rather change a plan that doesn't work than keep it simply because it's already written down.
I'll share the reconnaissance and the decisions that come out of it.
THE DETAILS
The Silk Road, by Lada. April 2027.
Indicative price: NZ$10,995 per person
Based on two guests sharing a Lada and a room.
Proposed journey: Eight days and eight nights, starting in Tashkent and finishing in Bukhara, with breakfast on the morning following our final night.
Group size: Maximum eight guests.
Hosting: Personally hosted throughout, with experienced local guides and support.
Planned inclusions
Eight nights' accommodation
Breakfast each morning
Welcome dinner in Tashkent
Dinner in Chimgan
Evening meal and local musicians in Sentob
Farewell dinner in Bukhara
Arrival airport transfer in Tashkent
Local guiding and the group experiences specified in the final itinerary
Entrance fees for included visits
Use of the classic Ladas, fuel and agreed mechanical and recovery support, subject to final confirmation of the operating arrangements
Not included
International flights
Personal travel insurance
Meals and drinks not specified in the itinerary
Personal purchases and optional activities
Extra nights or onward travel after the journey
Any applicable single-room or solo-car supplement
The final vehicle insurance, driver eligibility, liability and excess arrangements will be explained before any booking is accepted.
Current status: Planning and reconnaissance
The dates, programme and price are indicative. The journey will be opened for bookings only once the route, vehicles, insurance, support arrangements and final costs have been confirmed.
No deposits are being requested at this stage.
PRACTICAL THINGS
Before you get behind the wheel.
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No. One or both people sharing a Lada may drive, provided they meet the applicable licence and insurance requirements.
You can divide the driving between you, or one person can enjoy the journey from the passenger seat.
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You'll need a valid full driving licence and must meet the requirements for driving and insurance in Uzbekistan.
The precise documentation, including whether an International Driving Permit is required, will be confirmed before any driving arrangements are accepted.
I'll discuss the requirements individually with each proposed driver.
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Yes, if you want to drive.
The Ladas have manual gearboxes, and you should already be confident using one.
This isn't the journey for learning to drive a manual vehicle.
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Most driving days will involve approximately three to six hours at the wheel, with breaks along the way.
Some days are shorter. We'll also have a day in Samarkand when the cars stay parked.
Day 3 is currently one of the longer road days, with approximately 5½–6 hours' driving before longer stops.
These estimates will be tested during reconnaissance.
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No. The proposed journey uses mostly sealed roads, although their condition varies.
There will be mountain roads, open highways, villages and city traffic, and some sections may be rough or uneven.
No specialist off-road driving is planned.
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They're classic Ladas, not modern touring vehicles.
Expect manual gearboxes, simple interiors, more road noise and a less refined ride than in a contemporary car.
I'll inspect the final vehicles and document their condition, equipment and safety features before places are offered.
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Older cars sometimes need attention, so proper contingency arrangements are essential.
The cars will need to be inspected, serviced and tested before departure, with local mechanical support and a practical recovery plan arranged for the route.
I'll explain the confirmed support arrangements and what happens if a vehicle cannot continue before bookings open.
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Most nights will be in carefully chosen, comfortable hotels with private bathrooms.
In Sentob we'll stay in a family-run village guesthouse, where the accommodation and facilities are simpler.
I'll confirm the specific rooms and bathroom arrangements in advance.
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You don't need to be particularly athletic, but you should be comfortable spending several hours in a car, getting in and out of an older vehicle and walking around cities and historic sites.
There may be steps, uneven surfaces, cobblestones and periods of standing.
No strenuous hiking is planned.
If you have particular mobility requirements, please speak with me so we can assess whether the journey is suitable.
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Possibly, yes.
The indicative price assumes two guests sharing a car and a room.
If you're travelling alone, we can discuss whether sharing a car with another guest is appropriate, or whether another arrangement might be possible.
Single-room and solo-car arrangements will depend on availability and may involve an additional cost.
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An arrival transfer from Tashkent airport to our first hotel is included in the proposed itinerary.
The journey ends in Bukhara, where guests may be continuing in different directions.
I can help arrange onward transport or additional accommodation, with any extra costs agreed in advance.
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Yes. Wine, beer and spirits are available at many hotels and restaurants in Uzbekistan.
Alcohol isn't included unless specifically stated.
Anyone driving must remain completely alcohol-free while responsible for a vehicle.
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Mobile coverage is generally good in the main cities and much of the country, although it can be patchy in mountain and rural areas.
Our main hotels are expected to have Wi-Fi. Connectivity at the Sentob guesthouse may be more limited.
I can help you choose a local SIM or eSIM if needed.
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You'll need comprehensive personal travel insurance, including appropriate medical and evacuation cover.
If you intend to drive, you must also understand the vehicle insurance arrangements, any excess and your responsibilities in the event of an accident or damage.
Personal travel insurance and vehicle insurance are separate.
I'll explain the confirmed vehicle and driving arrangements before bookings open, so you can check that you have appropriate cover.
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I'll return to Uzbekistan to test the route, inspect the cars, check accommodation and finalise the practical arrangements.
The confirmed itinerary, price, driving requirements and booking conditions will be provided before you're asked to commit to a place.
YOUR NEXT JOURNEY
Think this might be your sort of thing?
This is a journey for people who like the idea of exploring Uzbekistan in a different way, with a small group, interesting roads and enough comfort to enjoy the experience.
I'm currently refining the route and operating arrangements for a proposed April 2027 departure.
If you'd like to be among the first to hear when the details are confirmed, register your interest.
There's no deposit or commitment at this stage.