Hong Kong to Istanbul by train holiday
Description of Hong Kong to Istanbul by train holiday
Take your place on this epic transcontinental voyage following the ancient Silk Road by rail. Over 22 days you will make an extraordinary overland journey from Hong Kong, on the very east of Asia, all the way to the threshold of Europe, using trains as much as possible. On the way you’ll pass through China, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Armenia before crossing Turkey east to west.
Whilst there’s plenty of time travelling – including five nights on sleeper trains – there is also time to alight and meet local tour guides. They will show you their cities and local area, offering fantastic insight, even in the short time you have there. You’ll see the Great Wall of China at its western end, Charyn National Park and the Mangyshlak Peninsula, and historic sights in Armenia.
The cities on the way include Xian in China and Tbilisi in Georgia, not to mention your fantastic starting and ending points: high tech Hong Kong and continent-straddling Istanbul. These contrast with the vast landscapes in between, seen from your train carriage window.
In the centre of this holiday is an epic rail journey across the largest landlocked country in the world. Cross Kazakhstan from Almaty, its largest city, to Aktua, 2000-km west as the crow flies, on the Caspian Sea. After hours of steppe, plain and desert landscapes you’ll take a break from the train, flying to Tbilisi, Georgia before working your way through Armenia and into Turkey. Your journey ends in Istanbul, with time to tour the city.
This kind of trip is very difficult to plan independently – let us save you the trouble and handle all the logistics using the decades of expertise of our highly experienced overland team. You’ll be accompanied throughout by an expert tour leader who will escort you all the way and ensure you all stay on track – so you can sit back and enjoy the view.
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Responsible Travel
Planet
CARBON REDUCTIONWe are committed to positive environmental impacts through our Responsible Travel Policy. As an overland company we have extremely low carbon emissions throughout all our journeys. This journey operates over 10,345 km by rail along the ancient Silk Road. We ensure to use experienced drivers who know the areas best when transfers are needed. This allows us to be confident there will be no risk of damage to the environment and local flora.
ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
We use local partners who work with us to design journeys an optimal way to limit our impact on the environment. We make certain to reduce plastic waste by promoting reusing drink bottles instead of buying bottled water. Where possible our clients stay in smaller-scale accommodation, such as locally owned guesthouses, in support of the local people.
We try to include as many local lunches, dinners and wineries in our journeys which enables us to spread economic benefits while also promote cultural understanding. We also make certain that none of our scheduled sightseeing visit zoos or orphanages.
People
LOCAL ECONOMYWe have a very clear mandate to support the countries and local communities we travel through, and we best achieve this by utilising the services of Local Partners, without whom our on-ground experiences wouldn’t be the same.
These Local Partners provide employment opportunities, training, and exposure to both the local and real impacts of tourism on their environment, and the needs for more responsible travel action.
Their local knowledge will also assist with securing high quality locally owned and managed services such as accommodation & restaurants, local guides, local artisans, and other authentic local experiences (cultural performances and family/home-based meals).
We have been operating journeys throughout Asia for 60 years and strive to build on our long-established reputation for demonstrating respect for the places and communities that we visit.
These ‘on ground’ interactions not only enhance the overall experience for our clients but allows us to understand local traditions and create sound relationships between our travellers and local communities.
EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
All in-country guides, drivers and staff are residents of that country, with many guides being residents of the specific region or city we are visiting bringing a deep local knowledge and cultural understanding.
Further, many of the local people involved in and benefiting from employment in tourism are women.
In addition, many of our Local Guides have progressed to being National Guides on our journeys and even Tour Leaders on our multi-destination tours. Our Operations Manager was once a Local Guide on one of our journeys in Kyrgyzstan.
We require our Local Partners to ensure their guides and drivers are not dependant on income from commissions earned at shops and other outlets by not allowing unauthorised stops at such establishments.
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