Great Central Asia Tour - 23 Days

Please book your flight so that you arrive in Ashgabat and depart from Almaty. We recommend that you use the connection with Turkish Airlines.

Arrival in Ashgabat. Transfer to the hotel. After breakfast at the hotel we visit modern Side of Ashgabat, the historical places Anew (5-3^th BC) and historical Museum in Ashgabat. Dinner at the local Restaurant. Overnight stay in a 4-star hotel.

The hotel prepares breakfast boxes for the group, and we arrange the transfer to the airport, where they will depart at 06:30 AM on flight T5-127 to Mary (departure time and flight number may vary). Arrival in Mary is at 07:10 AM. Mary was an ancient oasis city in Turkmenistan. The ruins of the city have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This location was once an important stop on the Silk Road.

We will visit the ruins of the cities of Alexandria and Antiochia. We will visit ancient Merv. In the ruins of ancient Merv, we will see Sultan Kala (10th-11th century), Erk Kala (7th century BC), Gyaur Kala (around 3rd century BC, during the time of Antiochus I), Karavansaray Dandanakan (medieval period), Kiz Kala (8th-12th century), the Mausoleum of Askhabs (15th century), the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar (12th century), and the Mosque and Mausoleum of Muhammad ibn Zaid (12th century).

Afterwards, we return to the city of Mary and visit the city mosque and the historic Church of Alexander Pokrowski. On the same day, we will visit the city’s fruit and vegetable market, popularly known as the “Green” market.

Dinner will be at a local restaurant. Overnight stay at the 3-star Hotel “Mary.”

After breakfast at the hotel Transfer to the Airport and we will fly to Ashgabat. Check-in to the hotel, we visit the historical monuments in Ashgabat, Ahal-Tekin horse farm and ruined city of Nisa. In the afternoon we drive to the Darvaza – Gate to Hell, a Wonder of Nature. Dinner and Overnight stay in the Tent at Darvaza.

After breakfast we will drive to Kunya Urgench. In Kunya Urgench we visit the historical monuments Ak Kala (15-17^th c.), Gurganj, Komplex ibn Khadjib (14-16^th c.), Lunch at the local Restaurant. In the afternoon we drive to the border checkpoint Uzbekistan → Turkmenistan. After the border formalities we drive to Khiva, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. Khiva, with about 89 500 inhabitants (as of 2017), is located in the northwest of Uzbekistan west of the Amudarya river on the old Silk Road. Since 1967 Khiva is Museum City and in 1997 Uzbekistan celebrated the 2500th anniversary of the city. Dinner in a traditional restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After Breakfast we will visit the historical city “Ichan Qala”. Dinner with live folklore Music in the old city Ichan Kala. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After Breakfast we will visit the historical city “Ichan Qala”. Dinner in a traditional restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After Breakfast we will drive to Bukhara (480 km). While driving through the Desert Kysyl-Kum (Red Sand) you experience the unique expanse of desert landscape in Central Asia. The Kysyl-Kum Desert is about 200 000 square kilometres and it partly lies in the territories of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. It is covered with red sand from which the Name of the Desert derives. On the way to Bukhara we make a short stop at the teahouse “Bukhoro-i-Sharif”, where you can have lunch or just relax and drink tea. Dinner at a local Restaurant in Bukhara. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After Breakfast we will visit Poyi Kalon Ensemble consisting of Kalon Minaret (12^th c.), Kalon Mosque (12^th c.), Miri Arab Madrasah (16^th c.), domed bazaars Toqi Zargaron (15^th c.), Toqi Telpak-Furushon (16^th c.) and Toqi Zaroffon (16^th c.). Continue we will visit Lyabi-Khauz Complex (14-17^th c.) and Nodir Devonbegi Madrasah. Dinner at Nodir Devonbegi Madrasah along with traditional folklore Program. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After Breakfast we will visit Citadel Ark (4^th c. BC), Bolo-Khauz Mosque (beginning of the 20^th c.), Samanides Mausoleum (9-10^th c.), Chashmai Ayub (14^th c.), Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Complex, summer residence of the last Emir (ruler) of Bukhara, Bakhouddin Naqshbandiy Memorial Complex, Chor Bakr (19^th c.) and Chor Minor. In the afternoon we drive to Samarkand. Afterwards we will have Dinner for you. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After breakfast we drive to Samarkand and check in to the hotel. Samarkand (540 000 inhabitants, 2019) has also been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The history of the city goes back over 2500 years. Visitors are fascinated by the walls of the legendary Afrasiyab, the capital of the ancient empire Sogd (9th century B.C.), which can still be found in the north of Samarkand today. Not for nothing Samarkand is called a jewel of the earth. Our journey in Samarkand begins at the famous Registan (sand place), whose construction was already started during the Timurid period and completed in the following three hundred years. Sightseeing of three Medressen of the Registan – the Ulugbek-Medresse (built 1417-1420), the Sher-Dor-Medresse (1619 – 1636) and the Tillo-Kori-Medresse (1646 – 1660). For lunch you will be offered traditional Uzbek dish Pilav. Depending on your wishes you can also order something else (our recommendation: try at least once the traditional dish Pilav in Samarkand, it is only prepared for lunch). In the afternoon we visit the legendary Timurid mausoleum Guri Amir (XIV-XV century). Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in 3-star hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Visit the Bibi Hanum Mosque and Medresse (14th century) and we will be told the legends connected with the buildings. Afterwards we will visit the traditional oriental “Siyab bazaar”. Near the Siyab bazaar there is an ensemble of Shohi-Zinda (the living king, “IX.-XIV century), one of the world’s most famous group of mausoleums, which fasinate you with its beautiful architecture. Next we will visit the famous Ulugbek Observatory (1428-1429 which was built on one of the hills of Chupanata). The observatory was a unique design in his time. Dinner in a traditional Restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Samarkand → Panjakent → Dushanbe (B/-/D)

After breakfast we drive to Uzbekistan – Tajikistan border crossing. After border formalities we continue to Panjakent. Panjakent is the birthplace of Abu Abdallah Rudaki, considered by many as the father of Persian poetry. Before lunch we visit the local bazaar and mosque. Lunch in a traditional tea room (chai hana), for lunch you can try pilaf made according to Panjakent recipe. We visit the ruins of the ancient Sogdian city, founded in the 5th century and abandoned by the Arabs in the 8th century. In the excavated ruins we can see foundations of houses, a citadel with some Zoroastrian fire temples and a city bazaar. The Sarazm ruins – one of the oldest settlements in Central Asia with 5500 years of civilization. In 2010 Sarazm was included by UNESCO in the list of human heritage. After that we will drive to Dushanbe. Dinner at the restaurant. Overnight in 4-star* hotel.

After breakfast After breakfast we drive to Hissar (Hissor; 35 km). Visiting Hissar fortress and we drive back to Dushanbe. In Dushanbe we will visit the monument of Ismoil Samani, the founder of the Tajik central Samanid state in X century. We will visit the National Museum of Regional History and Fine Arts named after Kamoliddin Behzod and the National Museum of Antiquity of Tajikistan, which gives an opportunity to get acquainted with the facts of history of art, handicrafts, science and life of the Tajik people in different periods of its formation. Visiting the oriental bazaar – which is full of fruits and vegetables, the variety of colors and fragrances that inspire every visitor of natural gifts. Dinner at the restaurant. Overnight stay in a 4-star* hotel.

After breakfast we drive to Istaravshan and visit a local bazaar, Hazrat Shah architectural complex, tomb of Kusam ibn Abbas’s brother, Khudayar Valami mausoleum and Namazgah mosque from the 19th century. The city is said to have been founded by King Cyrus on the northeastern border of his empire. We drive to Khujand and visit the historical city of Khujand, founded in 329 BC by Alexander the Great. We will visit the Museum of Archaeology, Sheikh Muslihiddin Mosque and Payshanba Bazaar, the largest bazaar in Tajikistan. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in 3-star hotel (drive: 300 km, 5-6 h).

After breakfast we will drive to the border crossing point Uzbekistan – Tajikistan. After border formalities we continue to Tashkent. Tashkent , the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan, lies in the northeast of Uzbekistan and is with over two million people the largest metropolis in Central Asia . While visiting historical sights of the Capital, you can also enjoy the modern side of the city. The city offers modern Hotels, Restaurants, Theatres, Cinemas, Operas, Disco, Oriental Bazaars, of course also a thousand years old History to look back on. During the city tour we will visit Barak Khan Medrasah (building ensemble from the 15-17 c.), the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum (built in the 16 c. and rebuilt in the 19 c.), the mosque Khojah Akhror (1404-1490, Khojah Akhror was a Sheikh of the Naqshbandi Order). Afterwards we will visit the Medrese Kukaldosh (16th century), the traditional Chorsu-Bazaar . Dinner at a local Restaurant. Overnight stay in a 4-star hotel.

After Breakfast we will drive to Kokand. The city of Kokand, with 251 700 (2019) inhabitants, is the junction of the Great Silk Road. Kokand was once the capital of the eponymous Khanate in the 19th century. In Kokand we will visit the Palace of Khudayar Khan, built between 1833 and 1873, with it’s about seventy-meter-wide and infinitely colorful facades. We visit Juma Mosque (1809-1812) and the Madrasah Amin Beg. Afterwards we drive to Rishtan. In Rishtan almost 90% of the ceramics offered in Uzbekistan are produced and the ceramic production in Rishtan has been passed on from father to son for about 800 years. We visit a ceramic craftsmen family in Rishtan. We will learn how to produce ceramics in the traditional way. We continue our tour to Margilan, one of the oldest and industrial cities of Uzbekistan. Margilan has always played an important role in the History of the Silk Road. For lunch we will have lunch in a traditional tearoom in Margilan. In Margilan we visit historical-traditional Silk Factory called “Yodgorlik”, which continues centuries-old tradition. We will also visit the bazaar in Margilan. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 2-star hotel.

After breakfast we drive further to Fergana. City tour in Fergana and in Andijan>/strong>. In the afternoon we drive to the border crossing Dostyk between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. We drive to Osh. According to the legend the city of Osh was founded by King Solomon. We visit Suleyman Tou (Mount Solomon), National Museum and the Basar in Osh. Dinner at a local restaurant in Osh. Transfer to the airport and we fly to Bishkek. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Bishkek is situated at about 800 meters (2,600 ft) altitude near the northern range of the Kyrgyz Ala Too range. This range is an extension of the Tian Shan mountains, which rises up to 4,855 meters (15,928 ft) and provides a spectacular backdrop to the city. The distance from Almaty city to Bishkek is 230 km. It will take about 4 hours for the transfer. On the way you will pass a border control. This entire day is dedicated to a guided tour of Bishkek. It includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, the National Arts Museum, National Philharmonic.Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon we drive to Cholpon-Ata. On the way to Cholpon-Ata we visit the Burana Tower (11th century) and the Stone Warrior Museum in the open air. On arrival in Cholpon-Ata check into the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After breakfast hiking at the Issyk Kul lake (3 hours). Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon we continue to Bishkek (280 km). In Bishkek we have free time. Dinner at a local restaurant in Bishkek. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

After breakfast drive to Almaty (250 km). will visit the Green Bazaar does not work on Monday, where it is impossible to refrain from shopping. Then the tour will continue in one of the oldest Almaty parks – Panfilov Park, where one of the most beautiful wooden building in the world – Zenkov Cathedral is located. After exploration of sport, cultural and business areas of the city you will get to the Medeo Gorge, well known due to the highest mountain skating rink in the world and Shymbulak resort. Next destination is the Kok-Tobe hill where the tallest TV tower in the world is located (if to count from the sea level) and where you will get by the picturesque winding mountain road. In Kok-Tobe Park you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city from the special observation deck and visit the shop of national souvenirs. The tour ends with the short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 4-star hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Today you will have a day trip to Charyn Canyons. It is one of the unique natural monuments of Kazakhstan. The Canyon is about 12 million years old and surprises with its vertical cliffs, reminding the ancient castles, created by wind, sun and rain. It will take about 3 hours to reach the canyon. Meanwhile, you will hear a lot of interesting about the history and nature of the region, about Kazakh people, their life and traditions. And as soon as you see Charyn Canyon you will forget about this long way at once – so much you will be impressed with the beauty and splendor of the canyon. You can admire the grand panorama and then have a walk through the maze of the Castles Valley with its inaccessible walls overhanging you. Lunchbox in Charyn Canyon. Back transfer to Almaty. Dinner at local Restaurant. Overnight stay in a 4-star hotel.