Central Asia Countries 5 Stans – 2016
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Arrive in Tashkent. You will be met by driver and transferred to the hotel. Check in to the hotel at noon. Meet your guide to start sightseeing in the capital of Uzbekistan, the biggest city in Central Asia.
Visit Old City part of Tashkent with Khast-Imam Complex where the world famous Quran of Caliph Uthman – Ottoman has been preserved. In Khast-Imam visit Madrasah of Barak-Khan, Tillya Sheykh Mosque, Mausoleum of the Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi and the Islamic Institute of Imam al-Bukhari. Explore Choru Bazaar. Then take a ride on Tashkent Metro to city center withAmir Timur Square, Independence Square and Applied Arts Museum. Overnight at the hotel.
Check out from hotel till noon. Free time until transfer to Tashkent International Airport for flight to Almaty (672 km, 1 h. 40 min.). Upon arrival in Almaty you will be met and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Your guide and driver will meet you at hotel lobby to start the sightseeing tour in Almaty: visit Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, National Musical Instruments Museum, St.Nicholas Cathedral, and Green Bazaar. Enjoy panoramic view at Kok-Tobe Hill, visit Medeo Gorge. Overnight at the hotel.
After breakfast depart Almaty and drive to Bishkek via a newly built highway, enjoy nature landscapes on the way (250 km, 4 h.). Cross Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan border. Arrive in Bishkek, check in to the hotel.
In the afternoon start sightseeing tour: visit Oak Park, Ala-Too Square, Statue of Manas. See Philharmonic Hall and Victory Monument – bright examples of Soviet architecture. Overnight at the hotel.
Grigorevka Gorge – Cholpon Ata – Issyk-Kul
In the morning drive from Bishkek to Issyk-Kul Lake (250 km, 4 h.). Arrive at Grigorevka gorge (60 km, 2 h.) full of lush green Alpine meadows and fir trees. Take an easy hike in the gorge. Continue to Cholpon-Ata where you will see petroglyphs – the rock carvings made by prehistoric people lying under the open sky, and visit Ethnographical Museum. Transfer to a hotel or guest house on the Northern shore of the lake.
After breakfast transfer to Bishkek (280 km, 4 h.). Stop on the way to see Burana tower, what has left from the ancient city of Balasagyn (11-13 cent). Arrive in Bishkek, free time. Overnight at the hotel or a guest house.
Check out from hotel till noon. Free time until transfer to Bishkek International Airport for flight to Tashkent (580 km, 1 h. 15 min.). Upon arrival in Tashkent transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva
Early morning transfer to local airport for flight to Urgench (1093 km, 1 h. 40 min.). Arrival in Urgench, transfer to the hotel in Khiva (30 km, 35 min.). Later proceed for guided walking sightseeing tour. Spend a day in UNESCO World Heritage site Itchan-Kala Fortress. Visit Mukhammad Aminkhan Madrasah, Mukhammad Rahimkhan Madrasah, Kalta-Minor, Kunya-Ark, Juma Mosque, Tash-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, Minaret of Islam-Khoja. Free time in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.
Khiva – Kunya-Urgench – Dashoguz – Ashgabat
In the morning drive to Turkmenistan border point Shavat-Dashoguz (60 km, 1 h.). Go through border formalities on both checkpoints. Cross 1.5 km neutral zone (transportation may not be available). Meet your Turkmenistan guide and drive to Kunya-Urgench (100 km, 1 h. 30 min.). Visit mausoleums of Turabek Khanum, Sultan Tekesh, Sultan Il Arslan, Najmuddin-Kubra, Sultan Ali. Discover the Kutlug-Timur Minaret and Kyrk Molla hill. In the afternoon drive to Dashoguz airport (120 km, 1 h. 30 min.), take an evening flight to Ashgabat (580 km, 50 min.). Upon arrival transfer to hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Sightseeing tour in Ashgabat – capital of Turkmenistan which has experienced boom of “Marble Architecture” for the past 15 years. Explore archeological site of Old Nisa (included in UNESCO World Heritage list) and Spiritual Mosque, one of the biggest mosques in Central Asia. Visit the National Museum of History, and continue to Monument of Neutrality. In the afternoon drive to “Bedev” hippodrome stables to see Akhalteke horses – pride of Turkmen nation. Continue the tour with visits to Presidential Square, Ertugrul Gazy Mosque, and the newly built Independence Park. Take a picture of the Monument of Lenin. Overnight at the hotel.
Ashgabat – Mary – Merv – Turkmenabat
Take a morning flight to Mary (370 km, 40 min.). Upon arrival drive to Merv (40 km, 30 min.), an ancient city that was a major center of international trade and crafts located on the Silk Road. Discover historical park with Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, Large and Small Gyz Gala, Erk Gala,Gyaur Gala, Keshk Fortress, and others. In the afternoon depart to Turkmenabat (200 km, 4 h. 30 min.). Overnight at the hotel.
In the morning transfer to Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border point Farab-Alat (45 km, 1 h.). Go through border formalities on both checkpoints. Cross 1.5 km neutral zone (transportation may not be available). Meet your driver and continue to Bukhara (100 km, 1 h. 30 min.). Arrival in Bukhara, check in to the hotel. Free time in Old City. Overnight at the hotel.
Enjoy a walking sightseeing tour with a guide in Old City. Visit Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, Chor-Minor Madrasah, trade domes, Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque,Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums. Overnight at the hotel.
Continue sightseeing tour with a guide. Drive out of the city to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa – summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir. Head to Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi and Chor-Bakr Necropolis. In the afternoon depart to Samarkand (280 km, 4 h.). Stop on the way at Caravanserai Rabat-i-Malik dating back to 11th century. Arrive in Samarkand late in the afternoon, check in to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Meet your guide and driver at hotel lobby to start city tour. Visit spectacular Registan Square, remains of Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Siyob Bazaar, Ulugbek Observatory, Shakhi-Zinda Necropolisand Gur-Emir Mausoleum – authentic shrine of Tamerlane. Overnight at the hotel.
Check-out from the hotel till noon. Continue sightseeing: visit Afrosiab Museum and the Tomb of Saint Daniel. Then drive to Konigil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. Enjoy free time with car and driver at your disposal after sightseeing tour. At 16:00 transfer to railway station. Take the fast-speed Afrosiyob train departing to Tashkent at 17:00 (300 km). Scheduled arrival time is 19:10. Pick-up and transfer to hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Early morning transfer to Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border Oybek-Fotekhobod (100 km, 1 h. 30 min.). Go through border formalities on both checkpoints. Meet Tajik local guide and driver and drive to Khujand (70 km, 1 h.). Sightseeing in Khujand: Republican Historical-Ethnographic Museum,Timur Malik Fortress, Archeological Museum, Mosque and Madrasah of Sheikh Muslihiddin, Panjshanbe Bazaar. Overnight at the hotel.
In the morning depart Khujand and drive to Dushanbe (270 km, 5 h.). The mountain road goes via picturesque Anzob pass (3300 m above sea level). Arrive in Dushanbe and start a city tour: Mosque of Hoji Yakub, National Museum of Tajikistan, Gurminj Musical Instruments Museum, Statue of Ismail Samani, and Rudaki Park. Overnight at the hotel.
After breakfast transfer to the airport. Fly home.
