Ala-Archa National Park
Ala-Archa National Park
Issyk Kul
Issyk Kul
Gijduvan Ceramics Workshop
Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
Kyz Kala fortress ruins
Ruins of Old Nisa
We are glad to introduce the 14-day Central Asia Tour with the most interesting highlights, visiting fabulous natural sights of Kyrgyzstan - Ala Archa Natural park and Issyk-Kyl lake, historical cities and world-famous handicraft centers of Uzbekistan – Margilan, Rishton and Gijduvan; ancient fortresses of Turkmenistan – Merv and Ancient Nissa and of course, enjoyable shopping at colorful bazaars.
Take your two-week Central Asian journey and special welcome present to our dear guests!
Flight to Bishkek
Arrival in Manas International Airport
Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim. Come out of the terminal and meet the staff holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” .
Arrival at the hotel. Standard check-in at 14:00.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Start Bishkek sightseeing tour visiting:
- Ala Archa Natural park (~35 km from Bishkek, ~ 40min)
Take an easy walk high up to observe the view of mountains and rich Kyrgyz nature, spot birds and animals living their lives, and watch how the cold water of Kyrgyz rivers falls down the mountains and continues its way among ancient trees and gorges.
Time to explore the area, take photos, and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful nature views.
Transfer back to Bishkek.
Start a walking city tour around Bishkek, visiting:
- Oak Park, the city center. It is also known as Dubovy Park; today it is one of the favorite places among locals and tourists in Bishkek.
- Ala-Too Square is the central square in Bishkek. It serves as a place for state events and celebrations. Philharmonic Hall – situated at the top of Rose Alley.
- Statue of Manas (Manas is a legendary Kyrgyz hero and the classic centerpiece of Kyrgyz literature).
- Victory Square, where one can see the Victory monument, a memorial completed in 1984. Usually, the main festival events are held in Bishkek at the eternal flame on Victory Square with the guard of honor, forces of the Kyrgyz garrison, and a military band.
- State History Museum is a perfect display of the Kyrgyz people and the history of the country of Kyrgyzstan.
- Visit the colorful central bazaar and TSUM (Department Store).
Transfer to the hotel.
Rest in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09.00 Transfer to the Issyk-Kyl lake (~ 2 hours, 260 km), en route visiting
- Burana Tower was the vertical dominant of the ancient city of Balasagun, the northern capital of the Turkic linguistic state of the Karakhanids, and the small nearby museum with its collection of ancient bal-bals, carved stone figures used as monuments.
- Issyk-Kyl lake is one of the most wonderful lakes in the world, located in the north-eastern part of the Kyrgyz Republic. Issyk Kul is translated as “Hot Lake” and is considered one of "the pearls of Central Asia". Due to the salty water, Lake Issyk Kul possesses curative qualities. There are many activities that entertain people on the beach: windsurfing, scooters, aqua parks, parachutes, and rides on boats and ships. In winter, there are also spots for alpinism where people enjoy incredible landscapes.
After a traditional lunch, there is leisure time and a light walking at the lakeshore to enjoy captivating views of the lake surrounded by mountains. A great opportunity to take thousands of memorable pictures.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
12:00 Transfer to Bishkek en-route visiting
- Ancient stone inscriptions (dating back to 800 B.C.). These petroglyphs were made more than 2 000 years ago by shamans. They depict wolves, long-horned ibex, goats, horses, snow leopards, sacrifices, and some hunting scenes;
- Visiting the Ethnological Museum.
Arrival in Bishkek in the afternoon.
Dinner with a traditional folk show.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
06:00 Transfer to the local airport.
08:00 Evening flight Bishkek - Osh on TEZ 105.
08:40 Arrival at Osh Airport.
Meet the driver-guide at the airport meeting zone.
Transfer to Osh, the oldest city in Kyrgyzstan, for a sightseeing tour visiting;
- Suleiman Mountain. Suleiman Too (Suleiman is the prophet Solomon - Suleyman in the Quran; “Too is “mountain”). The museum is the only UNESCO sight of the whole mountain, with many sacred places in caves and paths.
- Osh Bazaar, a colorful bazaar with more than 2000 years of history, plays an important role in the Great Silk Road as a major landmark.
- Main Square with Lenin statue; Kyrgyz people are very respectful of the history of the Soviet period.
13:00 Transfer to the Uzbek- Kyrgyz border, Dostyk. Border crossing.
Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control. Meet the guide and driver holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” or with your name on it.
Transfer to Fergana (110 km) with sightseeing in Fergana Valley:
- Margilan (“Marg” from Persian green grass, “lon”- “place“) was an inhabited settlement in the Fergana Valley since the IV- III centuries BC; the town was well known for its crafts and finest silk fabrics from the Great Silk Road period up to now.
- Said - Ahmad Hodji Madrassah where craftsmen produce original silk carpets;
- Silk factory Yodgorlik, where visitors are welcome to observe the process of silk manufacture with traditional decoration “ikat”.
- Fergana is a relatively young city that was founded as a strategic fortified point in Turkestan in 1876 during the tsarist period of the region.
- Visit the Ahmad Al-Fargoni monumental complex.
Check in to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby. Continue sightseeing in the Fergana Valley:
- Fergana is a relatively young city that was founded as a strategic fortified point in Turkestan in 1876 during the tsarist period of the region. The town was initially called New Margilan and, later in the Soviet period, renamed as Fergona in 1924. Nowadays, Fergana is a flourishing, beautiful town, and despite its young history, it has become the central point of the Fergana Valley.
- Visit Ahmad Al-Fargoni monumental complex and the Fergana Regional Museum, which has a fine collection of items relating to all periods of history, culture, and art of the Fergana Valley.
- Continue to Margilan. On the way, it's possible to visit the biggest bazaars of the Fergana Valley - Kumpeta Bazar (Thursday and Sunday).
Margilan (“Marg” from Persian green grass, “lon”- “place“) was an inhabited settlement in the Fergana Valley since the 4th–3rd centuries BC; the town was well known for its crafts and finest silk fabrics from the Great Silk Road period up to now.
- Said-Ahmad Hodji Madrassah, where craftsmen produce original silk carpets,
- Silk factory Yodgorlik, where visitors are welcome to observe the process of silk manufacture with traditional decoration “ikat”.
15:00 Transfer to the railway station in Margilan.
16:03 Departure for Tashkent by train "O'zbekistan".
21:17 Arrival in Tashkent.
The driver meets you at the terminal exit with a sign "ANUR TOUR". Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening; overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the guide in the hotel lobby.
Start a sightseeing tour of Tashkent (5-6 hrs), visiting the old and new parts of the city:
- Amir Timur Square, founded in 1882 and originally called Konstantinovsky Square, was renamed on August 31, 1994, after Amir Timur to honor the cultural and historical contribution of the great conqueror.
Around the Square are the Museum of the History of Timurids, Uzbekistan Hotel, Forum Palace, and famous chimes.
- Tashkent striking clock, one of the major symbols of Tashkent.
- Theater Square with the Opera House: State Academic Theater of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi, built in 1947, is one of the best opera theaters in the world and performs both classical and national repertoire.
- Independence Square, the main square of Uzbekistan, reflects the past, present, and future of the country. There are fountains standing for the life energy of the Uzbek people, the Cabinet and the Senate, and the “Eternal Flame" in honor of soldiers who died during the Second World War.
- Earthquake Memorial: the composition is devoted to the tragic date of the earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966, and is erected in the approximate place of the earthquake epicenter. Residents still come to the monument to honor those people who took part in the reconstruction of Tashkent;
- Khast Imam Square – a religious center of the city consisting of the Barakkhan madrasah, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, and the library of Islamic Literature with the Holy Koran Book of the VII century (original Quran Othman). Khast Imam is one of the most significant spiritual centers in Central Asia and attracts pilgrims and visitors from all over the world.
- Chorsu bazaar – the ancient bazaar of Tashkent. “Chorsu” means “four waters”, symbolically meaning the conjunction of four major parts of the old city in the bazaar where people come for trade. The bazaar's beautiful blue dome, built in traditional style after the Tashkent earthquake, is often depicted in postcards and international magazines and became one of the major sights of interest both for locals and guests – one can see the oriental tiled bazaar from different souvenir shops with ceramics, handicraft works, carpets and jewelry, the whole pavilion full of delicious fruits to the finest textiles and colorful fabrics.
- Tashkent Metro (the first line was launched in 1977) with beautiful train stations, each decorated in a thematic style with traditional ornaments and special lighting.
Transfer back to the hotel. End of the tour.
Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
07:30 Depart Tashkent by high-speed train "Afrosiab".
09:38 Arrival in Samarkand.
Come out of the terminal and meet the guide and driver holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” or with your name on it.
Start the sightseeing program in Samarkand (6 hours):
- Gur Emir Mausoleum – a burial vault of Timur the Great and his descendants is decorated with gold ornaments and considered one of the most significant sights in the world;
- Continue to the famous Registan Square – the heart of Samarkand and a real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture, the ensemble of grandiose buildings: Ulugbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor and Madrassa Tilla Kori;
- Bibi Khanim Mosque – the biggest medieval building in the city was one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in the 15th Century;
- Shahi Zinda Necropolis – a unique complex of Mausoleums formed by standing on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) of the Muslim saint Abbas ibn Kussam;
- Ulugbek’s Observatory – the finest astronomical center in the medieval world was built by order of Ulugbek, an outstanding scholar and astronomer;
Transfer to the hotel, check-in.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Transfer to Bukhara (270 km). En route, visit the famous Gijduvan pottery workshop, where visitors are welcome for a tour around the workshop and to observe the process of ceramic making and painting.
The owners demonstrate the stages of making ceramics, from turning the potter’s wheel to making paints from natural ingredients, decorating the ceramics in the distinctive style, drying, and firing. Take a tour around the museum hall of ceramic masterpieces with a unique collection of ceramic items from Gijduvan and other regions of Uzbekistan.
Arrival in Bukhara. Transfer to the hotel and check-in.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby.
Start the walking sightseeing program in Bukhara (5-6 hours):
- Ensemble Lyabi Hauz (Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa, Khanaka, Kukeldash Madrassa, and the monument of Khodja Nasreddin);
- Magoki Attari Mosque is one of the oldest mosques to survive in Bukhara from the time before the Mongolian invasion;
- Abdullakhan’s Tim with numerous handicraft shops of souvenirs, ceramics, national clothes, and carpets;
- Caravanserai Sayfuddin (the Center of Handicraft Development of Bukhara);
- There are three trading domes, or so-called covered bazaars, Toki Sarrofon, Toki Telpak Furushon, and Toki Zargaron, preserved from the XVI century, and these bazaars were the centers for trade of silk, jewelry, and even for money exchange. Today as well, one can enjoy and purchase different souvenirs of a wide range, from small souvenir magnets to the famous Bukhara carpets;
- Visit Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas or so-called Kosh (pair) madrassas, opposite each other with the distinctive style of facade ornamental decoration;
- Poi Kalon Square with Kalon Minaret and Mosque, Mir Arab Madrassa – the heart of Bukhara, a monumental complex that impresses the imagination;
- Ark Fortress – the oldest citadel dating back to I century BC, where one can feel the history of the great fortress covered in beautiful legends and myths.
Optionally can be added by request:
Visit the Samanids mausoleum (IX century), a monument of early medieval architecture.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:30 Meet the driver in the lobby.
Transfer to the Uzbek-Turkmen border post "Olot-Farab".
Border crossing formalities (passport and visa control might take 1 to 2 hrs depending on the customs formalities).
Meeting with guide and driver at the Turkmenistan side of the border.
Transfer to Mary.
En route visit to the Ancient Merv (UNESCO). Discover the historical park with:
- Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum;
- Mohammed bin Said Mausoleum, medieval castles – “Kesk” fortresses (6-7 centuries) and others.
Return to Mary.
Visit the History Museum of the Merv region.
19:20 Evening flight to Ashgabat.
20:00 Arrival in Ashgabat.
Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
09:00 Meet with your guide and driver in the lobby and start the excursion in Ashgabat:
- Independence Park with the Monument of Independence (it's a 118 m column that is considered the highest building in the country),
- Neutrality Arch - a unique composition that rotates slowly with the sun.
- National Museum, where you can see more than 166 unique exhibitions from Ancient Merv and Nisa.
A trip to ancient Nisa (18km from Ashgabat) that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the ruins of the ancient city (the date of foundation of the I millennium BC - I millennium BC).
Return to Ashgabat. Visit en route the Turkmenbashi Mosque-Mausoleum. It's considered the biggest in Central Asia (10 thousand people). There are beautiful gardens and fountains near the mosque.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Accommodation:
- Check-in 14.00, check-out time 11.00. No early check-in/ late check-out is included unless indicated;
- Please note that the tour price does not include seasonal VAT 15 %, VAT can be added to the basic tour price.
- Please note that the drivers do not speak English or can speak only basic English;
- All the changes in the basic itinerary, the timing for transfers depending on the international flight departure/arrival time are to be discussed and pre-agreed;
- Please note that the train trip/s can be replaced for transfer/s by car depending on train tickets availability and trains schedule;
- After the date of publication, any changes in the hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may influence the tour prices;
- Anur Tour is not responsible for the force majeure occasions (weather conditions during the tour, repairing-reconstructing works at some parts of roads, government restrictions).
8 days, from: $947
Season: all the year around
5 days, from: $765
Season: April – October
1 days, from: $150
Season: All the year around
7 days, from: $0
Season: April - November
1 days, from: $150
Season: all the year round
5 days, from: $0
Season: Spring – Summer – Fall
Central Asia & Caucasus DMC
