Central Asia in two Weeks

Following breakfast (early at 7:00 AM), departure for the Charyn Canyon (220 km – 3 hours). The Charyn Canyon is considered the second largest canyon in the world after the Colorado Canyon. Upon arrival, a 3-hour hike within the canyon. Picnic lunch by the Charyn River, featuring crystal-clear waters. Following the picnic, another 2-hour hike in the canyon. In the late afternoon, return drive to Almaty (220 km). Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 4-star hotel.

Following breakfast at the hotel, departure for Bishkek (250 km). In Bishkek, the itinerary includes visits to Victory Square, Oak Park, the central Ala-Too Square, the Historical Museum, the National Philharmonic, and the bazaar, offering a closer look at Kyrgyz culture and daily life. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast at the hotel, drive to Cholpon-Ata. En route to Cholpon-Ata, visits to the Burana Tower (11th century) and the open-air Stone Balbals Museum. In Cholpon-Ata, a 3-hour walk along the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, continuation of the journey to Bishkek (280 km). Dinner at a local restaurant in Bishkek. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for the flight to Osh. According to legend, the city of Osh was founded by King Solomon. The program includes visits to the oriental bazaar of Osh and Suleiman-Too (Solomon's Mountain). Suleiman-Too is regarded as a sacred mountain in Kyrgyzstan and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Over 100 petroglyphs depicting humans, animals, dragons, the sun, the moon, and geometric forms—dating back to the initial settlements of the Middle Bronze Age—have been discovered in various caves and rock faces, particularly on the eastern slope. Solomon, known to Christians from the Bible as the King of Israel, is considered a prophet in the Quran and is traditionally believed to be buried at the foot of the mountain. Lunch at a local restaurant in Osh. In the afternoon, drive to the Osh – Andijan border crossing (Andijon). After completing border formalities, vehicle change and a city tour of Andijan. Continuation to Fergana, a brief city tour, and onward travel to Margilan. Upon arrival, hotel check-in. Dinner at a local teahouse. Overnight stay in a 2-star hotel.

Following breakfast, a tour of Margilan, one of Uzbekistan's oldest industrial cities. Margilan has historically played a vital role along the Silk Road. The visit includes the traditional historical silk factory "Yodgorlik", which maintains centuries-old traditions, as well as the Margilan Bazaar. Lunch at a traditional teahouse in Margilan. Afterwards, departure for Rishton. Rishton produces nearly 90% of all ceramics offered in Uzbekistan, with pottery traditions passed down from father to son for approximately 800 years. A visit to a ceramic artisan family in Rishton provides insight into traditional pottery-making techniques. The journey continues to Kokand. With a population of nearly 200,000, Kokand served as a major Silk Road hub. Once the capital of the Khanate of Kokand, the city reached its zenith in the 19th century. Lunch at a local restaurant. In Kokand, the itinerary features the Palace of Khudayar Khan, built between 1833 and 1873, boasting a facade approximately seventy meters wide adorned with vibrant colors and intricate ornamentation—testament to the region's traditional folk art of pottery. Additional sights include the Juma Mosque (built 1809–1812), the Amin-Beg Madrassah, the Dakhma-i-Shokhon necropolis, the Modari Mausoleum, and the Hamza Museum. In the late afternoon, departure for Khujand. Upon arrival in Khujand, hotel check-in. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast at the hotel, a tour of the historic city of Khujand, founded in 329 BC by Alexander the Great. The visits include the Museum of Archaeology, the Sheikh Muslihiddin Mosque, and the Panjshanbe Bazaar, the largest market in Tajikistan. In the late afternoon, travel to Istaravshan for a city tour. Continuation toward Panjakent with a picnic stop en route at the "Fan Niagara" waterfall. Dinner at a local restaurant in Panjakent. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast, a tour of Ancient Panjakent, the "Pompeii" of Central Asia, including the excavation site with ruins of temples and dwellings, former palaces and necropolises, the Rudaki Museum, the bazaar, and handicraft workshops. Afterwards, drive to Samarkand (70 km). Samarkand (population 540,000 as of 2019) is a UNESCO World Heritage site with a history spanning over 2,500 years. The ruins of legendary Afrasiyab, capital of the ancient realm of Sogdiana (9th century BC), are still visible in the northern part of the city. Samarkand is rightly called a jewel of the earth. The tour begins at the renowned Registan Square, construction of which began under the Timurids and continued over the following three centuries. The three madrassahs of the Registan—Ulugbek Madrassah (built 1417–1420), Sher-Dor Madrassah (1619–1636), and Tillo-Kori Madrassah (1646–1660)—captivate all visitors. The legendary Timurid mausoleum Gur-e-Amir (14th–15th century) enchants observers with its intricate interior gold ornamentation. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast, a visit to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Madrassah (14th century), accompanied by the legends surrounding their construction. Next is a visit to the traditional oriental Siyab Bazaar. Near the Siyab Bazaar lies the Shah-i-Zinda ensemble ("the living king", 9th–14th centuries), one of the world's most renowned collections of mausoleums, whose architecture enchants every visitor. Afterward, a visit to the famous Ulugbek Observatory (built 1428–1429 on a hill in the Chupanata ridge), which was a unique architectural and scientific structure of its time. This is followed by a visit to the Afrosiyob Museum. In the afternoon, departure for Bukhara, the birthplace of world-renowned scholars such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Al-Bukhari, and many others. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast, a tour of the city that produced numerous world-renowned scholars such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Al-Bukhari, and others. Bukhara, with a population of 272,500 (as of 2014), has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. The visits include the Ark Citadel (former residence of the Emir of Bukhara), which, according to recent excavations, has stood on this site since the 4th century BC, and the Bolo Hauz Mosque (Friday mosque, built in 1712). The Samanid Mausoleum (9th century) offers a view of the oldest surviving monument of Islamic architecture in Central Asia and the sole structural legacy of the Samanid dynasty. Further highlights include the legendary Po-i-Kalyan Minaret and Po-i-Kalyan complex (12th century), three remarkable domed bazaars—Toqi Zargaron (Jewelers' Bazaar, 16th century), Toqi Telpak Furushon (Cap Makers' Bazaar, 16th century), and Toqi Sarrofon (Money Changers' Bazaar, 16th century)—followed by the Labi-Hauz complex (16th–17th centuries) and the Nadir Divan-begi Madrassah (1630). Dinner at a traditional restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast, a visit to the mausoleum of the founder of the Naqshbandi order, Baha-ud-Din Naqshband (14th century), one of the most significant pilgrimage sites for Muslims. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, the drive from Bukhara to Khiva (480 km). Traveling through the Kyzylkum Desert (Red Sand) offers an experience of the unique expanse of Central Asian desert landscapes. Covering approximately 200,000 km², the Kyzylkum Desert spans parts of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, taking its name from its characteristic red sands. Khiva is one of the oldest cities in all of Central Asia. With a population of approximately 89,500 (as of 2017), Khiva is located in northwestern Uzbekistan, west of the Amu Darya along the ancient Silk Road. Designated a museum city in 1967, Khiva celebrated its 2,500th anniversary in 1997. Dinner at a traditional restaurant. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast, a tour of the Ichan-Kala old town, protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage site since 1990: Muhammad Amin Khan Madrassah (built 1852–1855), Kalta Minor Minaret (1852), Kuna Ark (residence of the Khans of Khiva), Pahlavon Mahmud Complex (1247–1325), Islam Khodja Minaret and Madrassah (1908), and Juma Mosque (Friday mosque, 1788). The visit to the Tash Khauli Palace, a masterpiece of oriental architecture, is an exceptional experience. Dinner accompanied by live music within the historic city of Khiva. Overnight stay in a 3-star hotel.

Following breakfast, transfer to the Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan border crossing. After completing border formalities, continuation to Kunya-Urgench. Visits to historical monuments include Ak Kala (15th–17th centuries), Gurganj (Gurgandsh), Gyaur Kala, the Ibn Khadzhib Complex (14th–16th centuries), the Il-Arslan Mausoleum (12th century), the Turabek Khanum Mausoleum (14th century), the Kutlug Timur Minaret (11th century), the Najm al-Din Kubra Mausoleum (14th century), and numerous other historical sites. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, departure for the Darvaza Gas Crater – Door to Hell, a natural wonder. Overnight stay in tents at Darvaza.

Following breakfast at Darvaza, drive to Ashgabat. In Ashgabat, the tour covers the modern aspects of the city alongside the ancient ruins of Nisa and Anau (archaeological excavations dating from the 5th to 3rd centuries BC). Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay in a 4-star hotel.