Age Guide 18+

A 24 week overland journey from London to Sydney via Central Asia exploring the highlights of 23 countries including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tibet, China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia and OZ!

24 weeks = £4000 + £1000 local payment (LP)

UK - FRANCE - GERMANY - AUSTRIA - HUNGARY - ROMANIA - BULGARIA - TURKEY – GEORGIA –AZERBAIJAN – TURKMENISTAN – UZBEKISTAN - KYRGYZSTAN - TIBET - 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 windswept plateaus of Tibet, from the hustle and hassle of the Kashgar 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!

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.

Included

• Services of your leader/driver
• Use of our own UKTOOZ expedition vehicle and equipment
• Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to our truck
• Ferry tickets (when travelling as a group)
• An average of 2 meals a day while camping (usually breakfast and the evening meal)
• All camping and hotel costs
• National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle
• Local transportation costs in Vietnam and Indonesia

Not Included

• Personal travel insurance
• Personal spending money (£70 - £100 per week recommended)
• Visas (£600 approx.)
• Border taxes
• Lunch
• Meals while staying in hotels
• Entrance fees to optional sites and parks
• Any optional activities
• Any unforseen contingency route expenses
• Any flights ($250 approx. from Bali to Darwin)
• Tents

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!

Day 1 – 11, UK, FRANCE, GERMANY, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY, ROMANIA & BULGARIA

Our tour begins in Hammersmith, London, and after a short ferry crossing over the English Channel we are on the European continent. In Germany we visit the WWII concentration camp of Dachau before continuing on to Salzburg in Austria, birthplace of Mozart. In Hungary we start to notice a change as Western Europe begins to fade and a goulash in Budapest is a tasty treat before following the Danube River through to Romania where we visit Dracula's Castle, perched high in the Transylvanian mountains. In Bulgaria we visit the stunning town of Veliko Turnovo and camp with the monks at Bacho Kiro caves. Crossing over the rolling green foothills of the Balkans we now head for Turkey.

Day 12 – 25, TURKEY

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, the great ruins of Ephesus and the Roman Baths at Pammukale are real highlights on our journey to the fairy-tale wonderland of Cappadocia where spectacular canyons, ancient caves and underground cities are 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. Close by we also visit the bustling port town of Trabzon and explore the medieval churches and old town tea-houses. We continue along the Black Sea coast towards Georgia.

Day 26 – 32, GEORGIA

Our first stop in this friendly country is at the almost completely intact Roman fortress of Gonio with it’s verdant gardens, 18 magnificent towers and ancient bath-house. Close by we pass through Batumi, Georgia’s resort town, and get a feel for the relaxed Georgian hospitality.

We continue eastwards to Sataplia Nature Reserve, home to bears and wolves as well as the world’s largest collection of dinosaur tracks. Not far away we visit 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.

Our next stop is Gori, birthplace of Stalin, where you can visit the Stalin Museum as well as see the house where he was brought up and the train carriage he used to travel around in.

At Mtskheta, Georgia’s spiritual home, you can explore some of the oldest and most revered churches the whole country.

The beating heart of the country is the capital city Tblisi where a day or two is easily filled wandering the cobbled streets of the old town, visiting the numerous historical churches, museums and fortresses and of course indulging in the fine dining options on offer.

On our journey eastwards we have the chance to visit a couple of wineries and sample the local firewater- Chacha, before crossing over into Azerbaijan.

Day 33 – 39, AZERBAIJAN

Our first stop in this distinctly Muslim country is at Sheki, a lovely town nestled into a beautifully forested valley. Famed for it’s 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.

A landscape of nodding-donkeys fills our view as we approach 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.

Day 40 – 46, TURKMENISTAN

We head directly for 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 with it’s sky-blue domes.

The quirky town of Ashgabat is next where amongst other things you can view the 12m high revolving gold statue of Niyazov, take in a demonstration of carpet weaving at the Carpet Museum or haggle your way through the Tolkuchka Bazaar where you can buy everything from camels to car parts!

We now head north into the blistering heat of the Karakum (black sand) Desert where we get a glimpse into real Turkmen life as we notice traditional yurts dotted around the desolate landscape. It is also here that we camp in the dunes and you get to walk to the unusual Dravaza Gas Craters, one of which is alight and makes for a surreal desert experience.

Leaving the harsh desert behind our last stop is at the ruins of Konye-Urgench that were once the centre of the Islamic world. From here we cross over into Uzbekistan.

Day 47 – 57, UZBEKISTAN

The perfectly preserved world heritage town of Khiva is our first stop where we have time to explore ancient mosques, mausoleums, palaces, minarets and bazaars.

We continue to Bukhara, Central Asia’s holiest city where it is possible to get a glimpse into the past by viewing the architectural preserve of medresses, royal fortress and vast market complex.

Our journey now takes us through the Kyzylkum 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 Registan, Guri Amir Mausoleum and Bibi-Khanym Mosque.

We continue to Central Asia’s hub, Tashkent, a gritty modern metropolis with great nightlife and fantastic restaurants.

The Fergana Valley, a huge oasis and the fruit and cotton basket of Central Asia, now leads us east to Kyrgyzstan.

Day 58 – 68, KYRGYZSTAN

This is a land of magnificent mountains and ice-blue lakes and 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.

Passing through the sleepy town of Kochkor we now head for the beautiful lake Issyk-Kol, the world’s second largest alpine lake. As we work our way around the lake we spend our nights camping on the beaches and our days visiting the small spa towns that surround the lake. Trekking here in the Tian Shan range is possibly the best in Central Asia.

Next, Bizarre Bishkek is the capital where you can sing Karaoke at the numerous street stalls, beat yourself with a birch branch at the local baths and do vodka shots at the expats bar. From here we travel through the Tian Shan mountains towards the high altitude Torugart Pass which takes us into China.

Day 69 – 96, CHINA and TIBET

After a laborious permit war with Chinese customs & immigration we now enter the fabulous land of China. Our first stop is at the market town of Kashgar where an incredible 60 000 people head every Sunday to ware their goods and pick up a bargain.

We now take to the legendary route 219 to Tibet. This is one of the wildest and most remote tracks in China. En- route we get to see Mt Kailash and the beautiful Mapham-Tso Lake as we skirt the Himalayan Range. Our 'biggest' reason to stop on this route is Mt Everest! A snaking rough track makes it possible for us to drive up to base camp and offers a stunning view of the north face. You can also send a letter from the world's highest post box and visit the world's highest Buddhist monastery, Rongphu.

Joining up with the Friendship Highway we now travel along one of the world's most spectacular roads littered with beautiful lakes and monasteries.

As we enter the spiritual home of Tibet, Lhasa, we are filled with a sense of awe as this Holy city rises out of a barren wilderness of stone and sand to be crowned by the Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lamas. Tibet’s holiest shrine, the golden roofed Jokhang Temple, is also a spectacular sight in the town. Norbulingka, the former summer palace of the Dalai Lama and Drepung Monastery are also great places to visit.

We now head east winding our way through the Himalayas along one of the world's most scenic roads. Along the way we get to visit some traditional Himalayan villages and experience the beauty of bush camping on the roof of the world!

As we descend out of the Himalayas the varied terrain of Tibetan peaks and tropical rainforests makes this area an alluring destination where the town of Lijiang lies nestled in a beautiful valley, luring us in with its cobbled streets and Chinese lanterns. The nearby villages and temples can be explored by bicycle and the more adventurous have the option of a 2 day hike through the beautiful Tiger Leaping Gorge. 

Next we visit the laid back town of Dali situated on the lovely Lake Erhai Hu, and is a good place to relax with good restaurants and cheap chinese beer.

Vast tracts of jungle, tropical vegetation and thickly forested mountains - home to elephants, bears, snakes, cats, rare birds and even tigers - now lead us south as we explore this last stretch of China.

Day 97 – 103, LAOS

We 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!

Day 104 – 113, VIETNAM

Please Note. That Vietnamese bureaucracy prohibits the entry of foreign vehicles into the country so this section of the Expedition (Vietnam) will be conducted on Local Transport while our vehicle transits through to the Cambodia/Vietnam Border to meet you. Vietnam is such a truly mystical country we definitely don’t want you to miss it!

Shortly after entering we arrive at the American war in Vietnam’s most famous siege site, Khe Sanh, where it is hard to believe that the verdant green hills were once the site of a miserable 4 month long battle.

We continue south to 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.

Day 114 – 119, CAMBODIA

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!

Day 120 – 131, THAILAND

We 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.

Day 132 – 142, MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE

Sticking 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.

Day 143 – 153, INDONESIA

Please 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.

Day 154 – 168, AUSTRALIA

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!

Below 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 (£)