Tour MTAC 22: Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan - 19 days / 18 nights

Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan: The borders of Central Asia

See info about Turkmenistan

Duration: 19 days / 18 nights
Means of transport: air, vehicle and by train
Season: All year
Description: The trip on Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The tour consists of discovering the history, architecture and landscape (desert mountain +) varied in these countries
Accommodation: Hotels 2-3-4 -5 * 
Itinerary: UZBEKISTAN: Tashkent - Kokand - Rishtan - Fergana- Margelan - Oltiarik -Ourgench - Khiva- Ancients fortresses - Bukhara - Samarkand
TURKMENISTAN: KONYA URGENTCH - Tashauz - ASHGABAT- Turkmenbashi - MERV - MARY
 When to go?
Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan: the months of spring and fall are the most appropriate. Mid June to August can be very hot. Winter is also possible if you do not visit the cities. The Silk Road was certainly the most important commercial center of the story. Already in ancient times, it linked the peoples of China with the Mediterranean. Chinese products such as porcelain, silk and spices were transported on this road to the west. While in reverse, next to the European commodity, Western thought, Buddhism came across this bridge cultures, the steppes and oases of Central Asia. Your trip aims to give a historical and contemporary perspective on the realities of this Central Asia and make you live history, size. Extremely varied landscapes, deserts, mountains, lakes and oases, mineral universe extraordinary and changing colors ... The meeting with the people who have preserved their customs, traditions and religious beliefs, adds to the charm of the Silk Road. Visit exceptional sites inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

Program 
Day 1: Tashkent
Arrival to Tashkent, transfer to hotel. Free morning to rest. Lunch. Tashkent the capital of Uzbekistan, 2200 years old, was partially destroyed during several earthquakes and recently renovated. After lunch visit Khazret Imam. you will spend some time in the Chorsu bazaar. Then visit the Museum of Applied Arts, which includes much of the architecture of Uzbekistan. Dinner and overnight in Tashkent.

Day 2: Tashkent - Kokand - Rishtan - FERGHANA
Road to Ferghana, a city in the valley of the same name to the east. Path through the mountain pass Kamchik at 2050m. On the way, stop in Kokand and possible visit the palace Khudoyar Khan, the Friday Mosque and the royal cemetery. Transfer Rishtan which is known for its traditions of ceramics. Visit the  potters workshop. Lunch on the way. Arrival in Fergana. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3: FERGANA- - Margelan - Oltiarik - FERGHANA
Starting Margelan and visit the factory of Silk production. After visiting Margelan transfer to Oltiarik (35km), visit interesting villages we see the country with rich agricultural traditions with extensive gardens of fruits, vegetables and grapes and beautify of the road. The cotton harvest will be a good opportunity for you to make many pictures of people working in the fields. Continuation of the road for Kokand. Visit the famous palace Khoudayar Khan (closed on Mondays). The construction of this palace took 8 years (1863-1871). After visiting the palace of Khoudayar Khan, visit the Juma mosque, which was one of the largest mosques in royal Kokad and includes 10,000 believers at a time, and Dakhmai Jahon - "Tombs of Governors.". Back to Ferghana. Overnight at hotel.
 
Day 4: FERGHANA - TASHKENT - URGENTCH - KHIVA
Early departure for Tashkent and flight to Urgentch the north. Direct transfer to Khiva. Overnight at hotel.

Day 5 Khiva
Khiva which does not seem to have been touched by modern times. Of course, the ease of Khiva, which was both the center of a rich agricultural region and one of the main slave markets of Central Asia allowed the construction of religious buildings or administrative, renowned for their size and their luxury refinements. Classified by Unesco World Heritage Site and as such protected and renovated the old city of Khiva will charm you with the total consistency between its tall buildings and the remaining homes. Overnight in Khiva.

Jour 6: KHIVA - TOPRAK KALA - AYAZ KALA - KIZIL KALA – KHIVA
Excursion to discover the dead cities and fortresses (Kala) dotting the Khorezm: Toprak Kala, Kala Kizil and Ayaz Kala. Overnight in Khiva.

Day 7: KHIVA - border - KONYA URGENTCH - Tashauz - ASHGABAT
Crossing the uzbek –turkmen border. Enter Turkmenistan then continue to Konya Urgentch. Explore the city. Journey by road to Tashauz, flight to Ashgabat in late afternoon. Overnight in Ashgabat.

Day 8: MARY -ACHGABAT - Turkmenbashi
The morning flight to Turkmenbashi. Arrival in Turkmenbashi, which is known with the National Tourist Zone "Avaza", a futuristic project to create a seaside resort on the Caspian, as in Dubai. Lunch. Visit the seaside center on the Caspian sea. Overnight at the hotel 5 stars overlooking the sea.

Day 9: Turkmenbashi -ACHGABAT
The AM free. PM return flight to Ashgabat. Arrival and accomodation.. Overnight at hotel in Ashgabat.

Day 10: ASHGABAT
Day to the discovery of the Turkmen capital: visit the mosque Ertogrul Gazy, the Independence Square, the National Museum of History and Ethnography of Turkmenistan. Excursion to the ruins of the old Nisse. Back in Ashgabat. Overnight at hotel.

Day 11: ASHGABAT - MERV - Turkmenabad
Road through the desert to Turkmenabad and visit the ancient city of Merv at sunset. Overnight at hotel in Turkmenabad.

Day 12: Turkmenabad - FARAP - OLOT - Bukhara (Uzbekistan)
Transfer to the border FARAP-OLOT (30 km). Formality immigration / customs. Pick up by the Uzbek team. Transfer to Bukhara (100 km). Lunch on the way. Arrival and accommodation. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 13:  BUKHARA
Visit to Bukhara, traditional town that has kept the charm of its past Arabic, Persian and Turkish. The numerous invasions from undermining its walls made the city a real architectural museum: You will begin visits with all Liab Khauz certainly considered the most original architectural complex of the city. You will see Nadir Divan Begi medersas, and the Koukeldash Khanako. You will also pass by the domes marchades Tok-i-Sarrafon, Tok-i-Telpakfourchon and Tok-i-Zargaron  and the mosque Magok-i-Attori. Visit the Tim Abdullah Khan. Walk across the district Poi-Kalon which is the heart of the city. Lunch during the visit. Visit the citadel Ark, residence of the Khan of Bukhara, of Bala Hauz Mosque which we notice the luxurious decoration of the iwan (vaulted niche) and the splendid mausoleum of the Samanids, an architectural wonder. Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 14: Bukhara.
The morning will be devoted to the visit of the necropolis Chor Bakr. You will continue your visits to the site the most revered of Bukhara, the mausoleum of Bakhaouddin Nakhchbandi, named one of the founders of the holiest and most revered Sufi Islam who are ready this sentence: "If 'you sow the seed of good, it will grow in seven years and seven hundred good deeds will. " By late afternoon you will visit all Sitora Khossa Mokha, former summer residence of the emirs of Bukhara from the early twentieth century. Overnight in Bukhara

Day 15: Bukhara - SAMARKAND (270km)
Departure to Samarkand. En route, stop at Gijdouvan 40 km from Bukhara where you will visit a family workshop existing pottery for six generations. Then stop at the ruins of Rabati Malik caravanserai dating from the eleventh century and Sardoba (reservoire water) which was an important stop on the Great Silk Road. Continue to Samarkand. Arrival and lunch. Accommodation at the hotel. Afternoon, visit Ulugbeg Observatory, the first in the East, built by Ulugbek (grand son of Tamerlan), unique in the world, built in the fifteenth century. A huge sextant allowed the observation of the sun and the moon. Panoramic view of the AFROSIAB archaeological site and the visit of the museum. Visit  the impressive necropolis of Shakhi Zinda (XI-XIX centuries). Overnight at hotel.

Day 16: Samarkand.
You will begin the day with a visit to the Registan square with its splendid Oulougbeg of madrasas, of Shir-Dor, Tilla-Kari, decorated with ceramic tiles blue. You will continue visits with the discovery of the mosque Bibi-Khanym, the largest mosque in Central Asia. By late morning, stroll a little bazaar Siyob. Lunch during the visits. The afternoon will be devoted to the discovery of the Gur Emir, Tamerlane's tomb and the Roukhabad, dating from the fourteenth century. Then you will attend a folk concert in the Shir Dor madrassah. Overnight in Samarkand

Day 17: SAMARKAND - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand (90 + 90km)
Road to Shakhrisabz by mountain pass, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Discovery of the Ak Sarai of Dorus Dorus Tilavat complex and Siadat. Back to Samarkand.

Day 18: Samarkand, Tashkent (about 310 km by train).
Free day in Samarkand. PM Depart by comfortable express train to Tashkent (310 km-2h 10 min). Arrival in Tashkent. Dinner and overnight in Tashkent.

Day 19: Tashkent  - international flight
Personal discoveries of Tashkent. Transfer to the airport for international flight.  End of our services.

Note:
The program will be specified in accordance with the schedule of the international flights of arrival and departure.
We are absolutely open to any suggestions to increase the range of our services for the complete satisfaction of our clients.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your individual needs. Customized tours can be conducted in English, French, German, Spanish or Italian. Each departure is conducted in the designated language only.
Please contact us for price: info@marakandatravel.com

Welcome to Central Asia! Hope to see you soon!