See other tours

Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan

Flight to Ashgabat

Day 1 (SUN) Ashgabat

Arrive. Meet at airport. Transfer to hotel. Check in & O/N

Visit ‘Tolkuchka’ market & dive in atmosphere of Turkmen rugs, jewelry, oriental robes, Arabian camels. Discover the colours of Central Asia market. Start sight seeing in Ashgabat & visit the Neutrality arch , Independence park, National museum of history. O/N at hotel.

Day 2 Ashgabat

Visit the archeological site “Old Nisa”, UNESCO world heritage site from 2007, Turkmenbashy mosque. Discover Ahal Teke horses at private horse farm. Return in Ashgabat and visit Turkmen carpet museum, Ertogrul Ghazi mosque. O/N at htl.

Day 3 Ashgabat –Darvaza-Ashgabat 500 km total

Drive to Darvaza settlement. Leave the road & discover the Fire Gas Crater. Return drive & visit Erbent village on the route. Discover landscapes of Kara Kum desert. O/N at htl.

Day 4 Ashgabat-Mary- Merv, 410 km

Drive to Mary. Continue to Merv historical site. The ancient city of Merv (Persian Marv) contains a succession of ancient cities developed over a period of 2500 years at the heart of the oasis formed by Murgab river delta, and close to the course of where the main river channel flowed in ancient times. Together, the cities of Merv once encompassed over 1000 hectares. In 1999, the United Nations declared Merv a World Heritage Site. O/N at hotel. Check in htl. O/N.

Day 5 Mary- Margush, 200 km total

Drive to Gonur (Margiana) archeological site. The part of the Bronze Age archaeological sites dating from c. 2200 to 1700 B.C., the remains of a connected Bronze Age civilization centered on the upper Amu Darya (Oxus), the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC) and the inhabitants of that period and region, the Oxus civilization. Margiana was the Greek name for the Persian province of Margush.

Visit the excavations: the sprawling maze of sun-baked adobe have revealed much of the Margiana way of life. An agricultural and herding community, residents grew grain, raised sheep, built sophisticated irrigation and sewage systems, and produced ceramics in the many kilns that dot the landscape. The main city was fortified by thick walls and packed with one-story buildings that included a vast palace featuring living quarters, funeral chambers, temples and what researchers believe are a pair of observatories. Necropolis digs have revealed exquisite objects of both local and foreign origin, the latter indicating trade with cultures as far off as Egypt and the Indus Valley. Return in Mary. O/N at hotel.

Day 6 Mary- Bukhara, 410 km

Cross Karakum desert, Amudarya river & Sundukli barchans, arriving early evening in Bukhara.

Check in hotel. Leisure & O/N.

Day 7 Bukhara

Visit the Samanid’s mausoleum (IX-Xc), the family burial vault of the rulers from the local dynasty, which undoubtedly is a jam of the Central Asian art of building. This wonderful monument is a symbol of new style architecture, regenerated after Arabic conquest. After we will go to Chashma Ayub Mazar (XIV-XIX c) burial vault. The monuments come one after another and next we will see Poi Kalyan (XII-XVI cc) complex, which include famous Kalyan minaret (with height of 49 meters), built in 1127 and preserved after many wars and invasions by a miracle! At one time it was look-out station and than the place of public execution. Many legends are jointed with this majestic construction! You will find out many of them from our guide. Visit Lyabi Hauze (XVI-XVII c) complex, included Kukeldash (1568 year) and Nodir Divan Begi (1622 year) madrassahs. Very harmonically and color situated here impressive citadel-Old Ark fortress (VI-VII c), from where the ancient Bukhara started. O/N at hotel.

Day 8 Bukhara- Samarkand

After breakfast in hotel, you will make fascinating trip to Samarkand- the one of the most ancient and perhaps one of the most famous cities of Central Asia. This is the main point of Great Silk Road, city museum, preserved like Bukhara and Khiva uniqueness of the Middle Ages. However, it will give you the modern services, which together with color of local traditions will pleasantly wonder you by comfort. “Eden of the ancient Orient”, “Oriental Rome”-this puffy name were given to Samarkand by geographers and poets! And not without reason! Developed in close communications with culture of the China, India, Iran and inhabitants from other countries this city became the real treasure house of the Central Asian inhabitants!
Origin of the name of the city hasn’t been determined scientifically. Oriental authors thought that “samar”-the first part is the name of his founder and second word “kent”-means “settlement”, “city”, which got status of the capital of the huge empire at term of Temur’s governing.

Day 9 Samarkand

Firstly, we will go to the most entertainment square of the Central Asia – Registan square (XVII) made with wonderful architectural ensemble and located in the “heart” of Samarkand. The word “Registan” means “sandy place”. Registan appeared as centre of trade and handicraft. It is intersection of 6 roads, leading from the city gates. Square surrounded by majestic buildings from 3 sides: Ulugbek madrassah (1417-1420), Sher Dor madrassah (1619-1636), Tillya-Kory madrassah (1647-1660). In 1417 Ulugbek – grandson of the famous Amir Temur start to build madrassah here, named after his name. This madrassah was finished in 1420 and square became the centre of the science. In 17-th century the monumental buildings were built there: Sher Dor and Tillya- Kori. They differ with their impressive sizes and luxury decoration, although with architecture are inferior with comparison of their prototype – immortal monument of art of building-Ulugbek’s madrasah. Sher Dor madrasah (“building with lions”) with image of fantastic animals of the cat family and chamois at the portal are mirror image of the Ulugbek’s madrasah. It was built after 17 years of work, by the order of emir Yalangtush Bakhadur –the ruler of Samarkand. 10 years later was established Tillya-Kori madrasah, which closed Registan square from the north. The name of this building means “dressed by gold”. The Registan haven’t lost his significance of the central city square till these days. Continue and visit Gur Emir mausoleum – table tomb of Temurid’s dynasty, where till these days lie remains of the great Amir Temur commander. The next objects of our view are Rukhabad necropolis (XV), Bibi-Khanum (XV), which was build by the special order of Amir Timur by 500 workers and 95 Indian elephants; Ulugbek’ s observatory (XV) , where you will see unique astronomic facility – sextant; Shokhi-Zindan architectural complex (XII-XV), where lie remains of Amir Temur’ s retainers; Khazrat-Khyzra (XIX), etc.

Day 10 Samarkand-Bukhara

Making again a trip to Bukhara you will find amazing warmth of the city atmosphere. Free visiting of the city. Night at hotel.

Day 11 Bukhara- Khiva (440 km, 6-7 hrs)

Woken up early in the morning you will have a long way to Khiva! En route you will estimate in full volume the majesty of Kyzyl-Kum desert, still keeping the footprints of walking here caravans of the Great Silk Road. Arrive in Khiva. O/N at hotel.

Day 12 Khiva

This day you are to participate in fascinating excursion along one more peer of antiquity. This museum under sky, how it is calling all over the world, has history of more than 2500 years! You will be surprised! Being inside of Ichan-Qala walls, which encircle the city as Great China Wall, you will immediately dip into one of the most interesting tales of Shakhirizada and become the one of her heroes, because time forever stopped within these walls as by magic! You will go upstairs of Islam-Hoja minaret with the 58-meters of altitude. This minaret is the symbol of Khiva-city. And from the window at his top you will see amazing panoramic of the city. Djuma mosque (10-11 c) is also unique, there are 218 carved columns located inside. Each one has unique ornament, which never repeats! Another monument - Kalta-Minor- minaret was built in 1835 and still stands here! Go for a walk at the museum of Avesta or wildlife museum! There are many different museums of all kinds to fit any taste! These and many other wonders are better to see by your own eyes! After excursion you will have a rest

Day 13 Khiva-Dashoguz-Kunya Urgench- Dashoguz- Ashgabat, 280 km+FLT

Drive to the border. Formalities. Transfer to Kunya Urgench (Formerly situated on the Amu-Darya River, Old Urgench was one of the greatest cities on the Silk Road. Its foundation date is uncertain, but the extant ruins of the ‘Kyrk mullah’ fortress have been dated the Achaemenid period. The 12th and early 13th centuries were the golden age of the city, as it surpassed in population and fame all other Central Asian cities, barring Bukhara. In 1221, Genghis Khan razed it to the ground in one of the bloodiest massacres in human history.

The city was revived after Genghis's assault, but the sudden change of Amu-Darya's course to the north and the town's destruction again in the 1370s, this time by Timur, forced the inhabitants to leave the site forever). Since 2005, the ruins of Old Urgench have been protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Return drive in Dashoguz. Flight to Ashgabat. O/N at htl.

Day 14 Ashgabat- airport

Transfer to airport to have international flight back home. End of program