Take 12 day Central Asia trip to visit historical sights and nature wonders of 3 countries Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan with the most attractive price.
This trip combines classic excursions in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent, and short trips to to Penjikent, Seven Lakes and Fann mountains in Tajikistan, hiking in Nurata mounts and Asraf village.
Welcome to explore Central Asia!
Flight to Tashkent.
Afternoon/evening arrival in Tashkent International Airport.
Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim. Come out of the terminal and meet the staff holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” .
Transfer to the hotel. As Tashkent airport is not far from the city center, the transfer will take about 20 – 40 minutes depending on the hotel location.
Arrival in the hotel. Check-in.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Meet the guide and driver at the hotel in Tashkent.
07:00 Transfer to the railway station in Tashkent.
08:00 Departure for Samarkand by high-speed train "Afrosiyob".
10:08 Arrival in Samarkand.
Come out of the terminal and meet the driver and guide.
Start sightseeing program in Samarkand (6 hours):
– Gur Emir Mausoleum – a burial vault of Timur the Great and his descendants decorated with gold ornaments and considered as one of the most significant places in the world;
– Continue to the famous Registan Square – the heart of Samarkand and a real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture consists of three grandiose buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor, and Madrassa Tilla Kori.
– Bibi Khanim Mosque – the biggest medieval building in the city which was one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in 15th Century;
– Shahi Zinda Necropolis – unique complex of Mausoleums formed by standing on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) belonging to the Muslim person named Saint Abbas ibn-Kussam;
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Meet the driver at the hotel in Samarkand.
08:00 Transfer to border Jartepa. Border crossing (it usually takes 30 min- 1 hr).
Meet the guide and driver at Tajikistan part of the border.
Start an excursion to Seven lakes.
Transfer to Marguzor, the famous seven lakes - seven wonderful water mirrors full of mountain riverside drops. Each lake looks different whenever the sun changes its position. Colors may vary from deep blue to indie color ripple. Most of them are cold to swim even in summer. These lakes belong to Fann Mountains system.
On the western edge of the Fan Mountains in the valley of the river Shing there are seven lakes, six of them are dammed origin, except the lake Hazorchashma. Lakes are called Marguzor, but each of the lakes has its own name:
1. Nezhigon (other references Mizhgon),
2. Soybean;
3. Gushor;
4. Nofin;
5. Hurdak;
6. Marguzor;
7. Hazorchashma.
The difference in level between the upper and lower lake - 692 meters.
Transfer to Penjikent - an ancient town in Sogdiana and now it is a city in the Sugd province of Tajikistan on Zeravshan River.
Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Transfer to border post Jartepa. Border passing formalities (passport / visa control). Border crossing usually takes 30 min-1 hr.
Meet the guide and driver at Tajikistan part of the border.
Start sightseeing in Penjikent:
-The Sarazm Important Bird Area (UNESCO World Heritage) lies downstream of the city on the tugay-vegetated floodplain of the river.
- The archaeological site of the ruins of old Penjikent - a walled inter-city (2500-years ago) that was a Sogdian trading city on the Silk Road.
Transfer to Marguzor, the famous seven lakes - seven wonderful water mirrors full of mountain riverside drops. Each lake looks different whenever the sun changes its position. Colors may vary from deep blue to indie color ripple. Most of them are cold to swim even in summer. These lakes belong to Fann Mountains system.
On the western edge of the Fan Mountains in the valley of the river Shing there are seven lakes, six of them are dammed origin, besides the lake Hazorchashma. Lakes are called Marguzor, but each lake has its own name: today you’ll visit four lakes of out 7 lakes with easy hiking.
Nezhigon/Mijgon (1598 m above sea),
Soya (1701 m above sea),
Gushor/ Hushyor (1701 m above sea),
Nofin (1778 m above sea). Transfer to Nofin village (about 60 km from the 4th lake). On arrival leisure time to have some rest.
Dinner and overnight at the guesthouse.
Breakfast at the guesthouse.
08:00 Continue hiking in the Fann mountains (lakes 5-7) with nature sightseeing and hiking en-route.
Hurdak lake (1900 m above sea).
Marguzor (2139 m above sea) with photo stop near the lake to take beautiful panoramic pictures.
Hiking from lake 6 to lake 7, about 3 hr hiking of 4-5 km.
Hazorchashma (2400 m above sea). The difference in level between the upper and lower lake is 692 meters.
Descending to lake Marguzor (about 2 km, 1 hr hiking down the mounts).
Transfer to the border post Jartepa (ETA 15:30).
After crossing the border, meet the driver at the Uzbek side of the border (ETA 16:00).
Transfer from the border post to the hotel in Samarkand.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Meet the driver at the hotel in Samarkand.
09:00 Transfer to Nurata town that was founded by Alexander the Great as known as fortified settlement Nur. The fortress played an important role in the region as one of the strategic points to visit :
- The ruins of the fort and kariz (the underground water pipeline from the spring) that was built to provide enough water supplies to the fort residents after Alexander the Great conquest. The ancient ruins and restored parts of now witness glory days of Nur.
- Chashma (translated as “spring”) complex consisting of Juma Mosque, over the holy spring became one of the significant pilgrimage site.
Continue to Asraf village. Arrive in the village by lunchtime.
Warm welcome by local family and trying out their delicious lunch.
Short sightseeing excursion and walking in the surroundings.
Resting time in the evening.
Dinner and overnight in guesthouse.
Homemade breakfast.
10:00 Transfer to Samarkand, en-route visiting famous Gijduvan pottery workshop where visitors are welcome for a tour around the workshop and observe the process of ceramic making and painting.
The owners demonstrate the stages of making ceramics from turning the potter’s wheel to making paints from natural ingredients, decorating the ceramics in a distinctive style, drying, and firing. Take a tour around the museum-hall of ceramic masterpieces with a unique collection of the ceramic items of Gijduvan and other regions of Uzbekistan.
By request, a master-class of painting ceramics, suzani embroidery, and traditional bread baking. Continue to Bukhara.
Arrival in Bukhara in the afternoon.
End of the tour.
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Meet the driver at the lobby.Transfer to Uzbek- Turkmen border post Alat.
Border passing formalities (passport and visa control usually takes about 2 -2,5 hrs depending on the customs formalities). Meet the guide and driver at Turkmen side of the border.
Transfer to Mary en route visit to the Ancient Merv (UNESCO).
Sightseeing in historical park visiting
- Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum,
- Mohammed bin Said Mausoleum,
- Medieval castles – “Kesk” fortresses (6-7 centuries);
- History museum of Merv region.
Transfer to the Mary airport.
Evening flight to Ashgabat.
Arrival in Ashgabat. Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Start Ashgabat city tour with visiting
- Ertogrul Gazy Mosque, Independence Park with Monument of Independence (it's a 118m column that consider the highest building in the country);
- Neutrality Arch - unique composition that rotates slowly after the sun;
- National Museum, where you can see more than 166 unique exposition from Ancient Merv and Nissa;
- A trip to ancient Nissa (18km from Ashgabad) that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the ruins of the ancient city ;
- Turkmenbashi Mosque-Mausoleum is considered as the biggest in Central Asia (10 thousands of people). There are beautiful garden and fountains.
- In the afternoon transfer to Darwaza crater and change from the asphalt road to the Karakum desert track, continue 10 km deep inside. In 1971 geologists accidentally found an underground cavern filled with natural gas. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn the gas. Geologists hoped the fire would go out in a few days but it has been burning ever since. Locals have named the cavern The Gate - Darwaza. The views are impressive, especially in sunset and night when the mild sunlight and burning crater evoke incredible and ambiguous feelings.
BBQ dinner and overnight stay in yurt.
Camp-style breakfast.
09:00 Transfer to Kunya – Urgench.
Start sightseeing tour with visiting:
- Mausoleum of the founder of Sufi sects "Kubra" Nadzhimetdin Kubra (XII-XIII C);
- Mausoleum of Mongolian princess Torebeg-Hanym; minaret Mamun (X-XI);
- Minaret Kutlug -Timur (XII-XIV c, the highest minaret in Central Asia);
- Mausoleum Kyrkmolla (II BC - III A.D.);
- Mausoleum Arslan II (the oldest building in the city - date of its bookmark is roughly estimated by XI century).
Transfer to Turkmen – Uzbek Border post Shavat/Dashoguz.
Pass the border. Border passing formalities (passport and visa control might take 1 to 2 hrs depending on the customs formalities). Meet the guide and driver at the Uzbekistan side of the border.
Transfer to Khiva. On arrival in the hotel, check-in.
Resting time in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Start WALKING excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Ichan-kala (translated as “Inner town”). Ichan-kala - the largest Museum in the open air in Central Asia:
- Ata-Darvaza,Kunya- Ark,
- Madrassah of Muhammad Rahim Khan,
- Madrassah of Muhammed Aminhan,
- Kalta Minor, the Palace of the Allakulihan Khan of Khiva
- Tash Hauli, where the harem of 40 concubines was,
- Caravanserai and Tim Allakulihan,
- Mausoleum of Seyd Allaudin,
- Minaret and Islam-Khoja Madrassah,
- Mosque and Jami Minaret.
21:00 Transfer to Urgench airport.
22:55 Flight Urgench – Tashkent by HY 58
00:15 Arrival in Tashkent.
Come out of the terminal and meet the driver. Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the afternoon/evening. Overnight.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the guide and driver at the hotel's lobby.
Start sightseeing tour of Tashkent (5-6 hrs) visiting old and new parts of the city:
- Amir Timur Square, founded in 1882 and originally called Konstantinovsky Square, was renamed on August 31, 1994, after the Amir Timur to honor the cultural and historical contribution of the great conqueror.
- Theater Square with the Opera House: State Academic Theater of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi built in 1947 is one of the best opera theaters in the world that performs both classical and national repertoires.
- Independence Square, the main square of Uzbekistan reflects the past, present, and future of the country. There are fountains standing for the life energy of Uzbek people, the Cabinet and the Senate, the “Eternal flame" in honor of soldiers who died during the Second World War.
- Earthquake Memorial, the composition is devoted to the tragic date of the earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966, and is erected in the approximate place of the earthquake epicenter. Residents still come to the monument to honor those people who took a part in the reconstruction of Tashkent.
- Khast Imam Square – a religious center of the city consisting of the Barakkhan madrasah; Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the library of Islamic Literature with the Holy Koran Book of the VII century (original Quran Othman). Khast Imam is one of the most significant spiritual centers in Central Asia and attracts pilgrims and visitors all over the world.
- Chorsu bazaar – the ancient bazaar of Tashkent. “Chorsu” means “four water”, symbolically meaning the conjunction of four major parts of the old city in the bazaar where people come for trades. The bazaar beautiful blue dome, built in traditional style after the Tashkent earthquake, is often depicted in postcards and international magazines and became one of the major sights of interest both for locals and guests – one can see oriental tiled bazaar from different souvenir shops with ceramics, handicraft works, carpets and jewelry, the whole pavilion full of delirious fruits to the finest textiles and colorful fabrics.
- Tashkent Metro (the first line was launched in 1977) with beautiful train stations each decorated in thematic style with traditional ornaments and special lightning.
Transfer to Tashkent International Airport.
The evening departure flight from Tashkent.
Accommodation:
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