15 Days Central Asia Highlights Tours

Your guide will pick you up in Almaty airport and transfer you to the city. Today you will visit the Green Bazaar, Panfilov Park, where one of the most beautiful wooden buildings in the world - Zenkov Cathedral is located. You will also visit the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame, the Central State museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan.  After exploration of sport, cultural and business areas of the city you will get to the Medeo Gorge, well known due to the highest mountain skating rink in the world and the dam, protecting the city from dangerous mudflow.  Overnight is in the hotel.

The tour starts with driving to the Big Almaty gorge, where at an altitude of 2,510 m above sea level located the Big Almaty lake - one of the most picturesque lakes in Trans-Ili Alatau. The lake is very beautiful, especially when its blue surface is absolutely calm, and it reflects the sky and surrounding mountains. On the way back to the town you will visit the Falcon Farm, where you will enjoy a spectacular show with specially trained hawks - hunting with them is one of the most unique features of the Kazakh way of life. Next destination is the Kok-Tobe hill where the tallest TV tower in the world is located (if to count from the sea level) and where you will get by the picturesque winding mountain road. In Kok-Tobe Park you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city from the special observation deck and visit the shop of national souvenirs. The tour ends with the short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway. Overnight is in the hotel.

In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Tashkent (all days except Saturday). Arrival Tashkent airport morning time, meet by your escort guide, transfer to the Chinese restaurant for lunch. After the lunch transfer to your hotel, check in and time for rest. Afterwards city tour in Tashkent: Independence square and Amir Timur square – main city center, Tashkent metro ride – Tashkent metro is one of the most decorated from formed soviet times, visiting old city of Tashkent – Chorsu bazaar and narrow streets of uzbek mahalla (old living area). You will walk along the local "Broadway" - a walking street with artists, cheap souvenirs and eating-places, city fountains and modern monuments. You will also visit Barak-khan madrasah (16th c.), the kaffal-shashi mausoleum (15th c.), Kukeldash Madrasah (16th c.) & Hasti imam mosque with real Othman Khalif Quran. Dinner will be at Chinese restaurant. Overnight is at the hotel.

Breakfast is at the hotel. Transfer to Tashkent airport, taking first morning flight to Bukhara (08:00-09:15) (optional transfer to train station for bullet train to Bukhara 08:00-11:45). Upon arrival transfer and check in to your hotel. City tour in Bukhara: Citadel Ark (4th b.c.) - Ark citadel is the most ancient citadel in Bukhara. You will visit the Samanids mausoleum (9-10th c.) which is the mausoleum of Ismail Samanids’ dynasty. Chashma Ayub (14th c.) - means Job's well. Bolo-Hauz mosque (beginning of the 20th c.) is known also as the mosque of forty columns. Lunch is at Dolon national restaurant. Poi Kalon complex is a unique sample of architectural art of Bukhara. After the excursion, you will return to the hotel. Dinner will be at Adras national restaurant with dancing show program. Overnight is at the hotel.

Breakfast is at the hotel. City tour in Bukhara: Shopping domes – Toki Saraffon, Toki Telpak Furushon & Toki Zargaron domes. Lunch will be at Bella Italy restaurant. Madrasah Nodir Divan Begi - Madrasah is one of the most popular Madrasah in Bukhara and part of Lyabi House Ensemble. Complex Lyabi-Khauz (14-17th c.) - the central sightseeing place of Bukhara city. In the afternoon you will visit national bazaar of Bukhara for shopping. Dinner will be at national Uzbek house with master class of Bukhara pilaw preparing. Overnight is at the hotel. 

After the breakfast, we will start our way to Samarkand – The pearl of the East. On the way, we will stop over at Gijduvan village to visit famous private pottery workshop, which was previously visited by Mrs. Hillary Clinton, Sir Charles and many of others. There we will have a chance to learn the history of pottery culture of Uzbekistan, short master class of pottery preparing and do buy the items you liked. You will have also master class of Uzbek bread preparing and master class of Gijduvan shish kebabs preparing. Afterwards continue drive to Samarkand. Dinner will be at Karimbek national restaurant. Upon arrival check in to the hotel and overnight. 

Breakfast is at the hotel. Full day city tour of Samarkand: Registan square – the complex of three historical building: Madrasah Ulugbek (15th c.), Madrasah Sher-dor (17th c.), Madrasah Tilla-Kori (17th c.) – the visiting card and the main attraction spot of Samarkand. Architectural complex Shakhi-Zindeh (11-15th c.) - the name Shah-I-Zinda (meaning "the living king") comes together with the legend about Kusam Ibn Abbas, the cousin of the prophet Muhammad who was buried here. Lunch will be at New Arbat restaurant. Mausoleum Guri Emir - Tamerlane’s tomb (14-15th c.) - Gur-e Amir means "Tomb of the King". Bibi Khanum Mosque - name of the mosque translated as the "Elder wife" and it was built in honor of favorite Tamerlane’s wife, after his successful campaign in India. Dinner will be at national Uzbek house where you can taste Uzbek dumplings and enjoy cultural show program “Uzbek Bride”. Night is at the hotel.

Breakfast is at the hotel. Transfer to Uzbekistan – Tajikistan checkpoint Oybek (2 hrs drive), continue to Tajikistan. Tajik guide will meet you on the border and you will drive Khujand city. It is the second largest city of Tajikistan. It is situated on the Syr Darya River at the mouth of the Fergana Valley. The population of the city is 149,000. It is also the capital of the northernmost province of Tajikistan, now called Sughd. You will visit in the afternoon a Cultural Palace of Khujant. At this place the first president of Tajikistan was chosen. Also we will go to see Central Mosque that is situated in the middle of the city. Night is in a hotel. 

Our trip today is to high Mountain lake – Iskanderkul (2 255 m. a. s. l.). It is situated in the famous Fann Mountains. This fabulous area is one of the best places of Central Asia. After arrival to the lake you will go for a walk along it beaches. Also we will hike 40 minutes to see a waterfall. Tajikistan takes the second place among the CIS countries for volume of water resources: it has the highest water reserves of all Central Asian countries with more than 1 000 rivers, 2 000 lakes and 8000 glaciers. Then we continue driving to Dushanbe city. Night is in a hotel. 

In the morning we will drive 35 km to visit Hisor fortress (VII- XVII centuries). This historical site has fortified areas and citadel. Other interesting sites in Hisar include: the recently restored monuments of “Madrasa I Kuhna” (new school of 16th-17th centuries), mosque; the mausoleum of “Mahdumi Azam” (16th century). After coming back to Dushanbe you will have lunch. Then we will visit Rudake Park, National library, White House, National state seal, and House of parliament. After it we will walk in National park to make photos of Ministry of Inner Affairs and the biggest National Flag in the world – 165 m high pole, 30 m wide, 60 m long. After excursion in Central Museum you will visit Gurminj Museum of traditional musical instruments. Night is in a hotel. 

In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Bishkek (щт Wednesdays and Sundays). Your Kyrgyz guide will pick you up at Manas International Airport and accompany you to the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, just a 30-minute drive from the airport. This entire day is dedicated to a guided tour of Bishkek. It includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, the National Arts Museum, National Philharmonic, and many others places of interest. But no tour of Bishkek is complete without visiting our Asian Bazaar! We will show it to you today and you will be able to take a lot of dynamic photos of bustling local life. This bazaar is a noisy and colorful tapestry of fabrics, produce, and people selling and buying goods. Night is in a hotel.  

Your guide will pick you up at 8 a.m and you will be transferred to Issyk Kul Lake, surrounded by the celestial mountains. It’s the second largest alpine lake in the world (1608 m. above sea level). The lake is called "the pearl of Central Asia". Due to the salty water, Lake Issyk Kul possesses curative qualities. On route to the lake you will visit Burana Tower (an 11th century minaret) and an open air museum of Balbals (stone warriors). Your night is in a hotel. 

The day starts with a breakfast at 8 o’clock. Afterwards, you will start your trip to Karakol city. On the way, we will take a short break to give you the opportunity to visit ancient stone inscriptions (dating back to 800 B.C.). These petroglyphs were made more than 2 000 years ago by shamans. Then we continue our way along the northern shore of the lake to the town of Karakol. You will visit the Dungan mosque. One of its highlights is the fact that it was built in a Chinese style without using a single metal nail. The mosque will be followed by a visit to an old wooden Orthodox Church. The night is spent in a guesthouse.

Today we will drive to Jeti Oguz gorge. It’s famous for its red rocks formations that have a name Seven Bulls – Jeti Oguz. Also you will see there the Broken Heart Mountain. If you want it is possible to go on a top of a mountain (20 minutes) to see a panorama view of the gorge. Then we continue our trip, breaking in Bokonbaeva village, where we will meet a local eagle-hunter. He hunts hares and foxes with the help of eagles. It is an ancient kind of hunting animals preserved from generation to generation. You will find out a lot of interesting facts about it. After this visit we will continue our way to Bishkek. Night is in a hotel. 

In the morning is transfer.