Silk Road Tour 4

Silk Road tour 4: Along the Silk Road Request

Duration: 20 Days

Season: the end of May – the end of September

Itinerary

Day 1 (Thursday) Airport - Bishkek Arrival in Bishkek.
Transfer to the hotel. Sightseeing tour: Oak Park, Ala -Too Square, Philarmonic hall, Statue of Manas, Victory Square. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 2 (Friday): Bishkek – Issyk Kul
In the morning transfer to Issyk-Kul Lake ( 260 km ). En route visit Burana tower, which marks the original site of the Karakhanid town, Balasagun. Continue driving to Issyk-Kul. Arrival to Issyk-Kul, accommodation in a hotel on the North Shore of Issyk-Kul Lake .

Day 3 (Saturday): Issyk Kul - Karakol
Drive to Karakol. In Cholpon-Ata visit open-air art gallery of stone, said to date from 500 BC – 100 AD, they depict wolves, long-horned ibex, goats, horses, snow leopards, sacrifices and some hunting scenes. Visit the wooden Russian-orthodox church, Dungan Mosque and Prezhevalsky-Museum. Experience folk music during the dinner. Overnight in Karakol.

Day 4 (Sunday): Karakol – Jety Oguz - Barskoon gorge - Tamga
In the morning drive to Jety-Oguz gorge, which is a lush valley with some striking red sandstone rock formations (the “seven Bulls” from which the valley takes its name). Picnic. Next stop of your trip is in Barskoon gorge where you will have the chance to walk up the gorge and see the waterfall. Overnight in Tamga guesthouse.

Day 5 (Monday): Tamga–- Salty lake – Skazka - Bokonbaevo
Start driving to Bokonbaevo village. En route visit the Salty lake which has the same feature like Dead Sea in Israel. The minerals within the water support the weight of a person lying on the surface. Next stop in Skazka valley there sandstone cliffs have been shaped by centuries of wind and melting snow into an ensemble of columns, canyons and crag, ranging in color from deep red to bright orange. Dinner and overnight in a home stay.

Day 6 (Tuesday): Bokonbaevo – Kochkor - Naryn
In the morning you will see eagle hunting show and then transfer to Kochkor where you can see a process of making Kyrgyz national felt carpets. Lunch with a local Kyrgyz family. Transfer to Naryn. Overnight in a guest house or home stay.

Day 7 (Wednesday): Naryn – Tash Rabat
Transfer to Tash-Rabat ( 115 km ) towards the Chinese border. Tash Rabat, Caravan Saray 11th century, served as a fortress for travelers along the Great Silk Road. This is a carefully restored stone building. Overnight in yurts (Kyrgyz dwelling).

Day 8 (Thursday): Tash Rabat
Free day. Visiting a Tash-Rabat caravanserai. Short hiking or horse back riding. Overnight in the yurt camp.

Day 9 (Friday): Tash Rabat – Torugart - Kashgar Breakfast.
Transfer early in the morning to Torugart Pass. Meeting with the Chinese travel company at Kyrgyz-Chinese border. Drive to Kashgar. Overnight at a hotel.

Day 10 (Saturday): Kashgar
City tour around Kashgar: visit Id Kah Mosque (the largest Mosque in China) and the Tomb of Yusup Hazi Hajup. Overnight at a hotel.

Day 11 (Sunday): Kashgar
Full day visiting Sunday market. As traveler Marco Polo wrote about Kashgar “It is an eastern Cairo, where there are mountains of goods, and people swarm like bees”. The Sunday Bazaar is believed to be the largest outdoor market in the world.

Day 12 (Monday): Kashgar – Irkyshtam – Sary Tash
Early in the morning transfer to Irkeshtam border. The view is "spectacularly amazing", with the Pamir mountain range covered with permanent snow and glaciers on the right-hand side and small hills on the left with summer pastures. Arriving to the border. Transfer to Sary Tash village. Overnight in a home stay.

Day 13 (Tuesday): Sary Tash - Osh
After breakfast transfer to Osh ( 220 km ). Right after we leave the village we will drive up the Taldyk pass ( 3615 m). The scenery along this day of the trip is changeable with tree lined mountain slopes, small rivers and gorgeous panoramas. Dinner and overnight in a guest house.

Day 14 (Wednesday): Osh
After breakfast there will be city tour in Osh. As legends say Osh was founded by King Solomon ages ago and had an important position on trading routes of the Great Silk Road. Today you will visit Suleiman-Too (Solomon’s Mountain), museum, Osh bazaar – this market locates at the same place as in the times of Great Silk Road. Overnight in the hotel or guest house.

Day 15 (Thursday): Osh – Dostuk - Tashkent
In the morning transfer Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border point Dostuk. Border formalities. On the way to Fergana sightseeing Andijan and Quva. Drive to Kokand, visit Khudoyar-khan Palace, Djami Mosque, Kamol-Kazy Madrasa, Dahman-Shakhon and Madirakhan Necropolis. Visit Rishtan and silk making factory in Margilan. Depart Fergana valley and drive to Tashkent. Arrive to Tashkent late in the evening. Check in to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 16 (Friday): Tashkent – Samarkand
In the first half of the day depart Tashkent and drive to Samarkand. Arrival to Samarkand, check in to the hotel. Guided sightseeing tour in Samarkand, sightseeing tour will include visit to the famous Registan Square, Shakhi-Zinda Complex, remains of Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Shakhi-Zinda necropolis and Gur-Emir mausoleum. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 17 (Saturday): Samarkand
Continue sightseeing Samarkand. Visit to Ulugbek observatory, Afrosiyob Museum, central bazaar in Samarkand. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 18 (Sunday): Samarkand - Bukhara
In the morning depart Samarkand and drive to Bukhara. Arrival to Bukhara, check in to the hotel. In the afternoon sightseeing Bukhara. Visit Kalon ensemble, medrese Miri-Arab, Magoki-Attori mosque, medrese Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan, trade domes, Lyabi Hauz complex, medrese Chor-Minor. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 19 (Monday): Bukhara – Tashkent
Continue sightseeing Bukhara. Visit Samani dynasty mausoleum, Arc Fortress, Chashma-Ayub. Day trip to summer palace of Bukhara Emirs Sitorai-Mokhikhosa. Evening flight to Tashkent. Arrival in Tashkent. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 20 (Tuesday): Tashkent – airport
Transfer to the airport. Departure. End of the tour.

Accommodation:

 Standard tour price includes:
1. Twin accommodation;
2. Meals – for the groups 1-5 people – only breakfast included; For the groups 6-10 people - full board;
3. Transportation throughout the whole trip.
4. English speaking guide;
5. Sightseeing tour program in all cities according to the program, including entrance fees to sights, museums. Camera/video fees are not included and paid separately;
6. Horse back riding in Tash Rabat;;
7. The process of making felt carpets in Kochkor;
8. Mineral water;
9. Payment for 1 extra night in Bishkek on the Day 1 in case of early arrival;
10. Eagle hunting show in Bokonbaevo;
11. Folk music show in Karakol.

 Tour price does not include:
1. Hotel charges for additional services;
2. Single supplement;
3. Consular fees paid upon collection of the entrance visa to Kyrgyzstan, China, Uzbekistan;
4. Registration in Kyrgyzstan;
5. International airfares;
6. Personal insurance and items not mentioned above.
7. Visa support;
8. Alcohol drinks;