Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan Combination Tour

Arrive in Ashgabat airport. Meet your Turkmen guide and driver, transfer to hotel for overnight. Overnight in Ashgabat.

We begin the day heading for the fabled Bazaar of Tolkuchka (Altyn Asyr), attracting colorfully dressed people from all over the country to buy or sell camels, cattle and poultry, amulets, carpets, jewelry, and myriads of other things. From the market we continue for sightseeing Ashgabat. We will start by exploring the historical site of 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). After Nisa we drive back to Ashgabat for city tour. We will visit the Memorial Complex of Ashgabat dedicated to the victims of 1948 earthquake, victims of 2nd World War and victims of Geokdepe battle; the Monument of Neutrality topped by a 12 meter high gold-plated statue of the first President of Turkmenistan, and the Park of independence with its Independence monument. In the afternoon we visit the National Museum of History and Ethnography (more than 327.000 objects on a display) and see the exclusive ancient artifacts from different historical and archeological sites of Turkmenistan, like Old Nisa, Ancient Merv and etc.

In the morning we catch our 4x4 AC vehicles and head north towards the central Karakum, to see the Darvaza flaming crater (260 km). En- route make short sightseeing stops at large desert villages of Bokurdak to see the life of the semi-nomadic families and traditional activities: embroidery, pishme (traditional bakery), baking bread and cooking ishlekli (meat pies). See making felt if in season and milking camels. Try the camel milk if you like, or a cup of tea. Learn the significance of the amulets and protective Alaja strings used in the everyday life of Turkmen semi-nomads. Continue driving to the gas crater. When we reach the crater, short exploration of the area.Return to Ashgabat (260 km).

In the morning, we head east along one of the major directions of the former Silk Road in Turkmenistan. 12 kilometres from Ashgabat we will make a stop near modern Anau, at a former medieval city of Bagabad, featuring the citadel of an important Timurid-period centre and the ruins of the Seyit Jemaleddin mosque, which is referred to in many historical sources as “house of beauty”. Many centuries ago (around the 5 th mill. BC) this area accommodated the population of early Central Asian farmers who developed the world-famous Anau culture, evidences of which were discovered and extracted during archaeological researches throughout the XX century. 120 km from Ashgabat, we make a short stop to stretch our legs roaming through the ruins of Abiverd, once an important trading town of northern Khorasan and a key link on the Silk Route among Nisa, Merv and Nishapur. Then we continue to Mary, observing succession of desert, settlements and fields and encountering numerous “depe”-dunes, mounds marking and hiding remnants of former fortified strongholds, caravanserais, watch-towers or country-sid estates of wealthy landlords. In the afternoon, we arrive in Mary, the capital of the present-day Mary region and the center of the Murgab oasis. Overnight in Mary.

After breakfast, we visit local History Museum, presenting a wide array of archaeological finds (dating back to the III mill. BC through the late XIX century) from both Ancient Merv and Bronze Age sites of the Margush country. We head 25 km to the east of Mary, towards Bayram-Ali, the contemporary re-incarnation of and humble suburb of the glorious Ancient Merv (UNESCO World Heritage Site). One of the major archaeological sites of Central Asia, Merv played an important part in the development of the Silk Road for more than 2 000 years. Within the limits of the archaeological park, which is 1200 ha, we will have a chance to observe all constituent parts of the “wandering city”. A series of adjacent cities, which can be roughly divided into the ancient (Erk Kala and Gyaur Kala), the medieval (Sultan Kala with its suburbs), and post-medieval (Abdulla-Khan Kala and Bayram-Ali-Khan Kala), appeared in the course of time as a token of the natural progress of the city from initial stages of its existence to a more advanced level. Besides remnants of the cities of Merv, we will visit the VI-IX cc. AD forts of Big and Little Kyz-Kalas, excellent examples of the so-called corrugated Koshks; the splendid XII c. mausoleums of Sultan Sanjar and Muhammed ibn-Zeyd, demonstrating exquisite Seljuk period brickwork and architectural décor. Drive to Turkmenabat (225 km) through eastern Karakum desert. Overnight in Turkmenabat.

Early morning transfer to Farap to cross the border to Uzbekistan. Complete border crossing formalities. End of Services in Turkmenistan. Farap - Bukhara. Meeting at the Farap border. Transfer to Bukhara. Excursion around Bukhara. Bukhara is an open-air museum city. Let's start our excursion by visiting the Lyabi-Khauz architectural ensemble, consisting of three monuments: Kukeldash madrasah, Nodir Divan Begi madrasah and khanaka. Next to the monument to Khoja Nasreddin, famous for his loud words and wisdom, listen to the unique stories of this folk character. We walk along the shopping peaks, stopping at craft workshops along the way, and see the Magoki Attori Mosque. Continue the tour by visiting the Kosh Madrasah ensemble, which consists of two ancient monuments - the Ulugbek Madrasah, built by the grandson of Amir Timur, an outstanding mathematician and astronomer, and the Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah. Overnight in Bukhara.

Breakfast in the hotel. We will start our excursion by visiting one of the most ancient monuments, the Ismail Samani mausoleum, then we will go to the Chashma Ayub mausoleum, the active Bolo Hauz mosque, opposite which the Arch fortress is located, then we will go to the Poi Kalyan ensemble (“At the foot of the Great”), consisting of the Kalyan mosque , modern Miri Arab madrasah and Kalyan minaret. After lunch, departure to Samarkand. On the way, we will visit the Chor Minor madrasah in Bukhara, as well as the country summer residence of the last Bukhara emirs - Sitorai Mokhi Khosa. Arrival in Samarkand. Overnight in Samarkand.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will visit the tomb of the Timurid dynasty, the Gur Emir mausoleum, the famous Registan Square, where three monumental ancient buildings live - the madrassas of Ulugbek, Sher Dor and Tillya Kori. Then we will see the Bibi Khanum Mosque, which, according to legend, was built on the orders of Amir Timur’s beloved wife. Take a walk through the Siab bazaar to get acquainted with the daily life of the local population. Then we will visit the Ulugbek Observatory. Continue by visiting the mausoleums and tour of the Shahi-Zinda ensemble, a place of pilgrimage for Muslims and at the same time one of the most beautiful outfits of this happy city. Evening train toTashkent. Overnight in Tashkent.

Breakfast in the hotel. Excursion around Tashkent. During excursions around Tashkent we will visit the following monuments: the Monument of Courage, dedicated to the elimination of the consequences of the devastating earthquake of 1966, Khast Imam Square, where the Canadian Kaffal Shashi mausoleum is located, Barak Khan Madrasah, Tilla Sheikh Mosque, a library where ancient Muslim relics are stored - The Koran of Caliph Osman, dating back to the 7th century, then we will visit themost ancient bazaar of Tashkent - Chorsu, walk through Independence Square - Mustakillik, where there is a complex dedicated to those killed in the Second World War and a monument to the Sorrowful Mother, and also take a walk through Amir Timur's square. Night in Tashkent.

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the international airport. Departure from Tashkent.