Central Asia Adventure: Astana to Ashgabat

Itinerary

1. Intro

   Introduction
2. Day 1

   Astana

   Astana Show on map

   Meals

   Dinner (Authentic Kazakh food experience with group)

   Optional Activities

   • Stroll along the Astana waterfront
   • Shopping at Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre (world's largest tent)

   Landmarks
   Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre

3. Day 2

   Astana

   Astana Show on map

   Included Activities

   • City tour of Astana
   • Visit Bayterek Tower
   • Stroll down Nur Boulevard to Khan Shatyr
   • Visit Nur-Astana Mosque
   • Visit Palace of Peace & Reconciliation
   • Visit renowned local jeweller workshop

   Optional Activities

   • Find horse meat dishes or plov for lunch

   Landmarks
   Bayterek Tower
   Khan Shatyr
   Nur-Astana Mosque
   Palace of Peace & Reconciliation

4. Day 3

   Astana to Turkistan

   Astana to Turkistan Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit Caravan Serai complex

   Optional Activities

   • View the Yasawi Mausoleum, illuminated with vivid colours and patterned exteriors

   Landmarks
   Caravan Serai
   Yasawi Mausoleum

5. Day 4

   Turkistan to Shymkent

   Turkistan to Shymkent Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum
   • Visit ancient settlement of Otrar

   Landmarks
   Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum
   Otrar (Ancient Settlement)

6. Day 5

   Almaty

   Almaty Show on map

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Visit Issyk Museum
   • Visit Ile-Alatau National Park and Lake Issyk
   • Hike to waterfall in Turgen Gorge
   • Visit local Kazakh farm

   Landmarks
   Issyk Museum
   Lake Issyk
   Ile-Alatau National Park
   Turgen Gorge

   

7. Day 6

   Almaty

   Almaty Show on map

   Included Activities

   • City tour of Almaty
   • Visit Central Square
   • Visit Zenkoff Cathedral in Panfilov Park
   • Visit Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments
   • Visit Zelenyi Bazaar

   Landmarks
   Central Square
   Zenkoff Cathedral
   Panfilov Park
   Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments
   Zelenyi Bazaar

8. Day 7

   Almaty to Kolsay Lakes National Park

   Almaty to Kolsay Lakes National Park Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit Charyn Canyon

   Landmarks
   Charyn Canyon

9. Day 8

   Kolsay Lakes National Park to Karakol

   Kolsay Lakes National Park to Karakol Show on map

   Meals

   Lunch (Picnic lunch)

   Included Activities

   • Visit Kolsay Lakes
   • Visit Kaindy Lake (time permitting)

   Landmarks
   Kolsay Lakes
   Kaindy Lake

   

10. Day 9

    Karakol

    Karakol Show on map

    Included Activities

    • City tour of Karakol
    • Visit Dungan Mosque
    • Visit Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral
    • Explore local market
    • Forest hike to waterfall in Jety Oguz Valley with panoramic views

    Landmarks
    Dungan Mosque
    Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral
    Jety Oguz (Seven Bull Valley)

11. Day 10

    Karakol to Bishkek

    Karakol to Bishkek Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Stop at Cholpan Ata petroglyphs site
    • Boat ride on Issyk Kul lake

    Optional Activities

    • Head to a final dinner with your group to celebrate

    Landmarks
    Issyk Kul
    Cholpan Ata

12. Day 11

    Bishkek

    Bishkek Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Walk through local gardens
    • Find and taste samsa (pastry pockets filled with meat and vegetables)
    • Dinner with new group members
13. Day 12

    Bishkek

    Bishkek Show on map

    Included Activities

    • City tour of Bishkek
    • Visit Ala-Too Square
    • Visit Dubovy Park

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Osh Market

    Landmarks
    Ala-Too Square
    Dubovy Park
    Osh Market

14. Day 13

    Bishkek to Issyk-Kul Lake

    Bishkek to Issyk-Kul Lake Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Home-cooked lunch with local Kyrgyz family in Don Aryk)

    Included Activities

    • Stop at Burana Tower
    • Visit Don Aryk and meet local Kyrgyz family for home-cooked lunch

    Landmarks
    Burana Tower
    Issyk-Kul Lake

15. Day 14

    Issyk-Kul Lake

    Issyk-Kul Lake Show on map

    Meals

    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Visit Kyzyl Tuu
    • Workshop learning yurt making with local artisan family

    Optional Activities

    • Relax at yurt camp
    • Swim in the lake
    • Take a short hike

    Landmarks
    Kyzyl Tuu

16. Day 15

    Issyk-Kul Lake to Song-Kul Lake

    Issyk-Kul Lake to Song-Kul Lake Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Kochkor market
    • Visit women's felt co-op

    Landmarks
    Song-Kul Lake
    Kochkor

17. Day 16

    Song-Kul Lake to Kyzyl-Oi

    Song-Kul Lake to Kyzyl-Oi Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Picnic lunch on the banks of Kokomeren River)

    Included Activities

    • Learn boorsok cooking demonstration

    Optional Activities

    • Explore the village

    Landmarks
    Kyzyl-Oi
    Kokomeren River

    

18. Day 17

    Kyzyl-Oi to Toktogul

    Kyzyl-Oi to Toktogul Show on map

    Landmarks
    Suusamyr Valley
    Chychkan River
    Tien Shan Mountain Range

    

19. Day 18

    Toktogul to Osh

    Toktogul to Osh Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Uzgen

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Osh at your own pace

    Landmarks
    Uzgen
    Osh

20. Day 19

    Osh

    Osh Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain
    • Visit National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Jayma Bazaar
    • Self-guided tour of Soviet-era remnants and Lenin statue

    Landmarks
    Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain
    Jayma Bazaar

21. Day 20

    Osh to Kokand

    Osh to Kokand Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Home-cooked lunch with potter in Rishton)

    Included Activities

    • Visit silk weaving workshop in Margilan
    • Visit Rishton ceramics workshop
    • Lunch at potter's home in Rishton

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Kokand at your own pace

    Landmarks
    Margilan
    Rishton
    Kokand

    

22. Day 21

    Kokand

    Kokand Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Khudayar Khan Palace Museum

    Optional Activities

    • See the Friday Mosque
    • Wander through bustling bazaars
    • Visit the Royal Cemetery
    • Find a local restaurant for dinner with fellow travellers

    Landmarks
    Khudayar Khan Palace Museum
    Friday Mosque

23. Day 22

    Kokand to Khujand

    Kokand to Khujand Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Wander evening bazaar
    • Visit Jami Mosque
    • Visit History Museum
    • Visit Khujand Fortification

    Landmarks
    Khujand
    Jami Mosque
    Khujand Fortification

24. Day 23

    Khujand to Panjakent

    Khujand to Panjakent Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Lunch with local Tajik family in village)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Marquzor Lakes
    • Lunch with local Tajik family in village
    • Explore ancient city walls and ruins of Panjakent
    • Visit Panjakent museum

    Optional Activities

    • Explore at your own pace

    Landmarks
    Marquzor Lakes
    Panjakent

25. Day 24

    Panjakent to Samarkand

    Panjakent to Samarkand Show on map

    Included Activities

    • City orientation walk with leader to see historic mosques and bustling bazaars

    Optional Activities

    • Head out for dinner with your group

    Landmarks
    Samarkand

    

26. Day 25

    Samarkand

    Samarkand Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Plov cooking demonstration with local family)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Registan
    • Visit Guri-Amir Mausoleum
    • Visit Bibi-Khanum Mosque
    • Visit Shakh-i-Zinda
    • Plov cooking demonstration with local family

    Landmarks
    Registan
    Guri-Amir Mausoleum
    Bibi-Khanum Mosque
    Shakh-i-Zinda

    

27. Day 26

    Samarkand to Tashkent

    Samarkand to Tashkent Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Visit State Museum of History of Uzbekistan
    • Wander through Art Gallery of Uzbekistan
    • Optional farewell dinner

    Landmarks
    Tashkent
    State Museum of History of Uzbekistan
    Art Gallery of Uzbekistan

28. Day 27

    Tashkent

    Tashkent Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Explore mosques
    • Walk among contemporary architecture
    • Dinner with group at local restaurant
29. Day 28

    Tashkent

    Tashkent Show on map

    Included Activities

    • City tour of Tashkent
    • Visit Amir Timur Square
    • Visit Chorsu Bazaar
    • Explore decorated metro stations
    • Visit Khast Imom Complex

    Optional Activities

    • Stock up on snacks for overnight train

    Landmarks
    Amir Timur Square
    Chorsu Bazaar
    Khast Imom Complex

30. Day 29

    Khiva

    Khiva Show on map

    Included Activities

    • City tour of Khiva
    • Visit Kalta Minor Minaret
    • Visit Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah
    • Visit Kuhna Ark
    • Visit Islom Hoja Minaret
    • Visit Juma Mosque
    • Visit Tosh-Hovli Palace

    Optional Activities

    • Watch the sunset over ancient city

    Landmarks
    Kalta Minor Minaret
    Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah
    Kuhna Ark
    Islom Hoja Minaret
    Juma Mosque
    Tosh-Hovli Palace

    

31. Day 30

    Khiva

    Khiva Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Visit museums
    • Check out souvenir shops
    • Wander around craft studios
    • Self-guided exploration of Khiva's 60+ cultural sites

    Landmarks
    Khiva

    

32. Day 31

    Khiva to Darvaza

    Khiva to Darvaza Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Picnic dinner)

    Included Activities

    • Visit local bazaar in Dashoguz
    • Visit Darvaza Crater ('Gates of Hell')
    • Walk around crater
    • Picnic dinner

    Landmarks
    Darvaza Crater

    

33. Day 32

    Darvaza to Nohur

    Darvaza to Nohur Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch, Dinner (Traditional home-cooked dinner prepared by hosts)

    Included Activities

    • Visit mud crater
    • Visit water crater
    • Visit Yerbent village
    • Learn keteni weaving

    Optional Activities

    • Walk to distinctive local graves marked by mountain goat horns
    • Walk shepherd's trails past waterfalls and swimming holes

    Landmarks
    Ashgabat
    Kopet Dag Mountains
    Yerbent
    Nohur

    

34. Day 33

    Nohur

    Nohur Show on map

    Meals

    Breakfast (Traditional breakfast at guesthouse)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Gyz Bibi Cave
    • Visit local horse breeder's farm
    • Baursaki (fried bread) cooking demonstration
    • Tandoor bread cooking demonstration

    Landmarks
    Gyz Bibi Cave
    Nohur

    

35. Day 34

    Ashgabat

    Ashgabat Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit ancient settlement of Nisa
    • Visit Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex
    • Explore ruins of Anau
    • Visit Russian Bazaar
    • Visit Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
    • Evening visit to Archabil Avenue monuments including Neutrality Arch

    Optional Activities

    • Taste samosas, doner kebabs and sweet melon

    Landmarks
    Nisa (Ancient Settlement)
    Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex
    Anau (Ruins)
    Russian Bazaar
    Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
    Neutrality Arch

36. Day 35

    Ashgabat to Mary

    Ashgabat to Mary Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Wander bazaar with leader
    • Visit Merv (UNESCO World Heritage site)
    • Visit Great Kyz Kala
    • Visit Erk Kala
    • Visit Gyaur Kala

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Mary Regional Museum

    Landmarks
    Merv
    Great Kyz Kala
    Erk Kala
    Gyaur Kala
    Mary Regional Museum

37. Day 36

    Mary to Ashgabat

    Mary to Ashgabat Show on map

    Meals

    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Visit local Orthodox Church

    Optional Activities

    • Wander Mary's city centre
    • Walk along promenade
    • Find dinner and celebrate final night

    Landmarks
    Ashgabat

38. Day 37

    Ashgabat

    Ashgabat Show on map

    Meals

    Breakfast