Journey to the Five "Stans" of Central Asia

Weather in Central Asia and the best season for travel

Central Asia tours can be enjoyed all year around, however, unless you are planning to trek in the mountains, the ideal times to visit are springtime, from March to May from September to November in fall. The hiking and trekking season is limited to the short summer season in the mountains, when the snows have melted and the trails are passable. There are incredible opportunities to explore the ranges of Central Asia; from easy day hiking to adventure trekking and white water rafting. Skiing is available in the winter, including heli-skiing in the Tien Shan down virgin powder slopes.

Spring is a wonderful time when nature bursts into bloom in Central Asia! The surrounding mountain peaks are rimmed with winter's snows, but the forests, valleys, steppes and farms are lush with new growth. Fruit trees blossom and even the desert landscapes change with the last of the winter rains and snowmelt, with the season's tulips, irises and sedges.

Spring is the season of celebration in Central Asia. Navrus is the New Year, which occurs in March at the time of the spring equinox. From the Persian, it means Nav ornew and Ruz or Roz orday”. All over Central Asia, there are festivals and feasts, dancing and singing, parades and regional displays of art and sport. Cities like Tashkent and Samarkand decorate elaborately. Holiday foods like Sumalak appear, which a dish is made with fresh spring wheat, cooked slowly over an open fire.

The glorious fall weather brings a welcome respite from the heat of the summer. Cool and sunny with gentle breezes, its perfect traveling weather! Autumn in Central Asia is "golden" when the trees and grasses display their finest colors and the markets are filled with the bounty of harvest fruits and vegetables.

Weddings are important in Central Asia and are planned for the spring and fall. If you receive an invitation to attend one, by all means take it! You will have the time of your life, and make lifelong friends and memories.