| Day 1 |
Arrive
Tashkent
Khush
Kelibsizlar – Welcome to Uzbekistan!
|
| Day 2 |
Tashkent/Bukhara
Morning tour of the Uzbek capital. Afternoon, short flight to
Bukhara.
|
| Day 3 |
Bukhara
Full
day tour of Bukhara-the setting, even today, takes us back to
the days of the Arabian Nights.
|
| Day 4 |
Bukhara/Urgench
We
experience a whole different landscape as we drive through the
Kyzylkum Desert toward Urgench.
|
| Day 5 |
Khiva
Full
day tour of this living museum –the most magnificent site in Central
Asia.
|
| Day 6 |
Urgench/Tashauz/Ashghabat
Khush
Gelinis - welcome to Turkmenistan as we drive to Konye-Urgench.
Brief tour. Continue to Tashauz airport for a short flight to
Ashghabat.
|
| Day 7 |
Sunday Carpet Bazaar
Morning
tour of Ashghabat. Afternoon free to wonder this unique bazaar.
|
| Day 8 |
Ashghabat/Merv
Drive
to old Merv, the "Pearl of the East". Later visit Sultan
Sanjar Mausoleum & Kys Kala, an unusual windowless castle
outside the city and nick-named as "The House of Maidens’
Tears".
|
| Day 9 |
Merv/Bukhara
An
interesting drive brings us to Bukhara.
|
| Day 10 |
Bukhara/Shakhrisabz/Samarkand
We
depart for Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane - the man who
made so much a difference to Central Asia. Later continue to Samarkand. |
| Day 11 |
Samarkand
Full
day tour of Samarkand, "Rome of the Orient"- a city which
was already flourishing when Rome and Babylon were founded. |
| Day
12 |
Penjikent/Bunjikath/Tashkent
Excursion
to Penjikent and Bunjikath in Tajikistan. Drive to Tashkent. |
| Day
13 |
Tashkent/Ferghana
Cross
the delightful Kamchik Pass to the picturesque Ferghana Valley visiting
Kokand en route. |
| Day:
14 |
Marghilan
& Andijan
Full
day tour of Marghilan and Andijan visiting the birthplace of the
Moghul King Babur who ushered in a golden era of over 300 years
rule in Indian history. Evening we visit a home in the Ferghana
Valley. |
| Day
15 |
Ferghana/Toktogul
Khosh
Kelnizder-the traditional Kyrghyz welcome as we head for the hilly
country of Karakul and Toktogul. |
| Day
16 |
Toktogul/Bishkek
We
cross the famous Kyrgyz Tiu Ashoo Pass to Bishkek, the capital of
Kyrgyzstan, which during Soviet times was known as Frunze. |
| Day
17 |
Bishkek
Morning
tour of Bishkek. Afternoon free for individual exploration of Bishkek
which offers colourful and interesting bazaars. |
| Day
18 |
Bishkek/Almaty
We
depart on a very scenic route to Almaty in Kazakhastan. |
| Day
19 |
Almaty:
Full
day tour of Almaty. |
| Day
20 |
Depart
Almaty
After
following the many routes of the caravans, we say "Sau Bolinizder"
and change to jet age travel. |
Meal
Plan:
Breakfast and Dinner daily Airfares Tashkent/Bukhara and Tashauz/Ashghabat
included in tour cost.
Note
this is a soft adventure tour and involves some long drives. Overnight,
at certain places, is limited to basic accommodation and may include
tent, dacha or yurt. |