20 Days Central Asia Exploration Tour to Xinjiang, Alma Ata, Bishkek and Ashgabat

Let's start our first day in this wonderful land!

First of all, we sincerely welcome you to this magical and exotic city of Xinjiang—Kashgar. In this day, our professional and local tour guide will meet you at the airport, railway station or port, and then take you to the hotel by a comfortable private vehicle and help you with check-in.

In the rest of the day, you can explore the city scenery around Kashgar as much as possible by your own, our friendly tour guide will offer many suggestions and recommended local cuisine to you! Wish you have a happy dream in the comfortable bed of the 4 star hotel and ready to enjoy your journey! 

In the early morning, after having your buffet breakfast, we will start a new day which is full of surprises.

Driving on the China-Pakistan Highway, enjoy the magnificent Pamir Plateau, pay a quick visit to glamorous White Sand Lake. As a national 5A tourist attraction, White Sand Lake is located in the Karakoram Mountains at an altitude of about 3,300 meters, the sand is as white as snowflakes so that the lake shows more gorgeous, you can take some nice photos as much as you want.

Then we will move to the next destination—Karakul Lake, you can see Kirghiz herdsman and their livestock around the lake. The following day will be spent exploring the enchanting scenery surrounding the highway, and your driver and local tour guide will drive to take you to the Taxkorgan County for overnight stay.

Today we will move to Kashgar in the morning and visit the Stone Fortress. The Stone Fortress. which is known as a vital ancient site on the ancient Silk Road of Xinjiang. Stone Fortress used to be the intramuros of Puli Garden, it stands at the key, imposing, from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, expansion and garrison constantly, and the highest point of the wall as high as more than 20 meters. Multi-layer or broken or continued walls outside the city, overlapping between the stone mounds, piles of stones, constitute a unique stone fortress scenery.

After that, we will go to the golden grassland and enjoy the beautiful grassland full of cattle and sheep. The Golden Grassland, full of cattle and sheep; when the sun is about to set, the whole stone fortress will reflect a wealth of light, first the whole city is gray black, then brick red and ochre. Then we are leaving Taxkorgan to Karakul Lake for lunch around 1:00 pm. Standing on this pile of rocks, looking at the grassland at the moment, the distant grand mountain, you'll forget the existence of time.

After breakfast, we will visit the majestic Idigar Mosque. The majestic Idigar Mosque, it is the biggest mosque in China where you can feel the strong religious atmosphere. Every Eid, a lot of people come here to celebrate the most delightful festival for Muslims and if you are lucky you will enjoy singing and dancing performances. Next is the Ancient Tea House, which is located in the Kashgar Old Town and you can have a cup of nice tea as well as feel the local ethnic culture and traditions here to spend a relaxing time as long as possible before you leave Kashgar.

Then we will pay a visit to the Kashgar Old Town, which has a history of more than 2,000 years and is like a vivid scroll of Xinjiang Uygur folk custom. When you stand in the Old Town, it is like standing in the boundless ancient oil painting, you may think that this is the charm of the Silk Road. Here, you can experience the unique ethnic culture and customs by visiting a local Uygur family. After that, we will head to prosperous Sunday Bazaar after having lunch. Our tour guide will take you to the Handicraft Street. And the Sunday Bazaar is also a great destination to go, when people come here for selling livestock, you can experience the ancient forms of trade of the Silk Road and it's quite interesting to witness their typical methods of bargain. After visiting, say goodbye to Kashgar and take the flight to Urumqi.

After breakfast, we will visit the Heavenly Lake in the early morning. Heavenly Lake, which is famous for its stunning view and various tourist resources. You can fully enjoy the Heavenly Lake's picturesque view. In addition, Heavenly Lake, known as “Yao Chi” in ancient times and it is also a World Natural Heritage Site. The spring of Heavenly Lake is quite long; at this time, half of the water in the Heavenly Lake is normal lake water, while the other half is ice crystal like a mirror. You can fully enjoy the Heavenly Lake's picturesque view and get more close with nature.

Then we will pay a visit to Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar. The Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, which is located in Tianshan District of Urumqi and is currently the largest Bazaar in China. The entire International Bazaar is the most ethnic-style place in Urumqi. You can also pay a visit to the Silk Road Tower, the garden tower about 100 meters high in the center of the square is called the Silk Road Tower, which is the most famous scenic spot in the Grand Bazaar. Inside the Grand Bazaar is a huge market, where numerous vendors sell specialty products from Xinjiang.

Today, after having breakfast, we will start a brand new drive to Turpan (the particularly charming city of Xinjiang — The hometown of famous Xinjiang grapes). After that, we will drive to visit the Tuyoq Village, a tourist area with both natural scenery and cultural relics. In this village, our professional tour guide will lead you to the Thousand Buddha Caves in Tuyoq Village, which is known as the earlist and largest excavation in Turpan area, and it is also be regarded as the "living fossil of folk customs of traditional Uygurs". Then, the Jiaohe Ancient City (located along the ancient Silk Road, known as the “Oriental Pompeii”) is waiting for your exploration, here you can see the Jiaohe ruins—the largest, oldest and best-preserved city with earthern buildings in the world.

Take a flight to Almaty with airport pick-up and drop-off service provided. After arrival in the afternoon, you can take a leisure tour around downtown Almaty.

Embark on an in-depth tour of Almaty, with visits to Alma-Arsan Resort and Kok-Tobe in sequence. Alma-Arsan Resort boasts original ecological natural landscapes, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the fresh mountain forest atmosphere and tranquil surroundings. As a perfect spot to overlook the panoramic view of Almaty, Kok-Tobe offers a breathtaking vista of both the urban scenery and the distant snow-capped mountains after reaching the summit. Additionally, you can enjoy various leisure and entertainment facilities on the mountain, fully appreciating the natural and cultural charm of this city.

Take a flight from Almaty to Bishkek. Upon arrival, you will visit Republic Square, Astana Square and 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park in turn. Republic Square is a iconic landmark of Bishkek, embodying the city's historical heritage and cultural appeal. Around Astana Square, there are many core urban buildings, showing the metropolitan style vividly. Built in memory of the heroic soldiers, 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park is covered with lush greenery, solemn yet vibrant, where you can deeply feel the local historical feelings.

Depart from Bishkek to start the day's itinerary. In the morning, you will visit Victory Square, Duboviy Park, Central Ala-Too Square, Old Square and the National Philharmonic in sequence, fully experiencing the historical heritage and cultural customs of the city. Victory Square is an important place to cherish the memory of history and express respect. Duboviy Park, with lush vegetation, is an ideal leisure spot to relax in the city. Central Ala-Too Square, where many iconic buildings stand tall, shows the demeanor of the capital. Old Square retains the traces of time, allowing you to explore the imprints of the city's past.

After lunch, drive to Lake Issyk-Kul and make a special stop to visit Burana Tower on the way. This ancient building, which has witnessed a long history, is an important cultural heritage of Kyrgyzstan.

Return to Bishkek from Lake Issyk-Kul and start a casual urban stroll. You can wander through the lively local streets and alleys, visit characteristic markets to buy handcrafted souvenirs, or stop to admire the diverse styles of street architecture, fully immersing yourself in the authentic and vibrant daily life of the city.

Fly from Bishkek to Tashkent and start exploring this famous Central Asian city. In the morning, visit Hazrati Imam Complex to appreciate Islamic architectural aesthetics and the profound heritage of thousands of years. In the afternoon, wander around Tashkent Old Town, browse traditional markets and enjoy exotic customs. In the evening, check in at Independence Square to experience the integration of the city's modern vibe and historical inheritance.

Take a flight from Tashkent to Dushanbe and start a cultural exploration tour upon arrival. First, head to Chorsu Bazaar, wander through the stalls filled with a variety of local handicrafts, spices and fresh fruits, and fully immerse yourself in the vibrant local life. Then visit Kukaldash Madrasah, an ancient religious building famous for its exquisite Islamic carvings and profound historical heritage, which shows the unique charm of Central Asian ancient architecture.

Finally, stop by Hast Imam Complex and get a close-up look at the precious Othman Quran preserved here. This valuable scripture carries profound religious and historical significance and is truly breathtaking.

Travel by car from Dushanbe to Penjikent and start an exploration of ancient ruins. Upon arrival, visit the ruins of dwelling houses and office buildings to glimpse the lifestyle and social features of ancient residents. Explore the citadel with the palace—its ruins still radiate the grandeur of the past. Step into the house of craftsmen and imagine the bustling scenes of ancient artisans crafting handiworks. Finally, visit the fire worshipers church to trace the local ancient religious culture and civilization context.

Travel by car from Penjikent to the border checkpoint, and after crossing the border, arrive in Samarkand to start a cultural tour of this ancient Silk Road city. Visit Registan Square, Shakhi-Zindeh Mausoleums, Guri Emir Mausoleum and Bibi Khanum Mosque in sequence. As the iconic landmark of Samarkand, Registan Square is famous for its three madrasahs adorned with gorgeous Islamic mosaics, fully showing the prosperity of the Timurid Dynasty.

Take a train from Samarkand to Khiva, a pearl on the ancient Central Asian Silk Road. Upon arrival, focus on visiting Ichan-Qala. As the core area of Khiva, it perfectly preserves ancient city walls, mosques, madrasahs and other historical buildings. Wandering here is like traveling back to the prosperous days of the Silk Road, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the ancient civilization and architectural art of Uzbekistan.

Continue the in-depth tour of the ancient city of Khiva. In the morning, wander through the lesser-known streets of Ichan-Qala, visit traditional handicraft workshops, watch the making process of wood carvings and pottery, and even try handcrafting yourself.

In the afternoon, visit Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasah to admire the exquisite Islamic brick carvings and murals, and listen to the historical stories behind the building. In the evening, climb up the ancient city wall, overlook the golden outline of the whole ancient city in the sunset, and feel the tranquility and vicissitudes of this ancient Silk Road city.

Depart from Khiva and travel by car to Darvaza via Shavat Port. On the way, make a special stop to visit the ruins of Kone-Urgench. Explore the Mausoleum of Najm al-Din al-Kubra, the Mausoleum of Tyurabek-Khanum, the Mausoleum of Il-Arslan and the Mausoleum of Tekesh lbn Hadzhibey in sequence—these structures bear the marks of ancient Central Asian civilization. Also, check out Kutlyk Timur Minaret, the tallest minaret in Central Asia, and experience its magnificent architectural momentum and profound historical heritage.

Depart from Darvaza to Ashgabat and explore this desert new city. Wander in the newly-built parks to enjoy the fresh vitality of the combination of greenery and modern landscapes. Visit the retro-style buildings across the city to admire their unique design aesthetics. Step into local museums and mosques to trace the city's cultural context and appreciate the solemnity of Islamic architecture.

On the final day of the trip, you will be transferred to Ashgabat Airport by private car, concluding this wonderful journey filled with Central Asian history and cultural charm.