5-Stan Tour in Central Asia 2: 14 days

Flight to Almaty.

Morning arrival at Almaty International Airport (ETA 03:00).

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

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

Resting time after the flight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

11:00 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. The 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, even though 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.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Transfer to Bishkek by car (250 km ~ 4-5hrs) to the border post "Korday". Migration formalities ( visa/ passport control usually takes 30 min~2 h).

Please note: while passing the border, one needs to be ready to handle all the luggage across the border by him/herself (~300 m).

Continue to Bishkek.

Arrival at the hotel, check-in.Short time to rest.

In the afternoon, start a Bishkek walking tour visiting:

- Oak Park - city center. It is also known as Dubovy Park - today it is one of the favorite places among 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 that 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.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start Bishkek countryside sightseeing tour, visiting:

- Ala Archa National Park (40 km from Bishkek one way);

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

16:40 Transfer to the airport.

18:40 Evening flight to Tashkent by HY 780 (1,5 hrs).

19:00 Arrival at Tashkent International Airport.

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

Transfer to the hotel. As Tashkent airport is not far from the city center, the transfer will not take a long time (usually 20 – 40 minutes, depending on the hotel location).

Arrival at the hotel. Check-in.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

08:00 Meet the driver at your hotel in Tashkent or at the specified location in Tashkent.

Transfer to the Uzbek-Tajik border "Oybek" (~100 km, about 2 hr drive)

Border-passing formalities: visa and passport control usually take 30 min - 1,5 hr.

Meet the driver and guide on the Tajikistan side of the border and transfer to Khujand (70 km, 1 hr) – the center of the Sugd region of Northern Tajikistan.

Khujand was the furthest point Alexander the Great reached in Central Asia. The city was named Alexandria Eschate (Alexandria the Farthest), and it became one of the important entrepôts on the great Silk Road.

Start sightseeing in Khujand: 

- Pushkin Square with Kamoli Khudjandi Square;

- Timur Malik’s fortress and the Sugd Museum of Archaeology and Fortification; 

- Muslihiddin memorial complex;

- Panjshanbe bazaar, with its distinctive decoration of the facade, is the central market in Khujand.  Panjshanbe is translated as “Thursday” in Persian,  meaning the main bazaar days were traditionally on Thursdays.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Transfer to Marguzor, the famous seven lakes - seven wonderful water mirrors full of mountain riverside drops. Each lake looks different whenever the sun changes its position. Colors may vary from deep blue to an indigo color ripple. Most of them are cold to swim even in summer. These lakes belong to the Fann Mountains system.

On the western edge of the Fan Mountains, in the valley of the river Shing, there are seven lakes, six of which are of dammed origin, besides the lake Hazorchashma. The lakes are called Marguzor, but each lake has its own name: Nezhigon, Soybean, Gushor, Nofin, Hurdak, Marguzor, Hazorchashma. The difference in level between the upper and lower lakes is 692 meters. Easy hike to the lakes.

Transfer to the land border Jartepa.

 Afternoon transfer to border post Jartepa (ETA 16:00). Border crossing usually takes 30 min-1 hr. Please note that while passing the land border, one needs to be ready to handle all the luggage across the border by him/herself.

Meet the guide and driver at the Uzbek part of the border. Transfer to the hotel in Samarkand.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

10:00 Meet the guide in the lobby. Start the 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 considered one of the most significant sights in 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: 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 the 15th century; 

- Shahi Zinda Necropolis – a 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 – one of the finest astronomical centers in the medieval world was built by order of Ulugbek, an outstanding scholar and astronomer;

- Samarkand bazaar – Siyab. 

21:00 Transfer to the railway station.

22:23 Departure for Samarkand by speed train "Afrosiab"/"Sharq".

00:06 Arrival in Bukhara.

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 in the lobby. Start the walking sightseeing program in Bukhara (5 hrs):

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

- Magoki Attari Mosque is one of the oldest mosques to survive 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);

- Trading domes, or so-called covered bazaars, Toki Sarrofon, Toki Telpak Furushon, and Toki Zargaron, preserved from the 16th century, and these bazaars were the centers for trade of silk, jewelry, and money exchange. Nowadays, visitors can purchase different souvenirs of a wide range, from small souvenir magnets to the famous Bukhara carpets.

- Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas, or so-called Kosh (pair) 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 that impresses the imagination;

- Ark Fortress – the oldest citadel, dating back to the 1st 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.

Take-away breakfast/ Breakfast at the hotel.

07:30 Meet the driver in the lobby. Transfer to the Uzbek-Turkmen border post Alat.

Border-passing formalities (passport and visa control usually take about 3 hours. Meet the guide and driver at the Turkmen side of the border.

Transfer to Mary en route to visit the Ancient Merv (UNESCO).

 Sightseeing in  the historical park, visiting

- Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum,

- Mohammed bin Said Mausoleum,

- Medieval castles – “Kesk” fortresses (6th-7th centuries);

- History museum of the Merv region.

Transfer to the Mary airport.

19:35 Evening flight to Ashgabat.

20:15 Arrival in Ashgabat. Transfer to the hotel.

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

09:00 Transfer to Ashgabat with short stops en route:

- mud and water craters.

Arrival in Ashgabat. Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time before the return flight. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport.

Transfer to the airport for a morning/midday departure flight.

End of the tour.