Central Asia with teens

[StColumbofNavron]

DH and I thinking of taken a sabbatical over the summer next year as DS1 will be off to uni in October 2024 and presumably will want to holiday with us less and less. I think we are more drawn to Central Asia but safari might also be an option. We can probably take 4-6 weeks off and I don't think we would travel all of that time, though we may well tag Turkey on (family there) to Central Asia either before or after.

Central Asia

• most of us are interested in the Turkic world and Islam and the Steppe to some degree
• food would be no problem (thinking things like extensive pork etc, we just go veggie in other places so not a huge deal, but a pro)
• some language synergies for me and DS1 in some of the places we could visit
• we all like history

I think we are probably more drawn to a tour of Central Asia, but then ... where to begin? Any recommendations? We would prob err more towards an organised/semi organised thing with some down time rather than booking every train and hotel independently, but if we go down the group tour route would like something geared to families but those with older families.

There are loads of travel companies that will do a bespoke trip for you that is similar to the itineraries of group tours but without the group - so you get just the stops and trips that you want, either partly or fully organised and not a group tour. Can then factor in down time days as you may want built into your own itinerary.

You do pay for it but often not much in the price of the group tours and it takes the hassle out of making all the separate bookings yourselves if you want that dealt with for you.

Trailfinders is the big mainstream company that do this, they are worth talking to for a base itinerary and price but the smaller companies are better at the level of service they give for helping with planning it and generally more personalised - google bespoke trip to … and many different companies will come up and can check them out on trust pilot etc

Steppes Travel are amazing, I've not been here but done various other bespoke trips with them in Asia and they were really good. www.steppestravel.com/destinations/north-and-central-asia/

Lupine Travel specialise in this type of trip and very reasonable.

Thanks for that @Sotiredmjmmy - this is really a one off so I don't mind spending a bit to make it just what we want. I found a great 26 day tour but it was very 'and next, and next ...' so the idea of something more bespoke is appealing.

Thanks for the suggestions of companies to look at.