5 Stan tour in Central Asia

Arrival in Ashgabat.

Your driver will meet you holding a sign 'YOUR NAME'. Transfer to the hotel.

Meeting with a company representative who will provide a tour package, and you will have the opportunity to discuss the details of the program.

14:00 Standard check-in.

Meet with your guide & driver at the hotel's lobby and start excursion in Ashgabat:

- Ertogrul Gazy Mosque,

- Independence Park with Monument of Independence (it's a 118 m column that considers the highest building in the country),

- Neutrality Arch - a unique composition that rotates slowly after the sun.

Visiting  National Museum, where you can see more than 166 unique expositions from Ancient Merv and Nisa. 

A trip to ancient Nisa (18km from Ashgabat) that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the ruins of the ancient city (the date of foundation of the I millennium BC - I millennium BC).

Return to Ashgabat. Visit en-route Turkmenbashi Mosque-Mausoleum. It's considered the biggest in Central Asia (10 thousand people). There're beautiful gardens and fountains near the mosque. 

Resting time.

Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.

09:00 Continue city tour around Ashgabat with visiting to Anau mosque ruins;

- Akhal teke horse stables, where you will have an opportunity to see the most beautiful horses on the Earth. A visit to Carpet Museum and (Sunday) bazaar. 
Transfer by car to gas crater Darwaza (260 km North from Ashgabat).
In 1971 geologists accidentally found an underground cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of about 50-100 meters. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn the gas. Geologists had hoped the fire would go out in a few days but it has been burning ever since. Locals have named the cavern The Gate to Hell, and the sight of the crater at night indeed gives a somewhat spooky feel. 

The views are most impressive in the dark, and an overnight stay in tents near the crater is a unique experience, especially when accompanied by a barbecue dinner.
Overnight in the camp. 

Breakfast in the hotel.

In the morning transfer to Kunya-Urgench. 
Start sightseeing tour with visiting: the founder mausoleum of Sufi sects:

- Najmudd n-e Kubr (Persian:) or Najm al-Din Kubra, (Shaykh Ab al-Jann b Ahmad ibn 'Umar) was a 13th-century Persian Sufi from Khwarezmia, the founder of the Kubrawiyya or Kibruyeh Sufi order, influential in the Ilkhanid and Timurid. His method, exemplary of a "golden age" of sufi metaphysics, was related to the Illuminism of Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi as well as to Rumi's Shams Tabrizi;

- The mausoleum of Mongolian princess Torebeg-Hanym (XII-XIV centuries);

- Minaret Mamun (X-XI centuries);

- Minaret Kutlug-Timur (XII-XIV c, the highest minaret in Central Asia - 67m height);

- Mausoleum Kyrkmolla (II in BC - III A.D.) - The sacred hill Kyrk Molla, “40 mullahs” in Turkic, is found in Kunya-Urgench. According to a local legend, during the Mongol invasion 40 scholars who lived in the library began to pray for the salvation of the priceless manuscripts, stored there. When the enemy approached, the library tipped over and went underground;

- Mausoleum Arslan II (the oldest building in the city - date of its bookmark is roughly estimated by XI century).

Cross the 1.5 km neutral zone.

Meet your Uzbekistan driver and drive to Aral sea (300 km, 4 h).

Arrival in the yurt camp, located the nearby Aral Sea.

Resting time, BBQ dinner.

Overnight in a yurt.

Breakfast

Drive to Nukus via Muynak.  

- Drive to Muynak via beautiful Red Canions with beautiful and unusual Martian landscape. Arrival in Muynak city that used to be one of the richest city in the delta of Amu-darya,” the gates to Uzbekistan from the sea”. Nowadays there is only cemetery of Dead Sea. 

Arrival to Nukus. Check-in the hotel.

Resting time.

Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. 

Departure to Bukhara(455 km ~ 6.30 hours) by train or by car through the Kyzylkym desert. (depends on the weather condition. Trains schedule is 08:57 - 14:50, Tue, Fri, Sun)

Kyzylkum desert - Kyzylkum (from Turkic means «red sand») – is a sandy desert between the rivers Amudarya and Syrdarya in Central Asia. Its area is 300 thousand sq. km. On the north-west the desert is limited by hollow of Aral Sea, on the north-east by Syrdarya and on the south-west is limited by Amudarya. In ancient time, Great Silk Road passed through the Kyzylkum desert. Thanks to it, such famous cities as Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva prospered. People of different professions worked here: sellers, interpreters, guarder of caravans, tax collectors. It is very strange but there was hectic life in the desert.

Arrival in Bukhara. Transfer to the hotel, check-in.

17:40 Folk-shou in madrasah Nadir Divan-Begi.

Resting time.

Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast.

09:00 Meet your guide in the hotel's lobby. Head over to the old part of Bukhara and start your walking excursion:

Start WALKING sightseeing program in Bukhara (5-6 hours):

- Ensemble Lyabi Hauz (Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa, Khanaka, Kukeldash Madrassa and the monument of Khodja Nasreddin);

- Magoki Attari Mosque is one of the oldest mosques survived in Bukhara from the time before the Mongolian invasion;

- Abdullakhan’s Tim with numerous handicraft shops of souvenirs, ceramics, national clothes and carpets;

- Caravanserai Sayfuddin (the Center of Handicraft Development of Bukhara);

- There are three trading domes or so-called covered bazaars Toki Sarrofon, Toki Telpak Furushon and Toki Zargaron preserved from the XVI century and these bazaars were the centers for trade of silk, jewelry and even for money exchange. Today as well, one can enjoy and purchase different souvenirs of a wide range, from small souvenir magnets to the famous Bukhara carpets;

- Visit Ulughbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas or so called Kosh (pare) madrassas opposite each other with distinctive style of facade ornamental decoration;

- Poi Kalon Square with Kalon Minaret and Mosque, Mir Arab Madrassa – the heart of Bukhara, a monumental complex impresses the imagination of every visitor;

- Ark Fortress – the oldest citadel dating back to I century BC where one can feel the history of the great fortress covered in beautiful legends and myths.

Optionally can be added by request :

- Visit to Samanids mausoleum (IX century), a monument of early medieval architecture.

Breakfast in the hotel.

09:00 Transfer to Nurata en-route visiting

-  Gijduvan workshop of famous Uzbek pottery master Abdulla Narzullayev in Gijduvan city. There you can learn how ceramics is made and participate in master-class of painting ceramic plates.

-  Rabat-I Malik and sardoba.

Driving to Nurata.

 Aydarkul is a unique place called “The blue pearl”, a beautiful lake in the Kizil Kum desert which is famous for its breathtaking landscapes, abundance of fish and relaxing atmosphere. The camp offers to take a camel/horse ride, a trekking tour over the surroundings or fishing (by request).

Dinner near the campfire with accompaniment of akyn’s songs, where you can listen to national Kazakh songs with the string instrument dombra.  

Overnight in the yurt.

Camp-style breakfast.

Leisure time in yurt camp.

Camp-style lunch.
12:00 Transfer to Samarkand, en-route enjoying beautiful views and local life scenery.

Arrival in the late afternoon.

Transfer to the hotel. Check-in the hotel.

Resting time.

Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Start sightseeing program in Samarkand (6 hours):

Gur Emir Mausoleum – a burial vault of Timur the Great and his descendants is decorated with gold ornaments and is considered as one of the most significant sights of the world;

- famous Registan Square – heart of Samarkand and real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture, consists of three grandiose buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor and Madrassa Tilla Kori; 

- Bibi Khanim Mosque – the biggest medieval building in the city was one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in 15th Century; 

- Shahi Zinda Necropolis – unique complex of Mausoleums formed by standing on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) of the Muslim saint Abbas ibn- Kussam; 

- Ulugbek’s Observatory – the finest astronomical centers in medieval world was built by order of Ulugbek, an outstanding scholar and astronomer;

- Samarkand bazaar – Siyab. 

Transfer to the Tajik-Uzbek border “Jarteppa” (~50 km, 30 min).

Continue drive to Penjikent.

Resting time.

Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Khudjand was the furthest point Alexander the Great reached in Central Asia, the city was named Alexandria Eschate (Alexandria the Farthest), the city became one of the important entrepots on  the great Silk Road.

Start of the excursion program: 

- Pushkin square with Kamoli Khudjandi Square;

- Timur Malik’s fortress and Sugd museum;

- Muslihiddin memorial complex;

- Panjshanbe bazaar (Khujand’s central market that has many stores offering different kind of goods and services. The name Panjshanbe comes from Persian language meaning “Thursday”. Panjshanbe is considered as one of the oldest markets in Tajikistan. The Silk Road which passes Khujand city, had always made Panjshanbe to be crowded with traders and tourists).

- Arbob Palace (Arbob palace had its particular significance in 1992, when it was the place for the meeting of the Tajik Soviet ministers which officially declared independence from the Soviet Union. Also, it was the site where the Tajik flag was chosen).

In the evening we will transfer back to Tajik - Uzbek border pass.

Pass to Uzbekistan and meet up with a driver and transfer back to Tashkent. 

Resting time.

Overnight it the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Sightseeing around Almaty includes visiting:

- Panfilov Park. The name of the Panfilov Park comes after the heroes of Panfilov. There is a big monument in commemoration of the heroic actions made by 28 Almaty Soldiers who died in 1941 near Moscow.

- Zenkov Cathedral. Zenkov Wooden constructed Cathedral is one of the eight unique wooden buildings in the world. It is one of the few buildings to survive the 1911 earthquake, despite the fact it is built entirely of wood and constructed without nails;

- National Musical Instruments Museum. In the Museum of Musical Instruments, one can find various national musical instruments, the oldest of which is of the XVII century.

- Medeu, the World's largest speed skating rink known as Medeo. At the end of the gorge there is a ski resort Shymbulak, situated at an altitude of 2.200 m above sea level. It is one of Central Asia's top skiing spots where one can take a cable car funicular to Shymbulak Ski resort.

Resting time.

Overnight in the hotel.