THE FIVE STARS OF THE GREAT SILK ROAD

ALMATY – BISHKEK (250 km, 4-4,5 hours)

Breakfast. Today we will leave for Bishkek taking the newly built road that takes us will allow you to enjoy the beautiful natural landscapes (250km, 4hrs.) After crossing the border, we will go to the hotel to leave the luggage and begin the visit in the city:

• Oak Park
• Ala Too Square
• Manas Statue
• National Museum of Art (closed on Mondays)
• Philharmonic and Victoria Monument, all stunning examples of Soviet urban design and architecture.

Accommodation at the hotel.

Duration of visit: 3-4 hours

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

BISHKEK – ISSYK-KUL LAKE (250 km, 4-4,5 hours)

After breakfast, departure to the Lake Issyk-kul (250km, 4hrs).

In Cholpon-Ata, we will see the prehistoric petroglyphs on the open-air rocks and visit the Ethnographic Museum. Transfer to the hotel or hostel on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul and accommodation.

Overnight at the hotel

ISSYK-KUL LAKE – BISHKEK (250 km, 4-4,5 hours)

Breakfast. Return to Bishkek (250km, 4hrs). On the way we will make a stop to see the Tower

Burana, a remnant of the ancient city of Balasagun (11th-13th centuries). Arrival in Bishkek and free time. Accommodation in the hotel or hostel.

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

BISHKEK – FLIGHT OSH – DUSTLIK BORDER – FERGANA (110 km, 1,5-2 hours)

After breakfast transfer to the airport to leave for Osh. After arrival meeting with local English-Speaking guide. We will take a short tour of the city, which, according to legend, was founded by the

King Solomon 3000 years ago. We will visit:

• Suleiman-Too (Solomon Mountain)
• The National Museum of History and Archeology
• The Osh bazaar, which has not changed its location since the time when Osh was an important trading center on the Great Silk Road.

We will continue towards the Dostuk border, to cross into Uzbekistan.

Upon arrival at customs and passport control on both sides, please proceed to the exit of the border control area. At that point, our guide/driver will be waiting for you with the sign with your name. Meet our new driver we will continue to Fergana, where we will spend the night (110 km, 1.5-2 hrs).

Duration of visit: 2-2,5 hours

FERGANA – MARGILAN – RISHTAN – KOKAND – TASHKENT (by train)

After breakfast departure to Margilan to visit:

• The Said Akhmad-Khoja madrasa. Currently the madrasa houses a group of artisans who produce carpets and silk by hand.
• The Silk Factory Yodgorlik (1972) to see the silk production process. The factory is famous throughout the World by its famous Khan Atlas, Atlas & Adras. Tourists can observe the process & buy some products.

After visits we will continue to Rishtan, to visit the house & workshop of ceramist Rustam Usmanov, whose works are exhibited worldwide. We will observe the process of creating ceramics and his collection of local ceramists. (Master class can be organized by request)

After visit we will leave for Kokand (80km). Visit:

• The Khudoyar-Khan Palace.

Transfer to the train station & take the train to Tashkent at 17:31 PM. Arrival in Tashkent at 21:48 PM, transfer to the hotel & accommodation.

Duration of visit: 4-5 hours

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

TASHKENT

After breakfast start city tour in Tashkent. We will visit:

• Architectural complex Khast Imam (Hast Imam square, Barak Khan Madrassah, Kafal al-Shashi Mausoleum);
• Chorsu Bazar - the oldest bazaar in Tashkent
• Time for lunch (payment on the spot).
• Independence Square (Ezgullik Arch, Monument of Independence, Monument of the Grieving Mother and Alley of Memory);
• The Palace of Konstantin Romanov - an overview of the outside;
• Theatrical square of the Alisher Navoi (Bolshoi Theatre);
• Amir Timur Square and Tashkent "Broadway".
• Tashkent underground (if time permits)

Duration of visit: 5-6 hours

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

TASHKENT – URGENCH (flight) – KHIVA (40 km, 50 minutes)

After breakfast transfer to the local airport & take the flight HY-51 (07:00-08:30 AM) to Urgench. Transfer to Khiva & start city tour. (tourists can leave their baggage at the hotel, check-in after 14:00 PM). Our tour will in the old part of the city (which was included by UNESCO in the list of places considered "World Heritage" in 1991 https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/543/ ) is called Ichan Kala and is surrounded by a long and mighty mud wall, 2.5 km long, with four gates. The most important is the western one, called Ata Darvoza. Visit:

• The Kunya Ark fortress
• The Tash Hauli Palace
• The Djuma Mosque (Friday Mosque)
• The Kalta Minor Minerarium
• The Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasa
• The Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum
• The Islam Khodja Madrasa

Duration of visit: 5-6 hours

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

KHIVA – SHAVAT BORDER – DASHOGUZ (60 km, 1 hour)

After breakfast we drive to the border with Turkmenistan Shavat-Dashoguz (60 km, 1 hour). Arrival at Shavat border post in the morning. Entry formalities. Meet the guide and transfer to Meet with guide and drive to Kunya Urgench (UNESCO), explore historical park with Kutlug Timur minaret, Mausoleum Turabek Khanum, Mausoleum Tekesh, Mausoleum Il Arslan, Caravansaray gateway and etc.

Continue drive to Darwaza. Arrival in Darwaza before sunset (~1800h). BBQ dinner, discover the burning gas crater by day and nighttime. It is also called “Gate to Hell”. Geologists set Turkmenistan's Darvaza gas crater ablaze in 1971, thinking the fire would die down within a few weeks, but the pit is still burning 53 years later.

Overnight in private yurt.

DARWAZA – ASHGABAT (280 km, 5-6 hours)

After camp breakfast continue drive to Ashgabat via visits mud and water craters on the way. Upon arrival introductory tour with visits Ahalteke horse stables, Independence Park, Rukhnama monument, Neutrality Arch, Nissa (UNESCO) and Turkmenbashi mosque-mausoleum. Transfer to the hotel, overnight.

Overnight at the hotel

ASHGABAT – MARY (flight) – MERY – FARAP (border crossing) – BUKHARA (100 km, 1,5 hours)

Transfer to the airport for flight to Mary (ETD 0620h. ETA 0700h.). Upon arrival drive to Ancient city of Merv (UNESCO), discover historical park with Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, Large and Small Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Gyaur Gala, Keshk Fortresses, Muhammed ibn Zaid mausoleum and others. Continue drive to the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border post Farap. Cross the border. After passing the formalities on both sides and meeting our driver, we will continue to Bukhara (100km, 1.30hrs.) Upon arrival transfer to the hotel and rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Overnight at the hotel

BUKHARA

Today is a day dedicated to visiting Bukhara. “If Samarkand is the wonder of the earth, Bukhara is the wonder of the spirit”. Bukhara has been one of the most important trade centers on the Great Silk Road for many centuries, that is why there are most of the caravanserais and covered bazaars that attract tourists to this day. Visit:

• Ark Fortress of Bukhara
• Chor Minor Madrasah
• Poi Kalon Mosque
• Ismail Samani Mausoleum
• Mir-i-Arab Madrasah
• Nadirkhon Devanbegi Madrasah
• Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum
• Lyabi-Hauz Complex

Duration of visit: 6-7 hours

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

BUKHARA – SAMARKAND (280 km, 4-4,5 hours)

After breakfast we will vist:

• Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa - summer residence of the last emir of Bukhara
• The Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi

Afternoon we will leave for Samarkand. In route we will stop at the Rabat-i-Malik caravanserai, which dates back to the 11th century. Upon arrival in Samarkand accommodation at the hotel.

Duration of visit: 2-3 hours

Overnight at the hotel

SAMARKAND – JARTEPA (cross border) – PANJAKENT

Early in the morning transfer to the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border in Jartepa (50km,1hr). Upon arrival at customs and passport control on both sides, please proceed to the exit of the border control area. At that point, our guide/driver will be waiting for you with the sign with your name. Meet the local Tajik guide and driver, we will head to Panjakent (30km, 40min). Upon arrival we will visit the Rudaki Museum (Panjakent is the birthplace of Abu Abdallah Rudaki, considered by many to be the father of Persian poetry), a local bazaar and a mosque.

After lunch we will drive to the ancient city of Panjakent (80 km, 1.30hrs); ruins found by Sogdians in the 5th century and abandoned by the Arabs in the 8th century. The foundations of the houses, the citadel with some Zoroastrian fire temples and the remains of the city bazaar, are still visible in the excavations of these ruins. After the visit, return to Jartepa to cross again into Uzbekistan with destination Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand and accommodation.

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

SAMARKAND

Samarkand is more than 2500 years old. In the east Samarkand is called “precious pearl”, “the appearance of the earth”. Todat we will visit:

• Registan Square is the heart of Samarkand. Registan (“sand square”) called the pearl of Central Asia is one of the most beautiful squares in the world and the symbol of the city. Inside the square are the Ulugbek, Sherdor and Tillakori Madrasahs.
• The mausoleum of Guri-Emir and the burial tomb of the Timurids dynasty resemble from afar a blue tulip with closed turquoise petals.
• Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis (10th-19th century) which consists of several mausoleums.
• Siyab Bazaar - is the most famous and most important bazaar in Samarkand

Duration of visit: 6-7 hours

Overnight at the hotel

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

SAMARKAND – TASHKENT (by train)

After breakfast we visit:

• The Konigil village, the Meros paper mill, restored by famous masters Mukhtarov brothers.
• Ulugbek Observatory - is a largest observatory in Central Asia which was built in 1420 by Ulugbeg (the grandson of Tamerlane)
• The Khoja Doniyor Mausoleum.

In the afternoon transfer to the train station and take the fast train to Tashkent. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel and accommodation.

Duration of visit: 3-4 hours

Overnight at the hotel

TASHKENT – DEPARTURE

Transfer to the Tashkent International airport & take the flight to home.

Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

End of the services.