5 Stan Cultural differences

Arrival in Ashgabat International airport. Our representatives and transfer to hotel will meet you. Free time.

Drive to Darwaza burning Gas Crater (3.5 h) dubbed by locals as "The Door to Hell". The Darwaza 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 70 meters. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided the best solution was 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. En-route we cross Karakum desert, will make a stop in small desert village Erbent. In the evening watch the spectacular and fascinating view of the gas crater. BBQ dinner at Gas Crater. Drive back to Ashgabat.

Overnight in hotel.

Hotel

BF at Hotel. You 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.

After sightseeing, transfer to domestic airport of Ashgabat for flight to Mary. Arrival in Mary.

Overnight in hotel.

Hotel

BF at Hotel. Then 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, Talhatan-baba mausoleum.

After sightseeing, drive to Turkmenabat. On the route visit to Repetek. The Repetek Nature Reserve is only a one hour journey (70km) from Turkmenabad; This sandy desert reservation, formed in 1912, it is located to the southwest of Turkmenabad, and is remarkable for its exhaustive information on the ancient nature of the Karakum desert and its climatic conditions.

Overnight in hotel.

BF at Hotel. Morning drive to visit Allamerdar mausoleum.

The mausoleum of Allamberdar (Almutasir) belongs to the monuments of architecture of the XI century. The mausoleum building is the largest of the surviving early buildings of Northern Khorasan. Its architecture reflects the specific features of the Central Asian monumental architecture of the "golden age" (the Seljukid era).

After sightseeing, drive to Koyten village. On the way, short stops at Astanababa Mausoleum, and Kerki district, which is famous with fish from Amudarya River. Arrival to Koyten. Overnight at Koytendag rest center.

BF in rest center. Morning drive to Koytendag valley to visit the Dinosaur Plateau. The formation process of Dinosaur Plateau is described as follows: about 145-150 million years ago, at the end of the Jurassic period, there existed a shallow lagoon bottom – one of the habitats of huge dinosaurs. Lunch at sight. Drive to “Kyrk Gyz” Cave. Kyrk Gyz Cave means “Forty Girls’ Cave”, a name that refers to a local legend of forty girls who once retreated there, in order to avoid rape and murder by bandits.  Drive to Umberdere waterfall. Overnight at Koytendag rest center.

BF in rest center. Free time. En route, we visit Kaynar-Baba Lake. Arrival to Turkmenabat. Transfer to Turkmen-Uzbek border Farap border (3h)

PM. Meet the guests at Turkmen-Uzbek border Farab/Olot border and transfer to hotel for overnight.

Hotel

Hotel

Bukhara
Breakfast in the hotel. Full day visit shrines: Ali Romitaniy (Hoja Azizona-Honorable Sheikh) &Boboyi Samosiy (who predicted Bakhouddin Naqshbandiy’s birth) in Romitan, Amiri Kulol (Kulol-Potter), Bakhauddin Naqshbandiy (founder of Naqshbandiya direction of Sufism), Bibi Orifa (Bakhouddin Naqshbandiy’s mother) and Chor Bakr Mausoleum in Kogon. Overnight in a hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. Full day excursion program in Bukhara: Samanids’ Mausoleum, Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum (Ayub’s well), Bolo-Khovuz mosque, Ark Fortress, Poi-Kalyon complex (Kalyan mosque and minaret, Miri Arab madrassa), Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrassas, Magoki Attori mosque, Trade Domes (Toki-Zargaron, Toki-Telpakifurushon and Toki-Sarrofon), Labi Khovuz complex. PM. Speedy Afrosiyob train to Samarkand. Upon arrival in Samarkand, transfer to hotel and overnight.

Hotel

(120 km, one way)
After breakfast visit Imam Al Bukhariy mausoleum. Then a trip to Kitab to visit the tombs of Syeikh darwis Muhammad and Muhammad Khawaja Al-Amkanaki. PM. Return to Samarkand. Overnight at Hotel.

Hotel

Breakfast in the hotel. Full day excursion program in Samarkand: visit Saint Dani with the Mausoleum of Qussan ibn Abbas, Bibi-Khanum Mosque – the largest mosque in Central Asia, oriental bazaar Siyab, Registan Square (Sherdor Madrassah, Tilla Kari Madrassah and Ulugbek Madrassah) & Guri-Emir mausoleum. Overnight in a hotel.

After breakfast drive to Uzbek-Tajik border “Jartepa/Sarazm” and see off.

Border cross

From Jartepa border (tajik) crew will meet you and heading towards Panjakent and stop for Sarazm museum. In Panjakent visit Old Panjakent, market lunch and further to Dushanbe short detour to Iskandarkul lake & further to Anzob tunnel. Getting through Varzob valley. Overnight in Dushanbe, Asia Grand Hotel.

Hotel

Dushanbe drive towards Hissor fort, visit Madrasa and Carvansarai and museum, which is not far from Hissor fort. Lunch local food in Chaykhana, which is near the fort too. Back to Dushanbe, sightseeing around Dushanbe.

Hotel

Dushanbe heading towards southern part of Tajikistan, stop over Nurek lake, nice view and plus open area market which is local people sell local food with dry fruits. After drive further towards Kulob city and detour to Mir Said Hamadani shrine, further to the Afghan border along Panj river to Kalaikhumb. Overnight in local guesthouse.

Hotel

Kalaikhumb drive towards Khorog, stop for view point with interesting view on Afghanistan side. The road from Kalikhum to Khorog is very bad, particular 100km of it, although the landscape is is very beautiful. Lunch in Kalot (local teahouse). Overnight in Khorog.

Guest house

In Khorog, option to visit Central Park, the second highest Botanical garden, central market and visit central squire. After Khorog heading to south along the Panj river to Garmchashma (hotspring), after hotspring to Ishashim, lunch and further to Wakhan, stop for Kahkahaa fort, shrine and detour to Bibi Fatima hotspring & legendary Yamchun Fort. Overnight in Yamg village.

Guest House

Drive to upper Wakhan, stop for Vrang Budha Stupa, Langar Petroglyphs and Zoroastrian shrine lunch in Langar village. After lunch drive to eastern Pamir, Khargush pass (4333m), further to Pamir Highway, detour to Bulunkul village. Overnight in guesthouse.

Guest House

Burunkul visit Yashelkul lake, Bulunkul lake and further to Pamir Highway, pass by Alichul and getting to Murghab (Central administration of eastern Pamir), visit local market, the market has its charm there. If in Murghab weather are clear, possibilities to see the Mustaghata peak on Karakorum highway (Chine side). Overnight in Murghab guesthouse.

Guest House

Drive via Aqbaital pass (4635m), getting to Karakul lake lunch, then continue to drive to the Kyrgyz border (Kyzylart pass), meet the Kyrgyz crew on Kyrgyzstan part. Saying good by with Tajik crew.

Guest House

Border cross at Kyzylart and drive to Sary Mogol village, dinner and overnight in Guest House, Kyrgyz Family.

Hotel

Guest House

Guest House

Guest House

Guest House

Hotel

Hotel

3h hike

Yurt Camp

Option: Horse riding, hiking or reading the book at the shore or just relax and enjoy the silence.

Yurt Camp

Yurt camp

Hotel

Guest House

Hotel

Mini hikes

Hotel

Guest House

Guest House

Guest House

Guest House

Up to your wishes spend couple of days in Almaty or next day move to South to discovery.