Arrival in Ashgabat. Meeting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner at the local restaurant. Overnight in Ashgabat.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning sightseeing in Ashgabat: Nisa – the Residence of Parthian kings (3rd century BC – 3rd century AD), National History Museum (optional).
Lunch.
Afternoon sightseeing: Carpet Museum, Arch of Neutrality, Presidential Square, Monument of Independence, New Grand Mosque in Kipchak.
Dinner. Overnight in Ashgabat.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for the domestic flight to Mary (350 km east of Ashgabat).
On arrival transfer to Old Merv (20 km).Sightseeing in Old Merv: Erk Kala – an Achaemenid city (6th century BC), Gyaur Kala fortress (3rd century BC). Lunch. Sightseeing in Old Merv: 38-meter high Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar – the best remaining testimony of Seljuq power (12th century), Mohammed ibn Zeid Mausoleum (12th century), Large and Small Gyz Kala – two fortresses-palaces of the 7th century, Yusuf Hamadani Mosque constructed above the tomb of the 12th century dervish – pilgrimage site. Return flight to Ashgabat.
Dinner. Overnight in Ashgabat.
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out at the hotel. Flight to Dashoguz (650 km north of Ashgabat across the Karakum Desert).
Meeting at the airport. Transfer to Kunya Urgench (150 km north-west of Dashoguz).
Lunch. Sightseeing in Kunya Urgench: Dash Kala Caravanserai (14th century), Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum (12th century), Il-Arslan Mausoleum (12th century) – Kunya Urgench’s oldest standing monument, the 14th century Minaret of Kutlug Timur – the highest minaret in Central Asia (67 m), Turabek Khanum Mausoleum (mid-14th century). Transfer to the Turkmen-Uzbek border. Crossing the Turkmen-Uzbek border.
Transfer to Khiva. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight in Khiva.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Sightseeing in Khiva: Visiting the oldest part of town: Kunya-Ark Fortress, including Kurinish Khana (17th century), Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasah (19th century), Islam Khodja Minaret, Palvan-Kari Complex, Abd Al Bobo Complex (18th century).
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Afternoon sightseeing: Uch Avlioli (“Three Saints”) Mausoleum, Jami Mosque (18th century), Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum, Tash Hauli Palace, Alla-Kuli-Khan (18th century)
Dinner. Overnight in Khiva.
Breakfast at the hotel. Hotel check-out. Ride to Bukhara (450 km south-east of Khiva across the Kyzyl-Kum Desert). Lunch En Route (lunchbox).
On arrival in Bukhara accommodation at the hotel. Dinner at national restaurant. Overnight in Bukhara.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Bukhara city tour: Citadel Ark (IV c.) - city in the city, Bolo-Khauz Mosque (beginning of XX c.), Ismael Samani Mausoleum (the tomb of representatives of Samanids' dynasty at the end of IX-beginning of X cc.), Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, Poyi Kalon Ensemble (Pedestal of the Great) - religious heart of sacred Bukhara that consists of Minaret Kalon (XII c.), Kalyan Mosque (XII c.).
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Bukhara city tour: Kukeldash Madrassah (16c), Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble (XIV-XVII cc.), Nodir Divan beghi Madrasah, (Abdullakhan's mother) and Abdullakhan Madrasah. Tour over trade domes named Bazaar (XVI c.) - trading points where tourists can enjoy eastern bargaining process and make shopping. It consists of: Toki Saraffon (the Dome of Money changers), Toki-Telpak Furushon (the Dome of Cap makers), Toki Zargaron (the Dome of jewelers), Tim Abdullakhan (the Center of silk).
Dinner + National Folklore Show program at Madrasah in Bukhara city.
Transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Bukhara.
Breakfast at the hotel. Hotel check-out. Drive to Samarkand along “The Royal Road” – the major Silk Road thoroughfare uniting the foremost cities of Transoxiana (250 km east of Bukhara along the Zerafshan Valley, steppe landscape).
Intervening sites: city of Gijduvan, an important trade and craft center since the ancient times – Ulugbek Madrasah (1433), town of Karmana (11th century Rabat-i-Malik caravanserais).
On arrival in Samarkand. Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Samarkand.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Samarkand City tour: Gur Emir Mausoleum – Tamerlane's Tomb (XIV-XV cc.), Ulugbek Observatory (XV c.), St. Daniel's Mausoleum. Visit to eastern Siyob Bazaar for dried fruits, sweets and souvenirs. Architectural Complex Shakh-i-Zinda (XI-XV cc.).
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Samarkand City tour: Famous Registan Square that consists of Madrasah Ulugbek (XV c.), Madrasah Sher-Dor (XVII c.), Madrasah Tillya-Kori (XVII c.), Bibi Khanum Mosque (XIV-XV cc.).
Fashion show of Samarkand designer Valentina Romanenko.
DINNER at the National Restaurant. Overnight in Samarkand.
Breakfast at the hotel. Hotel check-out. Drive to Tashkent (315 km north-east of Samarkand, the road runs through the rocky Pass of Jilanuti and then down to the valley between the Nurata and Turkestan hills, with cotton or wheat fields and gardens as main landscape).
On arrival in Tashkent accommodation at the hotel.
Tour along the old part of Tashkent: Khazrati Imam Complex consisting of Barak Khan Madrasah (XVI c.), Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum (XV c.), Muyi-Mubarak Mosque - storehouse of the well-known Koran of Khalif Osman and gold hair of Prophet Muhammad, Djuma Mosque of Khodja Akhrar Vali. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Tashkent.
Meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Lunch.
Afternoon sightseeing tour: Ala-Too square, State Historical Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, local bazaar, handicrafts shops. Folklore show, dinner. Overnight in Bishkek.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border. Driving to Almaty (250 km north-east of Bishkek along the Lesser Almaty mountains over the Korday Pass). En-route we make an excursion to Tamgaly-Tash petroglyphs located in 70 km from the main highway. The canyon of Tamgaly Tash means “a sign-place” and is located in the eastern part of Chu-ili Mountains which provide all elements that favor the rise of a large petroglyph site. Centuries ago at the intersection of trade routes the strategic position of the site provided a habitat for a nomadic human community. Along with petroglyphs, other monuments have been identified such as: Bronze Age and Early Iron settlements, cemeteries in the mountain zone and dozens of kurgans at the plain. Over 4000 engravings are distributed into 50 small groups.
Lunch en route.
On arrival in Almaty accommodation at the hotel. In the evening (or next day, should not be Monday) we visit Sunkar eagle hunting show that starts at 5pm. The main attraction is a small zoo with birds of prey of different varieties. Five to seven spices of birds of prey take part in show. You will learn more about falcon hunting history, organic traits and the life-style of birds of prey. The show lasts for approximately 40 min. Dinner. Overnight in Almaty.
Breakfast at the hotel. Trip to Central Asia top skiing center Shymbulak located about 15 km south-east of Almaty. Ascent to the altitude of 3200 m by chair-lifts (cable car). Visit to Medeo, the world-known 10,500 square meter mountain ice Rink located at 1690m altitude in the picturesque Lesser Almatinka canyon.
Lunch.
Sightseeing in Almaty: Central Panfilov Park with Zenkov Cathedral (constructed completely of wood without nails in 1904), State Historical Museum, Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments, Central Mosque (20th century). Dinner. Overnight in Almaty.
