- 4 ladies confirmed on this trip.
Please find the below itinerary for 12-26Jun
15D Central Asia
And if you have any friends, who would like a shorter trip, they could join us for the
12-19Jun Uzbekistan tour
18Jun - Free day, and Dep on 19Jun.
Do note that there is no daily flight.
-- CONFIRMED DEPARTURE ( Do join us for 12-19Jun 8D Uzbekistan Trip)
15D Central Asia ( 12Jun-26Jun)
(Uzbekistan – Tajikistan – Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan)
Uzbekistan is a premier cultural heritage destination sought out each year by more and more travellers wishing to immerse themselves in the magic of Central Asia’s Great Silk Road.
Samarkand
(
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/603)
The historic town of Samarkand is a crossroad and melting pot of the world's cultures. Founded in the 7th century B.C. as ancient Afrasiab, Samarkand had its most significant development in the Timurid period from the 14th to the 15th centuries. The major monuments include the Registan Mosque and madrasas, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the Gur-Emir ensemble, as well as Ulugh-Beg's Observatory.
Bukhara
(
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/602)
Bukhara, which is situated on the Silk Route, is more than 2,000 years old. It is the most complete example of a medieval city in Central Asia, with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact. Monuments of particular interest include the famous tomb of Ismail Samani, a masterpiece of 10th-century Muslim architecture, and a large number of 17th-century madrasas.
Shahrisabz is a city in southern Uzbekistan, near Samarkand as well as the border with Tajikistan. Shahrisabz means ‘green city’ in Persian, probably owing to the vineyard and orchards in the area. Shahrisabz is noted for being the birthplace of the great ruler of Central Asia named Timur, made famous in Western lore as Tamerlane by authors such as Shakespeare. Shahrisabz is an ancient city in Central Asia, having just celebrated its 2700th anniversary. It is near Shahrisabz that Alexander the Great spent winters and met his wife Roxanna and that the general Ptolemy defeated the Achaemenid Empire. Like many cities in Uzbekistan and Central Asia in general, Shahrisabz was a city along the famed Silk Road. Shahrisabz came under the rule of the city of Bukhara until Russian occupation in the 1800s.
Shahrisabz boasts so many historic monuments that its old city has been made part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Visitors to Shahrisabz tour these amazing monuments, which include Aq-Saray Palace, Kok Gumbaz Mosque, Hazrat-i Imam Complex, and the Tomb of Timur. Aq-Saray Palace was the ruler Timur’s summer palace in the 1300s, and is also known as the White Palace. It was to be the grandest of Timur’s buildings, and its archway is the widest in Central Asia, but today only parts of the palace remain. Travelers to Shahrisabz can stare in awe at the ruins of the 200-foot gate towers, which are covered with white, gold, and blue mosaic tiles and an inscription that reads “If you challenge our power, look at our buildings!” Kok Gumbaz Mosque was built in Shahrisabz in the 1400s and is named for its blue dome. Right behind the mosque is the so-called House of Meditation. The Hazrat-i Imam Complex is a series of buildings that includes a mosque and impressive geometric mausoleum, where Timur’s oldest son is buried. Nearby is a recently-discovered underground chamber that was meant to be the tomb of Timur himself. However, Timur was buried in Samarkand instead of Shahrisabz, so the identities of the bodies in the chamber remain a mystery.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country located in Central Asia. Landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east.
Issyl-Kul Lake ( Kyrgyzstan)
Issyk-Kul is one of less than 20 ancient lakes on earth and is estimated to be approximately 25 million years old. Beginning in about 500 BC the Great Silk Road developed as a trade route through Central Asia and passed nearby the lake. Issyk-Kul is the world’s second-largest high-altitude lake and a major biological and economic resource of the country. Slightly salty, the lake never freezes, which contributes to its importance as a stopover for migratory birds. Over the past few decades, the level of the lake has dropped some 2.5 meters as the result of water diversions. In the face of several serious threats to the lake, the Government of Kyrgyzstan has created the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve, run by a Directorate General.
ITINERARY
Day 1 (June 12)Singapore – Tashkent
Arrive in Tashkent. Transfer to the hotel. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Tashkent Palace or similar (4 *)
Day 2 (June 13) Tashkent – Bukhara by flight
Enjoy a full day sightseeing tour in Tashkent. Evening transfer to the airport to take the flight to Bukhara. Asia Bukhara or similar (4 *)
Day 3 (June 14) Bukhara (B)
Full day sightseeing tour.
Day 4 (June 15) Bukhara – Samarkand.
Drive to Samarkand. Sightseeing tour. Asia Samarkand or similar (4*)
REGISTAN SQUARE, SAMARKAND
Day 5 (June 16) Samarkand (B)
Full day sightseeing .
Day 6 (June 17)Samarkand – Shahrisabz - Termez (B)
Drive to Shakhrisabz. Sightseeing tour, drive to Termez.
Meridian or similar (4 *)
Day 7 (Jun 18) Termez – Gissar – Dushanbe (B)
Transfer to Hissar. Visit the Hissar Fortress and museum. Transfer to Dushanbe. Visit the monument of Ismoili Somoni – the founder of the first Tajik Somonid dynasty in Central Asia. Walking in the Park named after Rudaki.
Taj Palace or similar (4*)
Day 8 (Jun 19)
Dushanbe – Penjikent (B)
Visit the museum of Antiquity in Tajikistan (where you can see the huge 14m Statue of Buddha in Nirvana) and the Museum of Ethnography. Transfer to Panjakent. Visiting ancient Panjakent, visiting the museum named after Rudaki.
Overnight at Hotel Durdob Homestay
Day 9 (Jun 20 )Penjikent – Khodjent – Tashkent
Transfer to Khodjent. Sightseeing tour in Khodjent. Transfer to Tajik – Uzbek border (130km). Crossing the border at check point Kanibadam. Meet guide and drive to Tashkent. (40km)
Tashkent Palace of similar (4*)
Day 10 (Jun 21)Tashkent – Almaty (B)
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Almaty/ Sightseeing tour.
Otrar (4*)
Day 11 (Jun 22)Almaty – Bishkek (B)
Transfer to Bishkek (250km). Arrival in hotel.
Ak-Keme or similar (4 *)
Day 12 (Jun 23) Bishkek – Issyl Kul Lake (Cholpon Ata)( B )
Transfer to Issul Kul Lake (270km)/ En route visit Burana Tower on the site of the medieval city of Balasagun – the capital of Karakhanid State. Free time at leisure on the shore of the lake. Overnight in Cholpon Ata.
Karven or similar (4*)
Day 13 (Jun 24) Issyk – Kul Lake – Ala-Archa – Bishkek (B)
Transfer to Ala Archa Natural Park (40km off Bishkek). En route visit prehistoric petroglyphs near Cholpon Ata. Sightseeing tour in Ala Archa National Park. Transfer to Bishkek.
Day 14 (Jun 25) Bishkek – Tashkent.
Departure by flight from Tashkent.
Day 15 (Jun 26) Tashkent - Singapore
Departure by flight from Tashkent back to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur.
Sightseeing spots that will be visited during the excursions:
Tashkent: Kukeldash Madrassah, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, Barak Khan Madrassah, Mosque on Khasty Imam Street, Visit to Chor-Su ,Museum of Applied Arts. Alisher Navoi square. Amir Temur Monument and Square, Independence Square, Halqlar Do’stligi Square.
Bukhara: Visit to Ismael Samani mausoleum -vault of Bukhara rulers' dynasty, Chor-Minor, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleums (14 c), Visit to Old Bukhara: Poli-Kalon ensemble including Minaret , Mosque ,functioning Madrassah Miri-Arab , Amir-Alim-Khan Madrassah , Taqi (trading domes), Kukeldash Madrassah ,Lyab-i-Hauz , Nadir Divanbegi , Magoki Attari ,Ulug Beg ,Abdul Aziz Madrassahs. Visit to Registan Ensemble, Ark Fortress and Bolo-Hauz complex
Samarkand: Shahi-Zinda necropolis , “Stars above Samarkand” - Ulugbek observatory , “Ruines of Afrosiab” - the excavation and museum of the ancient town (6 BC-13 AD), Visit to medieval architectural monuments: Gur-Emir Mausoleum , Registan Ensemble (including Ulugbek , Shir Dor , Tillya-Kari Madrassahs ,Bibi Khanum Mosque, Ismael-Bukhari Mosque- Mausoleum of Imam Bukhari.
Shakhrisabz: Visit Ak Saray Palace, Kuk Gumbaz, Gumbazi Saidon, Khazrati Imam mosque, Mausoleum of Jahangir (Temur’s son).
Estimated Cost - $4200 ( subject to change, due to airfare booking class)
International Flight ,
Domestic flight - Tashkent-Bukhara
International Flight Tashkent - Almaty
International Flight Bishkek - Tashkent
All hotels accommodation with breakfast
All sightseeing as per itinerary
All transfers
English speaking guide
Exclude:
Taxes for the flight
Visa Fees ( not included)
All other meals ( estimate usd15 per meal)
Please contact Olevia Cheong
Organiser
8112 8393
