The architecture of the Tashkent Metro is one of the most beautiful in the world, and it is a traditional destination for tourists and guests...
Tours
The best of Central Asia
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Best of Central Asia Tour combines cultural highlights and natural beauty of five countries in one epic journey. Travel through the modern and historic towns of five Central Asian states. Explore the cultural treasures and traditions of the nomadic people who have crossed the region throughout centuries, and of the people who have settled in its cities. Discover the modern marvel and architectural glory of Ashgabat. Travel the sprawling Soviet-styled cities of Almaty, Bishkek, and Tashkent. Visit the architectural legacies of a flourishing Islamic culture and the medieval Timurid Empire. Traveling through Central Asia you will experience centuries of change and development of the “Five Stan countries”.
This is one of our most popular and cutting-edge tours, taking in the extraordinary countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. This part of the globe is home to great steppes, magical deserts, fertile valleys and some of the highest mountains in the world. The scenery is breathtaking and remarkably varied, with green/blue glacial lakes, saw-toothed mountains, red rock formations, sparkling rivers and rolling hills. These lands produced great scholars and conquerors, and were a 19th and 20th century geopolitical chess board on which the ‘Great Game’ was played out between Britain and Russia.
This tour will lead you through cities in Central Asia that were once important stopovers on the Great Silk Road. You will discover the cultural treasures and traditions of the nomadic people who have crossed the region for ages, and of the people who have settled in its cities.
Until recently shut off from the outside world and still shrouded in legend and mystery, the personality of each of the ‘stans’ makes an extraordinary journey into the greatest remaining story-book history in world travel today.
Tour Highlights
- — Combine cultural highlights and natural beauty of Central Asia in one tour
- — Visit diverse towns in all Central Asian countries
- — Shop in oriental bazaars for a wonderful insight into daily life and mingle with the locals
- — Camp beside the burning gas crater the “Gate of Hell” at Darvaza
- — Admire Islamic architecture, browse bustling bazaars and take tea adjacent to the beautiful pool of Lyab-i-Khauz in Bukhara
- — Visit Khiva - the most romantic city on the Silk Road, a UNESCO protected site and perhaps the most perfectly preserved of all the Silk Road cities
- — Discover the cultural gem of the Silk Road and visit the awe-inspiring restored madrassas standing on three sides of Registan Square in Samarkand
Itinerary program
day
1
Almaty (Kazakhstan) – arrival
Arrive in Almaty. You will be met by our driver and transferred to the hotel. Check in to the hotel at 14:00. Free time. Welcome dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
day
2
Almaty (Kazakhstan) – Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)
Breakfast. At 09:00 your guide and driver will meet you at hotel lobby to start the sightseeing tour in Almaty: visit Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, Republic Square, Central State Museum of Kazakhstan. Enjoy panoramic view at Kok-Tobe Hill, visit Medeo Gorge.
At 15:30 transfer to the Airport to get the flight KC109 to Bishkek at 18:00. Arrival at Bishkek at 18:55. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours
day
3
Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) – Burana – Kemin – Bishkek – Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
Breakfast. At 08:00 start the trip from Bishkek. Firstly, you will stop at Burana Tower. This is a historical complex, which marks the original site of Balasagun, the Karakhanid town. After, you will watch Kyrgyz national horse game “Ulak Tartysh” (goat pulling). Ulak Tartysh (a.k.a Kok Boru) is a fight between two teams of riders for a goat carcass. Lunch at home of a local Kyrgyz family. After lunch transfer to Kemin village (70 km) where you will have a chance to watch a demonstration of yurt erection (nomadic dwelling) and even take a part in it if you wish. Local Kyrgyz woman will tell the meaning and use of the each part of the yurt. Transfer back to Bishkek (110 km).
Transfer to the Airport. Evening flight HY780 to Tashkent at 18:10. Arrival at 18:30. Transfer to the hotel for overnight.
day
4
Tashkent – Khudjand (Tajikistan) – Tashkent
Breakfast. At 08:00 drive to Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border point Oybek (100 km, 1 h. 30 min.). After completing customs and passport control on both sides, Tajik local guide and driver will meet you on the Tajik side and take you to Khujand (70 km, 1 h.). Start Khujand sightseeing tour. You will explore the Sughd Historical Museum, Timur-Malik Fortress, Mosque and Madrasah of Shaikh Muslihiddin, Panjshanbe Bazaar. You will try delicious Tajik cuisine at the local restaurant. Drive back to Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border point Oybek (70 km, 1 h.). After passing the border Oybek, the driver will meet you on Uzbekistan side and transfer to your hotel in Tashkent (100 km, 1 h. 30 min.).
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours
day
5
Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
After breakfast at 09:00 start Tashkent city tour. You will visit Old City part of Tashkent that includes Khast-Imam Complex and Chorsu bazar. After, continue to the city center to promenade at Amir Timur Square, Independence Square and explore Applied Arts Museum. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours
day
6
Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva (Uzbekistan)
Breakfast in the hotel. At 05:40 transfer to the airport for early morning flight at 07:40 to Urgench (1093 km, 1 h. 40 min.). Arrive Urgench, transfer to Khiva. Starting guided walking city tour – inner town of Ichan Kala (XIV-XX CC) with Muhamad Amin Khan Madrassah, Kalta Minor Minaret, Kunya Ark, Muhamad Rahim Khan Madrassah, Juma Mosque and Minaret, Tash Hauli Palace, Islam Khodja Minaret and Madrassah, Shirgazi Khan Madrassah, Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum. Overnight in Khiva.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5 hours
day
7
Khiva – Kunya-Urgench – Darvaza gas crater (Uzbekistan/ Turkmenistan)
Breakfast. At 08:00 drive to Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border point Shavat-Dashoguz (60 km, 1 h.). Go through border formalities on both checkpoints. Cross 1.5 km neutral zone (transportation may not be available). Meet your Turkmenistan guide and drive to Kunya Urgench (100 km, 1 h 30 min.). Visit mausoleums of Turebek-Khanym, Sultan Tekesh, Sultan Il Arslan, Najmad-din-Kubra, Sultan Ali. Discover the Kutlug Timur Minaret and Kyrk Molla hill. In the afternoon drive to Darvaza gas crater located in the middle of Karakum desert (270 km, 4 h.). Set up the camp. Enjoy a delicious fire-cooked meal for dinner near the burning gas crater. Overnight in tents.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 2 hours
day
8
Darvaza Gas Crater – Ashgabat (Turkmenistan)
After camp style early breakfast depart to Ashgabat at 08:00 (280 km, 3h. 30 min.). On the way stop at Erbent village to witness life of locals surrounded by desert. Arrive in Ashgabat at 11:30. Start sightseeing tour in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan that has recently been noted by the Guinness Book of World Records as having the most white marble-clad buildings in the world. During the city tour you will explore an archeological site of Old Nissa (included in UNESCO World Heritage list) and Spiritual Mosque, one of the biggest mosques in Central Asia. You will visit the National Museum of History, the Monument of Neutrality, Presidential Square, Ertugrul Gazy Mosque and newly built Independence Park. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6 hours
day
9
Ashgabat – Mary – Merv – Bukhara (Turkmenistan/ Uzbekistan)
Early breakfast. Transfer to the Airport to take a morning flight to Mary at 06:15 (370 km, 40 min.). Upon arrival drive to Merv (40 km, 30 min.), an ancient city that was a major center of international trade and crafts located on the Silk Road. Discover historical park with Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, Large and Small Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Gyaur Gala, Keshk Fortress, and others. In the afternoon drive to Turkemnistan-Uzbekistan border point “Farap-Alat” (290 km, 5 h. 30 min.). Go through border formalities on both checkpoints. Cross 1.5 km neutral zone (transportation may not be available). Meet your driver and continue to Bukhara (100 km, 1 h. 30 min.). Arrival in Bukhara, check in to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours
day
10
Bukhara (Uzbekistan)
Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing in Bukhara – one of the most important stops on the Silk Road. City tour with visits to the Ark Fortress (I-XX CC), Bolo Hauz Mosque (XVIII C), Samanids Mausoleum (IX-X CC), Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum (XII-XVI CC). PM tour on foot along the old town of Bukhara from Poi-Kalyan complex with Kalyan Minaret (XII C) through orient bazaars with three trade domes of Toki Zargaron (XV C), Toki Sarrafon(XVI C), Toki Telpak Furushon (XVI C), Ulugbek Madrassah (XV C), Abdulazizkhan Madrassah (XVII C), Lyabi Hauz complex (XVI -XVII CC), surrounded by ancient mulberry trees, restaurants and cafes. Visit National show at Nodira Devon Begi madrassah. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours
day
11
Bukhara – Samarkand (Uzbekistan)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we drive outside Bukhara for sightseeing: Sitorai Mokhi Khosa – summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara, Baghautdin Nakhshbandi Mausoleum – a center of Sufism. At 15:00 transfer to the railway station to take fast-speed Afrosiyob train departing to Samarkand at 15:50. Arrive in Samarkand at 17:25. Transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
day
12
Samarkand
Breakfast at the hotel. We will start sightseeing from Registan Square (which means “desert” in Persian) and three madrassahs (religious study centers) surrounding the square: Ulughbek Madrassah, Sher-Dor Madrassah, and Tillya-Kari Madrassah – covered with gold. Visit to Gur Emir Mausoleum (tomb of Tamerlane), Shakhi Zinda Necropolis, Ulugbek Observatory.
Continue sightseeing with Bibi Khanym Mosque – built by Amir Timur (Tamerlane) in XV century and Siyab Bazaar. Then drive to Koni Ghil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours
day
13
Samarkand – Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
Breakfast. Continue sightseeing: visit Shakhi Zinda Necropolis, museum of Afrosiab, and Tombstone of Saint Daniyar. Free time. At 16:30 transfer to the railway station. Take the fast-speed Afrosiyob train departing to Tashkent at 17:30 (300 km). You will arrive at 19:40. Pick-up and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours
day
14
Tashkent – departure (Uzbekistan)
Check-out from the hotel at noon. Free time until transfer to Tashkent International Airport. Departure. End of the tour.
Transport in Uzbekistan
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Duration: 14 days
Path: Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan - Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan
Difficulty level: Easy
Price for tour package (for one person) in USD
| Tourists |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $ | $ |
| 2 | $ | $ |
| 4 | $ | $ |
| 6 | $ | $ |
| 8 | $ | $ |
| 10 | $ | $ |
| Single supplement | $ | $ |
Tour map
Tour hotels
| City |
|
| N of nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almaty | Kazzhol |
1 | |
| Bishkek | Park Hotel, Smart |
1 | |
| Tashkent | Uzbekistan, Shodlik Palace, Sharq | 4 | |
| Khiva | Euro Asia, Old Khiva, Orient Star | 1 | |
| Darvaza | camping | 1 | |
| Ashgabat | Grand Turkmen, Ak-Altyn |
1 | |
| Bukhara | Omar Khayyam, Minzifa, K.Komil | 2 | |
| Samarkand | Grand Samarkand, Diyora, Malika Prime | 2 |
Hotels will be booked based on availability
Included services
- Visa invitation letter;
- Transport service on comfortable tourist class vehicle (a certain type of vehicle is provided depending on the group size);
- Double/twin & Single sharing accommodation in the hotels with full breakfast and travel tax;
- Sightseeing with a local English speaking guide in each city (for group below 8 pax);
- Economy class tickets for flights: Almaty-Bishkek-Tashkent-Urgench, Ashgabat-Mary;
- Economy-class tickets for trains: Bukhara-Samarkand-Tashkent;
- Visa support for Uzbekistan triple entry visa and Turkmenistan tourist visa.
Not included services
- Consular fees for Uzbekistan tourist visa;
- Fees for the use of cameras and videos in the monuments and tourist sites;
- Fees for extra service (folklore performance, meetings, tickets for a theatre and visits to museums which are not specified in the program);
- Alcohol drinks;
- Personal items;
- Consular fees for tourist visas and Turkmenistan migration tax ($12);
- Full board (lunch and dinner);
- International air tickets;
- Travel insurance.
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Grand Art hotel has seen better times. Pricing is the same that charge other hotels of higher categories. So tourists are encouraged to check for other options with better location.
Room facilities
Hotel is a mixture of impressions. 3 star at best. Paying more you can get a better hotel obviously, but it is still good value for money. Don't expect much and you would not be upset. Our mild recommendation.
Room facilities
