Join a 5 Stan Group Tour to discover the amazing Central Asia natural and historical gems in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
Group size: minimum 4 participants and maximum 16 participants. |
Flight to Ashgabat
Early morning arrival in Ashgabat International Airport ( ETA 01:00 am).
Migration formalities usually
take 30 min to 60 min: PCR test, visa/passport control and baggage claim. Please
come out of the terminal, the driver meets with
signboard with your name.
Transfer to the hotel. Extra night. Resting time after the flight.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Half day free/ Morning at leisure
12:00 Transfer
to Darwaza crater and change from the asphalt road to the Karakum
desert track, continue 10 km deep inside.
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
- Darwaza. The views are impressive, especially in sunset when the sunlight and burning crater evoke incredible feelings.
Camp-style dinner and overnight stay in
yurt.
Breakfast
in the yurt camp.
08:00
Transfer to Ashgabat with nature sightseeing en-route:
- mud and water craters.
On arrival in Ashgabat, 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.
Take away breakfast.
Transfer to Ashgabat
Airport.
Morning flight Ashgabat –
Mary.
Arrival in Mary. Come out
of the terminal, meet the driver.
Transfer to the Ancient Merv (UNESCO) for sightseeing in the historical park visiting:
- Sultan
Sanjar Mausoleum - the
best remaining testimony to Seljuk power at Merv is the 38 m-high
Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, located in the center of Sultan Kala. The building
was restored with Turkish aid and rises dramatically in the open
plain. Sanjar, the grandson of Alp-Arslan, died in 1157, reputedly of a
broken heart when, after escaping from captivity in Khiva, he came home to find
that his beloved Merv had been pillaged by Turkic nomads.
- Mohammed bin Said Mausoleum;
- Medieval castles – “Kesk” fortresses
(6-7 centuries);
- History museum of Merv region.
Afternoon transfer to Turkmen –Uzbek border
post Farab/ Alat. Border passing formalities
(passport and visa control usually takes 40 min - 2 hr).
16:30 The
driver meets at Uzbek side of the land border.
Transfer to the hotel in Bukhara. Resting
time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet
the guide in the lobby. Start WALKING sightseeing in Bukhara:
- 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);
- 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;
- Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas or so-called Kosh (pare) madrassas opposite each
other with the 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;
- 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.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at
the hotel.
Breakfast
at the hotel. Standard hotel check-out before 12:00.
Free
day in Bukhara.
14:40 Transfer
to the railway station in Bukhara.
16:16 Departure
for Samarkand by train "Afrosiyob"/”Sharq”.
18:05 Arrival in Samarkand.
Come out of the terminal
and meet the driver. Transfer to
the hotel.
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
Start sightseeing program in Samarkand (5 hrs):
- Gur Emir Mausoleum – the burial vault of Timur the Great and his
descendants decorated with gold ornaments, considered as one of the world-
significant places;
- famous Registan Square – the heart of Samarkan, the complex consists
of three grandiose buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor, and Madrassa
Tilla Kori.
- Bibi Khanim Mosque – the biggest medieval building in the city
which was one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in 15th
Century.
Resting time in the
evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the guide. Start sightseeing program in Samarkand visiting (5
hrs):
– Photo time in Eternal City - there are
several handicraft shops with exquisite hand-made clothes where traditional
embroidery is delicately woven in modern style.
– Shahi Zinda Necropolis – unique complex of Mausoleums on both
sides of the cenotaph (imaginary grave) of Abbas ibn-Kussam;
– Paper
factory "Meros” in Konigil village that produces
unique paper that can be preserved for more than and is used in craftworks.
16:50 Transfer
to the railway station in Samarkand.
18:00 Departure
for Tashkent by train "Afrosiyob"/”Sharq”.
20:30 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.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet
the guide and start sightseeing tour of Tashkent (3 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;
- 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.
12:30
Transfer to Tashkent International Airport.
15:20
Departure flight Tashkent – Bishkek by HY 777.
17:30 Morning arrival in Manas International Airport.
Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control
and baggage claim. The driver meets you signboard with your name.
Transfer
to the hotel. Arrival in hotel. Time to rest after the
flight.
Resting time in the
evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Transfer to Bishkek with nature sightseeing en-route:
- Ala Archa Natural Park (~35
km from Bishkek, ~ 40min)
Take an easy walk high up to observe the view of
mountains and gorges.
- 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.
-
Eagle show in Bokonbayevo (traditional eagle hunting).
- Issyk-Kyl lake is one of the most wonderful lakes in the world,
located in the north-eastern part of the Kyrgyz Republic. Issyk Kul is
translated as “Hot Lake”. Due to the salty water, Lake Issyk Kul has curative
qualities.
Enjoy your stay in and real experience of
nomadic life in the yurt camp.
Dinner
and overnight in national yurt.
Breakfast at the
yurt camp.
09:00 Transfer to Karakol with
sightseeing en-route.
- Skazka
(Fairy tale) Canyon and enjoy an easy hike among the impressive red rocks;
- Jeti Oguz gorge is famous for its red rocks formations that have
the name Seven Bulls – Jeti Oguz. One can see there the Broken Heart Mountain,
one of the most popular places among locals and visitors, the valley is also
known as Valley of flowers.
On arrival in Karakol, start
sightseeing in Karakol:
- Przhevalski memorial, who was a Great
Russian Explorer of 19th century.
- The wooden Russian-orthodox church;
- Dungan mosque is
one of the most famous places in Karakol town. The most interesting thing is
that it is built without a single metal nail. More than 100 years ago there was
a Chinese master who lived in this town. Dungans are people from China who had
Muslim religion. The construction was made of bricks and wood and decorated
with various ornaments.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at
the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:30
Meet the driver, transfer to Kazakstan passing the border post "Kegen".
Border passing formalities usually take 30 min - 1 hour. Please note: while
passing the border one needs to be ready to handle all the luggage across the
border by him/herself.
Transfer to Kaindy gorge to exploring
most beautiful places of Kazakhstan. Because some part of the road is off-road and very shaky
part, there will be change the transport for old off-road vehicles for transfer
from the foot hill to Kayindy gorge.
On arrival in Kayindy, take a
hiking tour from the gorge to Kayindy lake.
-Kaindy lake (Birch Lake) is situated among 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 the powerful earthquake that triggered the landslide
blocked the valley by the natural dam, and the water has 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.
Transfer to Saty
Village. Dinner and overnight in guesthouse.
Breakfast at
the hotel.
Transfer to
Kolsai Lake, easy hiking near Kolsai lake 1 (1800 m above sea level).
Transfer to
Charyn Canyon.
- Charyn Canyon, the "Valley of
Castles", is a natural complex, unique in its kind not only in Kazakhstan
but also worldwide. It was formed during Paleogene and reminds the Grand Canyon
of Colorado River in North America.
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 the nature has been creating unique landscapes carefully and
slowly.
Arrival in
Almaty. 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 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.
- Kok tobe cable way.
Resting time in the
evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Almaty International Airport.
Morning departure flight
from Almaty. End of the tour
| Departure | Return | Price | Book it |
|---|---|---|---|
| autumn 2026 | |||
|
Sat,
12 Sep
|
Sat,
26 Sep
|
Special Offer $3,795 |
Request |
Accommodation:
-The tour is published on June 16, 2026 and the rates as per program and conditions specified are actual for 180 days ( 6 month) from the date of publication.
All the rates will be subject to change if the request is after 180 days from date of publication because any changes in the seasonal tariffs for hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may cause the increase of rates.
- The tour prices are actual for a group of 4 persons and more.
- By request, the itinerary can be adjusted for solo traveller or family private tours, please note the tariffs for individual/ private tours may be higher than in group offers.
- The tour is based in double or twin -shared rooms accommodation, single room accommodation can be added as extra by request.
- Please note that some parts of the tour include land -border crossing ( on foot, may take from 40 min - 3 hrs), horse-riding, trekking, hiking, photo time and nature sightseing and long off-road transfers in mountainous and semi-desert/ desert off-track areas. We kindly recommend to check up with the tour manager if the itinerary is suitable for a trip with little kids and people with special needs. By request, we can offer private tours or family tours with lighter and customized programs.
- If the hotels noted in the program are fully booked or not available for the dates in case of stop-sale dates/ temporary reconstruction works, booked for government delegation, etc. Tour company reserves the right to book the other hotels of the same category and similar service in case of last-minute booking due to restricted time and high season intensity.
- We highly recommend early booking of Central Asia group tours, family tours about 9- 6 months before the tour dates, and not later than 60 - 45 days before the tour dates.
Please note in case of late booking less than 45 days before the tour dates and last-minute booking less than 10 days before the trip, it is possible that the itineraries can be slightly changed as per room availability in hotels and train/ air tickets availability.
- By request, tourists are welcome to add extra services ( extra nights, transfers. excursions) that can be included at some supplement without major changes in the main itinerary.
- Yurt camps, guesthouses, and homestays offer traditional meals; there are quite basic toilet and shower conditions. Single accommodation in the guesthouses, yurts and homestays is not guaranteed and will be subject of availability.
- Please note the international flights Tashkent – Bishkek/ Bishkek - Tashkent, Tashkent – Almaty/ Almaty - Tashkent, Almaty - Dushanbe/ Dushanbe – Almaty are regular flights but can be scheduled not every day, the program can be slightly adjusted as per actual flight details.
- Please confirm your return flights and provide full information ( flight details, passport copies and if required, other documents for visa support) to book the tours. We highly recommend acknowledging the necessary documentation before the trip: valid passport with expiration not later than 6-month, visa / e-visa/ LOI.
- Travel/ medical insurance is not included in the tour packages as it is not obligatory, but we highly recommend all tourists buying the travel/medical insurance in the country of residence.
- Please note that during the national holidays, during the big summits, fairs, festivals, major sport and cultural events, some parts of the roads can be temporarily blocked for delegations and events as per government decrees.
- Check-in 14.00, check-out time 11.00. No early check-in/ late check-out is included unless indicated;
- Please note that the drivers do not speak English or can speak only basic English;
- All the changes in the basic itinerary, the timing for transfers depending on the international flight departure/arrival time are to be discussed and pre-agreed;
- Please note that the train trip/s can be replaced for transfer/s by car depending on train tickets availability and trains schedule;
- After the date of publication, any changes in the hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may influence the tour prices;
- Anur Tour is not responsible for the force majeure occasions (weather conditions during the tour, repairing-reconstructing works at some parts of roads, government restrictions).
10 days, from: $4000
Season: all year round
1 days, from: $
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