This was a fantastic trip through a country in Central Asia - Amir organised the trip thoroughly and we never encountered any problems - all pick ups and excursions were fab and I highly recommend this trip to see the sights dessert and cities within the shortest possible time frame

We were sent up a mountain in an unsuitable vehicle, which caused us to be stranded for four hours at the peak after some rain. The guide had no idea what to do. When I asked if there was a risk we’d be stuck overnight with no water, the guide said “I hope not”. Their anxiety was because their people carrier vehicle may get stuck in a few inches of mud caused by the rain. Because of this, the driver and guide refused to take us home. As night approached and we began to get desperate, we even began shovelling the mud off the road ourselves, as our guide and driver ignored us and chatted casually to locals. They refused to call for help for three hours. The road was cleared of other vehicles, but they still refused to try to drive the vehicle over the minor mud patch. Eventually, after three hours of being stranded, I demanded the guide summon help. He eventually gave in and a 4by4 was called. This was the car we should have been given to go up the mountain in the first place. We then had to hike a mile on a thin riverbank made of pebbles. If it had collapsed, we’d have fallen into strong rapids. One of us fell towards the bank during the hike on this unsafe ridge and cut himself, bleeding significantly. Thank goodness he didn’t stumble into the rapids or he would have likely drowned. Our shoes and shorts were caked in mud and ruined after this hike, and some items of property were lost. This is a very expensive day trip - we paid £414 for two people. But the day was badly organised, no rescue vehicle was sent for three hours, and the staff ignored us even though we were naturally getting anxious about nightfall approaching and the risk of more rain. I raised these issues with the tour operator when we returned. He gave us a £50 per person partial refund (25 per cent). When I asked for a full refund given how badly organised, dangerous and distressing the trip was, he accused me of ‘wanting a free ride’. He also claimed, falsely, that we were sent up the mountain in a 4by4 vehicle rather than the truth, which is that an unsuitable people carrier was used, and that’s why the staff were frightened to drive it through a few inches of mud. I sent a detailed, carefully written account of what happened to the agent last week, as I assumed he may have been misled by his partners. Despite several attempts, he’s refused to engage with any of the matters of fact raised. I’ve also made clear I have supporting photos and video of what happened. I now have several aggressive and insulting messages in my inbox from the operator, who has chosen to get very personal rather than address the specifics in the detailed account I sent to him last week. He’s being evasive because he knows they got things very wrong. The following is a direct quote from the operator’s last message to me: “wake up craig you choose to take a tour to off the track mountain, God forbid but tourist sometimes loose their life due to unforeseen weather condition, my advise to you is to stay nice & safe doing city tour in future.” I think this tells you all you need to know about this trip and agency.

The trip was amazing. Our driver Javlon picked us up from our hotel on time and the ride to and from Shahrisabz was safe and comfortable. Our guide Mrs Firuza was fabulous. She spoke fluent English. She grew up in Shahrisabz and so knew a lot about the place and the people. She was passionate to tell us interesting stories about the monuments and history. She showed us the local life and helped us interact with the locals. I would highly recommend this trip.

While we can obtain information through our mobile phones, gaining a deep understanding of Uzbekistan’s culture and people through such interactions is invaluable. The dinner with strangers I met on the train, the delightful jokes shared with guides, the intellectual amusement from discussing world history through their profound knowledge, and the constant kindness from everyone. This tour made me want to visit Uzbekistan again, as a traveler witnessing their changes and growth.

Can’t say enough about this tour. We had an amazing tour with this company. Once booked Amir reached out to us on WhatsApp to confirm everything and if we needed anything else. Everything is taken care. Tour guides were on time. Transport between locations was taken care of. ZERO ISSUES. While in Samarkand the owner stopped by to check on us to see if everything was going well. Hotels in the cities, except Tashkent, were steps away from the sites. Also the guides went at your pace and never rushed us. I’d recommend this tour to anyone. You won’t find a better value for what you get.

I spent an unforgettable week traveling around Uzbekistan with the travel agency Sogda-tour. Great views, exquisite cuisine, great guide, great accommodation. Special thanks to our friend Irina for organizing the tour and choosing the company.

Horrible company. Itinerary is impossible. Whatever itinerary they send you will be impossible to complete. Go with anyone else.

Horrible experience. We travel all over the world and have never been scammed this badly by a company! Whatever you sign up for is not what you will receive. They completely fabricate timings to make you think you can visit all these sites ... its untrue. Save your money and just book a car service. Will be a 10th of the price.

Absolutely massively disappointing. Not only does the tour company completely lie on their itinerary, but the entire experience is misrepresented. There is no way to accomplish what you pay for. Example: they specify 45 from boarder to first lake. False. It’s 2.5 hours. So to get to the 3rd lake is 3.5 hours … and then all the way back on the same road. It’s horrible. Additionally, the road to the lakes is a goat path that experiences frequent land slides (we had to wait behind an excavator to fix the road before we could proceed). If you get motion sick or have any injury, you will be bounced around like a popcorn kernel in oil. The company is rude, disrespectful and dishonest. Book with anyone else.

I thought I had researched Uzbekistan pretty well and even studied the silk road in a college class. I was not prepared for the history before me. I had studied the movement of goods from China to the West and back. The important thing missing was the people and religions that passed through the area. The rulers the architecture. I loved this trip one of my favorites. People are super and the tour guides knowledgable.

Very nice experience. Great history and great monument. People usually spend long time in famous large cities but Shahrisabz is truly an underestimated gem that nobody should miss. This was indeed a private tour. My parents and I were the only guests. Contact was smooth, got notified a few days before on WhatsApp about every details. They offered a super nice and comfortable suv, with a great driver picking us up with a sign at our hotel and very on time. There were two photo stops on our way to Shahrisabz, all very nice (actually we ended up stop three times since this trip was very flexible and at ease. The guide was also super sweet, very knowledgeable about the history and local traditions. It was such an enjoyable day.

I was a bit nervous about traveling to Uzbekistan alone but the pull of the Silk Road and the architecture pushed me to book the trip. I had no idea of how beautiful and historical the trip would be, nothing like I had studied in college, except the name Silk Road. Trip Advisor was with me every step of the way. Booking trains, local guides, hotels. All I had to do was get up and be ready.

It was amazing to see those places and to hear all the interesting stories of our tour guide Shavgat. We met many very friendly people

We enjoyed our tour very much. The driver was on time and stopped at a number of places for photos. Our guide was excellent - very informative with exceptional English. Lunch at a local restaurant was delicious. An enjoyable day trip from Samarkand.

Good experience. Driver did not speak english but was hospitable. The tour of Sharisabz was pleasant and I was provided a thorough history of the city