The Great Tour along the Central Asia

Starting point of the tour is Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Upon arrival to Bishkek, tourists check in the hotel and go for sightseeing. Before lunch:Philharmonic, Museums, Oak Park and Central Square. After lunch in the schedule is Ala-Arch National Park. There will be enought time to walk around, explore the park and take some pictures.Day 1 night is spent in Bishkek to move to Issyk-Kul the next day.

After breakfast, a tour group is heading to enjoy beauty and nature of famous lake Issyk-Kul. Issyk-Kul is the second largest mountain lake in the world. The trip is four hour long with a brief stop by the Burana tower. This tower is remains from Balasagyn town of 11-13^th  centuries. After a stop by Burana tower the journey continues to arrive to the Issyk-Kul Lake. During the first day in Issyk-Kul there are no organized tours, just hotel check-in and a night sleep.

In the morning after breakfasttourists go to see ancient rock inscriptions and Ethnographical Museum. Then follows a drive back to Biskek. Check-in the hotel in Bishkek and a night sleep.

Early morning meal in Bishkek and then flight to Osh. History of Osh goes 30 centuries back. In the tour program there are visits to local market and Sulaiman Gora.Accommodation in Osh is a guest house. Tourists stay in a guest house for a night and move to Fergana the next morning.

After breakfast there is a trip to Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, to the settlement called “Dustlik”. The tour group passes through customs control and enters Uzbekistan. On Uzbek side of the border a guide meets the group and together they go to Ferghana.

In the morning of day 6, after breakfast the group goes for a trip to Kokand. Kokand sightseeing includes: Mir Mosque, Khudayar Khan Palace and Dahmai Shahon Mausoleum. Then a drive to the settlement near Uzbek-Tadjik border, called “Andarkhon”. Passing customs control and entering territory of Tadjikistan. In Tadjikistan, a guide meets the group and together they go to Khujand.

From the morning till the lunch time there is a tour around Khudjand to see the most interesting sites of the place. After lunch, there is plenty of time to visit sites of your own choice. Day 7 night is spent in Khujand to move on to the next destination in the morning of day 8.

8:00 am trip to Penjikent passing byIstaravshan, Shakhristan pass, and Ainy. There is a short list of sites to visit in Penjikent. After that, the tour group drives to Samarkand. Hotel check-in in Samarkand and a night sleep in the hotel.

The whole day is dedicated to sightseeing in Samarkand. After breakfast, tourists visit: Registan square – Madrassas Ulughbek, Tilla-Kori and Shir-Dor. In addition, tourists enter famous for its scientific significance Ulughbek Observatory. Next are remains of ancient city Afrosiab, Tamerlane’s Tomb in Gur Emir Mausoleum, Shakhi-Zindeh complex and Bibi-Khonum. Then back to the hotel.

In the morning after breakfast there is a two hour trip to Shakhrisabz. Sightseeing in Shakhrisabz include: Architectural Complex Dor-ut Tillavat that consists of Kok Gumbaz Mosque and Gumbazi-Seiidan; Architectural Complex Dor-ut Saodat, consisting of Jahongir Mausoleum and Khazratiy Imam Mosque. From Shakhrisabz tourists have a four hour trip to Bukhara. Hotel check-in upon arrival to Bukhara.The night sleep in the hotel.

Day 11 is dedicated solely to Bukhara. This fine city has a lot of historical and cultural sites. During the time between breakfast and lunch, sightseeing program includes: Bolo Hauz Mosque, Ark Fort, Chashma-Ayub and Samanids Mausoleums.

After lunch, tourists will walk around for sightseeing in the old part of Bukhara. The walk starts from Poi-Kalyan Architectural Complex that includes Minaret Kalyan built in 12^th century. Then tourists move to explore local market. On the territory of the market there are Toki Zargaron domes. Then there are Toki Telpak Furushon and Ulugbek and Abdulla Khan Madrassas, built in 15^th and 17^th centuries respectively. Final point in this walk is Lyabi Dinner. The night in Bukhara.

Wake up early in the morning to get to the Uzbek-Turkmen border. Passing customs control and entering the territory of Turkmenistan. On Turkmen side a guide will be waiting for the tourists and will take them to Mary settlement. Sightseeing is not in the program for this day.

After morning meal tourists are taken on a guided tour to see evidences of Turkmen life style and culture in a museum. Among exhibits, the museum has carpet and wedding weavings. After museum there is a trip to Merv. Merv is located 25 kilometers away from Mary settlement. It is considered to be one of the oldest inhabited Central Asian cities. The city is sometimes called ‘Pearl of East’. Merv as a city was rebuilt at least five times throughout its history. Gayir Kala has a big area and has four gates that face North, South, West and East. Another interesting sight in Merv is Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar. Its size and design gives impression of solidity and power. These places are in the program of Merv sightseeing that takes place between breakfast and lunch time.After lunch, there is a trip to Ashgabat. When in Ashgabat, there is a time enough only to check in a hotel, have dinner and have a night sleep.

Morning visit to the local market “Tolkuchka” that works three days a week: Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Other places to see are: Nisa – Parthian settlement that dates back to 3^rd century that had residents up until 19^th century; Anau – the city most famous for itsSeitjemal-ad-din Mosque; Turkmenistan National Museum – the place to see object made of gold and attributes of Bronze Age, Antiquity and Middle age (open every day except Tuesdays).

Take one hour morning flight to Tashauz after breakfast. From Tashauz to Kunya Urgench for a tour.Sightseeing in Kunya Urgench include: Turabeg Khanum Monument, Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum, Kutlugh Timur Minaret. This minaret is the highest one in Turkmenistan. Then going to a restaurant for lunch.After the meal, return to Tashauz, which is located near Turkmen-Uzbek border.Passing customs control, enter Uzbekistan and drive to Khiva. In Khiva hotel check-in, dinner and a night sleep.

Sightseeing starts in the morning after breakfast. The program has the following places to visit: Ismail Khodja and Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleums,Kalta Minor Tower,Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassa, Juma Mosque, Kunya-Ark and Tash-Hovli Palaces.After Khiva tour, there is a flight back to Tashkent with a transfer flight in Urgench. Hotel check-in and dinner and a night sleep upon arrival to Tashkent.

Day 17 is dedicated only to Tashkent. In the morning after breakfast there will be sightseeing:Earthquake Memorial, Opera House, Independence Square, Amir Temur Square, Applied Museum of Art, People’s Friendship Palace, Alisher Navoi National Park and Abdul Kasim Madrassa. This is the last night of the tour.

Breakfast and flight back home