4 Stan Capital Tour

Tour itinerary: Almaty – Bishkek – Dushanbe – Samarkand – Tashkent

Season: all year round

Days: 6 | Nights: 5

6-day Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Tajikistan – Uzbekistan tour visiting the capitals and major cities that were the capitals in recent past.

Almaty, Bishkek, Dushanbe, Samarkand and Tashkent play significant roles as the administrative, cultural and economic centers in the Central Asia.

Take your chance to have a short journey around the most beautiful and capital cities of Central Asia in just 6 days!

Day 1

Almaty

Flight to Almaty.

Arrival at Almaty International Airport.

Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim. Come out of the terminal and meet the staff holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” or with your name on it.

Transfer to the hotel from Almaty airport to the city center may take about 30 min- 1 hr depending on the hotel location and traffic. Arrival in the hotel to drop off the bags/ check-in.

Almaty is one of the major and most beautiful cities of Kazakhstan that used to be a capital city till 1997. Nowadays, Almaty stays the cultural and economical center and the largest city of Kazakhstan, frequently called as Kazakhstan South capital.

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 in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2

Almaty – Bishkek – Dushanbe

Breakfast at the hotel.

06:00 Transfer to the airport.

09:00 Morning flight to Bishkek by KC107.

10:30 Arrival in Bishkek.

Meet the driver and guide at the airport meeting zone.

Surrounded by snow-peaked mountains Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan welcomes visitors with wonderful green parks, gardens and squares, delicious food and sincere openhearted Kyrgyz hospitality. No wonder that among all the cities of Central Asia, Bishkek rightfully received the epithet as the greenest capital city.

Start walking city tour around Bishkek visiting:

- Oak Park, the city center. It is known also as Dubovy Park - today it is one of the favorite places among locals and tourists in Bishkek.

- Ala-Too Square is the central square in Bishkek. It serves as a place for state events and celebrations. Philharmonic hall – situated at the top of Rose Alley.

- Statue of Manas (Manas is a legendary Kyrgyz hero and the classic centerpiece of Kyrgyz literature).

- Victory Square where one can see the Victory monument, a memorial was completed in 1984. Usually, the main festival events are held in Bishkek at the eternal flame, on Victory Square with the guard of honor, forces of Kyrgyz garrison and a military band.

- State History Museum is a perfect display of the Kyrgyz people and the history of the country of Kyrgyzstan.

- Visit the colorful central bazaar and TSUM (Department Store).

16:40 Transfer to the airport.

18:40 Evening flight to Dushanbe

19:00 Arrival in Dushanbe International Airport.

Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim. Come out of the terminal and meet the staff holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” or with your name on it.

Transfer to the hotel.

Arrival in the hotel. Check-in.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3

Dushanbe

Breakfast at the hotel.

Dushanbe as the capital of Tajikistan, is a comparingly modern city that was founded in 1925 from Dushanbe village ("Dushanbe" means "Monday", deviated from Dushanbe bazaar, an important trade center of the region). Today Dushanbe is the largest city in Tajikistan, famous for its colorful bazaars.

09:00 Meet the guide at the lobby.

Start Dushanbe sightseeing tour visiting:

- Tajik National Museum of Antiquities with the biggest Buddha in Nirvana. National Museum consists of 22 large and small exhibition halls — departments of nature, antiquity and the Middle Ages, modern history, fine and applied arts. The exposition area of the National Museum of Tajikistan is rather large.

- The State flag square in the center of Dushanbe and Tajik flagpole that entered the Guinness Book of Records as the Highest Flagpole. It is still considered one of the highest in the world. The height of the flagpole is 165 meters, area 1800 m², width 30 meters, and length 60 meters.

- The main square of Dushanbe. The Monument of Ismoili Somoni-the forefather of Tajik Nation located in the main square. A 40-meter-high monument was built in honor of Ismaili Saman-Khuda, founder of the Samanid dynasty in the VIII-IX century.

- Mehrgon Bazaar - one of the biggest markets of Dushanbe.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4

Dushanbe – Penjikent – Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Transfer to border Jartepa (240 km, about 4,5 hrs) via Penjikent with sightseeing en-route/

Penjikent - an ancient town in Sogdiana and now it is a city in the Sugd province of Tajikistan on Zeravshan River.

Upon arrival, start excursion in Penjikent visiting:

-The Sarazm Important Bird Area (UNESCO World Heritage) lies downstream of the city on the tugay-vegetated floodplain of the river.

-The archaeological site of the ruins of old Penjikent - a walled inter-city (2500-years ago) - was once a Sogdian trading city on the Silk Road. Today, only ruins are left owing to the fact that the main construction material was clay-bricks.

Transfer to border Jartepa. Border crossing usually takes 30 min- 1 hr.

Meet the driver at Uzbekistan part of the border.

Transfer to Samarkand.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5

Samarkand – Tashkent

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby.

Samarkand, one of the most ancient cities of the world, the important trade and economic center was the capital of Uzbekistan in 1925-1930. The city is considered as the pearl of Central Asia, the world - famous historical city.

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;

- Continue to the famous Registan Square – the heart of Samarkand and a real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture, the ensemble of grandiose buildings: Ulugbek 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 the medieval world was built by order of Ulugbek, an outstanding scholar and astronomer;

- Samarkand bazaar – Siyab.

16:30 Transfer from hotel to the train station.

17:28 Departure for Tashkent by speed train "Afrosiab" or "Sharq".

19:44 Arrival in Tashkent.

Come out of the terminal and meet the driver.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6

Tashkent

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide at the hotel lobby.

Tashkent is the largest city in the Central Asia, the heart and soul of modern Uzbekistan, where one can see a unique combination of ancient monuments, large bazaars and modern buildings with quite interesting history.

Start sightseeing tour of Tashkent (5-6 hrs) visiting old and new parts of the city:

- Amir Timur Square, founded in 1882 and originally called Konstantinovsky Square, was renamed on August 31, 1994 after of the Amir Timur to honor the cultural and historical contribution of the great conqueror.
Around the Square, there is the Museum of History of Timurids, Uzbekistan hotel, Forum Palace and famous striking clock.

- Tashkent striking clock, one of major symbols of Tashkent.

- Theater Square with the Opera House: State Academic Theater of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi built in 1947 is one of the best opera theater of the world performs both classical and national repertoires.

- Independence Square, the main square of Uzbekistan reflects the past, present and future of the country. There are fountains standing for life energy of Uzbek people, the Cabinet and the Senate, the “Eternal flame" in honor of soldiers who died during the Second World War.
- Earthquake Memorial, the composition is devoted to the tragic date of earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966, and is erected in the approximate place of earthquake epicenter. Residents still come to the monument to honor those people who took a part in the reconstruction of Tashkent;

- Khast Imam Square – a religious center of the city consisting of the Barakkhan madrasah; Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the library of Islamic Literature with the Holy Koran Book of the VII century (original Quran Othman). Khast Imam is one of the most significant spiritual centers in Central Asia and attracts the pilgrims and visitors all over the world.

- Chorsu bazaar – the ancient bazaar of Tashkent. “Chorsu” means “four waters”, symbolically meaning the conjunction of four major parts of old city in bazaar where people come for trades. The bazaar beautiful blue dome, built in traditional style after the Tashkent earthquake, is often depicted in postcards and international magazines and became one of the major sights of interest both for locals and guests – one can see oriental tiled bazaar from different souvenir shops with ceramics, handicraft works, carpets and jewelry, the whole pavilion full of delirious fruits to the finest textiles and colorful fabrics.

- Tashkent Metro (the first line was launched in 1977) with beautiful train stations each decorated in thematic style with traditional ornaments and special lightning.

Transfer to Tashkent International Airport.

Evening departure flight from Tashkent.

End of the tour.

Book it!

Price included
Not included

- Accommodation in standard double/twin rooms;

- All transfers as per program by comfortable tourist class transport as per road conditions including transfers to-from airports /trains stations/ borders;

- English-speaking professional licensed local guides in Uzbekistan (2 standard excursions), local guides in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, escorting guide in Tajikistan;

- Meals: breakfast at hotels;

- Single entry tickets to the sites, museums, mausoleums and natural fees as per program;

- Tourist tax per person.

- International flights to Almaty, Almaty – Bishkek, Bishkek – Dushanbe, from Bishkek;

- Kazakhstan e/visa, Kyrgyzstan e/visa, E-visa to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan e-visa (if required);

- Photo/video fees (professional camera);

- Meals: lunches and dinners;

- Personal/travel insurance; portage, tips, personal expenses, and other services not specified under “Tour Price Includes”.