3 Stans of Central Asia Key information Countries visited: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan Duration: 15 days / 14 nights Best season: March – June, August - October Tour type: Small group / individual (starting from 2 persons) What’s included: Accommodation in hotels listed on website - 14 nights (twin/dbl shared), Meals FB: breakfast at the hotels, lunches and dinners at the local restaurants/hotels, Services for private A/C car with driver per program, Escort English – speaking guide for all days, Domestic air tickets: Mary-Ashgabat, Ashgabat-Dashoguz, Khiva- Tashkent, Entrance fees to the sites listed, Show program in Bukhara, All airport transfers, Mineral water 1.0 L per day/per person, Visa support (letter of invitation Turkmenistan only needed) What’s not included: International air tickets, Tips and gratuities, Visa consular fees, Porterage, Video and photo charges, Personal expenses, Services not included in the itinerary Itinerary in brief Day 1 - Arrival in Tashkent Day 2 - Tashkent City Tour Day 3 - Tashkent - Samarkand Day 4 - Samarkand City Tour Day 5 - Samarkand - Gijduvon - Bukhara Day 6 - Bukhara City Tour Day 7 - Bukhara - Farab - Turkmenabat Day 8 - Mary - Ashgabat Day 9 - Ashgabat City Tour Day 10 - Ashgabat - Dashoguz Day 11 - Dashoguz - Koneurgench - Khiva Day 12 - Khiva - Tashkent Day 13 - Tashkent - Khujand City Tour Day 14 - Khujand - Tashkent Day 15 - Departure Detailed itinerary Day 1 - Arrival in Tashkent After your arrival at Tashkent airport, you'll be met by our company representatives and transferred to the hotel. This day you'll get to know some interesting information about Uzbekistan which is one of the most developed countries of Central Asia. The country is the region's cradle of unique cultural traditions, it attracts with distinctive architectural style, fascinating history connected with the Great Silk Road, rich national cuisine and absolutely exotic for foreigners atmosphere. Dinner will be served in the local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Tashkent Meals: Lunch, Dinner Day 2 - Tashkent City Tour The day will start with a full city tour around the historical capital of Uzbekistan – Tashkent city. With the help of our experienced guides, you’ll reveal lots of curious secrets hidden in this fascinating city. The tour will start with the exploration of the old town. The program includes visits to Khast Imam Complex (where is kept the world oldest Koran), Chorsu bazaar and Madrasah Kukeldash the largest madrasa (educational institution) of the 16th century in Tashkent. After lunch, you will explore the modern part of the city. The program includes visits to the main square of Tashkent (Independent square), A. Navoi theatre square built in 1947 by Japanese prisoners and museums. Amir Timur Museum is dedicated to Mongol warlord Amir and his genealogy. In the Museum of Applied Art of Uzbekistan, you will have a chance to admire over 7,000 samples of applied arts: handmade embroidery, skull-caps, jewellery, carpets and other Uzbek art exhibits. Dinner will be served in the local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Tashkent Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 3 - Tashkent - Samarkand This day you will have a trip to the world-famous third largest city of Uzbekistan – Samarkand. The journey will take about 2 hours. After arrival, you will check-in at the hotel and have some time for a rest. The history, culture and architecture of Samarkand are really worthy of attention. Being one of the most ancient cities on the earth, this «city of famous shadows» witnessed many historical events and shakes. According to some historical data it was founded in the VII century BC. Your city tour program includes visits to Paper Mills Factory, Afrasiyob Museum and Ulugbek’s observatory which is the biggest one in the East. Dinner will be organized in a local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Samarkand Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 4 - Samarkand City Tour The fourth day is devoted to the full exploration of Samarkand. First, you will see the main square of the city – Registan. Here is located the famous architectural ensemble of three madrasahs (Islamic schools) - the Ulugh Beg Madrasah, the Tilya-Kori Madrasah and the Sher-Dor Madrasah. The next place to visit is the architectural masterpiece of Central Asia - the mausoleum of Gur-e-Amir (also known as Tamerlane). The further program includes visits to Shaki Zinda Necropolis and Bibi-Khanym Mosque. At the central bazaar, you’ll have a chance to enjoy the tastes and aroma of local exotic products. Be sure to buy Samarkand national round bread (non). The bazaar offers bright fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, spices, local snacks, sweet cakes, chill tea, as well as local handicraft. After such a long and exciting day, you will have a nice dinner at the local restaurant and will have a rest at the hotel. Dinner will be organized in a local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Samarkand Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 5 - Samarkand - Bukhara The tour will start with a trip from Samarkand to Bukhara (280 km, 4 hours) – the other ancient Uzbek town located on the Great Silk Road. The city is a must-visit place due to its rich historical heritage. On the way, we’ll make a short stop to admire the ruins of medieval monument Caravanserai Rabat-i-Malik. Your trip will proceed through Gijduvan town where you will have a nice tour around a local pottery house. In Bukhara, you will visit the Chor Minor memorial and have a rest at the hotel. Dinner will be organized in a local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Bukhara Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 6 - Bukhara City Tour This day you will have a full exploration of Bukhara which is not inferior to Samarkand in terms of the abundance and significance of religious sights and architectural masterpieces. Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia – it is more than 2000 years old. It has been standing under the scorching Asian sun witnessing ruinous wars and glorious times when it was a major commercial centre of the Great Silk Road. Your city tour program will include the following sights: Samanid’s dynasty mausoleum, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, Bolo Haouz Mosque, the Ark Fortress, Kalon Complex, Magoki Attori Mosque, Ulugbek and Abdulazizi Khan Madrasahs and Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble. The day will end with a pleasant dinner and fashion show – program in old Nodir Devon Begi Madrassah. Dinner will be organized in a local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Bukhara Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 7 - Bukhara - Farab (121 km, 2 hours) - Turkmenabat (32 km, 47 min) After breakfast, you will continue your acquaintance with Bukhara unique sights. This time you will visit the summer palace of Emir Said Mir Mohammed Alim Khan and the museum of Decorative Applied Art. Thus, your full and exciting journey around Uzbekistan will come to its end and you will proceed to your next tour destination –Turkmenistan, one of the less discovered but no less interesting and mysterious countries of Central Asia. Dinner will be organized in a local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Turkmenabat Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 8 - Mary - Ashgabat (373 km) After breakfast, you will travel to Bayramaly city (212 km, 3 hours) located within Mary Province. Here you will have a sightseeing tour around one of the best-preserved oasis-cities of the Great Silk Road - ancient Marv the ruins of which are protected by UNESCO. The origin of Merv is shrouded in secrets, one thing is known for sure - the first written records of it appeared in the VIII-VI centuries BC. Omar Khayyam, Al-Samani, Imamaddin-Isfahani and other great thinkers of the Middle Ages lived and worked here. Your tour program in ancient Merv will include the following sights: Gyz Gala & Oglan Gala (VI-VII), Askhab's complex, Gyaur Gala, Buddhist Complex, Beni Makhan Mosque, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, Shrine & Pilgrimage Complex of Yusup Hemadani, Soltan Sanjar Mausoleum, Ibn Zeid Mausoleum. Then you will have lunch and later head to the centre of Mary Province – Mary city. There will be a tour program including Mary History Museum, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Gurbanguly Hajji Mosque and the Central Park. When the tour is over you will have a flight to Ashgabat - the capital of Turkmenistan, the largest administrative-political, industrial, scientific and cultural centre of the state. Dinner will be organized in a local restaurant. Overnight: Hotel in Ashgabat Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 9 - Ashgabat City Tour This day will be devoted to the main sights of Ashgabat city. You will see the beautiful fountain complex of Oguz Han & Sons who was the legendary ancestor of the Turkic peoples, then the main Turkmenian Mosque (Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Metjidi) and Old Nissa ancient settlement. The tour will proceed to the Archabil Shayoly Avenue founded in 2004; now it hosts the majority of Turkmenistan's ministry and departmental offices. You will see the Monument to the Turkmenistan Constitution - the second-tallest building in the whole country. It is decorated with marble and inside it hosts a museum, a conference room, a library, a gift shop and a cafeteria. After such a rich in impressions start you will need to take a lunch break and have a rest. Later your second part of the city tour will start. In the National Carpet Museum, you'll learn the history and ornaments of Turkmen carpets. The next impressive place to visit is Gulistan Bazaar which comprises of the big roofed hall where on the ground floor vegetables, fruits, spices, dried fruits, nuts, honey, etc. are sold. After a tasty dinner in one of the local restaurants you will have a nice drive along the main streets of Ashgabat – you will have a chance to enjoy the modern architectural masterpieces of the night city, one of which is the Palace of Happiness - a three-step structure crowned by a cube with a ball with a diameter of 32 meters displaying the map of Turkmenistan.