Best of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
13 days, Tashkent to Ashgabat
Itinerary
Day 1Tashkent
Arrive at any time.
Welcome to the eclectic capital of Uzbekistan, where modern skyscrapers mix with Soviet-era architecture and mosaic mausoleums. There are no activities planned until the evening welcome meeting, so get out there and explore.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Welcome Dinner
You've arrived! Why not share a meal and a drink with your new travel mates?
Day 2Tashkent/Samarkand
Travel on to Samarkand, known for intricately beautiful mosques and mausoleums, situated on the Silk Road. Take an orientation walk and opt to visit the Amir Timur Mausoleum, dedicated to the famous conqueror who once hoped to rebuild the empire of Genghis Khan.
Orientation With CEO
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
Amir Timur Mausoleum Visit
Amir Timur, known as Tamerlane, is an important figure to the city of Samarkand. He was a conqueror in the 14th century hoping to rebuild the empire of Genghis Khan and is considered the last of the great conquerors of the Eurasian steppe. Visit his mausoleum and learn more about his life and contributions.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Samarkand
Embark on a city tour, visiting Ulugbek Observatory, Shaki Zinda complex, the bazaar, Bibi Khanum, and Registan Square. With a free afternoon, continue exploring the Samarkand sights, have a cuppa in a local tea house, or wander around the bazaar. Opt to explore the Tomb of Prophet Daniel, famous for the Biblical story of Daniel and the lions.
Free Time
Head out and discover more of Samarkand.
Samarkand City Tour
Visit the important sights of the city with a local guide. See the Shaki Zinda complex, Samarkand bazaar, Bibi Khanum, and Registan Square.
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Tomb of the Old Testament Prophet Daniel Visit
3USD per personEnjoy a visit to the Tomb of the Old Testament Prophet Daniel, famous for the Biblical story of Daniel and the lions. A legend says that his body grows by half an inch every year!
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 4Samarkand/Aydar Kŭl Camp
Travel out into the desert to visit Chashma Complex, a pilgrimage site in the territory of Nurata, dominated by ruins of Alexander the Great's fortress, Juma mosque, a bath-house, and the ancient Panjvakta mosque. All of this, hiding a holy spring believed to heal diseases. After exploring the complex, head to Aidarkul Lake and opt for a swim before continuing on for an overnight stay in a local yurt camp. Enjoy an authentic Uzbekistan dinner and an evening Kazakh singing show.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Chashma Complex and Holy Spring Visit
The Chashma Complex in Nurata contains multiple important Islamic sights including the Juma Mosque and spring. The spring is believed to heal diseases and attracts many visitors.
Fortress of Alexander the Great Visit
The city of Nurata was founded by Alexander the Great in 327BC and the remains of his fortress are still standing. The area is mentioned in many historical texts as being of strategic importance.
Your Local Living Moment: Overnight in a Yurt
Stay in traditional felt yurts and experience the way of life in the remote reaches of Uzbekistan.
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
Kazakh Singing
FreeSit back and enjoy some local culture with a Kazakh singing performance.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 5Aydar Kŭl Camp/Bukhara
Travel to Bukhara, known as one of the most charming cities in the country, and get your bearings on an orientation walk. Opt to visit the old city bazaars, enjoy a traditional dinner cooked by a local family, visit a hammam (bathhouse), or just relax in the pleasant atmosphere of this Silk Road city.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Free Time
Spend the afternoon wandering and get to know the city.
Optional Activities - Day 5 HideShow
Bukhara Hammam Visit
35USD per personThere are a few hammam choices in the city and they are often gender specific - Hammam Kunjak for ladies and Bozori Kord Hammam for gentlemen. Depending on the day of the week and when you want to go, your CEO can advise you on some options.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Bukhara
Explore Bukhara on a half-day guided walking tour around the beautifully restored mosques, madrassas, and covered markets, or trading domes, that make up the Old City. A centre for pottery, cloth, and carpets, Bukhara is centered around Lyabi-Hauz, a delightful pool of water surrounded by ancient mulberry trees. Wander the artisan shops and narrow twisting streets and alleyways, or sit at a café table and let the evening drift by. Opt to watch a local puppet show held in an old caravanserai, or indulge in a rejuvenating hammam bathhouse.
Free Time
This is the perfect city for shopping or enjoying tea and snacks at a chaykhana.
Bukhara City Guided Tour
Join a local guide to visit the the Samanid Mausoleum, the Ark Citadel, and the Poi-i-Kalon complex. Wander around beautifully restored mosques, madrassas, and covered markets that make up the Old City.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Carpet Museum
1USD per personThe Magok-i Attari Mosque (Museum of Carpets) offers information about the art of carpet making and some fine examples to boot. Perhaps more impressively, the building the museum is located in was once used for Jewish, Muslim, and Christian services, demonstrating the diversity and open-mindedness of this intriguing city.
Bukhara Hammam Visit
35USD per personThere are a few hammam choices in the city and they are often gender specific - Hammam Kunjak for ladies and Bozori Kord Hammam for gentlemen. Depending on the day of the week and when you want to go, your CEO can advise you on some options.
Chor-Bakr Complex
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the burial site of Abu-Bakr-Said, one of the four descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Wander around the necropolis of family tombs and enclosed courtyards while admiring the simple, yet intricate beauty.
Jewish Area and Synagogue Visit
FreeBukhara has a fascinating Jewish history, with Bukharan Jews speaking a Turkic-Persian dialect with a Hebrew script. The city once was home to 40,000 Jews and now has a community of about 25-30 families. The synagogue is well worth a visit (donation expected) and houses a Torah that is roughly 1,000 years old. Please note that on Friday evenings and Saturday, the Synagogue is usually closed for Shabbat.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Bukhara/Khiva
Enjoy a scenic drive through the desert on a full day's journey to reach UNESCO-listed Khiva, well worth the arduous drive. Get to know this peaceful, picturesque city on a late afternoon orientation walk, and pick your favourite spots to explore more in-depth tomorrow.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Orientation With CEO
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Khiva
Before exploring this historic town on your own, enjoy a guided tour to learn about local life here. Wander through the narrow labyrinth mudbrick alleyways of old town, bargain with locals at the bazaar, admire the madrassas, mosques, and blue mosaic domes, climb up towering minarets, and venture into the dark dungeons Khiva was infamous for back in the 10th century. Explore the inner walls of Ichon-Qala, and enjoy spectacular sunset views on the sand-coloured buildings.
Khiva Ancient City Exploration
Khiva feels like a museum city, with well-preserved city walls and ancient monuments. Wander the city on a guided tour, learn about life here and its important place in history.
Free Time
Continue exploring this historic town.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Khiva/Dashoguz
Spend the morning in Khiva, enjoying your last moments here to experience anything you couldn't squeeze in yesterday, or do some last minute shopping. After lunch, drive to the Uzbek-Turkmen border and continue to Dashoguz. Take an orientation walk and opt for dinner in local café, or explore the city and it's Bai Market.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Border Crossing (Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan)
Cross the border on foot and enter Turkmenistan.
Free Time
Enjoy your last morning in Khiva, taking in anything you have yet to experience.
Optional Activities - Day 9 HideShow
Bai Bazaar
FreeWalk around and explore the Bai Bazaar. Opt to purchase fruits or pastries and sample local foods.
Dashoguz Museum
10USD per personLearn more about the history, culture, and art of Turkmenistan at the Dashoguz Museum. From archeological finds to ancient clothes, find the various moments of history captured and on display in this stunning landmark.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 10Dashoguz/Darvaza
Drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kunya Urgench to visit the ancient capital of the Khorezmian Empire. After lunch, continue to the Kara-Kum desert and witness the fiery Darvaza gas crater, also known as the "Gates of Hell." This evening, enjoy a delicious barbeque dinner and spend the night camping under the stars at a yurt camp.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Kunya-Urgench City Visit
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this town was abandoned in the 1700s and has remained untouched ever since. Visit the series of monuments built between the 11th and 16th centuries including a mosque, the gates of a caravanserai, fortresses, mausoleums, and a 60 meter high minaret.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Darvaza Gas Crater Visit
Often referred to as the 'Gates of Hell', this gas crater was originally constructed to support a drilling rig but collapsed. As residents discovered the natural gas leak, it was set on fire to burn off over the course of several weeks. Decades later it continues to burn.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 11Darvaza/Ashgabat
After breakfast, begin the journey to the capital of Turkmenistan - Ashgabat. On the way, stop near the community of Erbent and admire its golden sand dunes that stretch out to the horizon. On arrival in Ashgabat, spend the evening at leisure. Opt to visit the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque, also known as Gypjak Mosque, and capture the sun setting on the symmetrical minarets and golden domes.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Erbent Sand Dunes
Walk across the ancient sands of the central Karakum Desert near the village of Erbent. Keep your camera handy - the Karakum dunes are a stunning landscape any time of year.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 12Ashgabat
Spend the day exploring bustling Ashgabat. Enjoy a tour of the city in the morning, visiting several city treasures such as the Monument of Independence and the National museum or Neutrality Arch. Afterward, opt to venture to the ancient ruins of Nisa, or continue exploring Ashgabat.
Free Time
Enjoy some free time today to explore the sights or relax in the city.
Ashgabat City Tour
Start the day exploring the Monument of Independence followed by the National Museum of History and Ethnography. Next, visit the Arch of Neutrality and end the tour at the Gulistan market.
Optional Activities - Day 12 HideShow
Ashgabat Hippodrome
FreeThe largest hippodrome in the country, attend a horse race or just explore the grounds and view the markets, facilities, and playground.
Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
FreeWith four minarets and a central dome, this mosque honours the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman I. Here, find a lavish interior and stained glass windows.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 13Ashgabat
Depart at any time. Departure transfer is included.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.