Silk Road Odyssey: “16-Day Five Stans Tour”

Arrival in Bishkek 

Meeting with our driver at the airport, transfer to hotel.

14:00 Check in to your hotel, Accommodation, rest

Overnight in Bishkek

Breakfast at hotel

Next, you will have a sightseeing tour of Bishkek, during which you will see:

• Ala-Too Square is the central square of Bishkek, which has survived to this day. See the hour-long changing of the guard, take a selfie under the big Kyrgyz flag, and marvel at the Kyrgyz epic at the Manas monument.
• The Old Square with the White House, regal 20th-century architecture and a statue of Lenin.
• The Bishkek Student Philharmonic Society is a landmark of the city, the courtyard of which is a meeting place for young people.
• The oak park, the beautiful boulevard Erkindik, lined with trees, places you to the statue of Kurmanjan Datka - the leader and ruler of the 19th century, also united as the "Queen of the Mountains".
• The House of Opera and Ballet is the only opera house in Kyrgyzstan.
• Victory Square, dedicated to those who died in World War II.

Return to the hotel. 

Overnight in Bishkek.

Bishkek - Ala Archa - Bishkek (by car)

Breakfast at hotel

In the morning, meet your guide and driver at the reception at the next hotel. Transfer to Ala-Archa National Park (40 km, 1 hour), surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Go hiking in the Ala-Archa canyon.

Your hike will start from the Alpine camp (2200 m), then you will pass through the “Different Heart” boulder (2380 m) and the Tepshi Plateau (2460 m), and then continue climbing to the Ak Sai waterfall (2665 m). During the hike, you cross a large mountain stream and find a steep climb through pine forests to the nearest valley, where you come across a view of a 35-meter waterfall. Relax near the waterfall and enjoy a picnic before starting your journey back. Return to Bishkek.

Total duration of the tour: 6-8 hours

Difficulty: medium

Distance: 3.2 kilometers one way

Hiking duration: 5-6 hours

Bishkek - Almaty (by plane) ✈

In the evening transfer to the airport for a flight to Almaty (40 km, 1 hour). 

Transfer to Bishkek International Airport. 

BORDER CROSSING (by air ✈ ) !!! KYRGYZSTAN - KAZAKHSTAN!!!

Evening flight Bishkek - Almaty
19:25 - 20:15

Upon arrival in Bishkek, take your luggage and go outside

Upon arrival at the airport, the driver met you to take you to your hotel. Check-in at the hotel, accommodation, rest 

Overnight in Almaty

Breakfast at hotel

Meet your guide and driver at the reception at your hotel. Almaty city tour:

• Panfilov Park and World War II memorial complex with a collection of monuments to soldiers and an eternal flame burning with memories.
• Zenkov Cathedral (Ascension Cathedral), also located in Panfilov Park. This beautiful cathedral with five domes, built entirely of wood without the use of nails, is one of the oldest buildings in Almaty.
• The Green Bazaar is a massive oriental market with bright colors, inviting smells and a dense crowd. This is the perfect place to buy dried fruits and the famous Kazakh chocolate...but don't go haggling!
• Almaty Cathedral Mosque is one of the main mosques in Central Asia. Its metallic dust gives an impressive white marble exterior when created, while the interior satisfies with simply regal artistic value.
• Republic Square, where the city hall, the Central State Museum and the former Presidential Palace are located. All these buildings surround the Monument of Independence - a tall statue of the Golden Man and bronze bas-reliefs, monuments of the country's history.
• The Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, includes almost a quarter of a million exhibits, including the exact forced sale of human gold (Altyn Adam). The exhibits cover the entire spectrum of Kazakh ethnography and history, the environment from prehistoric times to the 21st century.

Take a ride on the Almaty metro, whose tunnels make you feel like you're in a palace rather than public transport. Each station is beautifully designed and comes up for sale. Stop at 2-3 stations to admire interesting frescoes.

Return to the hotel. Overnight in Almaty.

In the morning, meet your guide and driver at the reception at your hotel. 

Transfer to Charyn Canyon (220 km, 3-4 hours). On the way you got a view of the Altai mountains and villages. 

Upon arrival, descend to the bottom of the gorge to see the Charyn River. 

Relax, dine in nature, while the guide will share information about the place around you. 

Hiking through the Charyn Canyon, where steep mountain slopes reach 300 meters, the stunning Valley of Castles stretches for more than 2 kilometers. 

Enter your day as you stroll through this fabulous land of winding paths and mountain ranges.

After the hike - return to Almaty.

Overnight in Almaty Hotel

Check out from the hotel and transfer to Almaty International Airport for the morning flight to Dushanbe.

Transfer to Almaty International Airport. 

BORDER CROSSING (by air ✈ ) !!! KAZAKHSTAN - TAJIKISTAN!!!

Morning flight Almaty - Dushanbe.

Upon arrival in Dushanbe , take your luggage and go outside

Meeting with tajikistan driver

Transfer to Hotel, to leave luggage

The Hissar fortress (15th century) with its impressive gates, which once lost the Emir of Bukhara, still has significance.

Kuhna Madrasah (17th century) - An extensive religious school active until the early 20th century, now home to a massive history museum.

The Christian caravanserai (19th century) is an unusual caravanserai built of baked bricks.

Return to Dushanbe to get to the sights:

• The National Museum of Tajikistan, discovered in a 4-story building and containing more than 40,000 exhibits, including a 12-meter Buddha statue, discovered on the territory of Tajikistan.
• Mosque of Khoja Yakub (19th century) - a cathedral mosque that can accommodate up to 3,000 people.
• Rudaki Park is a well-groomed park, decorated with fountains and flowers, with a monument to Rudaki in the center.
• Museum of Musical Instruments. Gurminja is dedicated to glorifying the musical heritage of Tajiks and Pamirs. It has an impressive collection of national instruments, sophisticated music lessons and staged concerts.
• Opera and Ballet Theatre. Aini (1940s), whose magnificent appearance has been preserved among the lawns.
• Statue of Ismail Somoni, symbolizing tribute to the founder of the Tajik people. The monument rises to 25 meters in the very center of the city.
• Mehrgon is the new bazaar of Dushanbe, which is located in a richly decorated atrium.

Overnight in Dushanbe.

Breakfast at the hotel

08:30 Short city Tour in Dushanbe 

Departure from Dushanbe to Iskanderkul Lake. 

Departure to Iskanderkul. The drive takes 3 hours. The path runs through the Varzob gorge, then the industrial zone for coal mining Aini, then the Anzob pass 3000 meters, a view of the Gissar ridges (we may see snow), the main tunnel is 5 km, Turn towards Iskanderkul, the Iskandardarya river flows in parallel, we pass through local villages.

Arrival in Iskanderkul, visit to the Fan Niagara waterfall (easy hike 20 min one way), then Snake Lake 20 min hike, lunch at Iskanderkul lake, 1 hour for rest and photo session, then by car we go to the cave and springs, then accommodation and rest followed by dinner

Overnight at the Guest House by Iskanderkul Lake . 

In the morning meeting with your guide and driver to continue your tour to the Seven Lakes in the Fann Mountains (280 km, 5-6 hours). The road runs along the M34 highway through the Anzob pass, at an altitude of 3400 meters above sea level and the best observation deck of the Fann Mountains.

Arrival at Seven Lakes (Haft Kul), where each lake, framed by rocks, has a special color. You make a stop at each lake (they take about 10-15 minutes from each other) to take pictures and learn about the general characteristics of each suitable body of water. Take a break with a 30-40 minute walk along a mountain stream between the sixth and seventh lakes, which took place at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level. After that, go for a walk in the neighboring village, taking pictures along the way of interesting landscapes.

After Lunch at the guest house, transfer to Penjikent (70 km, 2 hours). Arrival in Penjikent to visit the ancient Penjikent and Sarazm. You will see possible sights:

• Republican Historical Museum (Rudaki Museum), eight exhibition halls dedicated to archeology, nature, history, culture, lifestyle, Tajik customs and Rudaki, the founder of the life of Tajik-Persian literature.
• Penjikent Bazaar is a bustling market at the intersection of the city's main roads, full of popular goods and Tajik souvenirs.
• Ancient Penjikent (5th century BC) - a labyrinth of walls and passages decorated with amazing frescoes, the site includes the foundations of houses, Zoroastrian fire temples, a cemetery and restored living quarters.
• Continuation of the way to the village of Sarazm (15 km, 15 min). This archaeological site has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010 and development on the development of certain places in Central Asia. The sprawling ancient city is divided into three parts and still contains the intact remains of palaces, temples, altars, houses, city walls and paved roads.

Transfer to Tajikistan - Uzbekistan Border post.

Land Border crossing !!! TAJIKISTAN- UZBEKISTAN!

Border formalities. Note that you will be going through the border by yourself. That means you will go through passport control, then go for about a mile by your feet with luggage until you reach the next country's passport and customs controls. Please note that you and your luggage might be searched!

After passing the border uniforms at the checkpoints, meeting with the driver and carrier in Samarkand (45 km, 1 hour). 

Upon arrival in Samarkand, the capital of the Empire of Tamerlane, transfer to the hotel for accommodation.

Overnight in Samarkand.

10:00 Guided sightseeing tour around Samarkand.

• Gur-Emir Mausoleum (“the grave of Emir”).
• Registan square, which was the center of Samarkand during centuries. Registan Square is a complex of three monuments: Ulugbek Madrassah (15 th century), Sher-Dor Madrassah (17 century) and Tilla-Kari Madrassah (17 century).

13:00 Break for lunch

• Bibi Khanym mosque (the 15th century) it was the biggest mosque in CA
• Syob bazaar
• Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, where you will find a complex consisting of more than twenty buildings, unique in Central Asia.
• Visit Ulugbek Observatory - incredible construction of the 15th century for studying astronomy and the Afrosiab Museum.The museum is located on the site of an ancient settlement called Afrosiab. In 1220 the city was almost completely destroyed by the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan.
• Saint Daniel Mausoleum

Duration of tour:6 - 7 hours

Night in Samarkand hotel

Breakfast at hotel

Transfer to Samarkand train station

Departure from Samarkand to Bukhara by train

Arrival in Bukhara

Transfer to hotel to leave luggage

Bukhara

10:00 Sightseeing program

Beginning of sightseeing tour in Bukhara:

• Visit to the Mausoleum of Ismail Samani
• Chashma Ayub Mausoleum (Job's Well), located near Samanid Mausoleum.
• A visit to the Bolo House Mosque of the 18th-20th centuries.
• Ark fortress, citadel of Emir of Bukhara.

13:00 Lunch at a local chaikhana 

Continuation of sightseeing tour:

• Poi Kalyan complex includes - Kalyan Mosque and Kalyan Minaret, Mir-Arab Madrassah,
• Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassahs,
• Ancient Trading Domes
• The 12th century Magoki-Attori Mosque.
• Lyabi House complex, consisting of three architectural monuments: Kukeldash Madrasah, Nodir Divan Begi Madrasah and Hanaka Madrasah of the 17th century.

Duration of tour: 6 - 7 hours

Overnight in Bukhara hotel

Breakfast at the hotel

07:30 Meeting with the driver at the lobby of your hotel
Transfer to Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan border post (121 km, 2 h) 

09:30 Arrival at border post Farap. 

BORDER CROSSING !!! UZBEKISTAN - TURKMENISTAN !

Border crossing formalities. Make sure you have all the proper documents. You and your luggage might be searched. 

Meet with guide and 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 Mary for flight to Ashgabat 

(ETD 1940h. ETA 2020h.). 

Upon arrival transfer to the hotel, check in, rest.

Overnight in Ashgabat

After breakfast, we visit Independence Park, Neutrality Arch and Turkmenbashi mosque-mausoleum. As well 

Afternoon drive to Darwaza gas crater via visits to mud and water craters on the way. Arrival in Darwaza before sunset (~1800h). BBQ dinner, discover the burning gas crater by day and nighttime. Overnight in tents near the crater or shared yurts (3 or 4 pax in each yurt).

Overnight in Yurt camp near Darwaza crater

After camp style breakfast drive to the Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan border post Shavat (Khiva).

BORDER CROSSING !!! TURKMENISTAN - UZBEKISTAN !

Border crossing formalities. Make sure you have all the proper documents. You and your luggage might be searched. 

Meeting with Uzbek Driver on Uzbek side of uzbek-turkmen border

Drive to Khiva , transfer to hotel, accommodation in hotel, rest

Free time in Khiva 

Overnight in Khiva hotel

Breakfast at hotel

Check out from Khiva hotel

10:00 Guided sightseeing program in Khiva and its surroundings.

Khiva city tour in Ichan Kala inner city. 

10:00 Guided sightseeing program in Khiva:

Khiva’s old city, known as Ichan Kala, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the carpet workshop. Guided sightseeing program in Khiva:
You will see palaces with the rich mosaic, unique beautiful minarets, madrassas and mosques such as: 

• Kunya-Ark Fortress, 
• Pahlavan Mahmud complex ,
• Tash-Khawli Palace (Harem), 
• Kalta-Minor Minaret, 
• Islam Khoja Complex.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

• Visit woodcarving and carpet workshops.
• Juma Mosque and Minaret, 
• Karavan-Saray, 
• Minaret and Mosque of Khodja-Islam, 
• Tim of Ala-Kuli Khan, 
• Madrassah of Abdulla-Khan, 
• Madrassah of Muhamad Amin-Khan , 
• Madrassah of Muhamad Rakhim-Khan, 
• Walls and gates.

Duration of tour: 5 - 6 hours

18:30 Meet your driver at hotel and Transfer to Urgench airport

21:00 Departure from Urgench to Tashkent by plane

22:20 Arrival in Tashkent

Overnight in Tashkent

Breakfast at hotel

10:00 Sightseeing program around the center of Tashkent. 

Hasti Imam complex Including: 

• Tashkent Islamic Institute under name of Imam Bukhori
• Kaffal Shashi Madrasah, 
• Barak Khan Madrasah, 
• Tillys-Sheik Mosque,
• “Muyi Muborak” Madrasah and Library, where the holy Al-Qur'an, the world's oldest  one, stained with the blood of Caliph Usman who was reading it at the time of his assassination in Medina in ad656. “Muyi Muborak” means 'the sacred hair', a reference to a holy relic held here: a hair said to have belonged to the Prophet Muhammad
• The Biggest Juma Mosque in Tashkent 
• Chor-Su Bazaar (market) (the one of the biggest bazaars in Tashkent).

• The Museum of Applied Arts
• Amir Timur Square

Duration of tour: 4-5  hours

Overnight in Tashkent hotel

Transfer to Tashkent International Airport

Departure from Tashkent Flight: 

                                       End of Tour!