Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan 13 Days

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will visit the Green Bazaar, where it is impossible to resist buying something. Then the excursion will continue in one of the oldest parks in the city – the park named after the 28 Panfilov Guards, where you will see one of the most beautiful wooden buildings in the world – Holy Ascension Cathedral. After visiting the sports, cultural and business areas of the city, you will visit the Medeo tract. Next, the tour will continue on Mount Kok-Tobe, where you will climb the winding mountain road. On this mountain there is the highest television tower in the world (if you count from sea level), which is visible from anywhere in the city. In Kok-Tobe you can walk along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city a viewing platform, as well as visit national souvenir store. The tour ends with a descent from the top of the mountain to the very center of the metropolis in the carriage of the famous Almaty cable car. Transfer to the hotel. Night at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will have a one-day trip to the Charyn Canyon. This is one of the unique natural monuments of Kazakhstan. The canyon is about 12 million years old and surprises with its vertical cliffs, reminiscent of ancient castles created under the influence of wind, sun and rain. It’ll take you about 3 hours to get to the canyon. In the meantime, you will hear a lot of interesting things about the history and nature of this region, about the Kazakh people, about their life and traditions, and also dine in a local cafe. And as soon as you see the Charyn Canyon, you will immediately forget about the long path traveled, so you will be amazed by the beauty and splendor of the canyon. You can admire the grand panorama and then walk through the maze of the Valley of Castles with its inaccessible walls hanging over you. Transfer to the hotel. Night.

Breakfast at the hotel. The excursion route to one of the most beautiful gorges of the Zaili Alatau – Issyk Gorge lies along the Kuld tract, where caravans were trading hundreds of years ago. Along the way, you will visit the ISSYK State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, where you will see exhibitions dedicated to the history and culture of the Saka period, including a copy of the Golden Man and gold objects, ancient ceramics, weapons, elements of equestrian equipment, as well as a model of the Saka mound. Then the route will take you to a height of 1756 meters above sea level, to the beautiful mountain lake Issyk, located in the valley of the same name. On the lake you will enjoy the magnificent beauty of your turquoise water surface and the Issyk gorge, as well as listen to the details of the disaster of 1963. On the shore of the lake you will have a picnic and free time to relax in nature. In the evening transfer to hotel. Night at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for flight Astana – Tashkent. Arrival in Tashkent. Transfer to hotel. Night at the hotel.

After breakfast – a tour of Tashkent. Tashkent is associated with words full of deep meaning, such as « Bread City, » « Hospitable City, » « City of Peace, Friendship, Warmth and Brotherhood. » Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan, a modern city shining with the splendor of new buildings. Amir Timur Square, a visit to Tashkent TV tower, the cultural center of the old city with ancient Koran (7th century), Chorsu Bazaar. Overnight in a hotel in Tashkent.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to railway station. Departure from Tashkent to Samarkand at 8:00 on Afrosiab high-speed train. Arrival in Samarkand at 10:08. Meeting in Samarkand with a sign with your name and transfer to the hotel (check-in at 14:00). Tour of the city.

Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in the world with a 2750-year history, the same age as Rome, Athens, Babylon.

Visit Ulugbek Observatory (XV in), Afrosiab Museum of Archeology. Visit to the grave of St. Doniyor (Daniel). Necropolis of Shahi Zinda (XIV-XVV). Dinner. Night in the hotel of Samarkand.

After breakfast continue the tour of Samarkand. Visit Registan Square (XV-XVII centuries). It is surrounded by three majestic buildings: Ulugbek madrasah, Sher Dor madrasah and Tilla Kari madrasah. Lunch in a national house. After lunch continue exploring Samarkand. Bibi Khanum Mosque (XIVV) was built by the order of Timur to become the grandest building of that time. Its construction was carried out in 5 years. Walk in Samarkand bazaar « Siob ». The mausoleum of Guri Emir with a majestic blue dome, where Amir Timur is buried with his sons and grandchildren. Dinner. Night at the hotel.

Transfer to Bukhara (260 km, ~ 4 hours) via Gijduvan. Visit the house-workshop of hereditary ceramist Abdullo in Gijduvan. In the suburbs of Bukhara you will visit the summer residence of the former emir of Bukhara – Sitorai Mohihosa palace. Arrival in Bukhara, hotel accommodation. Dinner. Walk through the historic city center. Night at a hotel in Bukhara.

After breakfast start exploring Bukhara with your guide.

Bukhara the divine! It is one of the oldest cities of Central Asia the age of which reaches 2,500 years. This city has been a spiritual and commercial center and its importance does not decline over the centuries. « Bukhoroi – Sharif » – « Noble and Sacred Bukhara » – is one of the numerous epithets that this ancient city was awarded. Here you can fully feel the charming atmosphere of the East!

Visit the central part of the city: complex of Poikalon (XII—XVI c), architectural ensemble of “Masjidi Kalon”, “Miri Arab” madrasah and  minaret (46 m). Ulugbek Madrasah (1417) was the earliest of three commissioned by the enlightened Timurid ruler. Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah (1652). Trading Domes including Toki Zargaron, Toki Telpak Furushon and Toki Saraffon. Tim of Abdullakhan (1577) and one of the most elegant trade halls. Faizulla Khodjaev House (XIX c) — a 150-year old house of the Bukhara merchant. Magoki Attori mosque, Labi-Hauz (XVI—XVII c) — a complex with Nodir Devon Begi madrasah. Lunch at a local restaurant. Ark Fortress (VI — XIX c) — in the Middle Ages it was a whole town with the Emir’s family house with wives, mosques, mint place, government institutes, store rooms, a prison and a square for public executions, Bolo Haus Ensemble, Samanid mausoleum (IXc)- the first brick building shaped as a cube covered with dome with unrepeatable geometrical brickwork design, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum. Overnight at hotel of Bukhara.

Breakfast at the hotel. Moving by minibus from Bukhara to Khiva through the Kyzylkum desert. (452 km, ~ 7 hours). The name « Kyzylkum »  translated from Turkic means « red sands ». The sands here are reddish in color, formed by weathering and spreading of indigenous sandy deposits. On the way stop at the Amu Darya River and near the dunes to take photos.  

Arrival in Khiva, accommodation. After a little rest in the hotel, be sure to take a walk in Khiva in the evening! Khiva at night is the eighth miracle of the world! Walking along the streets of this town, where minarets rise, and the sky is filled with large, bright stars you will find yourself in a fairy tale! And words cannot discribe extraordinary calmness and peace in the air! Overnight at hotel of Khiva.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will have a walking tour in Khiva with your guide. Ichan-Qala  is the historical center of Khiva which has been inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List. City tour around the architectural complex « Ichan-Qala »: Kunya-Ark Khan’s castle – the inner citadel of Ichan-Qala (16-17th cc.), Kalta Minor Tower (Short minaret) that would have become the biggest and tallest minaret in Central Asia (19th c.), Muhammad Amin-Khan – the biggest  medieval madrasah in Khiva (1845-1855 yy.), Djuma mosque with 220 wooden columns and a minaret 32 meters high. Lunch at a local restaurant. Tash Hauli (Stone courtyard) palace looking like a fortress with a high battlements, towers and fortified gates (19th c.), Ak mosque (White Mosque) – a small quarter mosque by the  gates of Palvan-Darvaza (1838-1842), necropolis of Pahlavan Mahmud – the cultic center of Ichan-Qala (1810-1913 yy.), residence of Islam Khodja (1910 y.) – the vizier of the last khan. Ensemble consists of the smallest madrasah in Khiva and a minaret which top platform has a height of 45 m and is the highest observation point in town.

At 20:00 the transfer to the airport for the Urgench-Tashkent flight HY058 at 22:35. Arrival in Tashkent. Transfer to the hotel. Night at Tashkent Hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for international flight home.

End of the programme.