Turkmenistan-Ozbekistan Tour

Arrival from Ashgabat International Airport The accompanying guide will meet you at the airport. Transfer to the “Diwan” hotel. Hotel check in. The breakfast at the “Diwan” hotel is included to the price and served from 7:00am. to 10:30am. Please mention that if you are late the appointed time, you will not be able to have a free breakfast. Old Nisa Fortress (UNESCO World Heritage Site), located 15 km from Ashgabat city center. The earliest of Parthian Empire capitals (III c. BC – III c. AD). Located in an atmospheric area at the foot of the Kopet-Dag Mountains. Archaeological excavations in two parts of the site have revealed richly decorated architecture, illustrative of domestic, state, and religious functions. Situated at the crossroads of important commercial and strategic axes, this powerful empire formed a barrier to Roman expansion while serving as an important communication and trading center between East and West, North and South. State Museum of History Lunch at local restaurant. The arch of Neutrality and the monument of Neutrality (by the way, on the top of the arch of Neutrality stands the gold statue of the first President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov); Independence Park; Wedding palace “Bagt koshgi”; “Alem” Ferris wheel; “Oguzhan” Presidential Palace and “Rukhyyet” Palace is the official residence and workplace of the President of Turkmenistan (The palace is not open to the public, but visitors can view it from the outside) Ashgabat Olympic complex city where in 2017 was held “5th Indoor and martial art Games” (Complex is not open to the public, but visitors can view it from the outside) Lenin Monument Dinner at a local restaurant.

Breakfast in the hotel Today we will: • Then we drive 40 km to Gokdepe village to visit Arkadash horse farm where you will have a chance to see, feed and drive the unique breed of Turkmen Ahal-Teke horses. From there will stop at Gokdepe fortress and the mosque. The village was the site of the biggest battle for Russian domination in Central Asia in the late 19 c. The fortress is also a site of a beautiful Gok-depe mosque built in 1996 in honor of the fortress defenders. Having finished our photo session with horses and mosque, we continue our drive to Ashgabat, en-route make a stop to visit an impressive complex in Kipchak village, consisting of the largest mosque in Turkmenistan – Turkmenbashy Ruhy (Spiritual) Mosque and the family mausoleum of the first president of Turkmenistan. PM drive to the Darvaza gas crater, better known as the “Gateway to Hell”.Drive 4-5 hours to Darvaza. The road from Ashgabat to Darvaza is quite damaged, but our experienced drivers can handle it. The destination and campsite are worth it. Along the way, we stop at two more craters: “a mud crater” and a “whirling water crater.” You will have dinner (barbecue in the style of nomads) and overnight in yurts not far from the burning gas crater.

Breakfast at Darvaza and transfer to Kunya Urgench (5-6 hrs). Lunch at a local restaurant (optional). Today we will visit the historical city Kunya Urgench (UNESCO World Heritage Site) – once a glorious capital of the medieval Khorezshah Empire, the biggest Muslim empire of the late 12 and early 13 centuries. We will take a close look at the outstanding: • 14-century mausoleum of Turabek Hanum, one of the best examples of the architecture of its period; • The minaret of Kutlug Timur, a former highest minaret of Central Asia that used to form a part of the main cathedral mosque of the city; • The mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh, a beautiful 12-century mausoleum with one of the earliest portals of the east and a unique cone of a dome; • Kyrk-Mollah mound, the fabled al-Mamun’s Academy of Sciences; • The mausoleum of Il-Arslan; Najmeddin Kubra and Piryar Wali shrines. Transfer to Dashoguz for overnight in the hotel.

After breakfast in the hotel transfer to Shavat to cross the border to Uzbekistan. Complete border crossing formalities. End of services. Meet your guide at Uzbekistan border. Transfer to Khiva (40 minute drive). Sightseeing of Ichan Kala (UNESCO World Heritage Site): Kalta Minor • Kunya Ark • Rakhimkhon Madrasa • Shirghazi-khan Madrasa • Pakhlavan Mahmud • Islam Khodja Minaret and Museum • Friday Mosque • Tashauli Palace Lunch during the tour inside Ichan Kala. Hotel check-in. Free time. (dinner) Overnight in Khiva.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Bukhara (8 hours with a stop for lunch). Arrive in Bukhara. Hotel check-in. Dinner. Overnight in Bukhara.

Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing tour of Bukhara. Ismail Samani Mausoleum Bolo Hauz Mosque Ark Fortress Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrasah Lyabi Khauz Kalyan Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Madrasah Kalyan Minaret Chor Minor Madrasah Lunch during the tour in Lyabi Khauz. Dinner and overnight in Bukhara.

Bukhara – Samarkand Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Samarkand (5 hours). Arrival in Samarkand and hotel check-in. Lunch. Sightseeing of Samarkand: • Gur Emir Mausoleum • Registan Square • Bibi Khanum Mosque • Siab Bazaar Hotel check-in. Dinner. Overnight in Samarkand.

Samarkand –Tashkent Breakfast at the hotel. Half day sightseeing tour: • Ulugbek Observatory • Khodja Daniyor Mausoleum • Afrosiyab Settlement • Shah-i-Zinda Lunch during the tour. Transfer to the train station. Train to Tashkent. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight in Tashkent.

Tashkent/Departure Transfer to International Airport for your international flight. End of services.