13-Day Central Asia Silk Road Tour with Darvaza and Seven Lakes

1

Day 01

Arrival in Ashgabat

• Arrive in Ashgabat.
• Transfer to the hotel.
• Free time.
• Overnight at the hotel.

2

Day 02

Mary and the Ancient City of Merv

• Meet with your group in the morning and transfer to the domestic airport for the morning flight to Mary (40 min).
• Explore the ancient city of Merv, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It was a major centre of international trade and crafts located on the Silk Road.
• Return to Mary.
• Visit the History Museum of the region.
• Transfer to the airport for an evening flight to Ashgabat at 19:00.
• Scheduled arrival is at 20:00.
• Transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay.

3

Day 03

Ashgabat City Tour and Darvaza Camp

1. Start the day with a sightseeing tour in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, which has recently been noted by the Guinness Book of World Records as having more white marble buildings than any other city in the world.
2. During the city tour, you will explore the archaeological site of Old Nisa, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and Turkmenbashi Mosque-Mausoleum, one of the biggest mosques in Central Asia.
3. You will visit the National Museum of History, the Monument of Neutrality, Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, newly built Independence Park, and the Sunday bazaar.
4. This intense and interesting excursion also includes a stop at the Akhalteke horse stables.
5. In the afternoon, drive to the Darvaza gas crater located in the middle of the Karakum Desert (280 km, 4 h).
6. Arrive at the crater and set up camp.
7. Enjoy a delicious fire-cooked meal for dinner near the burning gas crater.
8. Overnight in tents.

4

Day 04

Kunya-Urgench and Crossing to Khiva

• In the morning, depart the gas crater and drive to Kunya-Urgench.
• Visit the mausoleums of Turabek-Khanym, Sultan Tekesh, Sultan Il Arslan, Najmuddin-Kubra, and Sultan Ali.
• Discover the Kutlug Timur Minaret and Kyrk Molla Hill.
• After lunch, drive to the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border point at Shavat-Dashoguz.
• Go through border formalities at both checkpoints.
• Cross the 1.5 km neutral zone, where transportation may not be available.
• Meet your Uzbekistan driver and drive to Khiva (60 km, 1 h).
• Transfer to the hotel.

5

Day 05

Khiva Sightseeing and Flight to Bukhara

• After breakfast, enjoy sightseeing in Khiva.
• Visit Ichan-Qala Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Inside Ichan-Qala Fortress, visit Kunya-Ark, Sayeed Alauddin Mausoleum, Arab-Mukhamadkhan Madrasah, Oq-Masjid Mosque, Madrasah of Hodjan Berdi-biya, Shirgazikhan Madrasah, Abdullakhan Madrasah, Juma Mosque, Allakulikhan Madrasah, Tosh-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, and the Minaret of Islom-Khoja.
• At 19:00, transfer to the domestic airport for the flight to Bukhara at 21:00, arriving in Bukhara at 22:00.
• Arrival in Bukhara and transfer to the hotel.

6

Day 06

Walking Tour of Bukhara

• After breakfast, start a walking sightseeing tour in Bukhara.
• Visit Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, Chor-Minor Madrasah, the trade domes, Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, and the Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums.
• Farewell dinner.

7

Day 07

Bukhara Heritage Sites and Transfer to Samarkand

• Breakfast.
• Start the second day with a visit to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa - the summer residence of Bukhara's last emir, a unique site combining Oriental and Russian architecture.
• Continue to the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi and Chor-Bakr Necropolis.
• In the afternoon, take the high-speed Afrosiyob train 15:52-17:20 or an overland transfer.
• Arrive in Samarkand and check in to the hotel.

8

Day 08

Samarkand Highlights

• After breakfast, go on a sightseeing tour.
• Visit spectacular Registan Square, Gur Emir Mausoleum - the mausoleum of Amir Timur, the remains of Bibi Khanum Mosque, Siab Bazaar, and Ulugbek Observatory.
• Free time in the afternoon.

9

Day 09

Samarkand, Shakhi-Zinda and Konigil

• Breakfast.
• Continue the sightseeing tour in Samarkand.
• You will visit Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis, Afrasiab Museum, and the Tomb of Saint Daniel.
• Then drive to Konigil village to explore the traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry.
• Farewell lunch in Samarkand.
• Free time in the afternoon.
• Overnight at the hotel.

10

Day 10

Cross into Tajikistan and Visit the Seven Lakes

• Early morning transfer to the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border at Jartepa (50 km, 1 h).
• Complete customs and passport control on both sides, cross the border, and meet your Tajik local guide and driver for the journey to the Seven Lakes (80 km, 1.5-2 h). The main spot of the day is Haf Kul, meaning seven lakes in Persian.
• These lakes in the mountains of Tajikistan are famous for their different colours:
  • Mijgon
  • Soya
  • Hushyor
  • Nophin Lake (2,139 m above sea level), Khurdak
  • Marguzor
  • Hazorchashma Lake (2,400 m above sea level)
• Picnic at the lake.
• After lunch, drive to Penjikent.
• Sightseeing in Penjikent includes the Museum of Rudaki, considered the father of Persian poetry, and ancient Penjikent - the ruins of an old Sogdian town founded in the 5th century and abandoned in the 8th century by Arabs. Foundations of houses, a citadel with a couple of Zoroastrian fire temples, and the city bazaar are visible in the excavated ruins.
• Overnight at the hotel.

11

Day 11

Iskanderkul Lake to Dushanbe

• Drive to Dushanbe via Iskanderkul Lake.
• According to legend, Lake Iskanderkul was named after Alexander the Great, known as Iskander in the East.
• People say that Alexander the Great's path to India passed by this lake.
• Lunch at a traditional homestay.
• After lunch, stroll around the lake, explore five springs and Zmeinoe (Snake) Lake, and walk to a 38 m high waterfall that local people compare to Niagara and call Fanskaya Niagara (Niagara of Fan).
• Drive to Dushanbe.
• Overnight at the hotel.

12

Day 12

Dushanbe City Sightseeing

• Start sightseeing in the capital of Tajikistan.
• Visit the Botanical Garden, a very beautiful garden with many old trees and a favourite place of Tajik people, the National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan (closed on Mondays), which includes exhibits on history, natural history, and art. Buddha in Nirvana is one of the most valuable exhibits of the museum. Continue to the Ismail Somoni Monument, the Building of National Spirit, Rudaki Prospect, and the Main Mosque of Dushanbe.
• Overnight at the hotel.

13

Day 13

Departure from Dushanbe

• Check out of the hotel by noon.
• Transfer to the airport.
• End of the tour.