Central Asia 3 STANS
From
Duration
Tour Type
Overview
Combined Cultural Tour Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
Days 1-13 Kyrgyzstan
| Day 1
| Bishkek: Arrive in Bishkek, meeting with you and drive to capital, check in hotel and rest for after long flight, walk in city to explore the capital, Bishkek. Visiting Ala Too Main Square, important monuments around, visit Art&Fine museum and always lively Osh bazaar where you can experience Kyrgyz shopping in market. Lunch in city to taste Kyrgyz tasty food. After lunch we will drive to Ala Archa National Park 40km (40-50mins drive) walk in the national park to enjoy the breathtaking views. And drive back to Bishkek. Dinner at restaurant and overnight in hotel.
| 80km Hotel | |
| Day 2
| Bishkek – Chon Kemin: Morning pick you up from hotel and drive to Chon Kemin National Park. On the way visit Burana Tower from 11th century. And arrive in Chon Kemin National Park. Check in guesthouse and horseback riding to the nature, beautiful nature with evergreen trees. Ride the horse toward to the mountain to have better view to the valley. Dinner and overnight in Guest House.
| 175km Guest House | |
| Day 3
| Chon Kemin – Karakol: After breakfast head to Cholpon Ata, north shore of Yssyk Kul lake. Yssyk Kul lake is the second biggest alpine lake in the world, the pearl of Tien Shan Ranges. We will drive via Grigorevka and Aksuu gorges to visit mountain lake. Beautiful lake close to Kazakhstan border. Arrive in Karako, check in hotel and visit Chinese Dungan Mosque and Orthodox Church from 19th century. Dinner at restaurant and overnight in Hotel.
| 300km Hotel | |
| Day 4
| Day expedition to Altyn Arashan: After breakfast we will drive to Altyn Arashan by Russian Buhanka Jeep on the beaten road, fun expedition to Altyn Arashan valley on the rocky road along the beautiful Aksuu river. Stops for the photos and walking in the beautiful valley and swim in a hot spring pools. Lunch in a yurt camp and drive back to Karakol. Dinner at restaurant and overnight in the same place.
| 40km hotel | |
| Day 5
| Karakol – Bokonbaevo (Southern shore of Yssyk Kul): Breakfast in the morning and drive to Bokonbaevo by south shore of Yssyk Kul lake and explore hidden gems. On the way we will visit Jeti Oguz (Seven Bulls red cliff rocks) and fairytale canyons (small hike). Arrive in Bokonbaevo check in yurt camp on the shore of the lake. Feel the nomad’s life. Dinner and overnight in yurt camp.
| 190km Guest House | |
| Day 6
| Bokonbaevo – Kochkor: Morning breakfast and drive to mountain to meet with an eagle man and his eagle. We will see the demonstration of eagle hunting and learn more about hunting. Hold an eagle and take photos. After that we will drive to Kochkor town in Naryn region. Drive by Orto Tokoi water reservoir and see the camels. Check in Guest House dinner and mini folklore show by the hosts.
| 130km Guest House | |
| Day 7
| Kochkor – Song Kol lake: After lovely breakfast with local family we will drive to the lovely lake Song Kol, the land of animals and the yurts. We will drive via Kalmak Ashuu pass at alt 3400m and arrive in the lake, yurt camp where you can fully enjoy the nature and nomads. Lake is at 3016m above sea level. Lunch in yurt camp and after lunch free time to enjoy the nature. Or optional to hike or horse riding at the shore. Dinner and overnight in yurt camp. | 120km Yurt camp | |
| Day 8
| Song Kol – Kazarman: Breakfast and enjoy the morning, at the lake with full of animals and the yurts. Then start our adventure to the next destination. We will drive visa Moldo Tor pass and Toguz Toro pass t Kazarman village. Village located in the middle of the country surrounded by the mountains. Arrive by lunch and have lunch in guesthouse. After lunch walk in the village discovery and talk to the locals. Dinner and overnight in guesthouse. | 240km Guest House | |
| Day 9
| Kazarman – Arslanbob: After breakfast we will drive to Arslanbob village, where the majority are Uzbeks, beautiful village and interesting life. We will drive via pass and have lunch on the way. Arrive in arslanbob, check in guesthouse. Dinner and overnight in guesthouse. | 240km Guest House | |
| Day 10
| Arslanbob – Sary Chelek: Breakfast at homestay and after breakfast we will walk to small and big waterfall, then walk in the center, bazaar, have lunch. After lunch we will continue driving to Sary Chelek biosphere Nature Reserve protected by UNESCO. Arrive in Arkyt or Kyzyl Tuu village, check in guesthouse. Walk in the village experience local life and dinner with the locals. Overnight at homestay. | 210km Guest House | |
| Day 11
| Sary Chelek: Day tour to the lake. After breakfast we will drive to the lake, 15km amazing beautiful lake in the Nature Reserve, there are 7 lakes around, up to your wishes we can hike to discovery them or hike up to panoramic place where we will have view to the 5 lake from one place. Drive back to the same guesthouse. Dinner and overnight. | 40km mini hikes or hike Guest House | |
| Day 12
| Sary Chelek – Osh: After breakfast we will head to south capital Osh, on the way in Uzgen we will visit Uzgen Munarate from 11th century and continue driving to Osh. Arrive in Osh, check in hotel and evening walk to Suleiman Too Mountain where we have sacred mountain with a museum. Dinner and overnight in hotel. | 310km Hotel | |
| Day 13
| Crossing border from Osh, Kyrgyzstan, Dostuk border point to Uzbekistan Morning breakfast and visit Osh city then transfer to border with Uzbekistan to continue the adventure. | 140km
|
Days 12 -18 Uzbekistan
| Day 1
| Osh– Margilan: Crossing border from Osh, Kyrgyzstan, PM. Pass Kyrgyz-Uzbek border “Dustlik”. Meet with a driver in Uzbek part and drive to Margilan. Overnight in the hotel. | 140km Hotel | |
| Day 2
| Margilan – Rishtan – Kokand – Tashkent (by train) (Uzbekistan) Breakfast at hotel. Meet with a local English speaking guide. Excursion of Margilan including “Yodgorlik Silk Factory”, Adras workshop, Said Akhmad-Khoja medresah, complex Mir Siddiq. Drive to Rishtan (50 km). Visit ceramist house (Master Mr. Said) for watching and participating in making ceramic products. Drive to Kokand for visiting Khudayar Khan‟s Palace, “Dahmai Shahon” (Royal Cemetery). Take an afternoon train to Tashkent. Upon arrival in Tashkent, a driver meets and transfers to hotel for an overnight.
| 100km Hotel | |
| Day 3
| TASHKENT-SAMARKAND (by train) (Uzbekistan) After breakfast city tour of Tashkent (check-out from hotel by 12:00): - Explore Chorsu Bazaar. In the clothing section of the bazaar people sell European-style and traditional Uzbekgarments, as well as various textiles andkurpachatraditional cotton-wool blankets and mattresses. The national clothes - chapan robes, khan-atlas „king of satin dresses, etc. - as well as tubeteika scull-caps (also spelled tubeteyka, tubatay, duppi, doppi, doppa) and turbans are mostly very colorful; each color and design in their decoration has its own meaning. A tubeteika, for instance, shows where the person wearing it comes from and on what occasion he / she has put it on. - Chorsu Street Food sector for the degustation of several dishes according to the guests‟ wishes. - Applied Art museum (The Museum of Applied Art fund lists over 7,000 samples of applied arts: handmade embroidery, skull-caps (tyubeteyka), jewelry, carpets and other examples of craftsmanship of the beginning of the 19th century to present day). - Old City part of Tashkent with Khast-Imam Complex where the world famous Quran of Caliph Uthman – Ottoman has been preserved. - Visit Friendship Square, try some underground station and come up from Amir Temur Square, walking tour from Amir Temur Square, Independence Square, Alisher Navoi Theatre Square, TSUM (Central Department Store). Take an evening Afrosiyob train to Samarkand. Upon arrival transfer to hotel. | Hotel | |
| Day 4 June 16 | SAMARKAND-BUKHARA (by train) (Uzbekistan)
After breakfast start city tour of Samarkand with a local guide. Check-out from hotel by 12:00- Visit Ulugbek Observatory, Shakhi Zinda necropolis, Bibi Khanym mosque, Siyab bazaar (where they sell dried fruits and Samarkand bread which is considered the most delicious bread in the world) - Registan Square that consists of Madrasah Ulugbek (15th c.), Madrasah Sher-Dor (17th c.), Madrasah Tillya-Kori (17th c.). Registan, which is the centerpiece of the city and the most recognizable landmark for visitors. There are three madrassahs framing the square, with Ulughbek madrassah being the oldest. It was this central space that originally gave the place its name, as “registan” means “place of sand.” This sandy place at the center of ancient Samarkand and was a public square and marketplace before the Ulughbek, Tillya-Kori, and Shir Dor madrassahs were built. - Visit Gur Emir mausoleum. - Kongi Ghil Silk paper making center (ancient technique of making silk papers). Take speedy Afrosiyob train (21:03-22:35) to Bukhara. Upon arrival in Bukhara a driver meets and transfers to Hotel. Overnight at Hotel. | Train Hotel | |
| Day 5
| Bukhara (Uzbekistan)
After breakfast meet with a local guide and start excursion of Bukhara.
Bukhara is the centre for local artisans, and we will be able to watch many at work on a variety of handicrafts at the Bukhara Artisan Development Centre. We will spend the day visiting some colorful local markets, where the Karavan Saray (Trade Domes) and former madrassahs offer splendid, colorful handmade “Suzani” products and gold embroidery, as well as other forms of textiles, clothing, jewelry, carpets and costumes. Suzani means “needle work” in Tajik language.
City tour:Ismail Samaniy Mausoleum, Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum, Bolohauz Mosque, Ark citadel, Poi Kalyan
complex with Kalyan mosque and Miri Arab madrassah, Ulugbeg and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Trade Domes- Trading domes still offer an intriguing and colourful array of goods including embroideries, jewelry, spices, handicrafts and all manner of Silk Road treasures. Also visit ancient Silk Market and Labi Hauz complex. - Watching puppet making process in a workshop dedicated to the history of the puppet theater of Uzbekistan. The small exhibition hall contains historical materials about the country's puppet theater, its characteristic features and stages of development, as well as about its influence on the culture of Central Asia. Throughout history, local folks have performed different place with puppets by expressing their wishes, dreams, unrealized dreams and criticism. It is a part of our culture!!! Here visitors can also see an exhibition of national Uzbek dolls (40-50 cm), skillfully made from papier-mâché and delicate costumes. | Hotel | |
| Day 6
| BUKHARA- BORDER (Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan) After breakfast a driver picks up and drops to Uzbek-Turkmen border |
Days 18 -24 Turkmenistan
| Day 1
| Dashoguz - Koneurgench – Darwaza Our representative will meet you at Turkmen/Uzbek border “Shavat”. Drive to Koneurgench (1.5h). Sightseeing tour in Kunya Urgench: visit Portal of Caravansaray, Mamun Minaret, II Arslan Mausoleum, Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum, Academy of Horezm, Kutlug Timur Minaret, Turabek Hanum Mausoleum. Afternoon drive to Darwaza burning Gas Crater (3.5 h) The Crater is also called as "The Door to Hell". The area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of 60 m and 20 m deep. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn it off. Geologists had hoped the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days, but the gas is still burning today. In the evening, watch the spectacular and fascinating view of the gas crater. BBQ dinner & overnight at Gas Crater. | Hotel | |
| Day 2
| Darwaza - Ashgabat Picnic style breakfast. Drive back to Ashgabat. Then ou will have Ashgabat city tour. In 2013 the Guinness Book of Records named Ashgabat “white marbled city” – here you can see the biggest number of structures in the world made out of the white marble. You will see Presidential Palace, Ruhyyet Palace, Wedding Palace, modern “Yildyz” Hotel, Ferries Wheel, Constitution Monument, Arch of Neutrality, Monument and park of Independence, Ertogrul Gazy Mosque, Ashgabat Sports and Housing facilities, the Earthquake and victims of WWII Monuments. Overnight at Hotel. | Hotel | |
| Day 3
| Ashgabat BF at Hotel. Morning drive to visit Nissa fortress -the Sanctuary of Parthian Kings. UNESCO declared fortress a World Heritage Site in 2007. Nissa described as one of the first capitals of the Parthians. It was founded by Arsaces I (reigned c. 250 BC – 211BC), and reputedly the royal necropolis of the Parthian Kings, although it has neither been established that the fortress at Nissa was a royal residence or a mausoleum. Then visit National Museum of History & Ethnography. The museum has s rich collection of ancient artifacts from Turkmenistan. More than 500,000 exhibits are displayed here. It has 9 halls, each dedicated to a certain period or theme. The museum reveals the variety of Turkmenistan's landscape its flora and fauna, fossils and rare geological finds. The Hall of Independence, illustrating the modern development of the country. Then you will visit National Carpet Museum, where you can see Giant carpet that was included Gunnies book of records, carpets from 5 regions, that each has own symbol "gol", which used in all decorations of buildings, and on national emblems. This five different “gols” (ornaments) of regions shows the unity of Turkmen nation. Overnight at Hotel. | Hotel | |
| Day 4
| Ashgabat BF at the Hotel. Morning drive to Kowata underground lake which is located 107 km from Ashgabat. The Turkmen name Kow-Ata means "father of caves". This underground area seems like a magnificent auditorium: the overall length of the cave is 230 m, its height reaches 20 m, and its width is at some points 57 m. The bottom of the cave is covered with lumps of dissolved limestone (stalagmites), and its warm and gushing water is clear and emerald colored. The water has a constant temperature of 33-37°C. (You should swim in the lake). After drive to Gokdepe fortress that was attacked in December 1880 by Russian Empire Army. The siege of Gokdepe lasted 23 days, after which the city was taken by storm. Visit Geokdepe Mosque (Saparmyrat Hajy) that was built in 1995 to commemorate the defeat and is noted for its mint-turquoise blue colored roof and white marble structure. Then visit Gokdepe museum about the battle between Russians and local tribe “Akhalteke” in 1881. Later drive to visit Horse Farm to see a national proud of Turkmen people - Akhalteke horses, the nicest horses in the world. 5000 years ago, Turkmens begin breed Akhalteke horses. The World’s unique breed was never mixed with other breeds. Such illustrious Emperors like Alexander the Great, Darius I desired to own Ahalteke horses. There are over 35 beautiful horses in the farm. Per superstition, every sick person who touches an Ahalteke horse will get well soon. Drive to visit Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque in Kipchak (the largest mosque in Central Asia). Overnight at Hotel. | Hotel | |
| Day 5
| Ashgabat – Mary – Merw - Mary BF at hotel. Transfer to Ashgabat domestic airport for flight to Mary. Arrival in Mary and drive to Merv to explore ancient Merv – “Queen of the world”, was one of the most important capitals of Islam along with Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus. Sightseeing of ancient Merv includes Greater Kyz Gala & Lesser Kyz Gala (VI-VII), Complex of Askhabs (VIII-XIV), Erk Gala (VI BC), Gyaur Gala (IV BC), Hoja Yusup Hamadani complex, Sultan Sanjar mausoleum, Muhamed Ibn Zeid mausoleum. After sightseeing, drive to Mary city. Overnight in Mary city. | Hotel | |
| Day 6
| Mary – Gonurdepe – Ashgabat BF at hotel. Morning drive to Gonurdepe. Gonurdepe was a capital of Margush (Margiana) country that occupied an area of more than 3000 sq. km and consisted of 78 oasis and more than 150 compact settlements. The American newspaper "Boston Globe" wrote that before we had known four oldest centers of the world's civilization: Egypt, India, China and Mesopotamia, and now due to the fantastic results of the Margiana expedition it is quite possible to think that there was another, the fifth center. Lunch box in Gonurdepe. After sightseeing, transfer to domestic airport of Mary for flight to Ashgabat. Overnight at Hotel. | Hotel | |
| Day 7
| Flight from Ashkhabad | Flight |
Included/Exclude
- Letter of Invitation
- Transportation according to the program (different in different countries)
- Accommodation DBL/Twin as per itinerary (From Guest House and Yurts (2 to3,4 pax) to Hotels)
- Registration in Ashgabat city
- Permit to Kelsuu Kyrgyzstan
- Escort English speaking guide service (different in different countries)
- Flight ticket: Ashgabat-Mary
- Entrance fee: per program
- Meals: Breakfast based
- 1L water per person per day
- Travel tax: 2 usd per person per night in Turkmenistan
- Train tickets (2nd class) Bukhara - Samarkand
- International flights
- Cost of Turkmen visa w/border fees
- Food (Lunches and dinners)
- Photo and video permission/fees
- Tips for guide and driver
- Medical insurance
- Services not shown in the program
- Extra activities
- Horse riding
