Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan Tour | 4

Flight to Tashkent.

Afternoon/evening 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 and meet the staff holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” .

Transfer to the hotel. As Tashkent airport is not far from the city center, the transfer will take about 20 – 40 minutes, depending on the hotel location.

Arrival at the hotel. Check-in.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Early breakfast at the hotel.

06:00 Transfer to the local airport.

07:25 Flight to Urgench by HY51.

08:55 Arrival at Urgench Airport.  

Come out of the terminal and meet with our driver.

Transfer to the Khiva (30 km) hotel to drop off the bags. Standard hotel check-in is at 14:00.

Meet the guide and start the walking excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Itchan-kala (translated as “Inner Town”). Itchan-kala - 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 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.

Transfer Khiva to Bukhara by car (475 km, 7 hrs) via the Kyzylkum Desert, OR transfer by train (depending on train schedule).

07:15 Transfer to the railway station in Khiva.

08:23 Departure for Bukhara by train.

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 at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby. Start 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.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Transfer to Samarkand via Shahrisabz and the beautiful Takhta Karacha pass.

Meet the guide in Shahrisabz.

Excursion tour in Shahrisabz includes visiting (2,5 hrs):

- Ak Saray Palace (“White Palace”), the ruins of the summer palace of Tamerlane. The palace was constructed and decorated by skilled builders, masters, and artisans who were deported from the conquered Khorezm. Some parts of the gate tower survived to the present day.

- Mausoleum of Dorus-Saodat ("The Place of Power", 14th century) contains the tomb of Eldest and favourite Tamerlane’s son, Jahongir.

- Kok Gumbaz, so-called “House of Meditation.

- Mausoleum Gumbazi-Seyidon of the 16th century, where the descendants of Ulugbek are buried. 

Arrival in Samarkand. Hotel check-in.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start sightseeing in Samarkand ( 5-6 hr)

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

- Continue to the famous Registan Square – 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. 

16:40 Transfer to the train station in Samarkand.

18:15 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.

09:00 Meet with a guide.

Start a 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 Amir Timur to honor the cultural and historical contribution of the great conqueror.
Around the Square, there is the Museum of History of Timurids, the Uzbekistan Hotel, the Forum Palace, and the famous Tashkent striking clock.

- Tashkent striking clock, one of the major symbols of Tashkent.

- Theater Square with the Opera House: The State Academic Theater of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi, built in 1947, is one of the best opera theaters in the world and 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, and 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 the 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 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 7th century (original Quran Othman). Khast Imam is one of the most significant spiritual centers in Central Asia and attracts pilgrims and visitors from all over the world.

- 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 where people come for trade. The bazaar's beautiful blue dome, built in traditional style after the Tashkent earthquake, is often depicted in postcards and international magazines and became one of the major sights of interest both for locals and guests – one can see the oriental tiled bazaar from different souvenir shops with ceramics, handicraft works, carpets, and jewelry, the whole pavilion full of delicious fruits to the finest textiles and colorful fabrics.

- Tashkent Metro (the first line was launched in 1977) with beautiful train stations, each decorated in a thematic style with traditional ornaments and special lighting.

Overnight at the hotel.

Meet the driver at the hotel in Tashkent.

07:10 Transfer to the railway station in Tashkent.

08:10 Departure for Kokand by train.

12:29 Arrival in Kokand.

Come out of the terminal and meet the driver and guide, who will be waiting for you with a tablet "ANUR TOUR".

Kokand (mentioned as Khavakand or Kokan, derived from a tribal name) is an ancient city that, due to its 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 one of the most important pre-border points.

Start a sightseeing tour around Kokand, visiting :

- Khudoyar-Khan Palace of the 19th century is listed in the world heritage of UNESCO and, at present, houses the Kokand Regional History Museum, which 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 the 18th century by captured architects as well as the famous Bukharian architect Usto Muhammed Salih Kasim, so the design and construction are quite typical of some monuments of the 18th 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 the Khan family were buried.

- Rishton (50 km west of Fergana) is famous all over the world for its pottery that is decorated according to the ancient tradition that is more than 800 years old. 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 handmade and painted tea sets, lagans, and beautifully decorated jugs and vases.

Transfer to Fergana.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight in the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide at the lobby.

Continue sightseeing in the Fergana Valley:

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

- Visit Ahmad Al-Fargoni monumental complex ;

- Continue to Margilan. Margilan (“Marg” from Persian green grass, “lon”- “place“) was an inhabited settlement in the Fergana Valley since the 4th–3rd 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 a unique collection of literary works of Zahiriddin Muhammad Bobur, an outstanding  ruler and the founder of the Mughal 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.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 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,

 Start sightseeing tour in Osh, the oldest city in Kyrgyzstan, visiting

- Suleiman Too (Suleiman is the prophet Solomon - Suleyman in the Quran, “Too “is “mountain”). The museum is the only UNESCO site on 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 own name. The locals and pilgrims believe every spot of the mountain is sacred and come here to follow the rituals and pray for a better life and good health; couples come to 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 of the city and surroundings.

15:30 Transfer to Osh Airport

16:45 Flight Osh - Bishkek.

17:25 Arrival at Bishkek Airport. 

Meet the driver and transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Walking city tour of Bishkek, 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 in the centre you can see the Victory monument, a memorial which was completed in 1984. Usually, the main festival events are held in Bishkek at the eternal flame, on Victory Square, where a guard of honor, the forces of the Kyrgyz garrison, and a military band are posted.

- Transfer to Ala Archa Natural Park (40 km from Bishkek), which attracts visitors with its beautiful mountain scenery and hiking trails. Easy hike in the park with its rich and diverse fauna and flora. In the Ala - Archa gorge, one can see 1,100 species of plants.

- Transfer to Chon Kemin valley with an en route stop in Burana tower – remains of an ancient town, Balasagun.

- Burana Tower was 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. 

 Arrival in Chon Kemin valley.

Dinner and overnight in Jekshen guesthouse.

Breakfast at the guesthouse.

09:00 Transfer to Karakol with sightseeing en-route:

- On the way stop at Cholpon Ata History and Ethnology Museum, visit Petroglyphs site at Issyk Kul Lake. Cholpon - Ata petroglyphs are located between the northern, western and northwestern outskirts of Cholpon - Ata. The drawings theme is varied but the main pictures are the images of animals: deer, bulls, horses, wild rams, goats, wolves and many others. 

 Start sightseeing in Karakol visiting:

- 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.

- Museum of N.M. Przhevalski (Russian explorer of Asian continent).

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start a round sightseeing  tour to Altyn Arshan valley.

In the morning set off on 4x4 Russian Van for transfer to Altyn Arshan valley, set in a dramatic alpine valley, Altyn Arashan offers therapeutic hot spring baths and scenic hiking trails.

Part of the Arashan State Nature Reserve, the valley is 2,600 m (8, 530 ft) above sea level, framed by rugged peaks that include the 4,260 m (13,976 ft 976 ft) Pick Palatka.

 The resort itself is remote and basic, with hot spring water guided into concrete baths within wooden structures. Be prepared for the smell of the sulphur in the baths, which is reputedly very beneficial for visitors’ health.

Transfer  back to Karakol.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start sightseeing in Karakol:

- Przhevalski memorial, who was a great Russian explorer of the 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 practice the Muslim religion. The construction was made of bricks and wood and decorated with various ornaments.

- Jeti Oguz gorge is famous for its red rock 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 the Valley of Flowers.

- Issyk-Kul Lake is located in the north-eastern part of the Kyrgyz Republic. Issyk Kul is translated as “hot lake” and is considered one of the pearls of Central Asia. Due to the salty water, Issyk Kul possesses curative qualities.

Arrival in the yurt camp, where Kyrgyz people still live in traditional simplicity in unity with nature. Enjoy your stay and the real experience of nomadic life in the yurt camp.

Dinner and overnight in a national yurt. 

Camp- style breakfast.

Transfer to Kyzyl-Tuu village to visit Yurt Master’s house. Master shows unique technology for making Yurt sticks.

Later continue to Kochkor village.  Kochkor is very popular for breading cattle and most dominated kind of jobs for women – handicraft.

Visit local Kochkor Woman Co-operative shop of felts and handicrafts.

Continue to Sonkul Lake, where locals still live in traditional simplicity, the visitors may enjoy one day of nomadic life, 

Dinner and overnight in Yurt Camp of Batai-Aral.

Camp- style breakfast.

Half-day exploration at Sonkul Lake.

Optional hiking to nearby mountain or lakeside. If you like to experience on horseback you have a great chance to rent a horse to ride there.

Transfer to Bishkek.

Upon arrival in Bishkek and  visit to the central bazaar.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at hotel.

Transfer to Manas International Airport.

Morning departure flight from Bishkek.

End of the tour.