Our 5-Week Central Asia Family Itinerary

Planning a trip through Central Asia can feel a little overwhelming at first.

Over 5 weeks, we travelled through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and briefly into Tajikistan with our kids — a trip filled with yurt stays, overnight trains, horse riding, and some of the most breathtaking scenery we’ve ever seen.

So if you’re trying to piece together your own Central Asia route, I thought I’d share a simple breakdown of our trip, including where we started, the route we took, and how it all fit together.

Central Asia Family Trip Overview

• Duration: 4 - 5 weeks

• Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan & Tajikistan

• Style of travel: Independent family travel

• Transport: Buses, trains, self-drive car hire & taxis

• Favourite country: Kyrgyzstan

• Best for: Adventurous families who love nature, culture, and off-the-beaten-path destinations

Kazakhstan — 4 Nights

We began our trip in Almaty, a leafy, modern city surrounded by mountains.

Although we only had a few days here, it was the perfect introduction to Central Asia. We explored the city, adjusted to the pace of travel, and joined a day tour to Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake — one of the highlights of our time in Kazakhstan.

From Almaty, we crossed the border by bus into Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan — 16 Nights

Kyrgyzstan completely stole our hearts.

We hired a car in Bishkek and spent two weeks self-driving through mountain passes, lakeside villages, and remote high-altitude landscapes.

Our route included:

• South shore of Issyk-Kul

• Jyrgalan

• Bokonbaevo

• At-Bashy

• Tash Rabat

• Song-Kul

  
  

We stayed in yurts, watched eagle hunters, rode horses, drove some incredible mountain roads, and experienced some of the most untouched scenery we’ve ever seen.

Song-Kul was easily one of our biggest highlights of the entire trip.

After returning to Bishkek, we took the overnight bus to Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan — 12 Nights

After the wild mountain landscapes of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan felt completely different — desert landscapes, grand architecture, ancient Silk Road cities, bustling markets, and beautiful tiled madrasas.

We travelled mostly by overnight train and taxis through:

• Tashkent

• Khiva

• Bukhara

• Samarkand

  
  

Khiva and Bukhara were incredibly atmospheric, and we wished we’d spent longer in Samarkand.

Uzbekistan was surprisingly easy to travel with kids and felt far more tourist-friendly than we expected.

Tajikistan — Day Trip

While staying in Samarkand, we also crossed into Tajikistan on a very long day trip.

Looking back, this is one thing we would change. If we did this trip again, we would definitely spend at least a couple of nights in Tajikistan rather than rushing through in a single day.

Central Asia felt raw, adventurous, and completely different to anywhere we’d travelled before.

It was adventurous without being inaccessible, welcoming without feeling overly touristy, and full of experiences that were so special. Travelling here with kids wasn’t always simple, but it was absolutely worth it.

If you’re looking for a family adventure that combines mountains, culture, history, and incredible landscapes, Central Asia is hard to beat.

I’ll also be sharing our full downloadable Central Asia itinerary soon, including transport details, accommodation, border crossings, budgeting tips, and all the practical information I wish I’d known before travelling the region with kids.