Central Asia Adventure: Astana to Ashgabat

Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Astana

   Astana Show on map

   Optional Activities

   • Stroll along Astana waterfront
   • Shopping at Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre

   Landmarks
   Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre

2. Day 2

   Astana

   Astana Show on map

   Included Activities

   • City tour of Astana
   • Visit Bayterek tower
   • Walk down Nur Boulevard to Khan Shatyr
   • Visit Nur-Astana Mosque
   • Visit Palace of Peace & Reconciliation
   • Local jeweller workshop visit

   Optional Activities

   • Find horse meat dishes or plov for lunch

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

3. Day 3

   Astana to Turkistan

   Astana to Turkistan Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit Caravan Serai complex

   Optional Activities

   • Visit Yasawi Mausoleum

   Landmarks
   Caravan Serai
   Yasawi Mausoleum

4. Day 4

   Turkistan to Shymkent

   Turkistan to Shymkent Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum
   • Visit Otrar ancient settlement

   Landmarks
   Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum
   Otrar

5. Day 5

   Almaty

   Almaty Show on map

   Meals

   Lunch (Hearty lunch at winery with craft cheese and wine tasting)

   Included Activities

   • Visit Issyk Museum
   • Visit Ile-Alatau National Park and Lake Issyk
   • Hike to waterfall in Turgen Gorge
   • Winery visit with wine tasting, craft cheese sampling and lunch

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

   

6. Day 6

   Almaty

   Almaty Show on map

   Included Activities

   • City tour of Almaty
   • Visit Central Square
   • Visit Zenkoff Cathedral
   • Visit 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

7. Day 7

   Almaty to Saty Village

   Almaty to Saty Village Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit Charyn Canyon

   Landmarks
   Charyn Canyon

8. Day 8

   Saty Village to Karakol

   Saty Village to Karakol Show on map

   Meals

   Lunch (Picnic lunch)

   Included Activities

   • Visit Kolsay Lakes
   • Optional hike to Kaindy Lake

   Optional Activities

   • Hike to Kaindy Lake

   Landmarks
   Kolsay Lakes
   Kaindy Lake

9. Day 9

   Karakol

   Karakol Show on map

   Included Activities

   • City tour of Karakol
   • Visit Dungan Mosque
   • Visit Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral
   • Visit local market
   • Forest hike to waterfall at Jety Oguz

   Landmarks
   Dungan Mosque
   Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral
   Jety Oguz

10. Day 10

    Karakol to Bishkek

    Karakol to Bishkek Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Cholpan Ata petroglyphs site
    • Boat ride on Issyk Kul Lake

    Optional Activities

    • Head to a final dinner with the group

    Landmarks
    Cholpan Ata
    Issyk Kul Lake

    

11. Day 11

    Bishkek

    Bishkek Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Walk through local gardens
    • Search for samsa pastry
    • Dinner with new group
12. Day 12

    Bishkek

    Bishkek Show on map

    Included Activities

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

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Osh Market

    Landmarks
    Ala-Too Square
    Dubovy Park
    Osh Market

13. Day 13

    Bishkek to Issyk-Kul Lake

    Bishkek to Issyk-Kul Lake Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Home-cooked lunch at local Kyrgyz family)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Burana Tower
    • Visit local Kyrgyz family at Don Aryk with home-cooked lunch

    Landmarks
    Burana Tower
    Issyk-Kul Lake

    

14. Day 14

    Issyk-Kul Lake

    Issyk-Kul Lake Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Kyzyl Tuu yurt making workshop

    Optional Activities

    • Relax at yurt camp
    • Jump in the lake
    • Go hiking

    Landmarks
    Kyzyl Tuu

    

15. 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

16. 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

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Kyzyl-Oi village

    Landmarks
    Kyzyl-Oi
    Kokomeren River

    

17. Day 17

    Kyzyl-Oi to Toktogul

    Kyzyl-Oi to Toktogul Show on map

    Landmarks
    Suusamyr Valley
    Chychkan River

18. Day 18

    Toktogul to Osh

    Toktogul to Osh Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Uzgen ancient trading town

    Landmarks
    Uzgen

19. 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 landmarks

    Landmarks
    Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain
    National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex
    Jayma Bazaar

20. Day 20

    Osh to Kokand

    Osh to Kokand Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Home-cooked lunch at potter's home)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Margilan silk weaving workshop
    • Visit Rishton ceramics workshop with lunch at potter's home

    Landmarks
    Margilan
    Rishton

21. Day 21

    Kokand

    Kokand Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit Khudayar Khan Palace Museum

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Friday Mosque
    • Explore bazaars
    • Visit Royal Cemetery

    Landmarks
    Khudayar Khan Palace Museum
    Friday Mosque
    Royal Cemetery

22. Day 22

    Kokand to Khujand

    Kokand to Khujand Show on map

    Optional Activities

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

    Landmarks
    Jami Mosque
    History Museum
    Khujand Fortification

23. Day 23

    Khujand to Panjakent

    Khujand to Panjakent Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Lunch with local Tajik family)

    Included Activities

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

    Landmarks
    Marquzor Lakes
    Panjakent

24. Day 24

    Panjakent to Samarkand

    Panjakent to Samarkand Show on map

    Included Activities

    • City orientation walk of Samarkand

    Landmarks
    Samarkand

    

25. Day 25

    Samarkand

    Samarkand Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Plov cooking demonstration with local family)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Registan square
    • Visit Guri-Amir mausoleum
    • Visit Bibi-Khanum Mosque
    • Visit Shak-i-Zinda necropolis
    • Plov cooking demonstration with local family

    Landmarks
    Registan
    Guri-Amir
    Bibi-Khanum Mosque
    Shak-i-Zinda

26. Day 26

    Samarkand to Tashkent

    Samarkand to Tashkent Show on map

    Optional Activities

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

    Landmarks
    State Museum of History of Uzbekistan
    Art Gallery of Uzbekistan

    

27. Day 27

    Tashkent

    Tashkent Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Explore mosques
    • Walk contemporary architecture
    • Dinner with group
28. Day 28

    Tashkent

    Tashkent Show on map

    Included Activities

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

    Landmarks
    Amir Timur Square
    Chorsu Bazaar
    Khast Imom Complex

29. Day 29

    Khiva

    Khiva Show on map

    Included Activities

    • City tour of Khiva
    • Visit Kalta Minor Minaret
    • Visit Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassa
    • Visit Kuhna Ark
    • Visit Ak-sheikh Baba Observatory
    • Visit Islom Hoja Minaret
    • Visit Juma Mosque
    • Visit Tosh-Hovli Palace

    Landmarks
    Kalta Minor Minaret
    Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassa
    Kuhna Ark
    Ak-sheikh Baba Observatory
    Islom Hoja Minaret
    Juma Mosque
    Tosh-Hovli Palace

    

30. Day 30

    Khiva

    Khiva Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Visit museums
    • Shop at souvenir shops
    • Explore craft studios
31. Day 31

    Khiva to Darvaza

    Khiva to Darvaza Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Picnic dinner at yurt camp)

    Included Activities

    • Visit local bazaar in Dashoguz
    • Visit Darvaza 'Gates of Hell' Crater

    Landmarks
    Darvaza Crater

    

32. Day 32

    Darvaza to Nohur

    Darvaza to Nohur Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Lunch in Ashgabat), Dinner (Traditional home-cooked dinner at guesthouse)

    Included Activities

    • Visit mud crater
    • Visit water crater
    • Visit Yerbent Nomad Village
    • Watch Keteni silk weaving
    • Traditional dinner

    Optional Activities

    • Walk to local graves
    • Walk shepherd trails to waterfalls and swimming holes

    Landmarks
    Yerbent Nomad Village
    Nohur Village

    

33. Day 33

    Nohur

    Nohur Show on map

    Meals

    Breakfast (Traditional breakfast at guesthouse), Dinner (Dinner with horse breeder at farm)

    Included Activities

    • Traditional breakfast at guesthouse
    • Village walking tour of Nohur
    • Visit Nohur cemetery
    • Visit Gyz Bibi Cave
    • See 800-year-old Cynar tree
    • Horse breeder visit with Baursaki cooking and tandoor bread demonstration

    Landmarks
    Gyz Bibi Cave

34. Day 34

    Ashgabat

    Ashgabat Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit ancient settlement of Nisa
    • Visit Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex
    • Visit Anau ruins
    • Visit Russian Bazaar
    • Visit Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
    • Visit Neutrality Arch

    Landmarks
    Nisa
    Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex
    Anau
    Russian Bazaar
    Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
    Neutrality Arch

35. Day 35

    Ashgabat to Mary

    Ashgabat to Mary Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Bazaar walk with leader in Mary
    • Visit Merv UNESCO World Heritage site
    • Visit Greater Kizkala
    • Visit Erk Kala
    • Visit Gyaur Kala

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Mary Regional Museum

    Landmarks
    Merv
    Greater Kizkala
    Erk Kala
    Gyaur Kala
    Mary Regional Museum

    

36. Day 36

    Mary to Ashgabat

    Mary to Ashgabat Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit local Orthodox Church

    Optional Activities

    • Wander Mary's city centre
    • Dinner with group
37. Day 37

    Ashgabat

    Ashgabat Show on map