Destination: Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
Route: Tashkent - Khiva - Dashoguz - Darvaza - Ashgabat - Mary - Bukhara -Tashkent
Duration: 16 days / 15 nights

Land Cost: $3499-$4399

Day 1: Tashkent
Upon arrival at Tashkent International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel, then welcomed with a ceremonial dinner.

Day 2: Tashkent - Urgench
Tashkent city tour: We will visit the Applied and Decorative Art Museum of Uzbekistan, Abul Kasim Medreseh (XIX c), the Old City and the Hast Imam Complex: Barakkhan Medreseh (XVI c.), Tello Shayh Friday Mosque (XIX c.), Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum (XVI c .), and the old ”Chorsu” Bazaar. We fly from Tashkent to Urgench that evening.

Day 3: Urgench
Breakfast. Transfer to Khiva, the fairy-tale city of the Silk Road. Uzbekistan’s “Living Museum” was the former capital of the Khanate and legend says that it was founded by Shem, the son of Noah. We will discover the spectacular sights of the Ichan Kala (Old City), surrounded by high walls of air-dried bricks and decorated with delicate majolica tile: delight in the Ata –Darvaza (West Gate, XVII – XVIII c.), Kalta Minar (XIX c.), After lunch at the national restaurant continue with sightseeing at the Medreseh Mohammad Amin (XIX c.), Kunya Ark (XVII-XIX c.), Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum (XVIII-XIX c) with proverbs embossed on its tiles, Medreseh Khodja Islam with minaret, Tash Hauli Palace and harem (XIX c.), Karavan Saray Caravanserai ( traditional inn for travelling merchants), (XIX c.) and Juma Mosque (XI-XII c.) with its 200 wooden pillars Dinner with panoramic view of Khiva in moonlight. Transfer back to the hotel.

Day 4: Dashoguz
After some further exploration of Urgench, we will travel to the border crossing point at Dashoguz between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Upon completion of border formalities, we will drive to the famous city of Konye-Urgench. After this city’s almost complete annihilation by Genghis Khan more than 800 years ago, the city was rebuilt and grew into an important trading center. Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 5: Dashovuz- Darvaza
Morning sightseeing drive tour to Darvaza located in center of desert Kara Kum (Black Sand).This refers not only to the light which gives the sand a grayish color, but the inherent demise of unwise travelers in such a barren landscape! Visit Darvaza Gas Craters or the Burning Gates, the result of Soviet gas exploration in the desert. One of the craters has been burning since the 1950’s, and its incredible blaze is visible during the night for several miles. Dinner. Overnight at camp.

Day 6: Ashgabat
Leaving Darvaza, we will travel next to Ashgabat (city of love in Arabic.) The capital city of Turkmenistan since its independence in 1991, it is undergoing dramatic changes with development and urbanization. We will stop en route to visit the nomad village of Erbent to discover everyday rural life. One of the highlights in Ashgabat will be a visit to the Tolkuchka Bazaar – camels and carpets, silver jewelry and mouth-watering cooking scents, every imaginable good is spread out on acres of land in the desert. Overnight in Nissa Hotel

Day 7: Ashgabat
Today will be spent touring some of the sites in this ever-changing city. We will see the Arch of Neutrality - erected in 1998 to celebrate Turkmenistan's policy of political neutrality, the top of the structure is reached by glass elevator with a great view of the city, Independence Square - surrounded by extravagant palaces and ministry buildings, and the National Museum with its fine collection of historic artifacts and relics.

Day 8: Ashgabat - Gokdepe
Today we will take a side trip to visit the unique Kow-Ata (father of caves) underground lake. Entering through a cave at the base of a mountain and following a staircase about 200 feet underground, you will discover a subterranean lake of clear warm water.
We will return to Ashgabat for a visit to the Carpet Museum, rich with the history of Turkmen carpet weaving; and the "Spiritual Temple of Turkmen Nation” mosque in Kiptchak.

Day 9: Mary
This morning we will take an early flight from Ashgabat to Mary, the third-largest city in Turkmenistan. On arrival, we will travel to Gonur Depe, the largest archaeological excavation in the Near East which experts have confirmed to be the site of the fifth great center of civilization (along with Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and India). Some of the highlights of Gonur Depe include the palace excavations, the Zoroastrian temple "Temenos", the Necropolis, and the Temple of Water.
Overnight in Mary - Margush Hotel (4-star)

Day 10: Mary
Today we will explore one of Turkmenistan's greatest attractions, the historic city of Merv. Vast and complex, this is one of the country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites and is considered of vital significance to the culture of Central Asia. It rivaled trading cities like Cairo and Damascus, and was a commercial power for centuries, but also fell victim to the ruthlessness of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. We will visit the remains of Alexandria, Antiokhia, Sultan Kala, the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, Ibn Zaid, and the medieval castle “Keshk”. In the afternoon we will tour the Museum of History and the Mausoleum of Talkhatan Baba before returning to Mary for the evening.

Day 11: Mary - Bukhara
We will cross the border today at Farab, traveling through the Kara Kum desert and crossing the Amu Darya River. After customs and border formalities, we will continue on to Bukhara. We will be met with the sound of music (from the karnay, a local musical instrument) and the local precious drink chay. Dinner.

Day 12: Bukhara
We will begin our sightseeing tour with the Labi Khaus Complex ("the complex around the pond")and the Nadir Divan Begi Khanaka (old hotel for merchants). This pond dates from the XVIIth century when it was the principal source of water. Visit an ancient Chaykhana, the sculpture of Khodga Nasriddin in bronze made by local Jewish sculptor Yaakov Shapiro, Synagogue, Jewish Quarter, school and kindergarten.
Lunch at the house of Fayzullo Khodjaev with a theatrical national costume show. The sightseeing continues with the trade domes (XVI c) of money changers, hat sellers, silk, carpets, puppets and jewelry, the Magoki Attari site which was originally a Zoroastrian temple, Abdulazizkhan Madreseh with its sandali (old fashioned home heating) and the Poi-Kalon Ensemble with the greatest minaret of Central Asia.
Lunch. Visit the Ark (winter residence of local rulers from the first century), Bolo Khaus Complex and Ismail Samoniy Mosque.
Dinner and Folklore show featuring local dancers, singers and fashion.

Day 13: Bukhara - Samarkand
We drive to Samarkand (300 km), the city is more than 2500 years old. Samarkand (then known as Maracanda) was the site of the marriage of Alexander the Great to the local princess Roxana. Accommodation in hotel. Visit the nearby Guri Emir Mausoleum and old Siyob bazaar.

Day 14: Samarkand
Breakfast. Discover the beauty of Samarkand city by visiting Registan Square, the main attraction of Samarkand and an impressive place for the world’s finest old and modern music festivals and holidays. Tour Ulugbek’s Observatory (he was a scientist, astronomer and architect of the XVth century), the Shahi Zinda Ensemble – ancient necropolis (IX,XIV,XIX c.) and the Bibi Khanum Complex ( the complex was build in honor of the wife of Amur Temur in the fourteenth century). Evening laser show in Registan Square.

Day 15: Samarkand - Tashkent
Breakfast., On the way to Tashekent we will stop near the "gate" of Amur Temur - where two mountain ranges meet. Here is an pportunity to photograph the two great mountain ranges of Uzbekistan and see the ancient river stream. Accommodation in hotel. Free time.

Day 16: Tashkent - New York
Early breakfast. Transfer to an international airport of Tashkent. Departure.

This tour program includes: