Two-wheel adventure awaits

If bikes are your thing, Grasshopper Adventures is offering a 14-day camping and cycling journey through remote parts of central Asia.

Explore Uzbekistan on two wheels, checking out mountain gorges, desert oases, ancient fortified cities, bazaars, tented caravans and the Great Steppe (also known as the Eurasian Steppe) — all while “absorbing the rich history that has shaped empires for millennia”.

Guests will explore ancient cities and Nuratau Mountains’ canyons and peaks and experience an ancient nomadic lifestyle in yurt camps on the old Silk Road.

Priced from $US4950 ($6930), the tour has a challenging itinerary and covers 505km.

Grasshopper Adventures chief executive Adam Platt-Hepworth says Uzbekistan is on the cusp of a massive opening and reform period, “which makes now the perfect time to go”.

“Uzbekistan’s cultural richness and turbulent history are evident today in its diversity, architecture and tales of empires long forgotten by the modern world.

“Riding your bike through a country with an ancient historical narrative and a mixture of no fewer than six distinct cultures is really an unforgettable experience.”

The terrain is a mixture of sealed and unsealed roads through rural villages.

“When cycling out in the remote areas of Steppe and desert, guests will be on primary/main roads. These roads are the only ones in the area and see very little traffic,” Grasshopper Adventures explains.

“There are sections of riding through mountainous terrain, which is moderately technical with short, achievable climbs. During some sections, a four-wheel-drive support vehicle will follow the group.”

(Top image: Mountains of Uzbekistan. Picture: Grasshopper Adventures)