Central Asia 4-stan tour - 6

Flight to Tashkent, the biggest city in Central Asia with 2.5 million population.

Morning arrival in Tashkent International Airport named after Islam Karimov, first President of Uzbekistan.

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

09:00 Meet the guide at the hotel lobby.

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 the 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 post cards 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 the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

06:00 Transfer to the local airport.

07:25 Flight Tashkent - Nukus HY 11.

09:05 Arrival in Nukus.

Come out of the terminal to meet the driver and guide at the meeting zone.

- 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 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 70 s it was quite risky to become anti-Soviet propagandist. During perestroika and first years since Uzbekistan independence, the museum earned world recognition and deserved rightfully the must-see site status in Central Asia.

- Transfer to Muynak via beautiful Red Canyons with beautiful and unusual Martian landscape. Arrival in Muynak city that used to be one of the richest city in the delta of Amu-darya,” the gates to Uzbekistan from the sea”. Nowadays there is only cemetery of Dead Sea. 

- Visit Mizdakhan necropolis on the way back to Nukus (about 20 km from Nukus), an ancient cemetery, and located next to the remains of the Gyaur-Kala fortress (4-3 Century BC).

- Gaur Kala (translated as the fortress of pagans) was a Zoroastrian town with citadel, the fire altar and a large cemetery nearby. Even after the Arab invasion and Islam expansion, the town was inhabited until 14th Century and people continued to bury their relatives in Mizdakhan as they believed the place was a sacred place.

Arrival in Nukus.

Resting time in the afternoon. Overnight.

Breakfast in the hotel.

08:30 Transfer to Uzbek–Turkmen border post Hojeyli. 

Border passing formalities (passport and visa control might take 1 to 2 hrs depending on the customs formalities). Meet the guide and driver at Turkmen side of the border. Transfer to Kunya – Urgench.

Start sightseeing tour with visiting:

- the founder mausoleum of Sufi sects "Kubra" Nadzhimetdin Kubra (XII-XIII C);

- mausoleum of Mongolian princess Torebeg-Hanym ; minaret Mamun (X-XI);

- minaret Kutlug-Timur (XII-XIV c, the highest minaret in Central Asia);

- Mausoleum Kyrkmolla (II in BC - III A.D.);

- Mausoleum Arslan II (the oldest building in the city - date of its bookmark is roughly estimated by XI century).

-In the afternoon transfer to Darvaza 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 - Darvaza. The views are impressive, especially in sunset and night when the mild sunlight and burning crater evoke incredible and ambiguous feelings. 

BBQ dinner and overnight stay in yurt.

Camp- style breakfast.

Morning at leisure.

Transfer to Uzbek–Turkmen border post Dashoguz/ Shavat.

Border crossing back to Uzbekistan usually takes shorter than 1 hr.
Meeting the driver at Uzbekistan side of the border.

Transfer to Khiva.

Resting time in the afternoon. Overnight.

Breakfast in the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide at the lobby.

Start WALKING excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Ichan -kala (translated as “Inner town”). Ichan-kala - the largest Museum in the open air in Central Asia consisting from the next monuments:

- 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;

- Pahlavan Mahmud Gates;

- Mausoleum of Seyd Allaudin;

- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum;

- Minaret and Islam-Khoja Madrassah, Mosque and Jami Minaret.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

07:15 Transfer to the train station.

08:23 Train Khiva - Bukhara (as per train schedule) OR transfer by car (475 km, 7 hrs).

13:35 Arrival in Bukhara.

Come out of the terminal and meet the driver.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the afternoon/evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby.

Start WALKING sightseeing program in Bukhara (5-6 hours):

- 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);

- There are 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, from small souvenir magnets to the famous Bukhara carpets;

- Visit 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.

Optionally can be added by request:

Visit Samanids mausoleum (IX century), a monument of early medieval architecture.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free time in Bukhara, morning at leisure.

-Afternoon transfer to Samarkand, en- route visiting famous Gijduvan pottery workshop where visitors are welcome for a tour around the workshop and 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 distinctive style, drying and firing.  Take a tour around the museum-hall of ceramic masterpieces with a unique collection of the ceramic items of Gijduvan and other regions of Uzbekistan. 

By request, a master-class of painting ceramics, suzani embroidery and traditional bread baking.

Continue to Samarkand.

Arrival in Samarkand in the afternoon, check in the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide at the lobby.

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 – heart of Samarkand and 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 medieval world was built by order of Ulugbek, an outstanding scholar and astronomer;

- Samarkand bazaar – Siyab. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:30 Transfer to border Jartepa. Border crossing usually takes 30 min- 1 hr.

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

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

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 Khujand via Istaravshan town.

Located in  the  northern  foothills  of  the  Turkistan  mountain  range,  78 km southwest from Khujand, Istaravshan  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  cities  of Tajikistan (more than 2500 years) ancient name Cyropolis founded by Cyrus the Great in 544 BC as a boarding fort of Achaemenid Empire.

During the Soviet era, the city was known as Ura - Tyube.

Overview sightseeing in Istaravshan visiting:

- Mazori Sharif mausoleum;

- Kog Gumbaz madrasa (16th century);

- Kuhi Mug, the ruins of ancient fortress.

Arrival in Khujand in the afternoon.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start sightseeing tour in Khujand:

- Khujand, the second largest city and one of the oldest cities in Tajikistan, the  furthest  point  Alexander the Great reached  in Central  Asia, so  the  city  was  named  Alexandria  Eschate (Alexandria the Furthest).

- Pushkin square with Kamoli Khudjandi Square;

-Timur Malik’s fortress and Sugd museum; 

- Muslihiddin memorial complex;

- Panjshanbe bazaar (The name Panjshanbe comes from Persian language meaning “Thursday”).  Panjshanbe is one of the oldest markets in Tajikistan;

- Arbob palace. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:30 Transfer to the border post Patar/Andarhan.

Border crossing to Uzbekistan (takes about 30 min-1 hr), meet the guide and driver at Uzbekistan side of the border. Transfer to Kokand (appr. 40 min drive).

Start sightseeing in Fergana valley visiting:

Kokand (mentioned as Khavakand or Kokan derived from a tribal name) is an ancient city that due to favorable location was one of the convenient fortified points of caravan routes in the Great Silk Road.

Nowadays, Kokand is a modern town at the crossroads of Tashkent, Fergana valley to Andijan and the other route to Khujand (Tajikistan) and is considered as one of the most important pre-border points.

Start sightseeing tour around Kokand visiting:

- Khudoyar - Khan Palace of 19th century is listed in the world heritage of UNESCO, at present days houses Kokand Regional History Museum that exhibits a unique collection of more than 3000 artifacts from ancient, khanate and tsarist periods of the region.

- Norbut-Biy Madrassah, the largest madrassa in Kokand. The madrassa was built in XVIII century by captured architects as well as the famous Bukharian architect Usto Muhammed Salih Kasim, so the design and construction  is quite typical to some monuments of XVIII Century in  Bukhara.

- Modari Khan Mausoleum (Modari - khan means “Mother of Khan”)  was built in 1825 by order of the widow of Umarkhan,  famous poetess Nodira to honor the tomb of her mother-in-law. Since then the mausoleum became the family mausoleum where most of the female members of khan family were buried.

- Rishton (50 km west of Fergana) famous all over the world for its pottery that is decorated according to ancient tradition that is more than 800 years. Masters hand down their trade secrets from father to son. The unique red clay ceramic masterpieces are decorated with naturally made ultramarine, turquoise and azure ornaments known as blue glaze "ishkor",

- Workshop of the famous potter Rustam Umarov where visitors are welcome to observe the finest Rishtan ceramics in wonderful hand made and painted tea sets and lagans and beautifully decorated jugs and vases.

Transfer to Fergana.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide at the lobby.

Continue sightseeing in Fergana valley:

- Fergana  is a relatively young city that was founded as a strategic fortified point in Turkestan in 1876 during tsarist period of the region. The town was initially called as New Margilan, further in soviet period renamed as Fergona in 1924. Nowadays, Fergana is a flourishing beautiful town and despite its young history became the central point of Fergana valley.

- Visit Ahmad Al-Fargoni monumental complex;

- Continue to Margilan. Margilan (“Marg” from Persian green grass, “lon”- “place“) was inhabited settlement in Fergana valley since IV-III Centuries BC, the town was well known for its crafts and finest silk fabrics from the Great Silk Road period  up to now.

- Said - Ahmad Hodji Madrassah where craftsmen produce original silk carpets;

- Silk factory Yodgorlik where visitors are welcome to observe the process of silk manufacture with traditional decoration “ikat”.

Transfer to Andijan to visit:

- Bobur Literary museum with the unique collection of literary works of Zahiriddin Muhammad Bobur, an outstanding  ruler and the founder of Mogol Empire;

- Art and Literature Museum;

- Memorial park complex on the Bog-I Shamol named after Zahiriddin Muhammad Bobur is one of the most beautiful places in Andijan, popular among the locals and the visitors of the city.

Free time in the evening. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 Transfer to the Uzbek- Kyrgyz border  Dostyk (ETA 09:00),

Border crossing formalities (40 min- 1, 5 hrs depending on the customs formalities and tourist flow). Meet the guide and driver.

Transfer to Osh, Osh  is the oldest city in Kyrgyzstan,  for sightseeing tour visiting

- Suleiman Mountain. Suleiman Too (Suleiman is the prophet Solomon -Suleyman in Quran, “Too “is “mountain”). The museum is the only UNESCO sight of the whole mountain with many sacred places in caves and paths. It is quite unusual – the museum with rare artifacts is located in the largest cave of the mountain. Besides, there are several caves, rocks and niches each with its name. The locals and pilgrims believe every spot of the mountain is sacred and come here to follow the rituals and pray for better life and good health; couples come pray to be blessed with a child. It is believed that every spot of the mountain is sacred. There is a watching platform with beautiful panoramic views to the city and surroundings.

- Osh Bazaar, a colorful bazaar with more than 2000 years history, plays an important role in the Great Silk Road as a major landmark. Nowadays, along the visitors may take a walk around and enjoy shopping in the shops of national clothes, embroidery, handicrafts and souvenirs.

-  Main Square with Lenin statue. Kyrgyz people are very respectful to the history of Soviet period and kept the monument to Lenin in main cities as the country major developments were made during soviet time.

15:30 Transfer to local airport.

16:45 Evening flight Osh - Bishkek (40 min). 

17:25 Arrival in Bishkek Airport. 

Meet the driver and transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the afternoon start  Bishkek  walking tour visiting:

- Oak Park - city center. It is known also 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 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 central bazaar.

Transfer to Chon Kemin valley, light sightseeing en-route.

 Arrival in Chon Kemin valley.

Dinner and overnight in Jekshen’s guesthouse.

Breakfast at the guesthouse.

Morning exploration of Chon Kemin valley with en-route stop in Burana tower – remains of an ancient town Balasagun.

- 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. 

- Ala Archa Natural park (~35 km from Bishkek).

Take an easy walk high up to observe the view of mountains and rich Kyrgyz nature, spectate birds and animals living their lives, watch how cold water of Kyrgyz rivers falling down the mountains and continue its way among ancient trees and gorge itself.

Time to explore the area, take photos and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful nature views.

Transfer to Bishkek International Airport.

Evening departure flight from Bishkek.

End of the tour.