2006 - 43 Day Silk Road Itinerary. subject to change Day/Date ITINERARY Overnight @ Day 01 May 21 Transfer to hotel. Check in. Xi'an Sunday Arriving from Beijing, we will explore Xi'an, the Aurum International Hotel: center of power and capital of China through the first Phone: +86-29-87672888 millennium and the eastern terminus of the traditional Silk Road. Fax: +86 29 8767666. No.30 Nan Xin St. Day 02 May 22 Visit Terra Cotta Army, Shaanxi XIAN Monday Provincial museum, Grand Mosque and Aurum International Hotel: Bazaar, Wild Goose Pagoda Here is the tomb of the first Emperor of China , the 7000-strong Terra Cotta Warriors. The Mosque and Buddhist Temple both date from the Tang Dynasty, underlining the city’s cosmopolitan nature. Day 03 May 23 Fly Urumchi. URUMCHI Tuesday We fly to Urumchi, the transit and industrial center Xinjiang Grand Hotel for the region. Urumchi is located at the northern No.168 North Xinhua Road. foothills of the Tian Shan. Tel: +86-991-2818788, Fax: +86-991-2810048, 2935313. Day 04 May 24 Xinjiang University Meeting in the Turpan Wednesday morning Oasis Hotel Seminar one. Here we will participate in a seminar Youth Road +86-995- about the region with faculty of Xinjiang University. 8553388 Fax: 8523348 Afternoon ride to Turpan A 3-hour ride in an air-conditioned bus to Turpan. Lying 154meters (505 ft) below sea level, the Turpan Basin not only sits in the second largest depression in the world, but it is one of the hottest places in China. Despite its desert location, Turpan boasts fertile land producing cotton and grapes, thanks to the karez, an ancient irrigation system. Upon arrival, excursion to the ruins of Jiaohe, YARGOL, a Han Dynasty garrison that was destroyed by Genghiskhan. In the evening we will enjoy an Uygur dance show . Day 05 May 25 06:00 AM Turpan. Thursday Idikut (Gaochang), Bezeklik Buddha Oasis Hotel. Caves, Flaming Mountains) , Emin Minaret, Astana tombs, Karez Wells, In Turpan, local culture is mixed between Turk and Chinese, Islam and Confucianism. Sites to be visited include the ruins of Yargol and of Qocho. These cities were controlled at various times by Tocharian, Han and Tang China, Uyghurs, Turks, Tibetans, and Xiongnu. Materials from Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, and Manicheanism were all found here. The Bezelik Buddhist Caves were a major focal point for Buddhism. Cultural sites include the Emin Minaret, a karez irrigation system 2000 years old, modern mosques, and the bustling bazaar. Natural sites include the Flaming Mountains, Ayding Lake and the Gobi Desert. Day 06 May 26 Turpan-Urumchi-Kazak meadows Urumchi Friday fter lunch, we drive back to Urumqi, Urumqi is a Xinjiang Grand Hotel growing metropolis inhabited mainly by Han Chinese No.168 North Xinhua Road. and serves as a transport hub for those crossing to Tibet, Pakistan and Central Asia. Visit the Kazak Tel: +86-991-2818788, Fax: meadows where we will see nomadic Kazaks and +86-991-2810048, 2935313. their tents Overnight in Urumchi Day 07 May 27 We will visit the Xinjiang Regional Museum with its Late Fly Urumqi- Kashgar. Saturday collection on local history and culture Qinibagh Hotel Urumchi Market No.144 Seman Road, Tel: Latest flight to Kashgar +86-998-2982103. Lying at the foot of the Karakoram mountains, Kashgar was a focal point of Silk Road travel. Day 08 May 28 Kashgar Market Kashgar. Sunday Old city Walking tour Qinibagh Hotel Visit to Abakhoja Maoseleum, Sunday Market and Mosque Eidkah. Lunch with Uygur Family in order to learn more about the Uygur Culture. Kashgar was once the key trading post bridging theEast and the West. Largely inhabited by the Uygurs, this ancient city is dottedwith Muslim architecture and still retains the exotic feel of the Silk Road era. Every Sunday, around 100,000 people gather in the enormous Kashgar Bazaar area where you can buy anything from goats heads and hoofs to colorful paintedwooden saddles. The traditional costumes and food give it an almost medieval feel and bring alive the legends of this epic overland journey along the Silk Road. Day 09 May 29 Leave Kashgar at 07:00 Naryn KYRGYZSTAN Monday home visits. Torugart Pass Celestial Mountains Inn Drive to Turgart Pass(167kms) to exit to Kirghizstan C e l e s t ial Mountains Inn Along the way visit a home of an Uyghur family. Razzakov street 42, tel/fax: Meet the Kirgyz but at the border of China : at China-Kyrgyz “Torugart” border and after all +996 3522 50412 formalities drive to Naryn with lunch boxes en route. Torugart pass is normally snow-free from May through September. The Torugart-Naryn road is problematic from mid-November to early March. From the Arc de Triumph (China) it is about 7 km to the Kyrgyzstan customs and immigration. Distance is 60 km from Torugart to outer checkpoint and a further 130-km to Naryn. Naryn’s one real claim to fame is that the best quality shyrdaks (traditional, brightly colored felt- applique rugs) in Kyrgyzstan are said to be made here. Day 10 May 30 Ger Building, Felt making Naryn Tuesday Visit the Moslem Cemeteries Celestial Mountains Inn Day 11 May 31 Dolan Pass, Yurt visits, Tokoy reservoir, Issyk Kul Wednesday Balikci, Colpan Ata, Aurora hotel NARYN – ISSYK KUL (300 km, 5-6 hrs) tel. +996-3943 37215, 37389 After breakfast drive to Issyk-Kul Lake through add722315 v. Bulan-Sogotuu Dolon Pass of 3030 m, the highest point on the Naryn-Issyk Kul road. Usually this season (May- fax +996-3943 37211 September) the local people "chabans" are putting [email protected] their yurts on the valleys of Sary-Bulak & Dolon web-site: Passes. So you will see the wild life of local people. <http://www.aurora.kg/> Lunch en route. Upon arrival at Issyk-Kul transfer to resort for dinner and overnight. Day 12 June 1 Issyk Kul Issyk Kul Thursday Seminar two Nathan Light Aurora hotel Relaxing day (optional massage, sauna) Day 13 June 2 Burana Minaret ( Gobali- Balasagun) the Bishkek Friday capital of Karahanid Kingdom. Pinara En route to Bishkek we visit Burana Tower (10th now hotel "Ak-Keme" century tower—originally 45m tall-- marking the site 93, Prospect Mira, of Balasagun, the center of the Karakhanid whose power stretched from Samarakand to Kashgar) (295 tel:+996 312 540143/44, km, 4-5 hrs) fax: +996-312 542408, Bishkek Market after lunch 542404 Bishkek [email protected] http://www.akkemehotel.com/ Day 14 June 3 Bishkek University Bishkek Saturday In Bishkek, we visit Ala-Too Square, With the help Pinara Hotel of Kyrgyz parliamentarians, we will visit the "White House", the seat of the Kyrgyzstan government and parliament. Seminar three. Parliament / UNDP Consultant Day 15 June 4 Museum, Visit the artists Bishkek Sunday State Historical Museum, archaeology exhibit and Pinara Hotel displays of Kyrgyz carpets, embroidery, yurts, and other applied crafts. Day 16 June 5 Fly Osh. Osh Monday Osh dates back to 5th century BCE as a major Silk Intourist Hotel Road town. Today, the ethnic mixtures between Hotel Osh-Inturist Uzbek and Kyrgyz make Osh a good place to observe and discuss ethnic identity, and the opportunities and 1, Bayalinov str, challenges that diversity bring. Major local sites are tel:+996-3222 27991, 75614, Solomon's Throne, a jagged outcrop overlooking the fax:+996-3222 56326 city, and the Jayma Bazaar, one of the most eclectic bazaars in the region. Day 17 June 6 Drive to Fergana via Andijan Ferghana. Tuesday Drive to Uzbekistan through the Fergana valley, a UZBEKISTAN major destination for Chinese visitors to Central Asia For Uzbek hotels the best searching for horses around 100 BCE. Andijan was way of contacting is calling home to Babur the founder to the Indian Mughal the following numbers dynasty, 1500s CE Agency Phone: +(998) 71 120 8883 Fax: +(998) 71 120 8873 Utkir (Our Guide’s Cell Phone) + 998 71 154 6883 Asia Hotel Day 18 June 7 Drive to Margilan Rishtan Fergana city Ferghana. Wednesday In Margilan, we will visit the bazaar and the Asia Hotel Yodgorlik Silk Factory to see the industrial side of tel: +(998) 732 245221 the Silk Road. fax: 248005 26, A.Navoi str., Day 19 June 8 Drive via Kokand to Tashkent Tashkent Thursday going Kokand to visit mosques and museums. Grand Orzu tel +(998) 711208877 fax 1208876 27, M. Tarobiy str., 700090 Day 20 June 9 Tashkent Tashkent Friday AM : Medressa, Chorsu Bazaar Grand Orzu PM Seminar fourWe plan a seminar at Institute of History, Academy of Science We will visit Kukeldash Medressa, Juma Mosque, and Chorsu Market in the old city. We make sure you see the country through the interpretations of the local artists. Tonight we will have the pleasure of visiting Mr. Akbar the potter at his house where we will have dinner Day 21 June10 Fly to Nukus to Karakalpakistan Khiva Saturday Visit Karakalpakistan Malika Hotel Visit Karakalpakistan Amu Derya Witness the environmental disaster that Karakalpakistan is experiencing. Meet with the locals at their homes and their schools to learn more about the destiny of lake Aral. Cross over the biggest river of Central Asia, Amuderya Day 22 June 11 Khiva Khiva Sunday Khiva Gullu Bag palace dinner? music Malika Hotel The walled inner city has been preserved as an open air museum. We will visit the Islam Khoja Minaret and Medressa, Juma Mosque, Pahlavon Mohammed Mausoleum and the palace of the former Emir of Khiva. We will attend a performance of Attazebah folk music and dance Day 23June 12th Fly to Tashkent afternoon flight Tashkent Monday Ballet? Opera? Grand Orzu Overnight in Tashkent tel +(998) 711208877 fax 1208876 27, M.