Central Asia Immersion Group Tour 2023

Arrive in Astana. Transfer to the hotel and check-in at 14:00. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. At 09:00 meet your guide and other group members in the hotel lobby to start a sightseeing tour of Kazakhstan’s capital. Visit the “Old Centre”, previously the home of merchants. Walk along the Millennium Axis line named by Kisho Kurokawa, the chief architect and designer of Astana’s general layout. Visit the Opera building and the Round Square with its numerous fountains. Touring on Independence Square with 91 meter high snow-white stele Kazakh Eli, Khazret Sultan Mosque, and Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. Continue to Nurzhol and Green Water boulevards to see stunning skyscrapers with their unique architecture. Take the lift up the Bayterek monument and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view from the observation deck. Conclude the morning city tour with a visit to Khan-Shatyr, a major shopping and entertainment center. Go for a tasty welcome lunch. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours
Meals: lunch

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Almaty. Upon arrival, start a sightseeing tour of Almaty. Highlights of this morning will include Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, Republic Square, and the Central State Museum. A a short drive (25 km) will take you to Chimbulak. Here, visit the ski resort and ride the cable car to enjoy the amazing views of the snowy peaks of the Tian Shan Mountains. Our last stop of the day will be the Sunkar Falcon Farm, where you’ll enjoy a spectacular show with specially trained hawks – hunting with these magnificent birds is a distinguishing feature of the Kazakh way of life. Return to the hotel by 18:00. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours

Breakfast. At 08:00 meet your guide and driver in the hotel lobby. Leave Almaty and drive to Charyn Canyon (220 km, 3-4 h). This 154m-long canyon is in eastern Kazakhstan, part of the Charyn National Park. In addition to unforgettable views of the enormous canyon with its multi-coloured tower formations, the National Park offers the opportunity to see an old ash-tree grove, the Castle Valley. The canyon’s beauty makes you forget the long drive from Almaty, and you will remember this highlight of Kazakh nature for a long time. After arriving at the canyon, take some time for a picnic and a rest. After that, walk along the canyon and enjoy the views. Then transfer to the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border post at Kegen (116 km). Meet your Kyrgyz driver and guide and transfer to Karakol via the Karkara Valley (110 km). Enjoy dinner with an Uigur family, including a Kyrgyz folkloric show, national music and songs. Overnight at the hotel in Karakol.
Meals: picnic lunch, dinner

After breakfast, visit the Wooden Orthodox Church and the intriguing Dungan Mosque (which was built in Chinese style). Then transfer to the Jety-Oguz Gorge. Take a short hike in the gorge and then drive along the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. On the way, stop in Bokonbaevo to see an eagle hunting show. Continue driving to Kochkor. This drive guarantees you one of the best views of Lake Issyk-Kul. Have dinner and spend the overnight with a Kyrgyz family.
Meals: lunch, dinner

Drive to Son-Kul (120km), a remote mountain lake that is one of the highest in Kyrgyzstan (3,016m above sea level) via Kalmak Ashu pass (3,400 m above sea level). The lake is situated on a treeless, high-mountain plateau to which shepherds bring their livestock in summer and establish yurt camps where they’ll live. In this magnificent place you can expect to see hundreds of herds of livestock and numerous yurts, as well as edelweiss flowers and camels. Accompanied by your guide, you’ll learn about the traditional life of Kyrgyz nomads, watching local women make the Kyrgyz national drink, kymyz (mare’s milk) You’ll surely be invited to try kymyz, as well as traditional bread, dairy products, and home-made jam. You’ll also have the chance to ride a horse (optional, at extra cost). Dinner and overnight at a yurt camp.
Meals: lunch, dinner

Breakfast. At 09:00 transfer to Bishkek (400 km). On the way, join a workshop in Kochkor to see how traditional Kyrgyz felt carpets are made. After lunch continue driving to Bishkek, via Burana Tower. This tower was part of the ancient city of Balasagun (11th to 13th centuries) and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrive in Bishkek. Overnight at the hotel.
Meals: lunch, dinner

Breakfast. At 09:00 begin a sightseeing tour of Bishkek. Visit Oak Park, Ala-Too Square, the Philharmonic Hall, the Statue of Manas, Victory Square, and the Oriental market (Osh Bazaar) and new mosque named after Mahmud Kashgari. After lunch, enjoy some free time in the city. Transfer to Bishkek Airport for the evening flight HY780 to Tashkent at 18:10. Arrive in Tashkent at 18:30 and transfer to the hotel for overnight.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3 hours

Breakfast. At 09:00 start a tour of Tashkent by visiting the Old City, which includes the Khast-Imam Complex and Chorsu Bazaar. Then take a ride on Tashkent Metro to the city center to visit Applied Arts Museum and walk through Navoi Theater to Amir Timur Square where you will end Tashkent city tour. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours

At 05:30 transfer to the domestic airport to get the morning flight HY051 to Urgench at 07:25 (1093 km, 1 h 30 min). Arrival in Urgench at 08:55, transfer to the hotel in Khiva (30 km, 35 min) to leave the luggage.
Start guided walking sightseeing tour. Spend a day in UNESCO World Heritage site Ichan-Kala Fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage site), Mukhammad Amin Khan Madrassah, Mukhammad Rahimkhan Madrassah, Kalta Minor, Juma Mosque, Toshkhovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, and the Minaret of Islom Khodja. Free time in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5 hours

Breakfast. Free time. In the afternoon drive to the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border crossing at Shavat-Dashoguz (60 km, 1 h). Complete the border formalities on both sides, crossing the 1.5 km neutral zone (please note that transportation may not be available). Meet your Turkmen guide and drive to the Darvaza gas crater, located in the middle of the Karakum Desert (270 km, 4 h). Set up camp for the night and enjoy a delicious fire-cooked dinner near the burning gas crater. Overnight in tents.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 2 hours
Meals: camp style dinner
Note: At Darvaza camp you will be provided with sleeping bags, pillows, and 1- or 2-person tents. There is also an option to share a yurt with 3-5 other group members. In both cases, toilets and basic washing facilities are outside.

After a camp-style breakfast, drive to Ashgabat (280 km, 3 h 30 min). On the way, stop at water and mud craters. Arrive in Ashgabat and visit the National Museum of History. Check in the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of this fascinating city, the capital of Turkmenistan. Ashgabat holds the Guinness World Record as the city with the highest density of white marble buildings in the world. During the city tour, explore the archeological site of Old Nisa, a UNESCO World Heritage site; and Spiritual Mosque, one of the biggest mosques in Central Asia. Visit the Monument of Neutrality, Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, the recently-built Independence Park, and Ahalteke horse stables. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Mary at 18:50 (370 km, 40 min). Upon arrival at 19:30 transfer to the hotel. Free time.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6 hours
Meals: lunch, dinner

Breakfast, drive to Merv (40 km, 30 min), an ancient city that was a major centre of international trade and crafts on the Silk Road. Discover the Historical and Cultural Park of “Ancient Merv” (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), including the Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, Large and Small Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Gyaur Gala, Keshk Fortress, and other sights. In the afternoon, drive to the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border point, Farap-Alat (290 km, 5 h 30 min). Complete the border formalities at both checkpoints and cross the 1.5 km neutral zone (please note that transportation may not be available). Meet your driver on the Uzbekistan side and continue to Bukhara (100 km, 1 h 30 min). Arrive in Bukhara and check-in to the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours
Meals: lunch

After breakfast, enjoy a guided walking tour of Bukhara’s Old City. Visit the Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, trading domes, Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrassah, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrassahs, Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, and Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums. Attend a national folklore show at Nadir Divan-Begi Madrassah. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Breakfast. Continue the guided sightseeing tour around Bukhara. Drive out of the city to visit Chor-Minor Madrassah and Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, the summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir. Visit the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi. At 15:00, transfer to the railway station to take the train to Samarkand at 15:50. Arrive in Samarkand and transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 2-3 hours

Breakfast. At 09:00 start a city tour of Samarkand. Visit the spectacular Registan Square, the Gur Emir (Tamerlane’s mausoleum), the remains of Bibi Khanum Mosque, and the Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis. Then drive to Koni Ghil village to explore the traditional way of making Samarkand paper from the bark of the mulberry tree. Free evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

In the morning, transfer to the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border crossing point at Jartepa (50 km, 1 h). Complete the border formalities at both checkpoints, meet your Tajik local guide and driver, and drive to Penjikent (20 km, 20 min). Take a guided sightseeing tour of Penjikent, including the Rudaki Museum (Penjikent is the birthplace of Abu Abdallah Rudaki, considered by many to be the father of Persian poetry). Visit ancient Penjikent, the ruins of a town founded by the Sogdians in the 5th century and abandoned by Arabs in the 8th century. The foundations of houses, a citadel with a couple of Zoroastrian fire temples, and the remains of the city bazaar are visible in the excavated ruins. Continue to the Seven Lakes (80 km). Stop at Sarazm, which is one of the oldest settlements in Central Asia and has 5,500 years of history. In 2010, Sarazm was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. Visit Haf Kul, seven different-coloured lakes situated in the mountains of Tajikistan. Today you will visit four lakes: 1. Mijgon, 2. Soya, 3. Hushyor, and 4. Nophin (2,139m above sea level). Overnight at the guest house.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours
Meals: lunch, dinner
Note: Today's accommodation, a homestay with a local family, will have quite basic facilities. Hot water, while normally available, is not 100% reliable. The toilet and showers are outside and shared. You may need to share a room with others in your group (especially during high season), with separate bedrooms for men and women. In return, you'll have a unique opportunity to learn about the Tajik culture and the area from the locals' perspective as you share the family's traditional meals and experience their day-to-day life.

After breakfast, drive to the other three lakes: 5. Khurdak, 6. Marguzor, and 7. Hazorchashma (2,400m above sea level). Picnic at Hazorchashma Lake. Then take the mountain road to Iskanderkul Lake (270 km, 4-5 h) via the picturesque Anzob Pass (3,300m above sea level). Overnight at the guest house.
Meals: lunch, dinner

Breakfast. Explore the surroundings of Iskanderkul Lake. According to legend, this lake was named after Alexander the Great (who was known as Iskander in the East). People say that Alexander the Great travelled via this lake from India to Central Asia. Visit Zmeinoe (Snake) Lake and walk to a 38m-high waterfall called “Fan Niagara”. After lunch, drive to Dushanbe (130 km, 2-3 h). Check in to your hotel.
Meals: lunch

Breakfast. Meet your guide and driver in the hotel lobby to start a city tour of Dushanbe. Visit the Hissar Fortress, Madrassah Kuhna, Mosque of Hoji Yakub, National Museum of Tajikistan, Gurminj Musical Instruments Museum, Statue of Ismail Samani, and Rudaki Park. Free time. Farewell dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours
Meals: dinner

Breakfast. Check-out from the hotel at noon. Free time until your transfer to Dushanbe International Airport. Departure. End of the tour.