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MIR Corporation · Rail Journey

Caspian Odyssey by Private Train: Eastbound

Silk Road rail journey from Armenia through Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan

Illustration of Caspian Odyssey by Private Train: Eastbound

MIR Corporation operates this 16-day Silk Road journey eastbound from Yerevan, Armenia, to Almaty, Kazakhstan, combining private jet travel with six consecutive nights aboard the Golden Eagle luxury train. The tour begins with two nights in Yerevan, where you visit the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery built into a mountainside, see the ancient Temple of Garni, and explore Lake Sevan. From there, a private jet carries you to Tbilisi, Georgia, for three nights of exploration, including the red-roofed Old Town, the cave town of Uplistsikhe where a private concert of Georgian polyphonic singing takes place, and the UNESCO capital Mtskheta. A second private jet flight reaches Baku, Azerbaijan, for three nights; you tour the medieval Old Town and travel to Gobustan to examine ancient petroglyphs. On Day 9 you board the Golden Eagle in Khiva, Uzbekistan, and spend six nights on the train traveling through three UNESCO-listed Silk Road oasis cities: Khiva, Bukhara with its 2,000-year-old Ark Citadel, and Samarkand, ending in Tashkent. The journey continues to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where you watch a traditional hunting eagle demonstration near Lake Issyk-Kul, before a final stop in Almaty, Kazakhstan. All meals, beverages, guided tours, and transfers are included, with an experienced Train Tour Manager and local guides throughout.

What to know before you look closer

  • A single supplement costs USD 15,400 on top of the Silver Class rate; single occupancy is substantially more than half the double rate.
  • Visa fees are not included in the tour price; MIR provides a customized visa application kit.
  • International airfare to Yerevan is not included; MIR assists with booking on request.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Yerevan

    Yerevan (Armenia), Lake Sevan

    Begin with a tour of Armenia's capital, Yerevan, a city older than Rome, and a trip into the nearby mountains to visit the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery. Visit Lake Sevan, one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in the world. Then head to Tbilisi, Georgia by private jet.

  2. Day 2overnight: Yerevan

    Yerevan (Armenia), Lake Sevan

    Begin with a tour of Armenia's capital, Yerevan, a city older than Rome, and a trip into the nearby mountains to visit the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery. Visit Lake Sevan, one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in the world. Then head to Tbilisi, Georgia by private jet.

  3. Day 3overnight: Tbilisi

    Yerevan (Armenia), Lake Sevan

    Begin with a tour of Armenia's capital, Yerevan, a city older than Rome, and a trip into the nearby mountains to visit the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery. Visit Lake Sevan, one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in the world. Then head to Tbilisi, Georgia by private jet.

  4. Day 4overnight: Tbilisi

    Tbilisi (Georgia), Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta

    Entering Georgia, explore the red-roofed Old Town of Tbilisi, the capital city. Next, take a day trip to Stalin's hometown, Gori; the ancient cave town of Uplistsikhe, where you'll hear a private concert of Georgian songs; and UNESCO-listed Mtskheta, capital of the early Iberian kingdom. Fly by private jet to Baku, Azerbaijan.

  5. Day 5overnight: Tbilisi

    Tbilisi (Georgia), Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta

    Entering Georgia, explore the red-roofed Old Town of Tbilisi, the capital city. Next, take a day trip to Stalin's hometown, Gori; the ancient cave town of Uplistsikhe, where you'll hear a private concert of Georgian songs; and UNESCO-listed Mtskheta, capital of the early Iberian kingdom. Fly by private jet to Baku, Azerbaijan.

  6. Day 6overnight: Baku

    Tbilisi (Georgia), Gori, Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta

    Entering Georgia, explore the red-roofed Old Town of Tbilisi, the capital city. Next, take a day trip to Stalin's hometown, Gori; the ancient cave town of Uplistsikhe, where you'll hear a private concert of Georgian songs; and UNESCO-listed Mtskheta, capital of the early Iberian kingdom. Fly by private jet to Baku, Azerbaijan.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Baku

    Baku (Azerbaijan), Gobustan

    Explore Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, a longtime center of the Caspian oil industry with a UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town. A day trip takes you to Gobustan, an important site of ancient petroglyphs that are also UNESCO-listed. Three nights here are in a leading Baku hotel before a flight to Urgench (for Khiva) on Day 9, where you will connect with the Golden Eagle train.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Baku

    Baku (Azerbaijan), Gobustan

    Explore Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, a longtime center of the Caspian oil industry with a UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town. A day trip takes you to Gobustan, an important site of ancient petroglyphs that are also UNESCO-listed. Three nights here are in a leading Baku hotel before a flight to Urgench (for Khiva) on Day 9, where you will connect with the Golden Eagle train.

  9. Day 9overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle

    Khiva (Uzbekistan), Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent

    Three days in Uzbekistan take you to three UNESCO-listed Silk Road oasis cities: Khiva, with its distinctive dun-colored walls; Bukhara, site of the 2,000-year-old Ark Citadel; and Samarkand, Tamerlane's blue-tiled capital. Last stop in Uzbekistan is the present-day capital, modern Tashkent, with its wide, tree-lined boulevards.

  10. Day 10overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle

    Khiva (Uzbekistan), Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent

    Three days in Uzbekistan take you to three UNESCO-listed Silk Road oasis cities: Khiva, with its distinctive dun-colored walls; Bukhara, site of the 2,000-year-old Ark Citadel; and Samarkand, Tamerlane's blue-tiled capital. Last stop in Uzbekistan is the present-day capital, modern Tashkent, with its wide, tree-lined boulevards.

  11. Day 11overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle

    Khiva (Uzbekistan), Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent

    Three days in Uzbekistan take you to three UNESCO-listed Silk Road oasis cities: Khiva, with its distinctive dun-colored walls; Bukhara, site of the 2,000-year-old Ark Citadel; and Samarkand, Tamerlane's blue-tiled capital. Last stop in Uzbekistan is the present-day capital, modern Tashkent, with its wide, tree-lined boulevards.

  12. Day 12overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle

    Khiva (Uzbekistan), Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent

    Three days in Uzbekistan take you to three UNESCO-listed Silk Road oasis cities: Khiva, with its distinctive dun-colored walls; Bukhara, site of the 2,000-year-old Ark Citadel; and Samarkand, Tamerlane's blue-tiled capital. Last stop in Uzbekistan is the present-day capital, modern Tashkent, with its wide, tree-lined boulevards.

  13. Day 13overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle

    Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Issyk-Kul, Almaty (Kazakhstan)

    Enter Kyrgyzstan and tour its capital, Bishkek, which is filled with striking Soviet-era statues and monuments. Then examine petroglyphs and watch a demonstration of traditional Kyrgyz hunting eagles near the shores of alpine Lake Issyk-Kul. On the journey's last full day, explore Kazakhstan's "City of Apples," Almaty, set in the orchard-rich foothills of the majestic Tien Shan Mountains. The commercial hub of Central Asia's wealthiest nation, Almaty is quickly growing and modernizing.

  14. Day 14overnight: Aboard the Golden Eagle

    Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Issyk-Kul, Almaty (Kazakhstan)

    Enter Kyrgyzstan and tour its capital, Bishkek, which is filled with striking Soviet-era statues and monuments. Then examine petroglyphs and watch a demonstration of traditional Kyrgyz hunting eagles near the shores of alpine Lake Issyk-Kul. On the journey's last full day, explore Kazakhstan's "City of Apples," Almaty, set in the orchard-rich foothills of the majestic Tien Shan Mountains. The commercial hub of Central Asia's wealthiest nation, Almaty is quickly growing and modernizing.

  15. Day 15overnight: Almaty

    Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Issyk-Kul, Almaty (Kazakhstan)

    Enter Kyrgyzstan and tour its capital, Bishkek, which is filled with striking Soviet-era statues and monuments. Then examine petroglyphs and watch a demonstration of traditional Kyrgyz hunting eagles near the shores of alpine Lake Issyk-Kul. On the journey's last full day, explore Kazakhstan's "City of Apples," Almaty, set in the orchard-rich foothills of the majestic Tien Shan Mountains. The commercial hub of Central Asia's wealthiest nation, Almaty is quickly growing and modernizing.

  16. Day 16overnight: Almaty

    Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Issyk-Kul, Almaty (Kazakhstan)

    On the journey's last full day, explore Kazakhstan's "City of Apples," Almaty, set in the orchard-rich foothills of the majestic Tien Shan Mountains. Lunch in a traditional Kazakh yurt. A farewell dinner in the bustling city.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Visit the UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery, built into the side of a mountain in Armenia, and tour Lake Sevan, one of the world's largest high-altitude freshwater lakes.
  • Day 4Hear a private concert of Georgian polyphonic vocal music performed in the ancient cave town of Uplistsikhe, carved into 22 acres of mountainside.
  • Day 7Explore Baku's UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town and visit Gobustan, a site of ancient petroglyphs also UNESCO-listed.
  • Day 9Board the Golden Eagle train in Khiva and depart for three UNESCO-listed Silk Road oasis cities: Khiva with its dun-colored walls, Bukhara with its 2,000-year-old Ark Citadel, and Samarkand, Tamerlane's blue-tiled capital.
  • Day 13Watch a demonstration of traditional Kyrgyz hunting eagles near the shores of alpine Lake Issyk-Kul, then explore Almaty, Kazakhstan's City of Apples, set in the foothills of the Tien Shan Mountains.

Included

  • 6 nights accommodation aboard the Golden Eagle private train.
  • 2 nights hotel accommodation in Yerevan, 3 nights hotel accommodation in Tbilisi, 3 nights hotel accommodation in Baku, 1 night hotel accommodation in Almaty.
  • Air segments by private jet, Yerevan-Tbilisi, Tbilisi-Baku and Baku-Urgench.
  • All meals starting with dinner on Day 1 until breakfast on final tour day.
  • A generous allowance of wine or local beer, soft drinks and water with all lunches and dinners.
  • Complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water round the clock from your car attendant while on board the train.
  • Arrival/departure transfers, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates and in the tour start/end cities.
  • All guided off-train tours per itinerary.
  • The services of an experienced Train Tour Manager, with local guides for scheduled off-train touring.
  • All gratuities.
  • Baggage handling.
  • Complete pre-departure electronic document that includes detailed packing suggestions, reading list links, country-specific information, maps, travel tips and more.
  • Customized visa application and instruction kit (please note, visa fees are not included in the tour price).
  • Electronic final update bulletin, with any late news, updates and important information.
  • Assistance booking your custom flight arrangements, on request.

Not included

  • International airfare or surface transport to the point of joining/leaving the tour.
  • Meals and drinks not specified as included in the itinerary.
  • Single supplement (difference between double rate and single occupancy rate) if requested or required.
  • Optional pre- or post-tour extensions.
  • Expenses incurred as a result of delay, modification, or extension of a tour due to causes beyond MIR's control.
  • Visa fees, excess baggage charges, airport departure taxes, vaccination and other medical costs.
  • Travel insurance including cancellation, medical, and evacuation insurance.
  • Items of a purely personal nature (laundry, telephone, bar account, photography at museums, etc).

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. Six nights aboard the Golden Eagle private train, all meals while on board, beverages (wine, beer, soft drinks, water, tea, and coffee), and service are included. Hotel stays in Yerevan, Tbilisi, Baku, and Almaty are also included.
Is the tour escorted or independent?
It is escorted. MIR provides an experienced Train Tour Manager and local guides for all scheduled off-train touring. Arrival and departure transfers are included.
How many nights are on the train?
Six nights aboard the Golden Eagle, from Day 9 through Day 14, while traveling through Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and arriving in Kazakhstan.
What flights are included?
MIR includes three private jet flights: Yerevan to Tbilisi, Tbilisi to Baku, and Baku to Urgench (for Khiva, where you board the train).
When does the tour depart?
Departures are scheduled for September 2026 and September 2027. The from-price is USD 30,700 for Silver Class double occupancy.
How much walking is involved?
This is a Level 2 moderate activity tour. Days include city walking tours, visits to archaeological sites, and exploration of Old Towns, with some stairs and uneven terrain.

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