Itinerary
- Day 1
Ashgabat
You'll arrive in Ashgabat early and head to your hotel to settle in. After breakfast, your guide takes you through the capital starting at the Sunday Bazaar where you can see Akhal-Teke horses. From there, you'll check out the striking Ertogrul Ghazi Mosque and walk past several landmarks including Lenin Monument, Independence Park, Rukhnama, Neutrality Arch, the Ferris Wheel, and Magtymguly Monument.
- Start point
- Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (International Airports)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Ashgabat's city landmarks
- Visit to Sunday Bazaar
- See Akhal-Teke horses
- Ertogrul Ghazi Mosque
- Lenin Monument
- Independence Park
- Rukhnama
- Neutrality Arch
- Ferris Wheel
- Magtymguly Monument
Landmarks Sunday Bazaar Ertogrul Ghazi Mosque Lenin Monument Independence Park Rukhnama Neutrality Arch Ferris Wheel Magtymguly Monument 
- Day 2
Darvaza Gas Crater
After breakfast, you'll visit the Earthquake Monument and Soviet War Memorial Complex in Ashgabat. Then the drive takes you through the Karakum Desert heading toward Darvaza Gas Crater, also called the Door to Hell. You'll arrive before sunset to watch the fiery crater light up as darkness falls. Dinner is a traditional barbecue under the desert sky where you can see the glowing flames, and you'll get back to Ashgabat around midnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional barbecue dinner under the desert sky)
Included Activities
- Guided visit to Earthquake Monument
- Soviet War Memorial Complex
- Karakum Desert drive
- Darvaza Gas Crater sunset viewing
- Traditional barbecue dinner under the desert sky
Landmarks Earthquake Monument Soviet War Memorial Complex Darvaza Gas Crater - Day 3
Merv - Bukhara
After breakfast, you fly from Ashgabat to Mary, then drive to Merv, an ancient oasis city and former Silk Road center with UNESCO World Heritage status. You'll explore the impressive ruins before heading by road to the Farap border with Uzbekistan. Once border formalities are complete, you'll meet your Uzbek guide and driver, then transfer to Bukhara.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Merv ancient city ruins
- UNESCO World Heritage Site tour
Landmarks Merv 
- Day 4
Bukhara
After breakfast, your guide takes you through Bukhara's main sights including the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, and the Ark Citadel. Next comes the Po-i-Kalyan Complex with its towering minaret and the Ulugbek and Abdulaziz-Khan Madrasahs. Following lunch, you'll stroll through the Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble and explore the Kukeldash and Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasahs and domed bazaars. Dinner happens at a traditional local home where they serve plov.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional dinner at a local home with plov (pilaf))
Included Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Bukhara
- Ismail Samani Mausoleum
- Chashma Ayub Mausoleum
- Bolo-Khauz Mosque
- Ark Citadel
- Po-i-Kalyan Complex with minaret
- Ulugbek Madrasah
- Abdulaziz-Khan Madrasah
- Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble
- Kukeldash Madrasah
- Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah
- Domed bazaars
- Dinner at traditional local home with plov
Landmarks Ismail Samani Mausoleum Chashma Ayub Mausoleum Bolo-Khauz Mosque Ark Citadel Po-i-Kalyan Complex Ulugbek Madrasah Abdulaziz-Khan Madrasah Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble Kukeldash Madrasah Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah - Day 5
Samarkand
After breakfast, you continue exploring Bukhara with visits to the ornate Sitorai-Mokhi-Khosa Palace, the summer residence of the last Emir, and the spiritual Bahautdin Naqshbandi Complex. Following lunch, you drive to Samarkand. When you arrive, you'll check in and take an evening walk at Registan Square to catch the light show.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided visit to Sitorai-Mokhi-Khosa Palace
- Bahautdin Naqshbandi Complex
- Evening walk at Registan Square with light show
Landmarks Sitorai-Mokhi-Khosa Palace Bahautdin Naqshbandi Complex Registan Square 
- Day 6
Samarkand
You'll spend this day exploring Samarkand starting at Registan Square with its three grand madrasahs: Ulugbek, Sher-Dor, and Tilla-Qori. Next is the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the resting place of Tamerlane. After lunch, you'll continue to the grand Bibi-Khanym Mosque, then walk through the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis before ending at the Ulugbek Observatory.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Registan Square
- Ulugbek Madrasah
- Sher-Dor Madrasah
- Tilla-Qori Madrasah
- Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
- Rukhabad Mausoleum exterior viewing
- Bibi-Khanym Mosque
- Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis
- Ulugbek Observatory
Landmarks Registan Square Ulugbek Madrasah Sher-Dor Madrasah Tilla-Qori Madrasah Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum Rukhabad Mausoleum Bibi-Khanym Mosque Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis Ulugbek Observatory 
- Day 7
Tajikistan - Samarkand
Starting with an early breakfast, you depart for Tajikistan, crossing the border and meeting your Tajik guide. You'll head to Penjikent to explore the Sarazm ruins dating back 5,500 years, the Rudaki Museum, and the local bazaar. Then you move into the Fann Mountains to see the famous Seven Lakes, a chain of alpine lakes with colors shifting from deep blue to turquoise. You'll visit six of them and have traditional lunch at a local family home. After that, you head back toward the Uzbekistan border and drive back to Samarkand.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional lunch at local family home near fourth lake)
Included Activities
- Border crossing to Tajikistan
- Guided exploration of Sarazm ruins
- Rudaki Museum visit
- Local bazaar exploration
- Fann Mountains tour
- Six of the Seven Lakes visit
- Traditional lunch at local family home near fourth lake
- Border return to Uzbekistan
Landmarks Sarazm Rudaki Museum Penjikent Fann Mountains Seven Lakes - Day 8
Samarkand to Tashkent
This morning you'll board a scenic train heading from Samarkand to Tashkent, pulling in around mid-morning. Once you've settled into your hotel, a local guide takes you through the city center on foot, walking past wide boulevards lined with Soviet-era buildings and into the Old Town's quieter streets. The afternoon is yours to do as you like, whether that's resting up or wandering around on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walk through Tashkent city center including Old Town with winding alleys and bustling bazaars
Landmarks Tashkent Old Town - Day 9
Tashkent to Bishkek
After breakfast at your hotel, you'll visit several key spots including the Minor White Mosque, Independence Square, and Amir Timur Square. Don't skip riding the famous Tashkent Metro, where the stations themselves are decorated beautifully. Following lunch, you'll head to the airport for an afternoon flight that takes you to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's relaxed capital, which sits surrounded by mountains with snow on the peaks.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Tashkent including Minor White Mosque, Independence Square, and Amir Timur Square
- Ride on Tashkent Metro
Landmarks Minor White Mosque Independence Square Amir Timur Square Tashkent Metro 
- Day 10
Bishkek
After breakfast, your guide drives you out to Ala-Archa National Park, an alpine gorge in the Tian Shan mountains. You'll do an easy hike through pine forests with rocky peaks all around and breathe in that crisp mountain air. By afternoon you're back in Bishkek for a city tour covering Ala-Too Square, the changing of the guard ceremony, and various monuments like the Lenin statue, the Freedom Monument, and the Monument to Manas the Great.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Easy hike in Ala-Archa National Park with mountain views
- City tour of Bishkek including Ala-Too Square with changing of the guard
- Visit to statue of Lenin, Freedom Monument, and Monument to Manas the Great
Landmarks Ala-Archa National Park Ala-Too Square Monument to Manas the Great Freedom Monument - Day 11
Bishkek to Issyk-Kul Lake
You'll leave Bishkek right after breakfast and drive 280 kilometers toward Issyk-Kul Lake, the world's second-largest alpine lake. Along the way, there's time to check out the ancient ruins of Balasagyn and climb the historic Burana Tower from the Silk Road era. The drive takes you through mountain landscape before reaching the lake, where you'll check in and have time to take in the views.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to ruins of ancient city of Balasagyn
- Climb Burana Tower, a Silk Road remnant
Landmarks Balasagyn Burana Tower Issyk-Kul Lake - Day 12
Issyk-Kul to Karakol - Djeti-Oguz Gorge
Following breakfast, you'll drive 150 kilometers along the eastern shore toward Karakol. In Cholpon-Ata, stop at an open-air museum with ancient petroglyphs and a museum about explorer Nikolay Prjevalsky. Karakol itself has the colorful Dungan Mosque, a unique wooden structure built without nails, plus the Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral, also made of wood. Walk through the bazaar afterward, then continue to Djeti-Oguz Gorge where red cliffs and dramatic rock formations create quite a sight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to open-air museum of ancient petroglyphs in Cholpon-Ata
- Visit to Nikolay Prjevalsky Museum
- City tour of Karakol including Dungan Mosque and Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral
- Walk through Karakol central bazaar
- Visit to Djeti-Oguz Gorge with red cliffs and rock formations
Landmarks Cholpon-Ata Nikolay Prjevalsky Museum Dungan Mosque Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral Karakol Central Bazaar Djeti-Oguz Gorge 
- Day 13
Karakol to Almaty
Leaving Karakol at 09:00 after breakfast, you'll drive 380 kilometers toward Almaty with a border crossing into Kazakhstan at Kegen. Formalities get sorted out, then you stop at Charyn Canyon, famous for its Valley of Castles with dramatic rock formations all around. There's lunch en route before you arrive in Almaty in the evening and check into your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Charyn Canyon including Valley of Castles
Landmarks Charyn Canyon Valley of Castles 
- Day 14
Almaty
After breakfast, spend the day exploring Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city. Start with the colorful Green Bazaar, then walk through Panfilov Park to see the striking wooden Zenkov Cathedral and the Memorial of Glory with its Eternal Flame. Take the cable car up Kok-Tobe Hill for panoramic city views and come back down the famous cableway. After lunch, head into the mountains to Medeo, the world's highest ice-skating rink, and ride a cable car at Shymbulak Ski Resort up to 3,200 meters for alpine views.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Green Bazaar
- Stroll through Panfilov Park including Zenkov Cathedral and Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame
- Ride to Kok-Tobe Hill and descent by Almaty cableway
- Visit to Medeo, the world's highest ice-skating rink
- Cable car ride to Shymbulak Ski Resort at 3,200 meters elevation
Landmarks Green Bazaar Panfilov Park Zenkov Cathedral Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame Kok-Tobe Hill Medeo Shymbulak Ski Resort - Day 15
Almaty
After breakfast at your hotel, you'll transfer to Almaty International Airport at your scheduled departure time for your flight home.
- End point
- Almaty, Kazakhstan (International Airports)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Almaty International Airport
