stantrips

• Day 1 - Almaty (Kazakhstan)

  Your guide and driver will greet you at 09:00 for a full day of sightseeing. Begin with a scenic 25 km drive to Chimbulak Ski Resort. Enjoy a cable car ride offering breathtaking panoramic views of the Tian Shan Mountains' snow-capped peaks. After lunch, continue your exploration of Almaty's highlights, including Panfilov Park, the historic Zenkov Cathedral, and the Museum of National Musical Instruments. Conclude your tour with free time on the vibrant Arbat Street (Zhybek Zholy Street), Almaty's main pedestrian street. Free time. Overnight at the hotel

• Day 2 - Almaty – Bishkek (250 km, 4-5 hrs)

  Breakfast. At 09:00, depart from Almaty and drive to Bishkek via a highway, enjoy nature landscapes on the way (250 km, 4 h.).
  Meeting with your Kyrgyz guide on the Kyrgyz/Kazakh border, Korday, and transfer to Bishkek.
  Upon arrival, check in at the hotel. Start sightseeing tour in Bishkek: visit Oak Park, Ala-Too Square, Statue of Manas. See Philharmonic Hall and Victory Monument – bright examples of Soviet architecture. Free time. Overnight at the hotel

• Day 3 - Bishkek – Ala-Archa – Tashkent (130 km 2-3 hrs)

  Breakfast. Transfer to the “Ala-Archa National Park”. It is an alpine national park in the Tian Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The Park, which includes the gorge of the Ala-Archa River and the mountains surrounding it, is a popular destination point for weekend travellers, hikers, horse trekkers, skiers, as well as mountain climbers looking for challenging ice, rock and mixed routes. The Park is open year-round, although the most popular season is late summer and early fall. Enjoy a gondola ride to a panoramic view.
  Drive back to Bishkek for lunch (on your own). Continue sightseeing at the famous Osh Bazaar. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Tashkent

• Day 4 - Tashkent – Samarkand

  Breakfast. Start the Tashkent city tour at 10:00.
  Begin at the Courage Monument, which commemorates the 1966 earthquake and honours the resilience of the people of Tashkent, before continuing to the historic Old City. Visit the Mausoleum of Kaffal Shashi, walk past the Khast-Imam Complex, view the exterior of the Islamic Civilisation Centre, and stroll along the newly developed Zarkaynar Street.
  Next, explore Chorsu Bazaar, then ride the beautifully decorated Tashkent Metro to the modern city centre. Enjoy free time for lunch. Then continue to the State Museum of Applied Arts and admire the elegant facade of the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, concluding the tour at Amir Timur Square, where you will end the Tashkent city tour. Train to Samarkand

• Day 5 - Samarkand

  Breakfast. Your city tour will begin with a visit to the Gur Emir Mausoleum, the final resting place of the Turco-Mongol emperor, Timur. Continue to the spectacular Registan Square, explore the Bibi Khanum Mosque and Siyob bazaar. After lunch break, continue to Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, then take a short drive to Konigil village to find out about the traditional techniques used to make the famous Samarkand paper from mulberry bark. Overnight at the hotel.
  Tea/coffee break Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

• Day 6 - Samarkand – Seven Lakes – Penjikent (210 km, 6-8 hrs)

  Breakfast. At 9 am, transfer to the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border point, Jartepa (50 km, 1 h). Upon arrival at the customs and passport control on both sides, kindly proceed to the exit of the border control area. At that point, our guide/driver will be waiting for you. Meet your local Tajik guide and driver to drive to the Seven Lakes. These lakes are located in the western part of the Fann Mountains. Each lake has its own colour, varying from calming turquoise to mesmerising purple. Have lunch at the guest house next to the 4th lake. Those who would like to enjoy the view from the 7th lake, there is an opportunity to have a hiking tour from the 6th lake up to the 7th lake. (Please note: This trek is subject to weather conditions and may be unavailable if the path is unsafe.) In the late afternoon, transfer to the hotel in Penjikent. Check in and overnight.
  Meals: lunch

• Day 7 - Penjikent – Samarkand – Bukhara (314 km, 5-6 hrs)

  Breakfast. Drive to ancient Penjikent, the ruins of a town founded by the Sogdians in the 5th century and abandoned by the Arabs in the 8th century. The foundations of houses, a citadel with a couple of Zoroastrian fire temples, and the remains of the city bazaar are visible in the excavated ruins. In the newer part of Penjikent, visit a local bazaar, a mosque, and the Rudaki Museum (Penjikent is the birthplace of Abu Abdallah Rudaki, considered by many to be the father of Persian poetry). After a 3-hour sightseeing tour, drive to the Jartepa border crossing. Complete the border formalities. On the Uzbek side, your driver will meet you. Transfer to Bukhara. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel, check in and overnight.
  Meals: lunch

• Day 8 - Bukhara

  Breakfast. At 10:00, start exploring the Old City of Bukhara. Highlights of the walking tour will include: the Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, Chor-Minor Madrasa, Kalyan Minaret, Miri-Arab Madrasa, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrasas, Ark Fortress, Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleums, and various trading domes. Free time from 15:00 until the National Show at Nadir Divan-begi Madrasa, which starts at 18:00. Overnight at the hotel

• Day 9 - Bukhara – Turkmenabat – Merv (510 km, 8 hrs)

  Breakfast. At 7:30 AM, transfer to the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border point, Olot. Upon arrival at the customs and passport control on the Uzbek side, kindly proceed to the Turkmen Customs Office. At that point, our guide will be waiting for you to assist you with the process. After border formalities, drive to Merv, one of the most important historical capitals of the Islamic and pre-Islamic eras, along with Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus. Sightseeing of ancient Merv includes Greater Kyz Gala & Lesser Kyz Gala (VI-VII), Complex of Askhabs (VIII-XIV), Erk Gala (VI BC), Gyaur Gala (IV BC), Hoja Yusup Hamadani complex, Sultan Sanjar mausoleum, Muhamed Ibn Zeid mausoleum. After sightseeing, transfer to Mary. Overnight at the hotel

• Day 10 - Mary – Ashgabat (360 km, 4 hrs)

  Breakfast. After breakfast, drive to Ashgabat (360 km, ~4 h). In the afternoon, you will have an Ashgabat city tour. You will see the Ashgabat Olympic Stadium, Monument and Park of Independence, the main flagpole of Ashgabat, the Arch of Neutrality, the Constitution Monument, the Ferris Wheel, Wedding Palace and enjoy a panoramic view of Ashgabat from the top of the hill, Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, Alabay monument and Ertogrul Gazi Mosque. Overnight at a hotel

• Day 11 - Ashgabat – Darvaza (278 km, 4 hrs)

  Breakfast. After breakfast, free time till noon. Take an afternoon drive to the Darvaza Gas Crater (276 km, ~4 h), one of the most popular international tourist destinations. The region is abundant in natural gas, and the Darvaza Gas Crater has been burning for over 50 years, making it shine like a pearl amid the Karakum desert. Apart from the Darvaza Gas Crater, you will also have the opportunity to witness water and mud craters. One of this trip’s most captivating and intriguing aspects is the fresh desert air and the chance to experience the nomadic way of life firsthand. At night, while the light of the Gas Crater illuminates the sky, you will camp in the Turkmen national yurt or private tents and have a barbecue for dinner

• Day 12 - Darvaza – Dashoguz - Khiva (366km, 6-7 hrs)

  Breakfast. Drive to the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border point, Shavat. Border formalities for both sides. After the border crossing, we depart for Khiva.
  Arrival in Khiva in the late afternoon. Free time to rest at the hotel.
  Overnight in Khiva

• Day 13 - Khiva

  Breakfast at the hotel. We start our sightseeing tour of Khiva from the main gate of the old town, Ota Darvoza. We visit the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrassah and the iconic Kalta Minor Minaret, which was intended to be the tallest in Central Asia but was left unfinished. Next, we explore the Said Alauddin Mausoleum, one of the oldest monuments in Ichan-Kala, followed by the Kunya Ark Citadel, the former residence of Khiva’s khans.
  The tour continues with the Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrassah and the Juma Mosque, known for its impressive forest of carved wooden columns.
  In the afternoon, we visit the Islam Khodja Minaret and Madrassah, a symbol of Khiva, and the Tash-Khauli Palace, famous for its richly decorated reception halls.
  We end the tour at the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, the spiritual heart of the city.
  Overnight at the hotel

• Day 14 - Khiva – Urgench – Departure (32 km, 40 min)

  Breakfast. Hotel check-out and transfer to Urgench International Airport

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