A mysterious travel through four countries:
China-Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan
Day-01 Arrival in Beijing. PM visit Tiananmen and Forbidden City.
Day-02 Flight to Urumchi. PM visit Museum.
Day-03 Drive to Turpan. PM visit ruins of Jiaohe ancient city, Karez Well and Emin minaret. Visit Flaming mountain, Bezaklik Buddist Gratoes, Grape Valley.
Day-04 Drive back to Urumchi for flight to Kashgar. Arrive in Kashgar.
Day-05 Visit Abakhoja Mausoleum, Sunday market and Mosque Eidkah.
Day-06 Excursion to Karakul lake.
Day-07 Drive to Kyrgyz-China Torugart Pass. After border formalities drive to Naryn with lunch-boxes.
Day-08 After early breakfast drive to Issyk-Kul Lake.
Day-09 AM excursion to Grigorievsk gorge with picnic lunch. PM excursion to Karakol. visit Przhevalsk Museum, Dungan Mosque and Orthodox Church.
Day-10 AM drive to Bishkek. En route visit Cholpon Ata petrogliphes, Burana Tower,Ak-Beshim ruins of ancient town.
Day-11 AM CSS of Bishkek. Visit Ala-Too square, Panfilov Park, Historical Museum, and Osh bazaar. PM drive to Almaty.
Day-12 AM CSS of Almaty. Visit Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, Museum of Nationa Instruments and
Historical Museum. PM excursion to Medeo skating rink.
Day-13 AM. Transfer to airport for departure flight to Tashkent. PM CSS of Tashkent -visit Kukeldash Madrassah and Khast Imam Square. Also visit Barak Khan Madrassah, Tillya Sheykh Mosque and Kafal Shashi Mausoleum.
Day-14 Drive to Samarkand (300 km). PM S/S of Reghistan square (Sandy place) – ensemble of majestic madrassahs (15-17 cc.), ranks first in Central Asia and among the greatest of all the grandiose and magnificent works of the Islamic world.
Day-15 FD CSS of Samarkand: Visit to Gur Emir (in Tajik - Tomb of the emir) – mausoleum of Timur and the Timurids (15 c.); Bibi Khanym Mosque (15 c.) – the gigantic congregational mosque, once one of the Islamic world’s biggest mosque and Siab market – colorful main farmers’ market. Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch visit to Shakhi Zinda (The Living King) – necropolis of Samarkand rulers and nobles. The name refers to its original, innermost and holiest shrine – the grave of Qusam ibn-Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, who is said brought Islam to this area. Also visit to Ulugbek Observatory (1420) – the remains of an immense (30 m. tall) astrolabe for observing star position, part of three-storey observatory and Afrasiab ruins and museum with fragments of 7th century frescoes. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day-16 Drive to Bukhara via Shahresabz (470 km). Visit: Ak Saray (White Palace) – Summer residence of Tamerlane (14 c.), Kok Gumbaz (Blue Dome) – Friday mosque (15 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.
Day-17 Full day S/S of Bukhara: visit Poi Kalon Ensemble (Pedestal of the Great). The square separates the Mir-I-Arab Madrassah and the Kalon Jummi mosque. The Kalon Minaret (in Tajik means “Great”) is one of the defining symbols of Bukhara. When it was built by the Karakhanid Arslan Khan in 1127, the Kalon Minaret was probably the tallest building in Central Asia. It’s incredible piece of work, 47 meters tall, which in 875 years has never needed any but cosmetics repairs. Also visit 3 remaining domed bazaars – Taqi Zargaron (1570), or Jeweler’s Bazaar, Taqi Telpak Furushon or Cap Makers’ Bazaar and Taqi Sarrafon, or Moneychangers’ Bazaar, which were among dozens of specialized bazaars in the town, Magok-I-Atori Mosque – the remains of a Buddhist monastery, a Zoroastrian temple and the mosque of the Arab invaders, all sharing the same space and Lyabi Hauz Ensemble. Lyabi Hauz, a plaza built around a pool in 1620 (the name is Tajik for “around the pool”). To the east, the Nadir Divanbegi Madrassah, built in 1630, on the west side of the square, and built at the same time, is the Nadir Divanbegi Khanaka. North across the street, the Kukeldash Madrassah, once was the biggest Islamic school in Central Asia. Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch visit the Ark fortress – royal town-within-town, as old as Bukhara itself, home to the rulers of Bukhara for over a millennium, Bolo Hauz Mosque (“Mosque Near the Pool”) (1712) – the royal court mosque, Ismoil Samani Mausoleum – the town’s oldest building (completed around 905) and one of the most elegant structures in Central Asia, and Chashma Ayub (“Spring of Job”) – built in 12 century over a spring.
Day-18 Full day out of the city tour of Bukhara - visit Chor Minor (Four Minarets) (1807)– one of the most charming and quirky buildings in Bukhara and Sitora-I-Mohi Khosa – the Emir’s summer palace, built by the Russians in 1911 for the last Emir Alim Khan. After lunch at local restaurant visit Bakhauddin Naqshbandi Ensemble – Bukhara’s holiest sight, a place of shrines, stories and superstitions, of burgeoning faith and parallel Islam. It is also the burial place of one of Sufic Islam’s founders of holiest saint, Khazreti Muhammed Bakhauddin Naqshbandi (1318-1389). Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day-19 Day drive to Urgench (480 km).
Day-20 Full day visit Khiva Visit Ichan Kala (Inner town). Visit Mohammed Amin Khan madrassah (1852-1855) – the largest of its kind in the city with a capacity of 250 Islamic students; Kelte Minor (“Short minaret”) commissioned by the khan in 1852 to stand (at over 70 m.) as the biggest in the Islamic world, but abandoned in the wake of his death at a frustrated 26 meters. Also visit Kunya Ark (Old Fortress) – the Khiva rulers’ residence, first built in 12th century, then expanded by the khans in the 17th century. Pakhlavan Mahmud mausoleum – with its lovely courtyard and stately tilework it is one of the town’s most beautiful spots. Islam Khoja madrassah (1908) and minaret (1910) – Khiva’s newest Islamic monuments. The minaret is 45 meters tall and it’s Khiva’s highest. Juma mosque (1788) (Friday Mosque) – is interesting for the 213 wooden pillars, each 3,15 m., supporting its roof – a structural concept though to be derived from ancient Arabian mosques. Lunch at hotel. After lunch visit Tosh Howli (Stone House) – residence, built by Allah Kuli Khan between 1832 and 1841 as a more splendid alternative to the Kunya Ark; Allah Kuli Khan madrassah (1835), and caravanserai. Flight to Tashkent.
Day-21 Transfer to airport for departure flight.
QUOTATION:
30+1 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
25+1 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
20+1 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
15+1 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
10+1 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
05-09 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
04 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
03 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
02 PAX – US$ per person on h/twin with breakfast
01 PAX – US$ on SGL with breakfast
Supplement for half board – US$ per person
Supplement for full board – US$ per person
Single supplement – US$
Air tickets (fares are subject to change): Urgench – Tashkent – US$ per person
Services included:
- Hotel with breakfasts – Tashkent: Shodlik Palace 4*/Uzbekistan 4*/Grand Orzu 3*; Samarkand: Konstantin 4*/Orient Star 3*; Bukhara: Amelia boutique/Malika 3*/Caravan 3*; Khiva: Malika 3*/Madrassa 3*
- English speaking guide
- AC transport
- Entrance fees
