Secrets of the Silk Road

Small group tours led by Sophie Ibbotson

Silk Road Escorted Tours

We are delighted to partner with long-time friend and Bradt guide author, Sophie Ibbotson. She is a well-respected expert on South and Central Asia and Silk Road history. She is leading two exclusive trips to Uzbekistan and India in 2023. She has purposely curated these tours to focus on the heart of the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, as well as an often-forgotten part of the Silk Road, which runs through the Himalayan region of Kashmir and Ladakh in India.

29 Apr - 12 May 2023
Silk Road Secrets of Uzbekistan

16 - 30 July 2023
The Himalayan Silk Road

Both trips focus on the rich and intertwined history of the Silk Road as one of the world's most important ancient trade routes. Not only will you be in the company of a true expert on the subject, and someone who has travelled extensively in these regions, but you will see for yourself how the Silk Road has shaped this part of the world. Encounter welcoming people, marvel at majestic monuments and witness jaw-dropping landscapes. Make sure you don't miss out.

Click on the tours above to find out more. For a limited time there is up to £200 OFF these Silk Road tours, so secure your place now.

More about Sophie

Sophie Ibbotson is an Orientalist, development consultant and writer who works across South and Central Asia, two regions closely connected by their overlapping histories and cultures. She is the author of the Bradt Guides to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and Ladakh, Jammu, and the Kashmir Valley. She is the Chairman of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, and the Director of the Silk Road Literary Festival, and since 2019 she has also been Uzbekistan’s Ambassador for Tourism.

Sophie has had a love affair with South and Central Asia for decades. She fell in love with India - and Kashmir in particular - more than 20 years ago. She read Hindi and Urdu at university, developed a passion for old Bollywood movies and Mughal history. She first visited Uzbekistan in 2010 and has returned dozens of times since, exploring almost every corner of the country. 
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