Age Guide 18+
A 26 week overland journey from London to Sydney via Central Asia exploring highlights of 29 countries including Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia!
| DEP LONDON | ARR SYDNEY | AVAILABILITY | BOOK NOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2012 | 16 Dec 2012 | Yes | >Book now |
| 23 Jun 2013 | 22 Dec 1213 | Yes | >Book now |
| 22 Jun 2014 | 21 Dec 2014 | Yes | >Book now |
UK - FRANCE - LUXEMBOURG - GERMANY - AUSTRIA - HUNGARY - ROMANIA - BULGARIA - TURKEY – GEORGIA –ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN – TURKMENISTAN – UZBEKISTAN - TAJIKISTAN - KYRGYZSTAN - KAZAKHSTAN - RUSSIA - MONGOLIA - CHINA – LAOS – VIETNAM - CAMBODIA -THAILAND - MALAYSIA - SINGAPORE – INDONESIA – AUSTRALIA
Become one of the few people to successfully complete this incredible journey as we travel overland from London to Sydney in our purpose built expedition vehicle!
This is a once in a lifetime trip!
All you need do is look at the world map to realise the diversity this trip offers. From the magnificent monasteries of the Black Sea coast to the Great Wall of China, from the hustle and bustle of the Istanbul markets to the tranquility of the Thai Islands, and from the lush green valleys of Kyrgyzstan to the loneliness of the road to Ayers Rock, on this trip you will see half the world!
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We of course realise that not everyone is going to visit every ruin, raft every river and hike every trail along the way so we have left most of these activities as optional and therefore kept the payment to a minimum.
Our proposed itinerary is here to give you a rough idea of where we will be going and what we will be doing during this expedition. This itinerary is the ideal route we would like to take providing all political situations are acceptable during the time of our travels. Obviously things can change so we have provided you with an alternative route which we would follow in the event of any problems. Either way it is always an adventure!
Istanbul, the city that separates Europe from Asia has it all, and you will revel in the history and culture it offers. Take a boat trip up the Bosphorous, marvel at the Aya Sofya and explore the opulent Topkapi Palace. At the end of the day soak your aches away in the Turkish baths and tantalise your taste buds with Turkish delights!
The battlefields of Gallipoli are our next stop where we pay tribute to the thousands of Aussies, Kiwis, Brits and Turks who lost their lives here in 1915. A truly moving experience.
Historic Troy is an interesting stop on our way down the Turquoise coast to the great Roman ruins of Ephesus. Here we camp on the beach and have a day to explore the ruins as well as enjoy our first swim in the clear blue sea.
Inland on the plateau we reach the fairy-tale wonderland of Cappadocia with spectacular canyons, ancient caves and underground cities carved into the geologically diverse land. Belly dancing is a big affair up here and so is the local drink ‘Raki’, be warned!
We now head north up to the Black Sea coast where we visit the awe-inspiring Sumela Monastery and marvel at the Byzantine frescoes in an amazing cliff-face setting before continuing along the coast towards Georgia.
Our first stop in Georgia is at the almost completely intact Roman fortress of Gonio with it’s 18 magnificent towers and ancient bath-house. Close by we pass through Batumi, Georgia’s Black Sea resort town, and get a first taste of the relaxed Georgian hospitality.
We continue eastwards to Kutaisi, Georgia’s second city and one of the world’s most ancient, where you can explore the Bagrati Cathedral, the History Museum and the Old Jewish district. That night we bush-camp near to Sataplia Nature Reserve, home to magnificent caves and the world’s largest collection of dinosaur tracks.
Our first stop is at Sheki, a lovely town nestled into a beautifully forested valley. Famed for their silk production the town was an important stop on the ancient Silk Route and is also home to the beautiful Khan Palace and a wonderful old caravanserai which we call home for the night.
A day’s drive east we reach the Caspian Sea and camp at the bizarre mud volcanoes which bubble and spurt away on a nearby hilltop. Close-by we can also visit ancient petroglyphs depicting what life was like here hundreds of years ago.
Our last stop here is the cosmopolitan city of Baku, the centre of the country’s oil production. A couple of days are easily enjoyed exploring the city’s old town filled with mosques, museums, galleries and palaces while we negotiate a fare on the ferry to take us over the Caspian Sea to Turkmenistan.
Our first night here will be spent at the port town of Turkmenbashi, a lively place and great introduction to the Turkmen people.
Our journey east through the desert holds an intriguing stop for us at the very unique Kow Ata underground lake where you have the option to enter a cave and descend 65m to a naturally heated lake for a pleasant subterranean swim.
We continue on to Geok-Depe, site of the Turkmen’s last stand against the Russians, and today home to the futuristic Saparmurat Hajji Mosque which also contains the mausoleum of the eccentric ex-president Niyazov.
The capital city Ashgabat is close-by where it seems the current president is using the country’s wealth to build an entire city out of white marble – you have to see it to believe it! Bring your sunglasses as exploring the city’s parks and palaces is a brilliant experience.
Heading north into the blistering heat of the Karakum (black sand) Desert we visit the Tolkuchka Bazaar, a vast market where you can buy everything from camels to car parts! It is also in this desert that we camp in the dunes and have the opportunity to take a 2 hour walk to the unusual Dravaza Gas Craters. More commonly referred to as the ‘Gates of Hell’ this burning crater makes for a surreal desert experience and is best viewed at night.
Leaving the harsh desert behind our last stop is at the ruins of Konye-Urgench, once the centre of the Islamic world.
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Our journey now takes us through the Kyzylkum (red sand) desert where we have a chance of spotting the Uzbek nomads before arriving at the Silk Route city of Samarkand. This city of domes and minarets has some fantastic attractions including the beautiful Registan, Guri Amir Mausoleum and Bibi-Khanym Mosque.
With a cool backdrop of mountains, lazy tree-lined avenues and pastel-hued neoclassical buildings, Dushanbe is Central Asia’s best-looking capital and is our first taste of this little-known country.
Our journey east now takes us to an area that has been off-limits to travellers until recently – the Pamir Highway. Regarded as one of the world’s most scenic drives we now wind our way along this extremely remote high-altitude road and take in the high altitude mountain scenery of a region populated by yurts and yaks and studded with deep-blue lakes. This is wild-camping at its best!
This is a land of magnificent mountains and ice-blue lakes where our first visit is to the ancient town of Osh where we get to visit the bustling Jayma bazaar and Solomon’s Throne, an important place of Muslim pilgrimage.
We continue on to the alpine lake Song-Kol where we camp on the green pastures surrounding the lake. Yurt-stays are also possible here and hiking and fishing are popular activities.
We now head for the beautiful lake Issyk-Kol, the world’s second largest alpine lake. Working our way around the lake we spend a couple of days at Jeti Orghuz where you have the option of trekking into the lush surrounding mountains to explore the area’s natural beauty.
Next, bizarre Bishkek is the capital where you can sing Karaoke at a street stall, beat yourself with a birch branch at the local baths and do vodka shots at the expats bar.
> Back to topThe world’s ninth biggest country is one of its last great travel unknowns. We start by visiting country’s economic hub – Almaty. Here we bush camp in a nearby National Park, giving you the option to visit the city’s cosmopolitan highlights and/or explore the Tian Shan mountains on a day hike from our camp.
The southeast is considered the most beautiful area in the country and we will be travelling through this region of glacier-fed rivers and lakes camping in the shadow of the Zailiysky and Zhungar Alatau ranges.
Officially we enter Russia in the Southern Siberian Altai Republic! The area is recognised as one of the most beautiful parts of Russia where steppe, mountains, semi-deserts and over 7000 lakes culminate in the area known as the 'Golden Mountains' including Mt Belukha (4506m), Siberia's highest peak.
This part of our journey offers spectacular scenery along a road considered one of the best drives in Russia and we will be soaking up the wonderful natural beauty as we bush-camp our way towards the Mongolian border.
Entering Western Mongolia we get the feeling that we have reached the true ‘wild west’ as the paved road ends and the dirt tracks begin. This rugged landscape of high peaks and green valleys, home to bears and wolves, leads us to the frontier town of Olgii where we have time to replenish our stocks at the local bazaar in preparation for the upcoming desert driving.
Working our way east we now enter The Gobi, an area of profound isolation where we can fall off the radar for a while and enjoy the vast emptiness of this region. Here we will encounter the true Mongol nomads, easily spotted by their ger’s (traditional circular felt yurts) dotting the otherwise barren landscape.
Entering Central Mongolia we encounter paved roads again and visit the revered site of Erdene Zuu Khiid, Mongolia’s first Buddhist monastery.
Ulaanbaatar is our next stop and the capital city is a welcome taste of civilisation in stark contrast to the rest of the country. Here we have a couple of days to explore the city and visit the Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan, Natural History Museum and even the Grand Khaan Irish Pub!
Heading Southeast from the capital we now re-enter The Gobi and follow a desert track heading to China.
Beijing is our first destination where we have 3 days to explore the areas highlights such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Tiannamen Square. This bustling city’s vast markets offer fantastic shopping and the divine restaurants make this a great first taste of China.
Our next stop is in Xian where you will almost certainly want to visit the famous Terracotta Warriors, a vast sculptured army only recently discovered after being buried for hundreds of years.
Further south we reach Chengdu and have the opportunity to visit the Giant Panda Research Facility and get up-close and personal with these much-loved endangered animals.
Entering the Yunnan province you have the option to visit the beautiful Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the world’s deepest gorges, where you can either hike through it over 1 or 2 days or just spend a leisurely day seeing the highlights from the comfort of a bus.
Close by the town of Lijiang lies nestled in a beautiful valley. Luring us in with its cobbled streets and Chinese lanterns we spend a day here relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere.
Next we visit the laid back town of Dali which is situated on the lovely Lake Erhai Hu with the beautiful 3 Pagodas nearby, one of Chinas finest ancient Buddhist architectural displays.
Vast tracts of jungle, tropical vegetation and thickly forested mountains – home to elephants, bears, snakes, rare birds and even tigers – now lead us south as we explore this last stretch of China’s Yunnan Province.
> Back to topWe now enter an enchanted land where you have the option of boarding a boat at Nong Khiaw which takes you through spectacular mountain scenery down to our first stop, Luang Prabang. This architectural wonder is a must see, full of temples and tradition as well as wonderful markets.
Vang Vieng is our next stop and is a vibey little town set amongst awesome natural beauty. Outdoor activities abound with caving, climbing, kayaking and tubing being popular outings.
The large market at Tha Khaek is an interesting stop on our journey To Vietnam where you can buy everything from live frogs to dried beetles!
Please Note: Vietnamese bureaucracy prohibits the entry of foreign vehicles into the country so this section of the expedition (Vietnam) will be conducted on local transport.
Our first stop in Vietnam is the old capital, Hue, home to the splendid tombs of the Nguyen emporers as well as beautiful pagodas and the remains of the old citadel.
The picturesque river town of Hoi An is also worth exploring with it’s amazing architecture and nearby villages specialising in pottery and wood-carvings.
Further south we encounter the emerald waters and unspoiled beaches around Nha Trang and Mui Ne before delving into the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City.
Before leaving we have the chance to hop aboard a boat in the Mekong Delta and explore the floating markets and stilted villages that occupy the region.
> Back to topPlease Note: Cambodian bureaucracy makes it very difficult for foreign vehicles to enter into the country so this section of the expedition (Cambodia) will be conducted on local transport.
Having only recently opened it's borders to tourism, Cambodia is fresh and exciting. Our first stop is Phnom Penh, a compact little town spectacularly located on the confluence of three rivers. Riverside restaurants serve up steamy dishes and the Royal Palaces and silver pagoda are great day outings. The sobering 'Killing Fields' and Tuol Sleng Museum are a stark reminder of this country’s recent history under the brutal regime of Pol Pot.
Leaving the capital we travel through lush jungle vegetation to reach one of the most inspiring sites in the world, Angkor Wat. These temples are monumental constructions with Angkor Wat being the largest religious building in the world. The intricacy of the carvings is incredible and the site is well worth 2 days exploration. Truly amazing!
> Back to topWe head straight for Bangkok, a modern metropolis with a deservedly infamous reputation. Noisy, polluted, hot and humid with a booming sex industry that puts Amsterdam to shame. This city is a must see!
Close by we can visit the actual site of the 'Bridge on the river Kwai' and get a good insight into what really happened here during the war.
Heading south we hug the coast on the sliver of land called the Isthmus of Kra where we take a ferry over to the island of Ko Samui. We will spend 5 days here giving you the chance to explore the nearby islands of Ko Tao and Ko Pha Ngan or just relax on the pristine Thai beaches.
> Back to topSticking to the western part of the Malaysian peninsula our first visit is the futuristic city of Kuala Lumpur offering us an amazing skyline with the Islamic-style Petronas Towers dominating the view. The city's Chinatown market is a remnant of the past and contrasts the initial feel of the place. You will even find a British colonial atmosphere lingering amongst some of the architecture and some interesting museums hold the city's history within their doors.
Further south we visit the port town of Melaka where we have the time to visit the maritime museums and discover what the place was like 400 years ago when it was an important stop on the spice route.
Singapore is our last stop on the Asian continent and is a distinctly clean and modern island. With an abundance of fine dining options and shopping malls this is the place to treat yourself before catching the ferry over to Indonesia. It is also here that you will say goodbye to your Asian expedition vehicle as we will be using local transport in Indonesia.
> Back to topPlease Note. The Indonesia section will be conducted on local transport.
We take a ferry straight over to Jakarta on the Indonesian island of Java where you have some time to explore this distinctly Muslim city.
From Bali we now fly to Darwin.
> Back to topWe meet our Australian expedition vehicle in Darwin in the Northern Territory. This surprisingly modern town has some great pubs and the area offers good wreck diving and superb fishing trips.
Kakadu National Park is close by and is a marvel of wildlife and aboriginal rock art. The park is great for trekking with a variety of landscapes and is probably here that we get to see our first kangaroo and a boat trip down the Yellow River will get you up close to the infamous saltwater crocodiles.
Katherine gorge is also a beautiful sight where 13 gorges are separated by rapids offering great boat and canoe trips through fantastic scenery.
On our route south we have a chance to wet our whistles at NT’s oldest bar, the Daly Waters Pub. This is a real Aussie outback hangout where you are bound to bump into a character or two.
Joining up with the Stuart highway again we now head south into a barren red desert, the real outback, where camping is fantastic.
Our desert journey is broken up by the Devils Marbles, huge boulders in piles out in the middle of nowhere, and Alice Springs, bang in the centre of Oz, is a good place to replenish stocks and visit some of the town’s sights which give us a much better understanding of the remoteness of this outpost. There is actually a radio station that broadcasts school lessons so children in remote areas can learn.
If there are any political problems during our expedition they are most likely to occur in Central Asia. If problems do arise we will take a more southerly route through Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal to reach China. We will then continue with our expedition as normal.
There are always alternatives along the route we travel and we will make it one way or another!
> Back to topBelow is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by UKTOOZ so please use the list below as an approximate guide only.
All approximate costs are in GBP (£)
Europe|
Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany |
Free |
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Untersberg Cable car to viewpoint, Salzburg, Austria |
£22 |
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Red Bull Hanger 7, Salzburg, Austria |
Free |
| Cable car to Buda Hills viewpoint, Budapest, Hungary | £4 |
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| Outdoor Thermal Baths (all day pass), Budapest, Hungary | £8 |
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Dracula's Castle, Bran, Romania |
£5 |
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Parliament House, Bucharest, Romania |
£8 |
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Tsaravets Fortress, VelikoTarnovo, Bulgaria |
£3 |
| Aya Sofya, Istanbul | £3 |
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| Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque), Istanbul | Free |
| Topkapi Palace, Istanbul | £3 |
| Troy Ruins, Troy | £6 |
| Ephesus Ruins, Selcuk | £8 |
| Mary’s House (Mother of Jesus), Selcuk | £5 |
| Pammukale thermal baths, Pammukale | £8 |
| Ballooning, Goreme | £110 |
| Zelve Monastery, Goreme | £2 |
| Turkish Night, Goreme | £15 |
| Sumela Monastery, Trabzon | £2 |
| Gonio Fortress, Batumi | £1 |
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| Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi | £1 |
| Kutaisi History Museum, Kutaisi | £1 |
| Stalin Museum, Gori | £5 |
| Khan Palace, Sheki | £1 |
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| Palace of the Shirvanshas, Baku | £2 |
| Carpet Museum, Baku | £3 |
| Kow Ata underground lake, Kow Ata | £5 |
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| Saparmurat Hajj Mosque, Geok-Depe | Free |
| Konye-Urgench ruins, Konye-Urgench | Free |
| Ichon-Qala gates & walls, Khiva | £3 |
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| The Ark, Bukhara | £1 |
| The Registan, Samarkand | £2 |
| Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand | £1 |
| Guri Amir Mausoleum, Samarkand | £1 |
| Yurt stay, lake Song-Kol | £10 |
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| Sailing, lake Issyk-Kol | £15 |
| Spa, lake Issyk-Kol | £20 |
| Zhirgal Banya baths, Bishkek | £2 |
| Erdine Zuu Khiid monastery | £3 |
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| Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan,Ulaanbaatar | £2 |
| Natural History Museum, Ulaanbaatar | £2 |
| National Mongolian Museam, Ulaanbaatar | £2 |
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Tiger Leaping Gorge entry fee
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£5 |
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| Mu Family Mansion, Lijang | £3 |
| Black Dragon Pool Park, Lijang | £2 |
| Dali Museum, Dali | £1 |
| Three Pagodas, Dali | Free |
| Mountain bike hire, Dali | £2 |
| Slow boat trip to Luang Prabang | £10 |
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| Royal Palace Museum (Ho Kham), Luang Prabang | £2 |
| Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang | £2 |
| Wat Wisunarat (Wat Visoun), Luang Prabang | £2 |
| Various other Wats, Luang Prabang | £1 |
| River Tubing, Vang Vieng | £2 |
| Traditional Costume Dance, Vientiane | £4 |
| Pha That Luang, Vientiane | £1 |
| Patuxai, Vientiane | Free |
| Various other Wats, Vientiane | £1 |
| Halong Bay 2 night Junk Trip | £95 |
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| Boat trip Perfume River, Hue | £2 |
| 2 Dives, Hoi An (Cham Island) | £35 |
| My Son Tour (half day) | £3 |
| Island Boat Trip, Nha Trang | £3 |
| Parasailing, Nha Trang | £5 |
| 2 Dives, Nha Trang | £16 |
| Mekong Delta Tour of floating markets | £10 |
| Cu Chi Tunnels Tour | >£8 |
| Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh City | £1 |
| Reunification Hall, Ho Chi Minh City | £1 |
| War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City | £1 |
| Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (S21), Phnom Penh | £2 |
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| Killing Fields, Phnom Penh | £3 |
| Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh | £2 |
| National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh | £2 |
| Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh | £1 |
| Angkor Wat (one day/ three days) | £10/20 |
| Wat Phra Kaew & Grand Palace, Bangkok | £3 |
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| Wat Pho, Bangkok | £1 |
| National Museum, Bangkok | £1 |
| Bridge on the River Kwai Museum | £3 |
| Diving, Ko Samui - beach dive | £15 |
| Diving, Ko Samui - boat dive | £45 |
| Diving, Ko Samui - 4 day PADI dive course | £160 |
| Diving, Ko Tao -one dive | £12 |
| Petronas Towers (Skybridge), Kuala Lumpur | Free |
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| KL Tower, Kuala Lumpur | £4 |
| Singapore Zoo | £8 |
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| Borobudur monument, Yogyakarta | £5 |
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| Crocodile Feeding (Jumping), Darwin | £15 |
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| Yellow River boat trip, Kakadu NP | £20 |
| Katherine Gorge boat trip | £20 |
| Old Telegraph Station, Alice Springs | £3 |
| Desert Park, Alice Springs | £9 |
| Alice Springs School of the Air, Alice Springs | £2 |
| Aboriginal Art & Cultural Centre, Alice Springs | £Free |
| Royal Flying Doctors Service, Alice Springs | £3 |
| Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs | £4 |
| Flights over Uluru & Kata Tjuta, Yulara | £60 |
| Harbour Bridge Climb, Sydney | £85 |