5 Stan Tour in Central Asia 8: 21 day

Flight to Ashgabat.

Evening arrival at Ashgabat International Airport

Migration formalities (  PCR/ visa/passport control usually take 1.5 - 4 hr).

Please come out of the terminal; the driver is meeting with the signboard ANUR TOUR at the meeting zone. 

Transfer to the hotel. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start sightseeing in Ashgabat visiting:

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

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

- National Museum with exposition from Ancient Merv and Nissa. 

-Turkmenbashi Mosque – Mausoleum. It is considered the biggest in Central Asia (10 thousands of people). There are beautiful fountains and garden near the mosque. 

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

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 Start sightseeing in Ashgabat

- Ancient Nissa (18km from Ashgabat), UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the ruins of the ancient city (the date of foundation is 1st millennium BC - I millennium BC).

- Turkmenbashi Mosque-Mausoleum. It is considered the biggest in Central Asia (10 thousand people). There is a beautiful garden and fountains near the mosque.

- Ertogrul Gazy Mosque,  with four minarets reminding of the Blue Mosque of Istanbul, was built in honor of Ertogrul, the father of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.

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

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

Afternoon transfer to the Darvaza crater and change from the asphalt road to the Karakum Desert track ( off-road).

In 1971, geologists accidentally found an underground cavern filled with natural gas. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn the gas. Geologists hoped the fire would go out in a few days, but it has been burning ever since. Locals have named the cavern The Gate - Darvaza. The views are impressive, especially at sunset and night, when the mild sunlight and burning crater evoke incredible and ambiguous feelings. 

Camp-style dinner and overnight stay in yurts.

Camp - style breakfast.

10:00 Transfer from Darvaza gas crater to Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan border post Hojeily ( about 5 hrs drive)

Border formalities  ( visa/ passport control) on both sides. 

The driver will meet at the Uzbekistan side of the land border.

Transfer to Nukus

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the driver in the lobby.

- Visit Savitsky Museum exhibiting a unique collection of antiques of Khorezm and Karakalpak, Uzbek fine arts, and second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde works after the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg.

The founder of the museum, Igor Savitsky devoted his life to piece-by-piece collecting of the finest works of modern artists of Uzbekistan and Russian avant-gardists. In the 70s it was quite risky to become an anti-Soviet propagandist. During perestroika and first years since Uzbekistan independence, the museum earned world recognition and rightfully deserved the must-see site status in Central Asia.

Transfer to Khiva  (180 km, ~ 3,5 hours) en-route photo stops at the ruins of fortresses of ancient Khorezm.

- Ayaz-kala and Toprak-kala, the fortresses of the Kushan period of Ancient Khorezm that used to be mighty border forts protecting the residents from raids of nomadic tribes.  The forts were built in ~4-7th century BCE, during the ages when Khorezm achieved its independence. The fortresses are located on the hills quite close to each other and visitors are welcome to have a short overview tour in the monumental forts that currently are drowning in sands.

Arrival in Khiva. Check in at the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby.

Start the walking excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Ichan-kala (translated as “Inner town”) - the largest Museum in the open air in Central Asia:

- Ata-Darvaza, Kunya - Ark;

- Madrassah of Muhammad Rahim Khan;

- Madrassah of Muhammad Aminhan;

- Kalta Minor, the Palace of the Allakulihan Khan of Khiva;

- Tash Hauli, where the harem of 40 concubines was;

- Caravanserai and Tim Allakulihan;

- Mausoleum of Seyd Allaudin;

- Minaret and Islam-Khoja Madrassah,

- Mosque and Jami Minaret.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Continue walking sightseeing in Khiva:

- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum;

- Nurullabay palace.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Transfer to the border post Jartepa. Border crossing, visa/ passport

After crossing the border, meet the guide-driver at Tajik side of the border (ETA 09:30).

Transfer to Marguzor lakes or Haftkul (Seven lakes) in Fan Mountains.

Six lakes are of dammed origin, besides the lake Hazorchashma. Lakes are called Marguzor, but each lake has its own name: Nezhigon, Soybean, Gushor, Nofin, Hurdak, Marguzor, Hazorchashma. Each lake looks different whenever the sunlight changes the angles, colors may vary from deep blue to indie color. Most of them are cold to swim even in summer. Photo-stops with panoramic views.

Lunch at the guesthouse.

Transfer to the land border Jartepa. If time allows, possible visit

-Sarazm museum (UNESCO World Heritage).

16:00 Border post Jartepa crossing usually takes 30 min-1 hr.

17:00 Meet the driver at Uzbek part of the border. Transfer to Samarkand (1 hr drive). Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Continue the sightseeing tour in Samarkand (6 hours), visiting:

- Shahi Zinda Necropolis – a unique complex of mausoleums formed by standing on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) belonging to the Muslim person named Saint Abbas ibn Kussam;

16:30 Transfer to the railway station in Samarkand.

17:28 Departure for Tashkent by train "Afrosiyob"/ "Sharq".

19:44 Arrival in Tashkent.

The driver meets you at the terminal exit/ meeting zone with a sign " ANUR TOUR".

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

Morning at leisure.

11:00 Meet the guide and start sightseeing tour of Tashkent (5 hrs) 

- 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.

- 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 the life energy of Uzbek people, the Cabinet and the Senate, the “Eternal flame".
- 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 the 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 and Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum.

- Chorsu bazaar – the ancient bazaar of Tashkent. “Chorsu” means “four waters”, symbolically meaning the conjunction of four major parts of the old city in the bazaar.

17:30 Transfer to the Tashkent International Airport.

20:40 Departure flight Tashkent – Almaty HY 765.

22:10 Arrival in Almaty International Airport.
Migration formalities ( visa and passport control). Please come out of the terminal, the driver meet with ANUR TOUR sign.
Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 Start sightseeing around Almaty:

- 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 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 that 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.

- Kok tobe cableway.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

08:00 Meet the guide and driver at the lobby of your hotel in Almaty. 

Transfer to Charyn Canyon. Sightseeing in the "Valley of Castles".

Charyn Canyon is a natural complex, unique in its kind not only in Kazakhstan but also worldwide. It was formed during the Paleogene and reminds the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in North America, although inferior to it in size. The height of the steep slopes of the canyon is up to 150-300 meters. Extraordinary dissection of the terrain is striking: the numerous ravines form a dense, chaotic network. Wind and water have created the beautiful "Valley of Castles", where you are always surrounded by the fancy towers composed of sedimentary rocks. The length of the valley - more than 2 km, width - 20-80 meters. For millions of years, nature has been creating a unique architecture, erecting magnificent castles carefully and slowly.

Exploring one of the most beautiful places of Kazakhstan, Kaindy Gorge.  Kaindy Lake (Birch Lake) is situated among a magnificent pine forest at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level and is famous for its origin. It was formed in 1911 due to a powerful earthquake that triggered a landslide that blocked the valley with a natural dam, and the water flooded the valley. The water of the lake is very cold, that is why the needles of the flooded trees are well preserved and clearly visible through the transparent surface of the water, and dry stems of fir trees overlook the water surface, like the masts of a submarine squadron. It is impossible to describe in words all this mystical splendor of the lake.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00  Transfer to one of the most beautiful places in Kazakhstan, Kaindy Gorge.

- Kaindy Lake (Birch Lake) is situated among magnificent pine forests at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level and is famous for its origin. It was formed in 1911 due to a powerful earthquake that triggered a landslide that blocked the valley with a natural dam, and the water flooded the valley. The water of the lake is very cold, which is why the needles of the flooded trees are well-preserved and clearly visible through the transparent surface of the water. Dry stems of fir trees overlook the water surface, like the masts of submarines; this pristine place is charming with its mystical splendor.

Transfer to the Kegen-Karjyra border; border-passing formalities usually take 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Continue transfer to Karakol. Arrival in the evening.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the yurt camp. 

09:00 Transfer to Bishkek with nature sightseeing en-route:

- Skazka Canyon and enjoy an easy hike among the impressive colorful red rocks.

- Eagle show in Bokonbayevo (traditional eagle hunting). 

- Burana Tower was the vertical dominant of the ancient city Balasagun, the north capital of the Turkic lingual state of the Karakhanids and the small nearby museum with its collection of ancient bal-bals, carved stone figures used as monuments. 

Arrival in Bishkek. Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start Bishkek sightseeing tour visiting:

- Ala Archa Natural Park (~35 km from Bishkek, ~ 40min). Easy hiking and photo stops in Ala Archa gorge.

Start walking a city tour around Bishkek, visiting:

- Oak Park, the city center. It is also known 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 the Kyrgyz garrison, and a military band.

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

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Manas International Airport.

Morning departure flight from Bishkek.

End of the tour.