Main interest: History and Culture. Darvaza gas craters, Karakum desert

Route: Tashkent-Khiva-Shavat-Dashoguz – Kunya Urgench – Darvaza- Ashgabat- Mary - Olot-Bukhara-Samarkand-Tashkent

Day 1  Tashkent-Urgench-Khiva

Arrival. Meeting. City tour in old part of the city: the architectural complex "Khazrati-Imam", Chorsu gigantesque oriental bazaar on the right of the square Chorsu. City tour in modern part of the city: Museum of Art, Amir Temur Square, Broadway, Tashkent Metro, Independence Square.

Evening flight to Urgench. Arrival and transfer to Khiva – the only "Museum-city under the open sky" in Central Asia that has been completely preserved up to the present day (35 km, 30 min) and accomodation.Overnight at hotel.

Day 2  Khiva                                    B

City tour around the architectural complex Ichan-Qala - the historical center of Khiva, which has been inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List: Kunya-Ark khan's castle - the inner citadel of Ichan-Qala (16-17th cc.), Kalta Minor Tower (Short minaret) that would have become the biggest and tallest minaret in Central Asia (19th c.), Muhammad Amin-Khan - the biggest medieval medressa in Khiva (1845-1855 yy.), Djuma Mosque with 213 wooden columns and a minaret 32,5 m height (10th c.).  Lunch at local restaurant. Following tour of Khiva: Tash-Hauli (Stone courtyard) palace looking like a fortress with a high battlements, towers and fortified gates (19th c.), Ak-Mosque (White Mosque) - a small quarter mosque by the  gates of Palvan-Darvaza (1838-1842), necropolis of Pahlavan Mahmud - the cultic center of Ichan-Qala (1810-1913 yy.), residence of Islam Khodja (1910 y.) - the Vizier (Minister) of the last khan. Ensemble consists of the smallest medressa in Khiva and a minaret whose top platform has a height of 45 m and is the highest observation point in town. Walking to have a view over the town at sunset. Dinner. O/n at hotel.

Day 3  Khiva-Shavat (50 km). Leave Uzbekistan, arrive in Turkmenistan                  B, D

Transfer to Shavat border point. Border formalities. Meeting with Turkmenistanteam.

Dashoguz- Kunya Urgench- Darvaza, 410 km                4 WD

Drive to Kunya Urgench. Sightseeing in Kunya Urgench UNESCO history park (“Kunya Urgench” contains the survived monuments: mausoleums of Il Arslan 12th century, Sultan Tekesh 12th century, Turebeck Khanym 14th century, Najm addin Cubra 14th and Sultan Ali 16th century, minaret of Kutluk Timur 14th century (probably started in 11th ) 62 meters high, the tallest old brick construction in central Asia. The capital of Khwarezm had the most power in 11th – 13th centuries, have been overcoming in population and fame other Silk Road cities of central Asia. In 1221 it was razed by Genghis Khan, on its way in central Asia. After the revival in 14th century, the city was left forever due to Amudarya river course change and new destruction this time by Timur in 1370, later the new town of Urgench was built in present day Uzbekistan.

Drive to Darvaza. Stop for photos in the desert. Arrive at fiery gas crater. Camp in the area. See the gas crater before sunset and at night. Overnight in tent/ or yurta

Day 4              Darvaza - Ashgabat, 257 km                      4 WD                         B

A.M Return on road. Visit other gas craters. Drive to Ashgabat. Stop for photos in Karakum desert/ village.

P.M Arrive in Ashgabat. Check in hotel. Time for rest and shower.

*THU, SAT, SUN possible to stop at Tolkuchka bazaar before Ashgabat

Sightseeing in Ashgabat, with night drive in town to see it in lights and panoramic photos.

Visit Neutrality tower, Independence park, Alem Ferris Wheel.  Overnight at hotel.

Day 5              Ashgabat- Mary/ FLY                                                        B

A.M Continue sightseeing in Ashgabat, visit Nisa UNESCO fortress, Kipchak Turkmenbashy mosque.

P.M fly to Mary. Arrive. Check in hotel. Overnight

*Instead flight / Train offer is also can be arranged 15h00-22h00, 50 USD per person cheaper for the ticket

Day 6              Mary- Gonur Depe, 100 km + 100 km      4 WD              Merv, 30 km  B

A.M Drive to Gonur Depe. Sightseeing at Bronze Age Archeological site (Bactria – Margiana Archeological complex). Visit the excavations of Gonur Depe also known as Margush or Margiana. Return back to Mary. On the way – visit caravanserai of Gobekly. Time for rest at hotel.

In the afternoon, sightseeing at Merv UNESCO history park- Alexandria Margiana (Erk Kala), Antiochia Margiana (Gyaur Kala) remains, Sultan Kala (town of Seljuk kings), Sultan Ahmad Sanjar mausoleum, Yusuf Hamadany shrine, Mohammed ibn Zaid mausoleum, Gyz Kala castles.

Arrive in Mary. Overnight at hotel.

Day 7              Mary- Farap border crossing, 270 km                              B

A.M drive to Farap. Cross the karakum desert and Amudarya river. Arrive. Passport formalities. Continue to Uzbekistan border

Olot-Boukhara (110 km)

Meeting with Uzbekistanteam. Transfer to Boukhara.Trip out of the city for a visit to summer residence Sitorai-Mokhi-Hossa (19th c.), Naqshbandi mausoleum. Accommodation. Walking  around streets of ancient Bukhara. Overnight at hotel.

Day 8                                                         Bukhara            B

Breakfast in the hotel. Visit the Jewish Quarter with Sinagogue. ARK Fortress (VI — XIX c) — in middle ages it was a whole town with the emirs house, with wives, mosques mint place, government institutes, store rooms, a prison and a square for public executions, Bolo Khous Ensemble, Samanid mausoleum (IXc) 1st brick building shaped as cube covered by dome with unrepeatable geometrical brickwork design, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum. Lunch. PM: Poikalon (XII—XVI c) architectural ensemble of “Masjidi Kalon”, “Miri Arab” madrasah and minaret Kalon (46 m). Ulugbek Madrassah 1417 was the earliest of three commissioned by the enlightened Timurid ruler. Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah (1652). Trading Domes including Togi Zargaron, Togi Telpak furushon and Togi Saraffon Afghan trades. Tim Abdullakhan and one of the most elegant trade halls. Magoki Attori mosque, Labi-Hauz (XVI—XVII c) — a complex with Nodir — Devon Begi madrasa. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9                                Bukhara - Samarkand (280 km)         B

Drive to Samarkand. Arrive and accommodation. Lunch. City tour of Samarkand: Registan square: Medreseh Ulughbek (15th c.), Medreseh Shir-Dor (17th c.), Medreseh Tilla-Kori (17th c.), Bibi-Khonum Mosque, market place. Dinner. Overnight at hotel.

Day 10                       Samarkand- Tashkent (310 km)                                        B

Breakfast at hotel. Visit to Mausoleum Guri Emir - Tamerlane's Tomb (14—15th c.). Sightseeing to Ulughbek Observatory, visit to architectural complex Shakhi-Zinde, silk paper factory.

Transfer to railway station at 17:00. Departure by fast train at 18:00, arrival at 20:10 to Tashkent. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 11                       Tashkent

Transfer to airport at .... And of the tour.

NOTE: The program will be specified in accordance with the schedule of the international flights of arrival and departure.

Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan quote 2020

Accommodation in Uzbekistan

Hotels are subject to change according to their availability at the moment of reservation. In case of changing, similar hotel will be proposed.

Uzbekistan price includes:

• Accommodation based on double room sharing at the hotels mentioned below, breakfasts included;
• Domestic flight Tashkent-Urgench in economy class;
• Meals as indication “B” above in the program;
• Transportation for the whole period of the tour on comfortable air-conditioned transportation, including all airport transfers, train ticket Samarkand -Tashkent  in economy class;
• English speaking local guides on days 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10;

Transport

• AC sedans “CHEVROLET Cobalt, LACETTI”(Air-conditioned, 1-3 pax), minibus from 4 person

Uzbekistan price doesn’t include:

• International  flight;
• Additional services in the hotels;
• Entrance tickets and Video/Camera fees to the museums, mausoleums and other sights (approx. 40 USD per person for all cities);
• Insurance;
• Porter charges at airportsand hotels.

Turkmenistan prices include:

• Letter of invitation LOI, registration
• A/C transportation service (car, minivan) as per planning, transfers
• Flight tickets Mary- Ashgabat
• DBL/ TWIN room at hotels

Excluded services in Turkmenistan/ optional:

• Visa cost (at border is around 57 USD p/p, Belgium 77 USD pp, UK 87 USD pp)
• Migration border tax 14 USD pp, paid once on arrival
• State Travel Tax 2 USD per night/ per person/ is collected at hotels           *camp excluded
• Meals L D  *except dinner in Darvaza:
• Upgrade hotel in Ashgabat (Grand Turkmen, Nusay, Yyldyz, Oguzkent…)
• Photo/ video tickets at sites, entrance tickets outside of program
• Personal items, gratuities, insurance, international flight tickets
• English guide service (*optional 55 USD per day/ we can do program without guide/ English drivers available Dashoguz- Ashgabat)
• Entrance tickets for Merv, Nisa, history museum, Kunya Urgench
• Other services missing above