The Stans of Central Asia

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Day 1: Almaty

Upon arrival a transfer will be awaiting you at the airport. Day is free to rest and explore on your own.

Day 2: Almaty

Today we enjoy a full day tour of Almaty including visits to the Zhenkov’s Cathedral, an extraordinary Russian Orthodox Church built of wood and a walk through beautiful Panfilov Park. We also visit the Central State Museum, which exhibits more than 40 different musical instruments; even today in remote villages, music is a big part of a Kazakh’s way of life.

The evening if free for us to enjoy at leisure.

Day 3: Almaty/Lake Issyk-Kul

Drive from Almaty to Lake Issyk-Kul. The scene surrounding Lake Issyk-Kul is enchanting in its surreal beauty. It is surrounded by high mountains, with 134 rivers flowing into the lake and traditional yurts dotting the landscape, this truly is a picturesque landscape. Overnight in Karakol.

Day 4: Lake Issyk-Kul

We visit the Preshevalsky Museum dedicated to the memory of Nikolai Michailovich Preshevalsky, an enthusiastic explorer accredited for his excellent works on flora and fauna of the Issyk-Kul region. He was also known for breeding a tiny horse on the steppes of Tibet, which later came to be known as the Preshevalsky Horse. This afternoon we have time for leisure to enjoy the beautiful scenery around the lake. Overnight in Kara-Oy Village.

Day 5: Lake Issyk-Kul to Bishkek

Travel from Lake Issyk-Kul to Bishkek. Stop enroute at the Burana Tower Archaeological Museum, which is situated on the site of a caravan town dating from the 10th Century. Surrounding the area are mysterious stone heads representing ancient Kygryz Gods.

Day 6: Bishkek

Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Our tour of the city includes a visit to the History Museum famous for its collection of Bolshevik Revolution artifacts. This is followed by a visit to Frunze’s House, named after the Soviet General Michael Frunze, who won Central Asia for the Bolsheviks in the Civil War. Afterwards we will visit the Oriental Bazaar.

Day 7: Daytrip to Alarcha National Park

Enjoy either an easy or strenuous hike at Alarcha at 2,800 m (9,200 ft) surrounded by beautiful snowcapped peaks.

Day 8: Bishkek to Tashkent

This morning we will fly to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Upon arrival transfer to our hotel. Our visit to Tashkent takes in the old part of the city, the Kafelsashi Mausoleum, the Barak Khana, the Tila Shaikh Mosque and Archives, followed by the Chorsu Bazaar, Kukeldesh Madrassah, the Friendship Square and the Navoi Theatre. In the afternoon we will have time to visit the History Museum of Uzbekistan and the Museum of Fine Arts. The evening is free, with an opportunity to see a local opera or ballet.

Day 9: Tashkent to Samarkand

The historic town of Samarkand, recently declared a World Heritage Site, was and still is a crossroads and melting pot of the world’s cultures. Founded in the 7th century BC as ancient Afrosiab, Samarkand had its most significant development in the Timurid period from the 14th to the 15th centuries. Our tour takes us to the major monuments and includes the Registan Mosque and the adjoining madrassas, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the Gur-Emir Ensemble, as well as Ulugh-Beg’s Observatory. Our afternoon tour also includes the Afrosiab Museum, located on the site of ancient Afrosiab, and the Historical Museum of Uzbek Culture and Art, which houses the wooden coffin of Tamerlane.

Day 10: Samarkand

Today we enjoy a day excursion to visit the World Heritage Site of Shakhrisabz, hometown of Tamerlane. This historic centre contains a collection of exceptional monuments and ancient quarters, which bear witness to centuries of vibrant history, particularly to the period of its climax in the 15th century under the empire of Tamerlane.

Day 11: Samarkand/Penjikent/Samarkand

After an early breakfast we will drive to the Uzbek- Tajik border crossing of Jartepa and cross over to Tajikistan and continue on our day excursion to Penjikent. The city dates back to the Sogdian Period (5th century). We will visit the ruins of a Zoroastrian town as well as the Archeological and Historical- Ethnography Museum. Return to Samarkand by late afternoon.

Day 12: Samarkand to Bukhara

Depart this morning by coach to Bukhara, regarded by many to be one of the most cultural and evocative cities in the world. Time permitting, we will have an evening walk through the old city maze, in the intact and still inhabited historic core. Overnight in Bukhara.

Days 13-14: Bukhara

One of the grandest of Uzbek centers, Bukhara is an open museum with many mosques, madrassahs and a grand minaret. We spend the day visiting some of the finest examples of Islamic Architecture in the world, where exquisite tile and mosaic work complements the beautiful brickwork; it is no wonder this city is a World Heritage Site. Our visit includes the Lab-e-Khauz Complex with the Nadirkhon Devanbegi Madrassah, the Mogak Attari Mosque and the Poi Kalon Minaret. We also visit the Madrassahs of Aziz Khan and the Ulugbek Ark Fortress, the residencecum- army headquarters of the Bukharan Emirs that houses an interesting collection of objects from those days and the Mausoleum of Ismail Samanid, which features some of the best 10th century brickwork, with a marked Persian influence. We conclude the day with a visit to Sitora-I-Mokhikhosa, the Summer Residence of the Emir.

Day 15: Bukhara to Khiva

Our drive from Bukhara to Khiva is through the arid setting of the Kyzyl Kum Desert. Along the way we stop for some refreshments and observe how humans have survived over the centuries in this unforgiving landscape.

Day 16: Khiva

Today we explore the World heritage site at Khiva, a city where time has stood still in the age of the Arabian Nights. Our visit starts with the main site of Itchan Kala followed by Kalta Minor, the Kunya Ark, the Rakhimkhon Madrassah, the Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud, the Frdiay Mosque and the Tashauli palace and harem. To complete this extraordinary day, we climb the Khodja Minaret to take in the amazing fairy tale panorama.

Day 17: To Konye-Urgench/Dashoguz/Ashgabat

Today we will enter Turkmenistan through the border crossing of Dashoguz. This day will be dedicated to exploring the Unesco World Heritage site of Knoye-Urgench. Although destroyed over 800 years ago by Ghengis Khan there are still many ruins to see. Returning to Dashoguz will will fly to Ashgabat in the evening.

Day 18: Ashgabat

Today we will have a sightseeing tour of the capital city of Turkmenistan. Ashgabat was founded in 1881, and originally served as a military fort. We will visit the Tower and Arch of Neutrality. The height of the Arch is 75 meters (246 feet) and is adorned with a rotating statue of the former President. Other stops include Lenin Square, the Ertogrulgazi Mosque and the excellent Carpet Museum, which showcases carpets and designs from the various tribes of Turkmenistan.

Day 19: Ashgabat/Nisa

Today we visit the famed Tolkuchka Sunday Bazaar, which is also known as the Turkmen carpet bazaar. It is one of the best places in the country to meet local people and expeience the Turkmen culture. Afterwards visit the National Museum of History and Ethnography with its 5000 exhibits. The archeological site of Nissa contains the remains of Old and New Nissa. The original city was an important center of the Parthina State, which existed from 3 BC – 3 AD and was a royal residence of Parthian Kings with a palace and temple and treasury. Recent archeological excavations have uncovered 2700 texts inscribed with black paint on clay vessel fragments. Later we will continue on to Kipchak Village to visit the largest mosque in Central Asia.

Day 20: Fly to Mary, Margush, bronze age civilization sites

This morning we fly to Mary. Upon arrival drive to the site of the ancient country of Margush, believed by many to be the birthplace of Zoroastrianism. It is also the site of Bronze Age ruins. Returning to Mary we will also visit a museum of local history.

Day 21: Merv to Turkmenabad

Today we will visit Merv, the oldest of the oasis cities along the Silk Route in Central Asia. The remains of this oasis span four thousand years of human history and a number of monuments are still in evidence.

Merv is often mentioned as Margiana by classical writers abd part of the Achaemenian Empire in the 6th century BC until its invasion by Alexander the Great. The “Queen of Cities” as it was known in the Islamic world, Merv was considered as the second city after Baghdad between the 8th and 13th centuries and was an important town on the Silk Road. We then continue on to Turkmenabad.

Day 22: Turkmenabad/Koytendag nature reserve

Today drive to Koytendag nature Reserve. Enroute visit the Astana baba Mausoleum (12 century) and Kaynar Baba Lake before checking into our tourist lodge.

Day 23: Kaytendas nature reserve/dinosaur site

Today see the panorama of Aribaba peak, the highest mountain in Turkmenistan at 3137 m (10, 300 f). Later visit Kyrk Gyz Gorge and caves a popular site for pilgrims. The Plateau of Dinosaurs is a sloping plateau 500 meters ( 1640 feet ) long and 200 meters (655 feet ) wide containing the footprints of more than 400 dinosaurs. Afterwards, return to the nature reserve.