Central Asia Group Tour, 14-day

Almaty – Arrival (Kazakhstan)

Upon arrival in Almaty, our driver will greet you and transfer you to your hotel. Check-in time is at 14:00. Afterward, enjoy some free time to relax. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Almaty (Kazakhstan)

After breakfast, at 09:00, your guide and driver will meet you in the hotel lobby to begin your sightseeing tour of Almaty. A short 25 km drive will take you to Chimbulak, where you will visit the ski resort and take a cable car ride, offering breathtaking views of the snowy Tian Shan Mountain peaks. Following a welcome lunch, the city tour will continue. Today’s highlights include Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, Republic Square, and the Almaty City Museum. In the evening, you will have free time. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Almaty – Bishkek (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan)

After breakfast, at 09:00, depart from Almaty and head towards Bishkek via a newly constructed highway, enjoying the scenic landscapes along the 250 km (4-hour) drive. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel. Begin your sightseeing tour in Bishkek, visiting Oak Park, Ala-Too Square, and the Statue of Manas. Continue to see the Philharmonic Hall and the Victory Monument, two notable examples of Soviet-era architecture.

Duration of sightseeing tour: 2-3 hours.
Overnight stay at the hotel.

Bishkek – Burana – Don Aryk – Bishkek – Tashkent (Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan)

After breakfast, depart from Bishkek at 09:00. The first stop will be Burana Tower, a remnant of the ancient city of Balasagun, dating back to the 11th to 13th centuries. Next, experience a traditional Kyrgyz horse game, “Ulak Tartysh” (goat pulling), also known as Kok Boru. This unique game features two teams of horse riders competing for a goat carcass.

Continue the journey to Don Aryk village, where you’ll enjoy lunch at a local Kyrgyz family’s home. Afterward, witness a demonstration of yurt construction, and feel free to participate if you wish. Local Kyrgyz women will share insights into the significance and function of each part of the yurt.

Next, transfer to Bishkek airport (110 km, approximately 1 hour 30 minutes) for your flight to Tashkent, which arrives in the evening (1 hour 20 minutes). Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Tashkent

After breakfast, begin your Tashkent city tour at 10:00, starting with a visit to the Old City of Tashkent. This area is home to the Khast-Imam Complex, renowned for housing one of the oldest copies of the Qur’an, the sacred book of Islam, and the vibrant Chorsu Bazaar, where you can bargain for spices, dried fruits, and nuts.

Next, take a ride on the Tashkent Metro to reach the city center, where you will visit the Applied Arts Museum. Afterward, enjoy a walk through the Navoi Theater to reach Amir Timur Square, where the tour will conclude. The city tour lasts 5-6 hours, after which you will have free time to relax.

Overnight at the hotel.

Tashkent – Samarkand (Uzbekistan)

In the early morning, grab a “take-away breakfast” from the hotel before being transferred to the railway station. Board the high-speed Afrosiyob train, which departs from Tashkent and arrives in Samarkand after a 300 km journey (2h 10 min). Upon arrival in Samarkand, meet your driver and guide.

Your city tour will begin with a visit to the Gur Emir Mausoleum, the final resting place of the great Turco-Mongol emperor, Timur. Next, explore the magnificent Registan Square, followed by a visit to the Bibi Khanum Mosque and Siyob Bazaar. After a lunch break, continue to the Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, and then take a short drive to Konigil village, where you’ll learn about the traditional methods of creating the famous Samarkand paper from mulberry bark.

Overnight at the hotel.

Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours.

Samarkand – Seven Lakes – Penjikent (Uzbekistan/Tajikistan)

After breakfast, at 9:00, depart for the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border at Jartepa (50 km, 1 hour). Upon arrival, proceed through customs and passport control on both sides. Once you exit the border control area, your guide and driver will be waiting for you.

Meet your local Tajik guide and driver for the drive to the Seven Lakes (80 km, about 2 hours). Situated in the western part of the Fann Mountains, these lakes each have a unique color, ranging from tranquil turquoise to captivating purple. Enjoy lunch at a guest house near the 4th lake. For those wishing to enjoy a more scenic view, there’s an option to take a hike from the 6th lake to the 7th lake.

In the late afternoon, transfer to your hotel in Penjikent. Check in and overnight stay at the hotel.

Penjikent – Samarkand – Bukhara (Tajikistan/Uzbekistan)

After breakfast, drive to the ancient town of Penjikent, founded by the Sogdians in the 5th century and abandoned by the Arabs in the 8th century. In the excavated ruins, you can see the remains of houses, a citadel with Zoroastrian fire temples, and traces of the city’s once-thriving bazaar.

In the modern part of Penjikent, visit the local bazaar, a mosque, and the Rudaki Museum. Penjikent is the birthplace of Abu Abdallah Rudaki, often regarded as the father of Persian poetry.

After a 3-hour sightseeing tour, drive to the Jartepa border crossing and complete the border procedures. On the Uzbek side, your driver will meet you, and you will continue your journey to Bukhara (270 km, 4-5 hours).

Upon arrival in Bukhara, transfer to the hotel, check in, and enjoy an overnight stay.

Bukhara (Uzbekistan)

After breakfast, at 10:00, begin your exploration of Bukhara’s Old City. During the walking tour, you will visit key highlights, including the Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, Chor-Minor Madrasa, Kalyan Minaret, Miri-Arab Madrasa, and the Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrasas. You will also explore the Ark Fortress, Ismail Samani Mausoleum, and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, as well as the historic trading domes.

You will have free time starting at 15:00 until the National Show at the Nadir Divan-begi Madrasa, which begins at 18:00.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Bukhara – Turkmenabad – Ashgabat (Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan)

After breakfast, depart at 09:30 for the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border, Farap-Alat (100 km, 1 hour 30 minutes). Upon arrival, proceed with the border formalities. After completing customs and passport control at both checkpoints, exit the border control area where our guide and driver will be waiting for you with a sign displaying your name.

Continue with a transfer to Turkmenabad Airport (50 km, 1 hour) to catch your evening flight to Ashgabat. Upon arrival in Ashgabat, enjoy a night city tour before being transferred to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Ashgabat – Darvaza Gas Crater (Turkmenistan)

After breakfast, start your sightseeing tour of Ashgabat at 9:00. The capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, is famous for its white marble buildings, a feature that recently earned the city a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. During your city tour, visit the archaeological site of Old Nissa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Spiritual Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Central Asia.

You’ll also visit the National Museum of History, the Monument of Neutrality, the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, and the newly constructed Independence Park. The sightseeing tour will last approximately 6 hours, after which you will drive through the Karakum Desert to the famous Darvaza Gas Crater (280 km, 4 hours).

Upon arrival at the crater, a camp will be set up where you’ll enjoy a delicious fire-cooked dinner near the “Gates of Hell.” Overnight will be spent in yurts.

Note: The Darvaza camp has outdoor toilets and basic washing facilities.

Darvaza Gas Crater – Khiva (Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan)

Enjoy a camp-style breakfast before driving through the Karakum Desert to the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border point at Dashoguz-Shavat (270 km, 4 hours). After completing the border procedures at both checkpoints, your Uzbek driver will meet you and begin the journey to Khiva (60 km, 1 hour).

Upon arrival in Khiva, check in at the hotel. You’ll have free time to explore the area or relax.

Overnight at the hotel.

Khiva – Urgench – Tashkent (Uzbekistan)

After breakfast and hotel check-out (your luggage will be securely stored at the hotel), spend the morning exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ichan-Kala Fortress. Highlights of the walking tour include the Mukhammad Amin Khan Madrasa, Mukhammad Rahimkhan Madrasa, Kalta Minor, Juma Mosque, Tash-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, and the Minaret of Islom Khodja.

Enjoy a farewell dinner before transferring to Urgench Airport (30 km, 35 minutes). Board your flight to Tashkent (1,093 km, 1 hour 40 minutes). Upon arrival in Tashkent, transfer to your hotel for the overnight stay.

Tashkent – Departure (Uzbekistan)

Check-out from the hotel at noon. You’ll have free time to explore or relax before your transfer to Tashkent International Airport for your departure. This marks the end of your Central Asia group tour. Safe travels!