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Tours in Central Asia
Silk Road trip 3
Silk Road trip 3
Destination: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan
Duration of the tour: 16 days
Places to visit: Bishkek - Ala Archa - Burana - Issyk Kul northern shore - Grigorievskoye - Semenovskoye - Karakol - Skazka - Bokonbaevo - Kyzyl Tuu - Almaty - Issyk - Tashkent - Bukhara - Gijduvan - Samarkand - Oybek border - Penjikent - Iskanderkul Lake - Dushanbe - Norak - Dushanbe
Day 1: Bishkek - Ala Archa - Bishkek
Seeing you on Silk Road trip 3, makes to feel good. When you arrive at Manas International Airport, you will be met by our team who transfer to the capital of Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek. It will take about 30 minutes. On arrival, you will have a city tour and visit the Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, Old Square, National Philharmonic, and many others. In the afternoon, visit the Ala Archa gorge, it will take 45 km from the capital. This is a national park attracts travelers from around the world and ready to impress everyone who drive here. Hiking around green forest, you will enjoy a wonderful view of nature and feel like in paradise. Don't miss to capture the celestial Tian Shan mountains! In the evening, we will return to Bishkek and transfer to hotel.
Day 2: Bishkek - Burana - Issyk Kul northern shore
In the morning you will travel to the Issyk Kul lake. This area is famous for mountains from all four sides. This lake is the second largest alpine lake in the world of 1608 m. above sea level and also called "The pearl of Central Asia". Guests can swim there and heal body. Then, we will have a break on the Burana Tower and an open air museum of Balbals (stone warriors). This minaret was found in the 11th century. It was the famous place for caravans. Then we will drive to Cholpon Ata town and get acquainted with ancient stone inscriptions belonging to the 800 B.C. and made by shamans (2000 years ago). On the way, you will find petroglyphs prepared by ancient people and see the local ethnography museum. Overnight is in a hotel.
Day 3: Issyk Kul - Grigorievskoye - Semenovskoye - Karakol
Today you will have a pleasant time and visit Semenovskoye and Grigorievskoye gorges. On arrival, you will be impressed by natural park full of greens and background. Capture celestial mountains and remember this tour for a long time! On the way, you will see wild animals as hares, fox, yaks and others. In addition, you can amaze by mountain lakes with pure and transparent waters. The tour will be driven to Karakol city where you can visit famous Dungan mosque as well as old wooden Orthodox Church. For sure you will like them on tours. Rest is in a guesthouse.
Day 4: Karakol - Skazka - Bokonbaevo
The next destination of our tour will be done travelling to the Jeti Oguz gorge (Seven Bulls). On reaching, you will inspire by red rocks situated in row. It is very place among tours. On the way, you will see the Broken Heart Mountain. Afterwards, we will travel via the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, it is about 4 km from the Tosor village to the ideal Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyon. You will have an opportunity to see fairy shapes of different rocks appeared due to wind and rain. We will drive to Bokonbaevo village for seeing the local eagle-hunter. You will be shown an eagle show and take photos with birds. Night will be spent in nomadic dwellings - yurts.
Day 5: Bokonbaevo - Kyzyl Tuu - Bishkek
Today, we will drive to Bishkek city. Before, we will visit Kyzyl Tuu village in order to get acquainted with yurt workshop. This is an idea to assemble and disassemble yurts. Kyrgyz yurts are made from felt and wooden skeleton. When we reach to Bishkek, you will have an opportunity to rest in a cozy hotel.
Day 6: Bishkek - Almaty
Meet the second country of Silk Road trip 3 - Almaty. It will take 4 hours to arrive in Almaty. On the arrival, you will have a city tour and explore Southern parts of Kazakhstan. Start with the Green Bazaar and get to know more about locals and try food. We have no doubt you will be impressed by that on tours. Then, we will get acquainted with the oldest Almaty parks as Panfilov Park and for sure to see the wooden Zenkov Cathedral. Move on to visit the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame. This site was built for heroes who dealt in order to get freedom of Kazakhstan. There is no tour, visiting the famous Medeo Gorge. It is the best place for sport games as skating on deep dam rink. Afterwards we will travel to Kok-Tobe hill and see panorama views with the help of the tallest TV tower in the world! On the way, you will have an idea to buy gifts in street souvenir shops. In the end of day, you will have an opportunity to see the whole city by Almaty cableway. Transfer to hotel.
Day 7: Almaty - Issyk - Almaty
After breakfast, we will travel to see the wonderful gorge as Trans-Ili Alatau or so called Issyk Gorge. It is situated along the Kuldja tract. Before it was the main key for Silk Road travelers. Being there you will see the burial mounds of Saka period, where the famous "Golden Man" is found, which nowadays is the state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Then, visit the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "ISSYK" where you can see ancient traces of the Saka period as copy of Golden Man and golden items, ancient ceramics, weapon, elements of horse equipment as well as the model of Saka burial mound. For seeing Issyk lake, it is need to pass the route of 1756 meters above sea level and find it. This stunning lake appeared 10 000 years ago due to mudslide. Being there, don't miss to have a short hiking tour and enjoy picnic.
Day 8: Almaty - Tashkent
In the morning you will have flight to Tashkent at 12:15. On arrival at Tashkent international airport at 12:50, you will be met by our team. They will accompany you to a hotel. We are glad to present the city tour. First to all, visit the Independence Square devoted to the victory over fascism in World War II. Then you will travel to local Broadway located between Independence Square and Amir Timur Square. It is worth seeing the famous Tashkent metro, released in 1977. Afterwards, you can visit other interesting places as Chorsu Bazaar, Kukaldash Madrasah and Hast Imam complex and see various madrasahs, mosques and mausoleum. It is recomemd to visit the Othman Quran! It is considered to be the world's oldest Quran copy established in the 8th century. Overnight is in a hotel.
Day 9: Tashkent - Bukhara
The next day of our tour will start by having flight to Bukhara. On arrival, you will meet with the city tour and visit the citadel in Bukhara - Citadel Ark (4th century). The Citadel Ark corroborated plenty dynasties of Bukhara Empire. Later on, visit the Samanids mausoleum! It was found in the 9th and 10th century! Then we will have a tour to Chashma Ayub or Job's well and Bolo-Hauz mosque. They are the part of Bukhara governor Abu-Fayud Khan. On the way, you can find souvenir shops and get national goods. Afterwards, move to see the Nodir Divan Begi as the part of the Lyabi House Ensemble. Your day will end by Poi Kalon complex (12th - 16th century) and see its three structures as Kalon minaret, Kalon mosque and Mir Arab Madrasah. Transfer to hotel.
Day 10: Bukhara - Gijduvan - Samarkand
After breakfast, we will travel to Samarkand. For the break we will stop the Gijduvan village and see the pottery workshop. Gijduvan ceramics is considered to be the national inheritance given from generation to generation. Today, it is the residence for the sixth generation of potters from Narzullayevs family. On arrival, you can get impression of geometric pattern colored in green and blue colors. The tour will be continued to Bukhara. You can walk to see the memorial complex of Al Bukhary. Al Bukhary preserved the hadith collection known as Sahih al-Bukhari of Sunni Muslims, later on became the national heritage of Uzbekistan. When you arrive to Samarkand, night is in a hotel.
Day 11: Samarkand
Today you will have a city tour. First to all, let's see Samarkand. It is a very ancient city located at the Valley of Zerafshan River and became the second largest city of Uzbekistan the same as Babylon or Rome. We will move no to visit the Registan square, Shakhi-Zindeh, Mausoleum Guri Emir and Bibi Khanum Mosque. Visit the Registan Square and see the state property of Uzbekistan of three astonishing Madrasahs belonging to the 15th -17th centuries. Shakhi-Zindeh is famous for its collection of mausoleums found in the 11th - 15th centuries. Later on, became a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bibi Khanum Mosque was built by Tamerlane as his lovely wife. Rest is in a hotel.
Day 12: Samarkand - Oybek border - Penjikent
In the morning we will drive to Oybek Border and then to Penjakent. Penjakent city or "five villages". It is located in Khujand, Tajikistan in an attractive Zeravshan river valley. On arrival, you will see five villages belonging to the 5th and 8th centuries AD. In past times, Penjikent city was the most significant cultural centers of Sogd and named as "Central Asian Pompeii". It is the resident of two temples, markets, rich dwelling houses with paintings, wooden and clay statues of ancient gods. Its traces were found in the last century. Every traveler will have an opportunity to find ancient traces of dwelling houses and office buildings, the citadel with the palace, the house of craftsmen as well as fire worshiper's church. Transfer to hotel for sleep.
Day 13: Penjakent - Iskanderkul Lake
The next day of our tour is dedicated visiting the high Mountain lake - Iskanderkul of 2 255 m. a. s. l. On the way you will see the celestial Fann Mountains. We are sure you will fall in love! You can take comfort of sandy beach and lay on warm ground. If you hike 20 minutes you will see a beautiful waterfall which will not leave you indifferent. Tajikistan takes the second place between the CIS countries for volume of water resources. Nowadays, it the highest water reserves of all Central Asian countries with more than 1 000 rivers, 2 000 lakes and 8000 glaciers. Night is in a guesthouse.
Day 14: Iskanderkul Lake - Dushanbe
In the morning you will have hiking at Fann Mountains. Fann mountains is also known as "Kuhistan" (Mountainous Country). There are more than 30 pure and parti-colored lakes with dissimilar size and shape. Fann Mountains are open on tours on days off as well. The rich fauna and flora will impress by unforgettable view. Don't miss to take photos. In the afternoon, you will drive to Dushanbe via Anzob pass (3 372 m) and tunnel of Isticlol. On arrival, night is in a hotel.
Day 15: Dushanbe - Norak - Dushanbe
The last day of your tour you will drive to Norak water reservoir (Tajik Sea). It is the largest reservoir in Tajikistan of 10.5 km2. Travelers will see the reservoir delivers the hydroelectric plant, located in the dam. Its waters recycled for irrigation of local farming fields. You can find boaters. They are very popular over there. The middle of the lake is enclosed by the enormous gorges and snow tops peaks from all sides. In the afternoon, we will return to Dushanbe and have the city tour. You will visit the Rudake Park, National library, White House, National state seal, and House of parliament. Walk to the Ministry of Inner Affairs and see the biggest National Flag in the world of 165 m high pole, 30 m wide, 60 m long. Don't miss to take vibrant photos. Afterwards, visit Gurminj Museum of traditional musical instruments and have pleasure. We hope you satisfied on tours. Transfer to hotel for rest.
Day 16: Dushanbe - Airport
Morning transfer to airport. Silk Road trip 3 is finished.
Service includes:
- Transport
- Accommodation:
Bishkek - "Discovery" 3* or "Garden" 4*
Issyk Kul - "Karven" Resort
Karakol - "Karagat" Hotel 4* or "Green Yard" Guesthouse
Bokonbaevo - Yurts (4 pax in 1)
Almaty - "Kazakhstan" Hotel 3*
Tashkent - "Samir" Hotel 3*
Bukhara - "Porso" Hotel 3*
Samarkand - "Ideal" Hotel 3*
Penjikent - "Umariyon" Hotel 3*
Iskandarkul - Gueshouse "Dilovar"
Dushanbe - "Meridians" Hotel 3*
- Mineral water supply
Service does not include:
- Visa
- Full board
- Travel insurance
- English speaking guide
- Museum admissions
- Flight tickets Tashkent - Bukhara
