The Great Silk Road: Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan – Kazakhstan

Arrival to Manas Airport in Bishkek where our team will pick up you and drive you to hotel
situated in the capital (early check-in at hotel after 06:00).

We start our city tour in Bishkek. We will visit the heart of the city, Ala- Too Square. After we
can enjoy a walk in the Oak Park, one of the favorite places of local people. Bishkek is known as
the greenest city in Central Asia thanks to its countless parks and alleys making the city a great place to live.

After lunch, we will have time to visit the local market Osh bazar. Here you can appreciate the
creativity and talent of local artisans. Just as you step the market, you plunge into the real
oriental atmosphere: an interminable stream of people, a big variety of goods and colors.
In the evening, we can go to one of the best restaurants in Bishkek where you can taste
delicious Kyrgyz national dishes. 

Meals included: breakfast*

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (My Hotel or similar)
*Breakfast is served at hotel until 10:00

After breakfast in Bishkek, we go towards Burana Tower.

Burana Tower is an ancient minaret in the Chuy Valley in the north part of Kyrgyzstan. It is close to the city of Tokmok. The tower with funerary monuments, earthworks, remains of the castle and three mausoleums – that’s all what last out of the ancient Balasagyn town that was founded by Karakhanids at the end of the ninth century.

Then we head to the Tar Suu village located in Chon Kemin Valley, known for its beauty and the rich diversity of animals and plants. You go for a walk in the village to explore the lifestyle of the local people.

Dinner and overnight in the guesthouse.

Meals included: breakfast 

Accommodation: Guesthouse (Kemin Guesthouse or similar)

Breakfast in the guesthouse. Departure towards the biggest lake in Kyrgyzstan – Issyk Kul Lake.

On the way, we can stop in the small village of Kyzyl Tuu. Here you will see how a Kyrgyz family makes the yurts and you will try to set up a real Kyrgyz yurt with the help of local people. This family has been engaged in this unique art from generations (option).

Then we visit Ak Say canyons located on the southern shore of the lake. You can walk there and climb to the panoramic point to have a magnificent view of the canyons.

In Bokonbaevo you can meet the eagle hunter with his bird of prey (option).

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Guesthouse (Emily Guesthouse or similar)

Optionally: yurt show (45 USD per group), eagle hunting (45 USD per group)

After breakfast in the guesthouse, we head to Karakol.

Along the way, we visit Skazka canyons, which translates from Russian as Fairytale. There you can find rocks of surprising shapes and sizes. A real skyscraper or an animal may appear in front of you. You can do short hiking in the canyons.

 Then we go to the Barskoon Gorge. The gorge is famous for its waterfalls. One of the best known is Tears of a Leopard. Here you find the monument for the first cosmonaut Yu. A. Gagarin, who was very fond of this place and rested in the nearby Tamga military sanatorium.

After we go towards Jety Oguz gorge. The name of the gorge is symbolic and means “seven bulls” in Kyrgyz because there are seven giant red-brown rocks resembling furious bulls standing together. You can take a walk here and enjoy the beautiful landscapes.

In the evening, we will have dinner in a restaurant in Karakol.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (My Hotel or similar)

After breakfast transfer to Karakol gorge (30 min).

You hike there on the territory of the ski resort towards the panoramic point where opens a beautiful view of the mountains and the city. You can have a rest in this picturesque place breathing pure mountain air.

Return to Karakol. Lunch at the restaurant. Then you will visit the Prjevalski museum.

Before dinner you take the boat trip to enjoy the beauty of Issyk Kol Lake and the majesty of the snow-capped mountains of Tien Chan.

Dinner at the restaurant.

Hiking: 7 km, + 300m, -300m, 4h

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (My Hotel or similar)

After breakfast, departure to Kegen border post between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Transfer from the border post to Saty village. Lunch on the road.

From Saty you board the Russian 4*4s, as they are perfectly capable of going through a mountain road (15 km) to Lake Kaindy.

Kaindy Lake (Birch Lake) is located 2,000 meters above sea level. It was formed in 1911 due to the earthquake which caused the landslide which blocked the valley by the natural dam and the waters flooded the valley. The water in the lake is very cold, which is why the needles of the flooded trees are well preserved and clearly visible through the transparent surface of the water.

After walking around the lake, you will return to Saty village to take a shower, have dinner and rest in the guesthouse.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Guesthouse (Zhanar or similar)

After breakfast, we drive to Charyn Canyon.

Charyn canyon is located in the national park. It is considered the little brother of the Grand Canyon in the United States. The erosion made by the Charyn River has created dramatic and impressive landscapes.

When you arrive, you will admire the great panorama and you will walk down to the bottom of the canyon to walk about 2 km in the labyrinth of the Valley of the Castles.

After 2-3 hours in the canyon, we drive to Basshi village located near Altyn Emel to have dinner and rest in the guesthouse.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Guesthouse (Altyn Emel or similar)

After breakfast, we go to Altyn Emel National Park.

We arrive at Altyn Emel National Park. Here we begin our visit to the "singing" dune located between the mountains of Big and Small Kalkan. This sandy hill is made up of very fine sand, which begins to “sing” when it is windy and the sound coming out is very reminiscent of an organ.

Then transfer to Almaty. Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 4* (Garden Park Inn or similar)

After breakfast, we go towards Medeo gorge where the highest mountain sports complex at an altitude of 1691 meters is located. Medeo is often a favorite place for the residents of Almaty on weekends.

Then we return to Almaty where we visit Zenkov Cathedral, one of the most beautiful, magnificent architectural monuments in the city.

After we go to Kok Tobe, the highest point in the city. It is famous for its panoramic view of the city from all directions. To reach the Kok Tobe hill, we take a cable car ride which starts near Hotel Kazakhstan and goes over some of the oldest parts of Almaty and the magnificent fruit-growing gardens. Once you reach the Kok Tobe hill, you would see the famous 372 meters high TV Tower which is visible from far and offers great views of the mountains and the city plus a few attractions at the top.

Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 4* (Garden Park Inn or similar)

e)

Flight from Almaty to Tashkent. Our team will welcome you at Tashkent International Airport. Transfer and check-in at the hotel (14:00).

We start our sightseeing tour in the capital city of Uzbekistan. We visit such places as Hazrati Imom Complex, the spiritual heart of Tashkent (16-20centuary). We go also to Chorsu bazaar, one of the busiest bazaars in Tashkent. Then we visit Amir Temur's square, Independent square - a favorite resting place for residents and the Museum of Applied Arts.

Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (Art Hotel or similar)

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 06:20 transfer to the railway station to take a train to Bukhara (07:28-11:23). We arrive in Bukhara, where we have lunch at the restaurant.

A whole day walking tour of Bukhara. We discover such places as Ismail Samani mausoleum, Chashma Ayub mausoleum, Bolo-Hauz mosque, Ark Fortress, Poi-Kalyan architectural complex (Miri-Arab Madrasa, Kalyan Mosque, and Minaret), Ulug Beg Madrasa, Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa, Tim Abdullah Khan, Magok-I Attari Mosque and Lyabi-Hauz complex (Kukeldash madrasa, Hanaka, Nadir Divan-Begi madrasa).

Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (Kavsar Hotel or similar)

Breakfast at the hotel.

We continue exploring the city. We visit Chor Minor and Naqshbandi Complex, the most religious and always crowded places.

Lunchtime break. After we visit Sitora-i-Mokhi-Khosa Palace, the summer residence of Bukhara's Emir, and Chor-Bakr Complex, an ancient cemetery equal to 3 hectares.

Take a train at 15:50 to Samarkand.

Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (Zilol Baxt Hotel or similar)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Start the sightseeing in the kingdom of the Timurids dynasty. We go to see the Guri Amir Mausoleum of the Timurids Dynasty and the famous Registan square with three madrasas all built at different times.

Lunch in a restaurant.

After we discover such places as Bibi Khanum Mosque built in 1399 by Amir Temur, Siab Bazaar - the oldest and still operating bazaar and Shahi Zinda Complex, a cemetery XI to XX century.

 Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (Zilol Baxt Hotel or similar)

Breakfast at the hotel.                                                                                                 

We visit the rest of the city. We visit the Ulugbek observatory built in 1425-1429, the Mausoleum of Hodja Daniyar of XV – century, and Konigil's ancient paper factory.

In the evening we take the train to Tashkent.

Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3* (Art Hotel or similar)

Transfer to the airport. Departure.

Meals included: breakfast