Kazakhstan – Uzbekistan – Tajikistan 14 days

Flight to Almaty.

Morning arrival at Almaty International Airport (ETA 02:00 am).

Migration formalities usually take 30 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim. Come out of the terminal, the driver meets with a sign “ANUR TOUR”.

Transfer to the hotel. Arrival at the hotel. Extra night.

Resting time after the flight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 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 resembles 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 is more than 2 km, width is 20-80 meters. For millions of years, nature has been creating a unique architecture, erecting magnificent castles carefully and slowly.

Transfer to Kolsai Lakes, easy hiking near Kolsai Lake 1 (1800 m above sea level).

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the guesthouse.

Afternoon transfer to Almaty.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 Sightseeing around Almaty includes visiting:

- Panfilov Park. The name of Panfilov Park comes from 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.

- Medeu, the world's largest speed skating rink, is 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 the Shymbulak Ski Resort.

19:40 Transfer to Almaty International Airport.

23:10 Evening flight Almaty - Tashkent by HY 766.

00:50 Arrival at Tashkent International Airport.

Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim. The driver will meet you at the exit of the terminal with a sign “ANUR TOUR”  .

Transfer to the hotel. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Take-away breakfast

05:30 Transfer to Tashkent Airport / Terminal 3. 

07:00 Flight Tashkent -  Urgench by HY 51.

08:30 Arrival at Urgench Airport.  

The driver will meet you at the exit of the terminal with a signboard ANUR TOUR. 

Transfer to Khiva, drop off the bags at the reception. Standard hotel check-in is at 14:00.

Meet the guide in the lobby. Start the walking excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Itchan-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 Muhammed 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,

- Islam-Khoja Madrassah - was built in 1908 by Islam Khoja, the prime minister of the Khan. The minaret is a symbol of the country and is an early example of the architecture of the 14th century.

- Mosque and Jami Minaret.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 Meet the guide in the lobby. Start the Bukhara countryside tour:

- Chor Minor Madrassah translated as "four minarets"; 

- Samanids Mausoleum (9th century), a monument of early medieval architecture;

- The last Bukhara Emir’s summer residence, "Sitorai-Mokhi-Khossa". Located 4 km away from Bukhara. Once this palace life was in full swing and sealed people's fates. The palace witnessed the glory and the last days of the Bukhara emirs.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning at leisure.

11:00 Meet the driver at the lobby of your hotel in Bukhara.

Transfer to the famous Gijduvan pottery workshop ( about 50 min drive from Bukhara), where visitors are welcome for a tour around the workshop and to observe the process of ceramic making and painting.

The owners demonstrate the stages of making ceramics, from turning the potter’s wheel to making paints from natural ingredients, decorating the ceramics in a distinctive style, drying, and firing.  Take a tour around the museum hall of ceramic masterpieces with a unique collection of ceramic items from Gijduvan and other regions of Uzbekistan. 

Master class of painting ceramics, and lunch at the master's house.

After drying and burning the painted ceramics, the master will send the handmade ceramics to your hotel in Samarkand within the next two days.

Continue to the hotel in Samarkand. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide and driver. Start Samarkand sightseeing: 

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

– Continue to Registan Square – the heart of Samarkand and a real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture—which consists of three grandiose buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor, and Madrassa Tilla Kori.

– Bibi Khanum Mosque – the biggest medieval building in the city, which was one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in the 15th century;

– Samarkand Bazaar Siyab.

Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide. Continue sightseeing in Samarkand (5-6 hrs):

– Shahi Zinda Necropolis – a unique complex of mausoleums on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) of Abbas ibn Kussam;

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

– Khoja Doniyor Mausoleum - the mausoleum over the grave of one of the saints. According to legend, back in the 18th century, the ashes of the Old Testament biblical prophet Daniyar (Daniel) were buried in the mausoleum, the remains of which were brought to Samarkand and buried by order of Amir Timur.

– Paper factory "Meros”  in Konigil village that produces unique paper that can be preserved for more than 400 years and is used in craftworks.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Transfer to the border Jartepa. Border crossing ( visa/ passport control usually takes 30 min- 1,5 hr).

Meet the guide and driver at the Tajikistan part of the border.

Take an off-road trip to pristine lakes located in the Fann Mountains; locals call the lakes Haftkul ( Seven Lakes) or Marguzor, after the name of the largest and most beautiful lake. 

 Every lake has its own name:  Nezhigon  (or Mizhgon),  Soybean, Gushor,  Nofin,  Hurdak,  Marguzor,  Hazorchashma. Six of the lakes are of dammed origin, besides Lake Hazorchashma.

The difference in level between the upper and lower lakes is 692 meters

Please note there are some shaky/ bumpy parts of the road; there is a mountainous, narrow track with photo stops.

Lunch at the guesthouse ( traditional meals).

Transfer to Penjikent.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Morning light sightseeing in Penjikent:

- Ancient Penjikent - the ruins of the old Sogdian town founded in the 5th century and abandoned in the 8th century by Arabs.  The ruins were once a citadel with a couple of Zoroastrian fire temples and the foundations of the houses.

Transfer to Dushanbe with a short photo stop near Iskanderkul.

- Iskanderkul Lake- a lake of Alexander the Great - is a beautiful lake of about 30000 ha. According to legends, Iskanderkul Lake was named after Alexander the Great, known as Iskander in the East. People say that Alexander the Great’s path to Central Asia from India passed through this lake.  

Continue to Dushanbe, passing Iskanderkul Lake, the Anzob Tunnel, and the Anzob Pass with amazing panoramic views.

Evening arrival in Dushanbe.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start Dushanbe sightseeing tour visiting:

- Tajik National Museum of Antiquities with the biggest Buddha in Nirvana.

- Tajik flagpole, one of  the world's tallest flagpoles (165-meter flagpole);

- Main square of Dushanbe. The Monument of Ismoili Somoni, the forefather of the Tajik Nation, is located on the main square. A 40-metre high monument built in memory of Ismaili Saman-Khuda, founder of the Samanid dynasty;

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

- Gissar Fortress- the remains of the Bukhara Emirate Beck’s palace. Its thick walls once guarded a pool, garden, and palace, while the fortress itself opposed a noisy market and caravanserai. The place was famous for its center of commerce during the Silk Road. You will also be able to visit the Old Medressa (Madrasai Kuhna) of the 16th-17th century with a museum inside, the new Medressa of the 17th-18th century, as well as the Caravan Saray.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel,

Transfer to Dushanbe International Airport.

Morning departure flight from Dushanbe.

End of the tour.