Tours

Upon arrival in Bishkek transfer to the hotel (early check in included).

After breakfast, we start sightseeing tour: Manas Monument, Ala Too square, Monument of Lenin, White House, House of Parliament, Oak Park and in the end of the city tour we walk to Victory Square, where our driver will wait for us. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Karakol town (420km). On the way we will visit Burana Tower, which is in 10 km from Tokmok town. After excursion continue to drive to Karakol. En route we will also visit Cholpon Ata Open Air museum, to see the ancient petroglyphs. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing in Karakol: drive to Prjevalsky Museum, after excursion drive back to Karakol and visit Dungan Mosque, Russian Orthodox Church and State Historical Museum.

Continue to Barskoon village (165km) along the south shore of Issyk Kul Lake. On the way you can see Djety Oguz – tremendous mountain formations in the form of Broken Heart and Seven Bulls.

Overnight in a homestay.

After breakfast you can have a walk to the Barskoon waterfall. Later drive to Bokonbaevo village (60km). On the way we will make several stops in the most picturesque spots. One of them is Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyons. The canyons consist of mottled petrified clay and look very picturesque with dark blue Issyk Kul Lake in the background. Overnight in a homestay.

After breakfast drive to Son-Kul Lake (265km). On the way we will visit Kochkor village. Visit local women center to see how production process of traditional handicraft.

Upon arrival settle in the Yurt Camp. Dinner and overnight at the camp.

After breakfast, drive to Tash Rabat (275km). Your way goes through 33 Parrots pass, as we crossed the pass we drive through Naryn town, where you can visit State Historical Museum and have a lunch in a local family`s house (own arrangement).

Later, we continue drive to Tash Rabat. Upon arrival, you can enter the caravanserai and explore the ancient building.

After excursion accommodation in a yurt camp.

Breakfast. Drive to Kyrgyz-China border – Torugart Pass (3800 m). Lunch boxes before crossing the border, then meeting with your Chinese guide and driver.

Drive to downtown Kashgar. Overnight at the hotel near old town (in old town – only youth hostel is available).

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we will visit the Shipton’s Arch, located at the junction of the Kunlun Mountain and the Snow Mountain. The Stone arch stands on the Pamir Plateau. It is shaped like “∩”.  There are many stone caves at the right side of the stone arch. People can hear the echoes in front of the right side. Drive back. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning stroll around the Old Town, we will first explore culture and life of local people in Kashgar. VisitingIdigar Mosque – largest mosque in China and most famous in Xinjiang, Handicraft street with hundreds of handicraft workshops, which has become a boutique exhibition for handicraft in Kashgar and Central Asia. Then we will visit the Sunday Bazaar – livestock marketwith farmers and buyers arriving by donkey cart, truck, bicycle, horseback, motorbike or on foot, with their animals. It is loud, lively and cheerful as they arrive, eat breakfast, set up their animals and check out the action. Then we will visit the Apak Hoja Tomb – the holiest place in Xinjiang and an architectural treasure.

Breakfast at the hotel. Pick up at 08:30am, then transfer to the border, arrive at around 12:30pm. Lunch boxes (own arrangement) before crossing border, then meeting with your Kyrgyz guide and driver. Drive to Sary Tash village (80km) by one of the most impressive roads in the country. This is a small village situated in Alai valley with a breathtaking mountain panorama. In the village you may stroll or ride on a horse in the neighborhood.

Overnight in a local family`s house.

After breakfast transfer to Kyrgyz-Uzbek border Dustlik (200km). We drive over several high mountain passes. One of them is very dramatic – Taldyk pass (3615m above sea level). Upon arrival to Osh city, drive straight to Kyrgyz-Uzbek border.

Crossing formalities, meeting with Uzbek driver, drive to Ferghana (110km). Overnight at the hotel. 

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Margilan, visit Said Akhmad-Khoja Madrassah. Nowadays it houses artisans’ shops with handmade carpets and silk. Continue to Yodgorlik Silk factory to see the production process of silk with traditional Ikat patterns.

Continue to Rishtan town, famous for ceramic production where you will visit the house of a well-known ceramic master.

Drive to Kokand. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, city tour: Juma (Friday) Mosque, Khudoyar-Khan Palace.

Drive to Uzbek-Tajik border Kanibadam, crossing formalities. Transfer to Khujand, check-in. Later you can walk in the park located nearby. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, you will continue your journey to Penjikent (360km). On the way you will visit Istaravshan, founded by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC and recently celebrated its 2500th anniversary. Today, Istarafshan is well known in Tajikistan for its blacksmiths, handcrafting knives of high quality. In the evening, you will arrive to your hotel in Penjikent. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Tajik-Uzbek border. En route visiting Sarazm settlement, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Crossing formalities. Pick up by Uzbek driver, transfer to Samarkand. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. We will start sightseeing from Gur Emir Mausoleum (tomb of Tamerlane), continue with iconic 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 Shakhi Zinda Necropolis – ensemble including mausoleums and other ritual buildings of IX-XIV and XIX CC,Ulughbek Observatory, built in XV century by Timurid ruler and astronomer, Bibi Khanym Mosque – built by Amir Timur for his favorite wife in XV century. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out. Continue sightseeing in Samarkand: ancient settlement and museum of Afrosiab, and Tombstone of Saint Daniyar. The prophet Daniyar (Daniel) is revered by three world religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and mausoleum is still a pilgrimage place for the followers of all three Abrahamic religions. 

Drive to Konigil village to visit Samarkand Paper Mill “Meros”, where you can see the process of making famous Samarkand paper by ancient technology.

Transfer to the railway station for Samarkand-Bukhara train, departing at 21:08. Arrive in Bukhara at 22:39, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will see Ark Fortress – residence of Bukhara khans, Bolo Hauz Mosque, Samanids Mausoleum – Shrine of Ismail Samani and other members of the Samanid Dynasty, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum – Saint Job’s well.

Continue to Poi-Kalyan complex with Kalyan Minaret through orient bazaars with trade domes, Ulugbek Madrassah, Abdulazizkhan Madrassah. Visiting Lyabi Hauz complex consisting of Kukeldash Madrassah, Magoki Attori Mosque now used as a carpet museum, Nadir Divan-begi Madrassah and Nadir Divan-begi Khanaka.

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive outside Bukhara for sightseeing: Sitorai Mokhi Khosa – summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara, Chor Bakr Necropolis – city of the dead, Baghautdin Nakhshbandi Mausoleum – center of Sufism and most important pilgrimage site.

After lunch and some free time, visiting national house for plov master class – you will cook Uzbek main dish from the very beginning with your hosts (3-4h). Dinner.

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Khiva through Kyzylkum Desert (7-8 hours). Stop at Amudarya River bank. Lunch in a local café. Arrive in Khiva, free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive outside Khiva to visit the archaeological monuments of Ancient Khorezm.

In written sources of the Arab conquest period, Khorezm is called a country of "tens of thousands of fortresses". This region is a real gem for archaeologists. In fact, today in the Khorezm region archaeologists have found dozens of ancient cities, ruins of former powerful castles and royal palaces.

The most famous of them are Toprak Kala, Kyzyl Kala, Ayaz Kala (“Kala” is translated as a fortress.) Even today, the colossal sizes of the ruins impress with its magnificence and power.

Drive back to Khiva. Overnight at the hotel.      

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will explore ancient inner town Ichan Kala (UNESCO World Heritage site, XIV-XX CC) – big open air museum consisting of Muhammad Amin Khan Madrassah, Kalta Minor Minaret, Kunya Ark, Muhamad Rahim Khan Madrassah, Juma Mosque of X century, Tash Hauli – main palace of Khiva rulers, Islam Khodja Minaret and Madrassah, Shirgazi Khan Madrassah, Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Urgench airport for morning flight to Tashkent. Pick up at Tashkent airport, transfer to the hotel (check-in at 14:00). Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out by 12:00. Transfer to the airport. End of services.