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Route of the Caravans- "The Five Stans"
(Countries visit: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan)
2008 Group Tour Dates: Ap 19, May 24, Jun 7, Jul 26, Aug 16, Sep 20, Oct 25
OR Go Privately and Select your own Dates
Turkmenistan
Day 1 Saturday: Arrive Ashgabat
Khush Gelinis - welcome to Turkmenistan! This evening you are scheduled to arrive Ashgabat. Once clearing through Customs & Immigration, you will be met at the exit gate for the transfer to the hotel.
Overnight: Nisa Hotel, Ashgabat (3 nights)
Day 2 Sunday: Ashgabat
Full day sightseeing tour of the capital city of Turkmenistan - we shall visit the Talkuchka Sunday Bazaar, also known as the Turkmen's Carpet Bazaar then the famous archaeological site of Nisa, which served as the winter capital of the Parthian rulers. Next visit is the National Museum of History & Ethnography. There is a rich collection from the Neolithic sites along the slopes of Kopet Dag mountain ranges. The Bronze age period is highlighted by finds from Murghab river and from the sites of Margiana. The highlight of the museum is the remarkable collection of ivory rythons from Nisa. A vase collected from the main stupa structure in Merve is believed have contained body relics of an important Buddhist monk. The other galleries are dedicated to the ethnic collection from famous Turkmen jewelry to costumes of various Turkmen tribes. There is also a big collection of the bridal decorations for the horses. Our last stop is the Carpet Museum, the museum claims to be one of the best in Central Asia. The carpets and designs come from Tekke,Yamud, Sarik and Chodor famous tribes. The museum houses one of the largest carpet and a large variety of other carpets like prayer rugs, entrance decorations, horse bags and trappings and pillow covers. (B, D)
Day 3 Monday: Ashgabat
Travel to one of the ancient archaeological sites of Merve by taking flights in/out of Mary town. We shall have a detailed visit of Merve by visiting Gaiyur Kala, Erk Kala and Sultan Kala. We shall also see the impressive mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar one of the powerful Khorezmian ruler. The archaeological site of Merve often mentioned as Margiana by classical writers is a rich city, which was part of the Achaemenian empire in 6th century BC, the city was invaded by the Macedonians under Alexander the Great and passed through successive rulers till it was invaded by the Arabs in 8th century AD serving as part of a springboard for their invasion of Central Asia. In the Islamic era it was known as the 'Mother of the cities', which flourished as an important town on the Great Silk Road running to Parthia. It was invaded by the Mongols in 13th century who depopulated the city by mercilessly killing more than a million souls. The archaeological museum of Mary is situated in the town and was selected to house the finds from the archaeological sites. There is a fairly large collection of Bronze age sites of Gonur Tepe and the artifacts found are comparable with the Sialk and Baluch sites of the same age. There is also ethnic section dedicated to the local tribes. (B, D)
Uzbekistan
Day 4 Tuesday: Ashgabat/Tashauz/Khiva
Morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Tashauz. Meet & drive to Khiva via Kunya Urgench, this was the capital of once powerful Khorezmia, which was flourished under the Achaemenid rule in 6th century BC. Then was wrested away from the last of the Persian rulers the Sasanids by the invading armies of the Arabs. Later powerful Turkic tribes who were converted to Islam took reins of the Kingdom and under whose rule the city flourished when great scholars of the Muslim attended the court of Khorezmshahs. A powerful and merciless invasion of the Mongolid hordes put an end to the ruling dynasty.
Overnight: Hotel Asia, Khiva (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 5 Wednesday: Khiva
Today we explore the World Heritage Site at Khiva, a city where time has stood still. Our visit starts with the main site of Ichan Kala followed by Kalta Minor, the Kunya Ark, the Rakhimkhon Madrassah, the Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud, the Friday Mosque and the Tashauli Palace and Harem. To complete the feeling, we climb the Khodja Minaret to take in the amazing fairy tale panorama. (B, D)
Day 6 Thursday: Khiva/Bukhara
Our drive to Bukhara is through the arid setting of the Kyzyl Kum Desert. Along the way we stop for some refreshments and see how humans have survived over the centuries in this barren landscape. Overnight: Hotel Zargaron Hotel, Bukhara (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 7 Friday: Bukhara
One of the grandest of Uzbek centers, Bukhara is an open museum with many mosques, madrassahs and a grand minaret. We spend the day visiting some of the finest examples of Islamic Architecture in the world, where exquisite tile and mosaic work complements the beautiful brick-work; no wonder the city is a World Heritage Site. Our visit includes the Lab-e-Khauz Complex with the Nadirkhon Devanbegi Madrassah, the Mogak Attari Mosque and the Poi Kalon Minaret. We also visit the Madrassahs of Aziz Khan and the Ulugbek Ark Fortress, the residence cum army headquarters of the Bukharan Emirs that houses an interesting collection of objects from those days and the Mausoleum of Ismail Samanid, which features some of the best 10th century brickwork, with a marked Persian influence. We conclude the day with a visit to Sitora-i-Mokhikhosa, the Summer Residence of the former Emirs of Bukhara. (B, D)
Day 8 Saturday: Bukhara/Gijduvan/Samarkand
This morning we start off with our visit to a local family ceramic factory in Gijduvan then continue onto Samarkand. Overnight: Hotel Malika, Samarkand (3 nights) (B, D)
Day 9 Sunday: Samarkand
Day excursion to visit the World Heritage Site of Shakhrisabz, home town of Tamerlane. This historic centre contains a collection of exceptional monuments and ancient quarters, which bear witness to centuries worth of history, and particularly to the period of its climax in the 15th century under the empire of Tamerlane. Being a Sunday, it's very interesting to visit the Urgut Market known in this region. (B, D)
Day 10 Monday: Samarkand
The historic town of Samarkand is a crossroad and melting pot of the world's cultures and has been declared a World Heritage Site recently. Founded in the 7th century BC as ancient Afrosiab, Samarkand had its most significant development in the Timurid period from the 14th to the 15th centuries. Our tour takes us to the major monuments and includes the Registan Mosque and the adjoining madrassas, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the Gur-Emir Ensemble, as well as Ulugh-Beg's Observatory. Our afternoon tour also includes the Afrosiab Museum, located on the site of ancient Afrosiab and the Historical Museum of Uzbek Culture & Art, with the wooden coffin of Tamerlane and a large copy of the Koran. (B, D)
Tajikstan
Day 11 Tuesday: Samarkand/Penjikent/Tashkent
Today we make an attempt at crossing into Tajikstan. The border crossing is subject to rules that keep on changing, one of the notorious features of daily life in Central Asia. Our objective is to the see the site of the ancient city of Sogdiana at Penjikent. Should the border crossing not be possible then we head on to Tashkent.
Overnight: Hotel Dedeman, Tashkent (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 12 Wednesday: Tashkent
Our visit to Tashkent starts with the old part of the city, the Kafelsashi Mausoleum, the Barak Khana, the Tila Shaikh Mosque and Archives, followed by the Chorsu Bazar, Kukeldesh Madrassah, the Friendship Square and the Navoi Theatre. In the afternoon we will have time to visit the History Museum of Uzbekistan and the Museum of Fine Arts. The evening is free, with an opportunity to see a local opera or ballet. (B, D)
Kyrgyzstan
Day 13 Thursday: Tashkent/Bishkek /Issyk-Kul
We arrive at Bishkek after a short flight from Tashkent. Our tour of the Krgyz capital starts with the History Museum famous for its collection of Bolshevik Revolution artifacts. This is followed by a visit to Frunze's House, named after the Soviet General Michael Frunze who won Central Asia for the Blosheviks in the Civil War. Next stop is the Burana Tower Archaeological Museum, which is situated on the site of a caravan town dating to the 10th Century AD. We arrive Issyk-Kul in the evening. Overnight: Royal Beach Hotel, Issyk-Kul (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 14 Friday: Issyk-Kul
The enchanting Issyk-Kul Lake is surrounded by high mountains, with 134 rivers flowing into the lake, with traditional yurts dotting the landscape, this truly is a picturesque landscape. Our tour includes a visit to the Preshevalsky Museum, dedicated to the memory of Nikolai Michailovich Preshevalsky, an enthusiastic explorer accredited for his excellent works on flora and fauna of the Issyk-Kul region. He was also known for breeding a tiny horse in the steppes of Tibet, which later came to be known as the Preshevalsky Horse. In the afternoon we have time for leisure to enjoy the beautiful scenery around Issikul Lake. There are lots of water sports as well as health activities one can take advantage of. (B, D)
Kazakhstan
Day 15 Saturday: Issikul/Almaty
Driving through the heart of the Zailiysky Steppes, with their wide greens filled with beautiful poppy fields we head off to another stan. This time it is Kazakhstan, one of the largest countries in the world.
Overnight: Hotel Otrar, Almaty (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 16 Sunday: Almaty
Today we enjoy a full day tour of Almaty, including a visit to the Zhenkov's Cathedral, an extraordinary Russian Orthodox Church built of wood. We then take a walk through beautiful Panfilov Park. Later we visit the Central State Museum, which exhibits more than 40 different musical instruments. Even today in remote villages, music is part of a Kazakh's way of life. The evening is free for us to enjoy and shop for Central Asian souvenirs. (B, D)
Day 17 Monday: Depart Almaty
Our tour comes to an end today as we bid farewell to the last of the Central Asian Republics. After following many branches of the silk trader's routes, it is our time to bid farewell with ÒSau BolinizderÓ, as you are transferred to the airport for your departure flight. (B)
PRICES - 2008
$4735 based on 2 people; $3550 based on 6 people. Single room supplement: $535
payment for this tour by check only
Includes: accommodation dbl occ, daily breakfast and dinner, airport transfers and land transport, sightseeing tours, professional local guide, entrance fees, visa support, domestic flights.
Does Not Include: airport and border departure taxes, visa fees, tips, insurance.
Group Tour: There will be an accompanying escort throught your journey who is highly educated and speaks very good English. In some places you may also have local guides in addition to the escort.
Bring extra passport photos + copies of front page of passport and copies of all visas.
All prices subject to change.