Central Asia tour of five “STAN” countries

Arrive in Almaty. Transfer to hotel. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. Full day excursion in Almaty: visit Panfilov’s Park, Orthodox Christian Cathedral, Green Market, the National History Museum, the Presidential Palace, the Oriental Calendar Fountain and the Republic Square. In the afternoon, transfer to Bishkek. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.  A city tour of Bishkek, visit Ala Too Square, Manas Monument, the State History Museum. Transfer to Issyk-Kul lake, which is considered as the second largest alpine lake in the world. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. Drive to Bishkek. En route visit Cholpon-Ata petroglyphs (an open-air museum with about 2000 petroglyphs dating from 800 BC to 1200AD.) and Burana Tower (built in the A.D 11th century by the order of Karakhanids King and was used as a template for other minarets) with Bal-bals (grave markers used by nomadic Turkic peoples). Upon arrival in Bishkek accommodation in the hotel. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to Bishkek airport for flight to Osh. Upon arrival at Osh, visit Suleyman Too (means “Suleyman’s mountain”) which is considered UNESCO World Heritage Site, Osh bazaar. Drive to Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, change transport & guide. Drive to Margilan. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Excursion of Margilan including “Yodgorlik Silk Factory”, Adras workshop, Said Akhmad-Khoja medresah, complex Mir Siddiq. Drive to Rishtan (50 km). Visit to local Kyrgyz family where wool weaving crafts are made and ceramist house (Master Mr. Said) for watching and participating in making ceramic products. Drive to Kokand for visiting Khudayar Khan’s Palace, “Dahmai Shahon” (Royal Cemetery). Take an evening train to Tashkent. Upon arrival in Tashkent, transfer to hotel for an overnight.

Breakfast at hotel. Visit Hasti Imam Complex (Barakhan Medresha, Tillya Sheikh Mosque and Muyi Muborak Library with famous Holy Osman Koran), Earthquake monument, Metro-some Subway stations which are famous for their unique architectural designs and cleanness. PM drive to Uzbek-Tadjik border. Change transport & guide. Drive to Khujand. Upon arrival, visit Khujand fortress, the mausoleum of Sheikh Muslihiddin. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Visit Khazrat-i-Shokh mausoleum, Kok Gumbaz complex, Mugteppa Fort in Istaravshan and Architecture of Sogd (A.D V-VII cc.), Olim Dodkho mosque (of A.D XVIII c.), the ruins of “Sarazm” (“Sari zamin” means “beginning of land” which is excavation of a big town dated from 4 thousand years B.C) in Penjikent. Drive to Tadjik-Uzbek border, change transport & guide. Drive to Samarkand for an Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Full day excursion program in Samarkand: visit Afrosiyob Museum & hill, Observatory of Ulugbek, Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, Bibi-Khanum Mosque – the largest mosque in Central Asia, oriental bazaar Siyab, Konigil Silk-paper making center, Registan Square (Sherdor Madrassah, Tilla Kari Madrassah and Ulugbek Madrassah) & Guri-Emir mausoleum. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Bukhara. En route, visit “Rabat Malik” caravansary and “Sardoba” water reservoir from ancient Silk Road periods and stop in Gijduvan for visiting the mausoleum of Abdulkholik Gijduvani, Ulugbek’s medresah, Vabkent Minaret (XI c.) in Vabkent. Upon arrival in Bukhara, transfer to hotel and overnight.

Breakfast at hotel. Full day excursion program in Bukhara: Samanids’ Mausoleum, Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum, Bolo-Khovuz mosque, Ark Fortress, Poi-Kalyon complex (Kalyan mosque and minaret, Miri Arab madrassa), Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrassas, Magoki Attori mosque, Trade Domes (Toki-Zargaron, Toki-Telpakifurushon and Toki-Sarrofon), Labi Khovuz complex. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Khiva through Kizil-Kum Desert (460 km, 7-8 hours driving). En route, stop near Amudarya river for photo shooting. Upon arrival in Khiva, transfer to hotel for an overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Full day excursion program in Khiva – “Ichan-Kala architectural ensemble” – “Museum under the open sky”: Mausoleum of Pahlavan Makhmud, Tosh-Hovli Palace (Harem), Kunya-Ark Fortress, Kalta-Minor Minaret, Medrese of Shergazi-Khan, Complex of Alla-Kuli Khan, Juma Mosque and Minaret, Karavan-Saray, Minaret and Mosque of Khodja-Islam, Tim of Alakulikhan, Medrese of Abdulla-Khan, Mausoleum of Said Alautdin, Medrese of Mukhamad Amin-Khan, Walls of Ichan-Kala, Palvan-Darvaza Gate. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Uzbek-Turkmen border. Change transport & guide and drive to Kunya-Urgench for excursion. Visit the main sights of Kunya-Urgench: the mausoleum of Nadjmetdin-Kubra – the founder of “Kubra” Sufi sect (XII-XIII c.c.), the mausoleum of Mongol princess Torebeg-Khanum (Turabek-Khanum (XII-XIV c.c.), Mamun minaret (X-XI c.c.), Kutlug-Timur minaret (XII-XIV c.c., 67 m) – the highest minaret in Central Asia, Kyrk-Mollah mausoleum (II c. B.C. – III c. A.D.), Ibn-Khadjib madrassah (XIV-XVI c.c.), Arslan mausoleum – the oldest building in the city (approximately XI c.), Fakhr-ad-Din-Razi mausoleum (XIII c.), mausoleums of Azizan-al-Ramatani (XIII-XIV c.c.), Sayed-Ahmed (XII-XIV c.c.), Piryarveli (XIV-XVII c.c.), Guligerdan (XII c.), Khorezimbag (XIII-XVIII c.c.), Dashgala (XIV-XVI c.c.), Matkarim-Ishan (XIX-XX c.c.), Sultan Ali (1580 y), Tekesh-Khorezmshakh (XIII c.) with the minaret (XIV c.), Dashmedjet (1903-1908 y.y.) and Ak-Kala (I-XIII c.c.) fortress. PM drive to Darwaza Gas Crater. After arrival at the crater, accommodation at Tents/Yurts. Overnight.

Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Ashgabat. Upon arrival, city tour of Ashgabat: the 75 m Arch of Neutrality (1998 y), – the highest construction in Turkmenistan with the gold statue of Turkmenbashi on the apex, the Presidential Palace (former building of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan, 1950-1955 y.y.), the orthodox church of Aleksandr Nevskiy (XIX c.), Ertogrulgazy mosque with 4 minarets and enormous cupola (1997 y.) – the largest mosque in the country and capital museum of carpet. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport for morning flight to Mary. Upon arrival, visit mausoleum of Sultan-Sanjar-Dar-al-Akhir (A.D. 1140 y.), Sultan-Kala, Shazriar-Ark citadel, Abdulla-Khan-Kala (XV c.) wall remains, ruins of fortress and towers of Bayramali-Khan-Kala, Mukhammad-ibn-Zeyd mausoleum (XII c.), Yusuf Khamadani mosque (XIII c., reconstructed in XIX c.), Erk-Kala fortress ruins (VI c), high walls of similar fortress construction of Big and Small Kyzyl-Kala and Talkhatan-Baba mosques (XII c. in 30 km south-east to Merv), Akuyli-Koushuk fortress (IX-XIII c.c.), Kharam-Keshk fortress situated in 7 km north to the Gyaur-Kala (IX-XIII c.c.), Durnali fortification situated in 25 km north to the Gyaur-Kala (I-II c.c.), Gebekly fortification situated in 32 km to the north-west of Gyaur-Kala. Transfer to airport for an evening flight to Ashgabat. Transfer to hotel for an overnight.

Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to Ashgabat airport for flight to next destination. End of the tour.