<\/p>\n
Our staff will welcome you at Tashkent International airport. Transfer and accommodation in a hotel.<\/p>\n
Morning transfer to Samarkand. Accommodation in a hotel upon arrival.
\nSightseeing tour: Gur-e Amir Mausoleum\u00a0 (15c), Registan Ensemble\u00a0 (including Ulugbek (15c), Shir Dor (17c), Tillya-Kari Madrassahs (17c), Bibi Khanum Mosque.<\/p>\n
Samarkand was one of the main trading points of the Great Silk Road. The historical and architectural legacy in this city is just out of this world and makes you travel back in time.<\/em><\/p>\n Overnight in a hotel.<\/p>\n At 08:00 beginning of a sightseeing tour in Samarkand: Shahi-Zinda necropolis\u00a0 (14-15c), \u201cStars above Samarkand\u201d \u2013 Ulugbek observatory\u00a0 (15c), \u201cRuines of Afrosiab\u201d \u2013 the excavation and museum of the ancient town (6 BC-13 AD). Visit to Ismael Samani mausoleum (9-10c), Chor-Minor, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleums (14 c). Morning domestic flight to Tashkent (08:55-10:25). Transfer from Tashkent International airport to a hotel in Tashkent where you will be accommodated. After rearly breakfast, drive towards Fergana via Kamchik pass. After early breakfast, transfer to Andijan. In the morning visit Osh Bazaar, the largest market in Central Asia. Walk along the colorful rows of Golden market, watching blacksmiths working and smelling aromas of spices, fruits and vegetables in the food market. Our visit finishes in the handicraft area. Early in the morning you drive along a smooth paved road to the Kyrgyz-Chinese border at Irkeshtam pass. Kyrgyz guide will help you with border formalities at the check-point on Kyrgyz side. Meeting with Chinese guide and transfer to Kashgar. Today is spent in sightseeing in Kashgar: Id Kah mosque, the Apak Hojia Tomb and many more places. We visit local family and share local testy lunch. We have the unique opportunity to visit the Sunday Market in Kashgar, one of the highlights of our trek. It’s any photographer’s dream. As many as 100,000 people come in from surrounding areas to buy and sell animals and goods. Early in the morning we can see streams of people in donkey carts coming in to market. There are separate areas for animals, furniture, fabric, clothing, shish kebobs, shaves with a straight razor (including scalp), fruits and vegetables, and much more. In the animal bazaar care needs to be exhibited as horses and donkeys are being “test-driven”. Also in the animal bazaar you can find cattle, sheep, goats, and camels – all in a fairly small, walled-in area. You will be free to roam the bazaar or to go along with a guide who will translate Uighur for you. In the morning you drive from Kashgar to Torugart Pass (3752 m asl), in the border between China and Kyrgyzstan. Our Kyrgyz driver will meet you in the other side of the border and will help you with formalities. Upon crossing the border, lunch boxes and snacks. Drive to Tash Rabat, where you will be accommodated in yurts*.<\/p>\n Excursion to the famous caravanserai, explore outside and inside, learn historical aspect. Walk around and enjoy the area and local nomadic traditions.<\/p>\n Dinner and overnight in yurts.<\/p>\n *A yurt is a circular dwelling made of lattice of flexible poles and covered in felt or other fabric. Being easily portable, it is used by Kyrgyz nomads.<\/p>\n In the morning transfer to Son Kul Lake through greenery valley and a very dramatic pass. Son-Kul (3016m asl) is an alpine lake located in a remote area and surrounded by a stunning landscape and nomads living in their yurts. In summer, Son-Kul area is considered the best pasture in Kyrgyzstan. This area preserves all the attributes of nomadic life, which you can easily experience as nomads are always happy to receive visitors.<\/em><\/p>\n Upon arrival in Son Kul, accommodation in a \u00a0yurt camp and some free time to explore the area and enjoy the peaceful and picturesque landscapes. In the morning you have some free time to step into the nomadic life at the Son Kul Lake. Here, the Kyrgyz people still live in traditional simplicity. You can go hiking and spend time with friendly Kyrgyz families and taste their fresh airan (yogurt) and kumis (a fermented national drink from mare\u2019s milk. In the morning\u00a0 drive towards Bishkek. On\u00a0 the way we visit the archeological complex of Burana<\/strong>. Burana tower is an ancient minaret designated world heritage by UNESCO. It was built in the 11th<\/sup> century in a territory called Balasagyn, which was an important trading point for the Great Silk Road. In this archeological complex located 80 km away from Bishkek you can explore the Burana tower, a collection of Balbals (handmade statues) and a small museum where pieces found in excavation are shown.<\/em><\/p>\n (Excursion takes approx. 1-hour, simple walk, but good shoes required as it\u2019s dusty and little climbing to the tower up along the steep stairs).<\/em><\/p>\n After excursion we continue our drive to Bishkek. Upon arrival accommodation in a hotel or guesthouse. Dinner in a local restaurant with Asian and European cuisine. Overnight in hotel\/guest house in Bishkek.<\/p>\n In the morning you will be transferred to the international airport \u201cManas\u201d to catch your flight back home.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Follow one of the most mysterious and scenic routes of the\u00a0Great Silk Road.<\/strong>\u00a0Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan<\/strong>\u00a0and Uighur region of\u00a0China<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 explore the pearls of the ancient empires.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":11164,"template":"","meta":[],"product_cat":[414],"product_tag":[62,54,55,73],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.ak-sai.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/738"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.ak-sai.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.ak-sai.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.ak-sai.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/old.ak-sai.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.ak-sai.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=738"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old.ak-sai.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Day 3.<\/span>\u00a0Samarkand \u2013 Shakhrisabz \u2013 Bukhara<\/h3>\n
\nTransfer to Shakhrisabz (170 km).
\nSightseeing in Shakhrisabz (what do you see?).
\nAfter lunch drive to Bukhara (270 km) and accommodation in a hotel upon arrival. Bukhara is one of the highlights of our travel. It was a remarkable trade center during the Great Silk Road and a relevant place for the Islamic culture in Uzbekistan. Bukhara is plenty of impressive historical monuments, minarets and madrassas, narrow streets lined with bazaars and ancient ruins. The center of Bukhara looks like an open-air museum and it has obviously declared World Heritage by UNESCO. <\/em>
\nOvernight in Bukhara.<\/p>\nDay 4.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Bukhara sightseeing tour.<\/h3>\n
\nVisit to Old Bukhara: Poli-Kalon ensemble, Lyab-i-Hauz (17c).
\nOvernight in a hotel.<\/p>\nDay 5.<\/span> \u00a0<\/span>Bukhara \u2013 Tashkent flight. Tashkent sightseeing tour.<\/h3>\n
\nSightseeing tour in Tashkent: Kukeldash Madrassah, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, Barak Khan Madrassah, Mosque on Khasty Imam Street, Visit to Chor-Su (a picturesque handicraft bazaar), Museum of History of\u00a0Uzbekistan, Museum of Applied Arts. Alisher Navoi Theater and square, Amir Timur Monument and Square.
\nOvernight in a hotel.<\/p>\nDay 6<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Tashkent \u2013 Fergana. Sightseeing tour in Fergana.<\/h3>\n
\nEn route lunch and sightseeing in Margilan .
\nVisit \u201cYodgorlik\u201d silk making factory.
\nUpon arrival in Fergana, accommodation in a hotel. Short transfer to Rishtan, where you will visit the
\nceramic studio of Rustam Usmanov, a well-known Uzbek\/Soviet artist.
\nDinner and overnight in Fergana.<\/p>\nDay 7<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Fergana \u2013 Osh via Andijan. Osh sightseeing tour.<\/h3>\n
\nVisit the Park with a Museum commemorating Babur, as well as Andijan bazaar.
\nAt noon, arrival to the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border and meeting with your Kyrgyz guide. Transfer to Osh.
\nAfter lunch visit Sulaiman Mount, one of the main Islamic shrines in Central Asia. On the mount first you visit historical museum, located right in the main cave. After excursion in the museum you follow the way of all pilgrims up to the top of the hill where you watch a little mosque of Babur, the Great Mughal Empire founder, and take a bird eye\u2019s view of the city.
\nOvernight in hotel.<\/p>\nDay 8.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Osh city – Sary Tash village.<\/h3>\n
\nIn the afternoon transfer to Sary Tash village over Taldyk pass (3615 m asl). It is a small village situated in Alai valley with a breathtaking mountain panorama.
\nDinner and overnight in a family guest house in Sary Tash.<\/p>\nDay 9.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> Sary Tash village \u2013 Irkeshtam pass to Kashgar town.<\/h3>\n
\nOvernight in hotel.<\/p>\nDay 10.<\/span> Sightseeing tour in Kashgar.<\/h3>\n
\nOvernight in hotel.<\/p>\nDay 11.<\/span> Sunday Market in Kashgar.<\/h3>\n
\nOvernight in hotel.<\/p>\nDay 12.<\/span> Kashgar \u2013 Tash Rabat Caravanserai via Torugart pass.<\/h3>\n
Day 13.<\/span> Tash Rabat Caravanserai \u2013 Son Kul Lake.<\/h3>\n
\nDinner and overnight in yurts.<\/p>\nDay 14.<\/span> Son Kul Lake \u2013 Kochkor village.<\/h3>\n
\nOptionally:<\/strong><\/span> You can enjoy horseback riding trip in the lake area.<\/em>
\nIn the afternoon you will be transferred to Kochkor village where you will watch how local people make felt, various carpets and other handicraft stuff.
\nDinner and overnight in a family guest house in Kochkor.<\/p>\nDay 15.<\/span> Kochkor village \u2013 Bishkek city.<\/h3>\n
\nOptionally:<\/strong> During dinner we can see Kyrgyz folk-show. Musicians in traditional Kyrgyz costumes show you a wide range of national musical instruments \u2013 You hear the fascinating singing of young Kyrgyz ladies.<\/p>\nDay 16.<\/span> Departure from Bishkek.<\/h3>\n