Turkmenistan
Nomads across the Central Asia
Nomads across the Central Asia
Kazakhstan, Kyrgizstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan
Duration 21 days / 20 nights
Itinerary day by day
Day 1. Arrival in Almaty. Meeting in airport, transfer to the hotel “Kazhol”, accommodation. Rest. Breakfast. City sightseeing: visit to the 28 Panfilov’s guardsmen park, Cathedral, Museum of national musical instruments, National museum, Medeo gorge, Republic square (4 hrs.). Lunch. Dinner. Night at the hotel.
Day 2. Breakfast. Excursion to Big Almaty lake (Big Almaty gorge) (H-2527) (28 km). Walking at environs. Snow-clad peaks and glaciers panorama. Picnic with shashlyk and shampagne. Back to Almaty. Dinner at local cafe. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3. Breakfast. Transfer: Almaty – Issyk-Kul lake – Bulan-Sogotu village (500 km). Lunch on the way. After breakfast we leave Almaty and travel along picturesque road via many villages and steppes. In 3-3,5 hours we reach Charyn canyon. Descent to canyon, to Charyn river (this place is named as Valley of Castles). Short walking. Picnic-lunch. After excursion we continue our way along road, leading to Kyrgyz-Kazak border. Road passes the Kegen pass and in 60 km we are at Kazak-Kyrgyz border. Passport and custom control. And we continue our trip. In 6 km road comes up to the north spurs of the east part of Terskey-Alatoo range and turns to the west to the valley, located between north spurs of Terskey Alatoo and east extremity of Kungey Alatoo range. After San-Tash pass our way lies to Issyk-Kul hollow. In 120 km we arrive to village Bulan-Sogotu. Accommodation in hotel “Issyk-Kul” (Aurora). Dinner. Overnight .
Day 4. Breakfast. Cutter trip on Issyk-Kul lake (2 hours). Lunch in sanatorium. Excursion to petrogliphs in Cholpon-Ata. Dinner and overnight in sanatorium.
Day 5. Breakfast. Transfer: Bulan-Sogotu – Karakol – Djety-Oguz gorge (140 km). Walking to Dzety-Oguz gorge translated as “seven oxen”. High red rocks form the entrance into the gorge. The most beautiful is the rock over the left bank of the river called “The Broken Heart”. Dzhety Oguz gorge thundering waterfalls, fantastic rocks, coniferous forests, subalpine meadows. Transfer to Karakol (23 km). Lunch at local cafe. City tour: visit to Dungan mosque (1910 year), Troitsk Orthodox Church (1894-1895), bazaar, Museum and majestic monument to Przhevalsky, famous Russian traveler and scientist. Back to village Bulan-Sogotu. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 6. Breakfast. Transfer: Bulan-Sogotu village – Bishkek (300 km). On the way – visit to Burana Tower (X-XII c)- architectural monument was built Karakhanids. Arrival in Bishkek. Accommodation in the hotel “Ak-Keme”. Lunch at local cafe. City tour: visit to Russian Orthodox Church (1945), State History Museum, Osh bazaar, Victorty square. Dinner at local cafe. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 7. Breakfast. Transfer: Bishkek – Taraz – Chimkent (470 km). 280 km later stop for lunch at local cafe In Taraz. After lunch excursion in the city - visiting of mausoleum Kharahan (XI century), mausoleum Daut-Beka (XIII century). Mausoleum built over the grave one of representatives of Karakhanids dynasty. On the way visit to monuments of architecture – Aisha-Bibi and Babadji-Khanum (XVIII c). Arrival in Chimkent. Accommodation in the hotel “Chimkent”. Dinner at local cafe. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 8. Breakfast. Excursion to Sairam village (ancient name of Isfidzhab town) (15 km). Sairam (the ancient city of Isfidzhab) is Mohammed Jassavi's native land, its parents Ibragim-Ata and Karashash-Ata here are buried, in city it is a lot of mausoleums, mazars, as ancient and modern.
Excursion to mausoleums and mazars Ibrahim Ata, Suzuk Ata, Khozha Khozhi. Lunch on the way. Transfer: Chimkent – Turkestan (210 km). On the way – visit to museum site of ancient settlement in Shaulder village, excursion to Arstan-Baba Mausoleum (XIX c), Otrar ruins (XI-XII c). Transfer to Turkestan. Accommodation in the hotel “Yassy”. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 9. Breakfast. Excursion to Akhmed Yassawi maussoleum complex (XI-XIII c): gallery of stone statues, arheological museum, historical (cultural reserve) museum “Azaret-Sultan”, gates (Darvaza) (XIX c.), Esimkhan mausoleum (XVI c.), Rabia Sultan Begim mausoleum (XV c.), Akhmed Yassawi mausoleum (XII-XIV c.c.), “Zhuma” mosque (1878 year), underground mosque Khilovat (XII-XV c.c.), oriental baths (XV-XVI c.c.). Lunch at local cafe. Transfer: Turkestan – Chimkent – Check-point “Zhibek-Zholy” (Chernyaevka) (Kazak-Uzbek border) (285 km). Passage of border. Transfer to Tashkent (8 km). Accommodation in the hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 10. Breakfast. Full day city tour. Visit Kukeldash Madrassah, Khast Imam Square, consisting of Barak Khan Madrassah, Tilly Sheykh Mosque and Kafal Shashi Mausoleum; Chorsu market, Peoples Friendship Square, Abul Kasym Madrassah and applied art museum. Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch continue city tour. Visit Amir Temur Square; Independence square, the largest city square in the former Soviet Union, flanked by public buildings and walls of fountains; Alisher Navoi Opera & Ballet Theater – yellow-brick hybrid of classical and Central Asian styles, completed in 1947 by Japanese prisoners of war and History museum. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel.
Day 11. Breakfast. Transfer: Tashkent – Samarkand (300 km). En route stop at picturesque local markets for taking pictures. Arrive in Samarkand and transfer to hotel. Lunch at the hotel. After lunch visit Reghistan square (Sandy place) – ensemble of majestic madrassahs (XV – XVII c.c.). Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 12. Breakfast. After breakfast proceed for full day city tour of Samarkand. Visit Gur Emir (in Tajik - Tomb of the emir) – mausoleum of Timur and the Timurids (XV c.), Bibi Khanym Mosque (XV c.) – the gigantic congregational mosque, Siab Market, Shakhi Zinda (The Living King) – necropolis of Samarkand rulers and nobles, Ulugbek Observatory (1420) – the remains of an immense (30 m. tall) astrolabe for observing star position, and Afrasiab ruins and museum with fragments of VIIth century frescoes. Lunch at National house. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 13. Breakfast. Transfer: Samarkand – Shakhrisabz (170 km). Arrive in Shakhrisabz and visit Ak Saray (White Palace) – Summer residence of Tamerlane (XIV c.), Kok Gumbaz (Blue Dome) – Friday mosque (XV c.), built by Ulugbek in honor of his father and Dorut Tilyavat (House of Meditation) – burial complex of Timur’s forebears. Also visit Crypt of Timur – an underground room, which was discovered in 1963. Transfer to Bukhara (300 km). Lunch at National house. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 14. Breakfast at the hotel. Full day city tour of Bukhara. Visit Poi Kalon complex, consisting of Kalyan Minaret, Miri Arab Madrassah and Kalon Jumi Mosque; 3 Domed markets (Taqi Zargaron (1570), or Jeweler’s Bazaar, Taqi Telpak Furushon or Cap Makers’ Bazaar and Taqi Sarrafon, or Moneychangers’ Bazaar), Magok-I-Atori mosque, Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, consisting of Nadir Divanbegi Madrassah, built in 1630, Nadir Divanbegi Khanaka and Kukeldash Madrassah. Lunch at local restaurant. Dinner with folk show at Nadir Divan Begi madrassah. Overnight at hotel.
Day 15. Breakfast. After breakfast continue city tour. Visit Ark fortress, Bolo Hauz Mosque (“Mosque Near the Pool”) (1712), Ismoil Samani Mausoleum, Chashma Ayub (“Spring of Job”), Sitora-I-Mohi Khosa – summer palace of the last Bukhara emir and Chor Minor (Four Minarets) (1807). Lunch at local restaurant. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 16. Breakfast. Transfer: Bukhara – Urgench (480 km). Drive through Kyzyl Kum desert. Lunch at local chaykhana, which is on the place of old caravanserai. Short stop at stroll of Amu Darya river for taking pictures. Arrive in Urgench and transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 17. Breakfast. Transfer to Khiva (30 km). Visit Ichan Kala (Inner town). Visit Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah (1852-1855); Kelte Minor (“Short minaret”), Kunya Ark (Old Fortress), Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum. Islam Khoja Madrassah (1908) and Minaret (1910), Juma Mosque (1788) (Friday Mosque), Tosh Howli (Stone House); Allah Kuli Khan Madrassah (1835), bazaar and caravanserai. Lunch at National house. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 18. Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer: Urgench – Turkmen\Uzbek border (80 km). Meeting at Dashoguz - Uzbek-Turkmen border. Transfer to Kunya-Urgench (120 km). Excursions. Lunch on the way. Transfer: Kunya-Urgench – Dashoguz, to airport for flight Dashoguz – Ashgabat. Arrival in Ashgabat. Accommodation in “Nisa” hotel. Rest. Overnight
Day 19 Breakfast. Transfer to airport for flight Ashgabat – Mary. In Merv visit History museum. Transfer to airport for flight Mary – Ashgabat. Arrival in Ashgabat. Transfer to “Nisa” hotel. Overnight
Day 20 Breakfast. Sightseeing of Ashgabat, visit Carpet Museum and History museum. Excursion to stronghold Nisa. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 21. Transfer to airport. Departure from Ashgabat.
The price includes:
Visa support to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan; all land transfers; meeting in the airport and seeing off at the brder: services of guide; accommodation at hotels and guest house (twin standard rooms with breakfast); sightseeing; entry fees; ecological taxes; special permits; guide consultations; bottled water on transfers 1,5l/day/person.
The price doesn’t include:
Airline tickets, tips; insurance and other medical subcosts; additional excursions, not mentioned in the program; personal extras like luggage overweight; laundry, phone, fax, e-mail services; alcohol drinks; mini bar and other extra services at the hotels.
|
Country |
Hotel |
City |
|
Kazakhstan. |
Hotel “Kazhol” *** Hotel “Chimkent” **** (Chimkent) Hotel «Yassy»** |
Almaty Chimkent Turkestan town
|
|
Kyrgyzstan |
“Issyk-Kul” Aurora *** hotel “Ak-Keme” ****
|
Issyk-Kul Lake, Bulan-Sogotu village Bishkek |
|
Uzbekistan |
«Domina Shodlik»****. «Afrosiyab Palace» ****. «Bukhara Palace»****. «Khoresm Palace» ****
|
Tashkent Samarkand Bukhara Urgench |
|
Turkmenistan. |
Hotel «Nissa»**** |
Ashgabad
|