Day 01 - 02 : 10 - 12
Sep
Flight Vancouver to Tashkent
Day 03: 12 Sep TASHKENT
(Uzbekistan) Meet, assist & hotel transfer on arrival
Tashkent
On our arrival in Tashkent capital of Uzbekistan, third
largest of the former Soviet Republics, we are met and
transfer to the hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure.
Overnight (4 star) City Palace Hotel (or similar)
Day 04: 13 Sep KHIVA
HD tour: Bazaar, Kafelsashi Maus. etc. Fly Urgench. Drive
Khiva
This morning we depart on a half day Tashkent city tour.
Later we fly to Urgench and drive to Khiva where we check
into our hotel. During our morning tour of Tashkent, we
visit the Old City, with its 14th century mosques, madrassas
(Islamic schools) and craft workshops. We visit Chorsu
Bazaar, a huge open market beside Kukeldash, draws crowds
of people from the countryside, many in traditional dress.
Next, we visit the Kafelsashi Mausoleum, Barak Khana Medressah,
and the Tila Shaikh Mosque and archives. Later we drive
to Independence Square and, time permitting, visit of
the Applied Arts Museum. Later we transfer to the airport
and fly to Urgench where we are met at the airport and
transfer to nearby Khiva, once the most remote of the
Silk Road's oasis cities. On arrival we check into the
hotel. Overnight (3+ star) Asia Khiva Hotel (or similar)
Meal plan: breakfast
Day 05: 14 Sep KHIVA
Half day tour: Ichan Kala, Minaret, Kunya Ark, Madrassa,
Palace
This morning we depart on a half day tour of Kiva. Khiva
is an ancient walled city and one of the few sites in
Central Asia where one can easily imagine life during
the time of the emirates. We spend the morning wandering
its maze of ruins and great mosques. We visit Ichan Kala
(walled city), Kalta Minor Minaret, Kunya Ark (inner citadel),
and Madrassa Rakhimkhon. Later we walk to see Mausoleum
of Pakhlavan Makhmud, Islam Khodja Minaret and Museum,
the medieval Friday Mosque, and Tashauli Palace and Harem.
Your afternoon is free to further explore the walled city.
Legend has it that Khiva was founded when Shem, son of
Noah, discovered a well. The town certainly existed by
the 8th century CE, as a minor fort and trading post on
a Silk Road branch to the Caspian Sea and the Volga. In
the early 16th century CE, Khiva became the capital of
the Timurid Empire, developing a busy slave market and
becoming the pivotal city of the khanate for the next
three centuries. Overnight (3+ star) Asia Khiva Hotel
(or similar) Meal plan: breakfast
Day 06: 15 Sep ASHGABAT
(Turkmenistan) Drive Dashauz. Dashauz bazaar. Fly Ashgabat
Today we travel by road to the Turkmenistan border, complete
immigration and customs formalities and then proceed to
the nearby Turkmen city of Dashauz (Dashoguz). On arrival
there is free time to arrange our own lunch and to visit
the Dashauz bazaar, brimming with fruits, vegetables,
nuts, seeds, and much, much more. Great photo opportunities
abound here. Later in the afternoon we transfer to the
airport and fly from Dashauz (Dashoguz) to Ashgabat (Ashkhabad).
On arrival we are met and transfer to our hotel. The balance
of the day is at leisure. Overnight (4 star) Grand Turkman
Hotel (or similar) Meal plan: breakfast
Day 07: 16 Sep ASHGABAT
Full day tour: Russian Bazaar, Carpet Mus, Spiritual Mosque
Today we depart on a full day tour of Ashgabat. We visit
the Russian Bazaar, a guided tour of the incredible collection
at the Carpet Museum, the Spiritual Mosque of Turkmenbashi,
Turkmenistan's first president, and take an orientation
drive of the capital's architecture before driving out
to visit the ancient Parthian capital of Nissa, a short
drive from the city. Ashgabat is located in a spectacular
natural setting, between the Kara-Kum Desert and the Kopet-Dag
mountain range. The city has been occupied by Parthians,
Seljuk Turks, and the Mongols. Under Russian control,
it became the administrative capital of the Trans-Caspian
oblast, and was the center of trade between the Russian
empire and Persia, with the Trans-Caspian railway reaching
here in 1885 CE at the height of the ‘Great Game’
– the struggle for Asian dominance between Britain
and Russia in the 19th century CE. The transliteration
of the town's name was changed in 1992 to more accurately
reflect the Turkmen original. After our tour we return
to the hotel. Overnight (4 star) Grand Turkman Hotel (or
similar) Meal plan: breakfast
Day 08: 17 Sep TURKMENABAT
Fly Merv. Half day Merv/Mary tour: Drive Turkmenabat
Early this morning we transfer to the airport and fly
to the Silk Road city of Merv. Several cities have existed
on this site due to Merv’s strategic importance
on the trade routes. It is claimed that briefly in the
12th century CE Merv was the largest city in the world.
Today ancient Merv is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage
Site. On arrival at Merv airport, we are met and transfer
first to Mary to visit the Museum, then we drive to the
vast site of Ancient Merv, visiting the Hellenistic fortress
of Gaiyur Kala, and the sites of Erk Kala, Sultan Kala,
and the impressive Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, one of
the most powerful of the Khorezmian rulers. After our
visit we continue by road to Turkmenabat and check into
our hotel. Overnight (3 star) Jeyhun Hotel (or similar)
Meal plan: breakfast
Day 09: 18 Sep BUKHARA
(Uzbekistan) Drive to border. Drive Bukhara via Chor Bakr
Today we drive back to the border with Uzbekistan, cross
the border* and drive to Bukhara, former capital of the
once powerful Emirate of Bukhara. En route we stop briefly
to visit Chor Bakr Necropolis. On arrival at our hotel
we check in. The balance of the day is at leisure. With
buildings spanning 1,000 years and a thoroughly lived-in
city center unchanged in two centuries, Bukhara is one
of the best places in Central Asia to catch a glimpse
of pre-Russian Turkestan. Most of the city center is an
architectural preserve and includes a massive royal fortress,
plenty of former madrassas, a number of ancient public
baths and the remnants of a once-vast market complex.
The afternoon is at leisure to wander and enjoy this atmospheric
town. Overnight (4 star) Asia Bukhara Hotel (or similar)
Meal plan: breakfast
* Please note: This tends to be a rather
slow border crossing, and there is an awkwardly long stretch
across "no-mans-land" between border posts.
Sometimes we are able to arrange baggage handlers, or
to send our Uzbek transport across to meet the group,
but this permission is at the whim of the border guards
and we cannot guarantee this.
Day 10: 19 Sep BUKHARA
Full day tour: Labi-hauz, 3 Domed Bazaars, Kalan Minaret
Today we depart on a full day walking tour of Bukhara.
We spend today exploring the old quarter of Bukhara on
foot. The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for
at least five millennia and the city itself has existed
for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city
has long been a center of trade, scholarship, culture,
and religion. The historic center of Bukhara has been
listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. We visit Labi-hauz,
a 17th century CE plaza built around a pool; the Three
Domed Bazaars; the 12th century Kalan Minaret, once the
tallest building in Asia; and the Mausoleum of Ismail
Samani, the town's oldest structure (905 CE) and surely
one of the most elegant in Central Asia. After the tour
we return to the hotel. Overnight (4 star) Asia Bukhara
Hotel (or similar) Meal plan: breakfast
Day 11: 20 Sep SAMARKAND
Drive via Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa. Half day Shakhrisabz tour:
This morning we depart Bukhara and drive to Samarkand
via Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa and Shakhrisabz. Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa
was the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara.
The first structures in this picturesque area were built
in the mid-19th century during the rule of Emir Nasrullakhan.
In the 1880s, his successor Muzaffarkhan built a palace
for his beloved wife Sitora-bonu. The most skillful Bukhara
craftsmen were sent to Russia to learn the best practices
of country residence construction. Soon after that they
constructed a sumptuous set of rooms, including throne
room, which had a peculiar mixture of European and Asian
architectural styles. We then continue by road to Shakhrisabz,
birthplace of Tamerlane (Timur the Lame), where we visit
Ak-Saray Palace, Kok-Gumbaz Mosque, House of Meditation
and the Crypt of Timur, a man who changed the course of
history and made so much of a difference to Central Asia.
Shakhrisabz is a small, fairly unimpressive town at first
glance. But then one begins to notice the ruins dotted
around the backstreets. This is Timur's birth town, and
it once eclipsed Samarkand. There's little left of Timur's
Ak-Saray Palace except bits of the gigantic, 40 m (98
foot) high entrance covered with gorgeous filigree-like
blue, white and gold mosaics, but it's staggering to try
and imagine what the rest of this glorious summer palace
must have looked like. We then continue to Samarkand.
Our route is scenic and matches that famously taken by
Tamerlane over the Takhtakurcha Pass, where we pause briefly
for the impressive views over stark terrain. Finally we
arrive in Samarkand. No name is as evocative of the romance
of the Silk Road as Samarkand. For most people it's as
mythical as Atlantis or as remote and legendary as Timbuktu.
Most of Samarkand's high-profile attractions are the work
of Timur, his grandson Ulughbek and the Uzbek Shaybanids,
who between them made the city Central Asia's economic,
cultural and intellectual epicenter during the 14th and
15th centuries CE. Almost everything of interest is in
old town, whose layout has remained unchanged since this
period. Overnight (4 star) Asia Samarkand Hotel (or similar)
Meal plan: breakfast
Day 12: 21 Sep SAMARKAND
Full day City tour: Mosque, Maus, Bibi Khanym, Museum
This morning we depart on a full day Samarkand tour. We
visit the Bibi Khanum Mosque, Mausoleum of Tamerlane,
Observatory of Ulughbek, the site where Uleg Bek, grandson
of Tamerlane, made some of the greatest achievements of
the pre-telescope era of astronomy during the 15th century.
We also visit the regal Mausoleums of Shah-I Zinda, site
of Central Asia's most sacred Islamic shrine; the massive
mosque of Bibi Khanym, and the adjacent colorful market
where you can purchase Samarkand's famous bread, much
favored by Alexander the Great who unsuccessfully tried
to duplicate it back in Greece. We also visit the Afrosiab
Archaeological Site Museum. The ancient core of Samarkand
is located on the Afrasiab Hill, named after the legendary
Turanian king. The settlement arose in the 8th-early 7th
centuries BCE and occupied more than 200 hectares. River
bluffs on the north and east and deep ravines to the south
and west protected the site. During the Achaemenid period,
the city was encircled with a massive wall, which had
an internal corridor and several towers. Scholars identify
Afrasiab with ancient Sogdian capital Marakanda, destroyed
in the 4th century BCE by Alexander the Great. Samarkand
is sometimes called the 'Rome of the Orient', but was
already flourishing when Rome and Babylon were founded.
After our tour we return to the hotel. Overnight (4 star)
Asia Samarkand Hotel (or similar) Meal plan: breakfast
Day 13: 22 Sep ALMATY
(Kazakhstan) Fly Almaty. Half day Almaty tour: Big Almaty
Lake
This morning we transfer to Samarkand airport to catch
our flight to Almaty in Kazakhstan. On arrival we are
met and transfer to our hotel. This afternoon we depart
on a Half day Almaty tour to visit the Big Almaty Lake,
located 40k from Almaty. We drive through Big Almaty Gorge
to reach the lake, which lies at altitude of 2,510 meters
above sea level. The lake is very beautiful, especially
when its blue surface is absolutely calm and reflects
the sky and surrounding mountains. Big Almaty Lake was
formed by glacial movement during the last ice age, and
the elevation ensures that the lake water is always cool
– even in July the water temperature does not exceed
10 degrees. The lake is a source of potable water for
Almaty city, which is why access to the lake is limited.
We then drive into the surrounding mountain to an altitude
of 3300 meters to access a vast and dramatic panorama
of the mountains cradling Big Almaty Lake, covered with
Tian-Shan fir-tree, aspen and juniper. We then return
to the hotel. Overnight (3 star) Kazzhol Hotel (or similar)
Meal plan: breakfast
Day 14: 23 Sep ALMATY
Full day tour: Zhenkov's Cathedral, Central State Museum,
Medeo
Today we depart on a full day tour of Almaty. We visit
Zhenkov's Cathedral, built in 1904, and an extraordinary
example of a wooden Russian Orthodox Church. Later we
visit the Central State Museum with its excellent displays
of Scythian art and some rock drawings depicting the ancient
Nestorian pilgrim movement on the Great Silk Routes. A
hall dedicated to the nomadic tribes of Kazakhstan is
the highlight of the ethnic section of the museum. We
also drive up to the ice-skating rink of Medeo, in the
mountains to the south of Almaty for dramatic views. After
our tour we return to the hotel. The balance of the day
is at leisure. Compared to other cities in Central Asia,
Almaty is quite young. It was founded in 1854 CE by Russians
as a strategic fort named Zailisky, then it was named
Verny. In 1921 it became Alma-Ata and in 1929 it became
the capital of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. In
1993 it became Almaty. Overnight (3 star) Kazzhol Hotel
(or similar) Meal plan: breakfast
Day 15: 24 Sep BISHKEK
(Kyrgyz Rep.) Drive Bishkek. HD tour: Oak Park, Museum
etc.
Today we drive to the border, cross into Kyrgyz Republic,
and drive Bishkek, where we check into our hotel. In the
afternoon we depart on a half day tour of Bishnek. We
visit Oak Park, Central Square, Statue of Manas and Victory
Square. We also visit the National Historical Museum located
at the northern end of Bishkek's central square, this
enormous example of socialist realist architecture was
once the Lenin Museum, entirely devoted to the man himself.
After independence, two of its three floors were cleared
to make way for exhibits that reflected Kyrgyzstan's new
status as an independent state. Luckily for visitors one
floor has been preserved, along with a huge centerpiece
statue of Lenin leading the revolutionary masses. Originally,
Bishkek was called Pishpek. In 1926 Pishpek became the
capital of the Kyrghiz Autonomous Republic. In 1936, as
the capital of the Kyrghiz Soviet Socialist Republic,
Pishpek was renamed Frunze in honor of a major political
organizer of the Civil War who was born in Pishpek to
a Moldavian family. Today Bishkek is a modern city with
vast squares, crowded bazaars, impressive administrative
centers, and educational institutions. Overnight (4 star)
Plaza Hotel (or similar) Meal plan: breakfast
Day 16: 25 Sep LAKE ISSYK-KUL
Lake Boat trip. Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs, Museum
Today we depart and drive Lake Issyk-Kul. Our scenic drive
takes us along the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul (1607 meters
/ 5,272 ft.), the tenth largest lake in the world by volume
and the second largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea.
Although it is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, it never
freezes; hence its name, which means "warm lake"
in the Kyrgyz language. This afternoon, (weather-permitting)
we take a (shared) boat trip on the lake. We also visit
the town nearby town of Cholpon-Ata to view the Petroglyphs
located above the town. Most of these etchings are from
the time of the Saka-Usun peoples who lived in the area
before the arrival of the Kyrgyz. These carvings are between
2800 and 1900 years old. Many of the carvings depict animals
such as wolves and deer, and include the hunters that
pursued them. We also visit a small regional Museum that
feature many artifacts from the region and ethnological
displays. Overnight (4 star) Raduga Hotel (or similar)
Meal plan: breakfast
Day 17: 26 Sep BISHKEK
Drive Bishkek via the Burana Tower,
This morning we depart and drive back to Bishkek along
the same road that we took to get to the lake. En route
we stop to visit the Burana Tower, located at the mouth
of the Shamsy Valley. An eleventh century monument, restored
by the Soviets in the 1950's, we may choose to climb the
minaret to get a view over the old city walls of Balasagun,
a fortification built by the Sogdians. On arrival at the
hotel we check in. The balance of the day is at leisure.
Overnight (4 star) Plaza Hotel (or similar) Meal plan:
breakfast
Day 18: 27 Sep FLY Transfer
to airport for departure flight
Today we transfer to Bishkek airport for our international
departure flight. Meal plan: breakfast
Important notes for all travelers:
• Please bring only cash US$ for your local expenses
in Turkmenistan, no EUROs and no credit cards
• Please be aware that a member of staff of our
agency will need to take your original passport for several
hours for registration on your arrival
• Please be aware that there may be various vehicles
and drivers used during your tour, depending on the route
section and type of transport needed on that section
• TURKMENISTAN TOURIST VISA can be obtained on the
border US$75 per person (subject to change; nationality
dependent). Payable in US$ cash (ensure you have correct
denominations)
• TURKMENISTAN MIGRATION TAX US$15 per person, to
be paid at land borders (subject to change)
• HOTEL TOURIST TAX: US$2 per person / per night
tourism tax in Turkmenistan paid in cash to the hotel
reception directly by each traveler