11-Day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Tour

Early flight from Ashgabat to Mary (370 km, 40 min). Upon arrival, your guide and driver will meet you to drive to Merv (40 km, 40 min), an ancient trade center on the Great Silk Road and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your sightseeing tour in Merv will include:

• - Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum (12th century), considered one of the greatest architectural monuments of Merv, showcasing amazing craftsmanship for its time.
• - Greater Kyz Kala and Lesser Kyz Kala (8th-9th centuries), unique fortified homes made of mud bricks, with no known archaeological equivalents.
• - Askhab Mausoleums (9th-12th centuries), built for two of the Prophet Muhammad’s earliest disciples, these mausoleums are one of Turkmenistan’s most important pilgrimage sites today.
• - Erk Kala (6th century BC), the seat of ancient Merv and its oldest settlement, with remaining walls nearly 30 meters high. Climb the walls for a great view of the surrounding area.
• - Gyaur Kala (3rd century BC), Merv’s second oldest settlement, famous for its thick 2-kilometer long walls.
• - Beni Makhan Mosque and cistern (7th-9th centuries), also known as the Juma Mosque, located in the center of ancient Gyaur Kala with an intact cistern still in use today.
• - Muhammad Ibn Zeid Mausoleum (12th century), a popular Sufi shrine known for its symmetrical architecture and Arabic inscriptions carved into its walls.
• - After completing the tour of Old Merv, return to Mary to visit the Mary History Museum, housed in a marble hall with six main exhibition rooms displaying artifacts from ancient and modern times.

After the tour, transfer to the airport for the evening flight back to Ashgabat (370 km, 40 min). Overnight in Ashgabat.

Early morning flight to Dashoguz (570 km, 50 min). Upon arrival, your driver and guide will meet you to begin your drive to Kunya-Urgench, the ancient capital of the Khorezm Empire (120 km, 1 hr 30 min). Your tour will include:

• - Tyurabek-Khanym Mausoleum (14th century), the burial site of a Mongolian princess, and Sayid Ahmed Mausoleum (14th century), the burial place of a leader of the Golden Horde.
• - Kutlug Timur Minaret (11th-13th centuries), which at 62 meters is the tallest minaret in Central Asia.
• - Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum (12th century), the tomb of the Khorezmshah.
• - Kyrk Molla Hill (Forty Mullahs Hill), a fortress covering three hectares, including the famous Mamun Library (8th-9th centuries) and an ancient cemetery believed to have present-day healing powers.

Walk through Fakhreddin Razi Mausoleum (also the mausoleum of Arslan II, 13th century), one of the rare survivors of the Mongol invasion and one of the oldest and most unique structures in all of Central Asia.

• - Drive to the Mausoleum of Najmaddin Kubra (12th century), founder of the Kubrawiya Sufi order and a popular pilgrimage site for visiting Muslims.
• - Walk through the Sultan Ali Mausoleum (16th century), a half-completed structure intended for a powerful Turkmen ruler but left unfinished due to ongoing war.
• - After visiting the mausoleums, drive to the Dashoguz-Shavat border crossing from Turkmenistan into Uzbekistan. Go through border formalities and cross the 1.5-kilometer (approx. 1 mile) neutral zone. Meet your driver in Uzbekistan and continue the tour with a drive to Khiva (60 km, 1 hour), known as Central Asia’s "Museum under the Open Sky." Arrival in Khiva and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Khiva.

After breakfast, begin your walking tour of the Ichan Kala architectural complex in Khiva, the city’s historical center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This architectural ensemble, almost completely preserved for the last 1500 years, includes the following highlights:

Kunya-Ark, the inner citadel of Ichan Kala.

• - Kalta-Minor, a minaret that would have been the tallest in Central Asia if it had been completed; its name literally means "Short Tower."
• - Medressa of Muhammad Amin Khan and Muhammad Rahim Khan, the largest medieval madrasahs in Khiva.
• - Juma Mosque, built with 212 wooden columns and a minaret that stands 32.5 meters tall.

Tash-Hauli Palace (Stone Courtyard Palace), which resembles a fortress with high battlements, towers, and fortified gates.

• - Necropolis of Pahlavan Mahmud, the ancient religious center of Ichan Kala.

Residence of Islam Khodja, the personal advisor to the last Khan. The complex includes a madrasah and a minaret, whose upper platform reaches 45 meters, the highest observation point in the city.

After breakfast, head to the railway station for your morning departure to Bukhara (470 km, 6 hours). Your train will take a similar route as that of the Great Silk Road, passing through the Kyzylkum Desert between Khiva and Bukhara. The journey will pass through some of the most picturesque and remote areas of Central Asia, immersing you in the atmosphere of the ancient caravan routes.

Arrive in Bukhara in the afternoon, where your driver will meet you at the station and take you to your hotel. Enjoy some free time to explore the old streets of Bukhara, whose alleyways resemble a living depiction of "A Thousand and One Nights." These narrow alleys with their historical ambiance will transport you back to the era of great merchants traveling along the Great Silk Road. Overnight in Bukhara.

Alternatively, you can opt for a private car and driver; the road takes 7 hours and also passes through the Kyzylkum Desert.
Since there is only one café on the way, it is recommended to prepare a packed lunch for this trip.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, after which you will head out for a walking tour of the most impressive sights in the Old City:

• - Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble, centered around the largest artificial reservoir of medieval Bukhara (14th-17th centuries). This ensemble includes several large madrasahs: Khanaka Madrasah, Kukeldash Madrasah, and Nadir Divan Begi Madrasah (all 16th century).
• - Magoki-Attori Mosque, the oldest mosque in Bukhara (12th century).
• - Four Trade Domes (15th-16th centuries), which still house local handicrafts for sale.
• - Poi Kalyan Ensemble (12th-16th centuries), including the Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque, Amir-Alimkhan Madrasah, and Miri-Arab Madrasah.
• - Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century) and Abdulazizkhan Madrasah (17th century), impressive religious schools that have remained almost untouched.
• - Ark Fortress (4th century), the ancient center of Bukharan statehood, now housing a small museum.
• - Bolo-Khauz Complex, which includes an intricately decorated 18th-century mosque, a minaret, and reservoirs that once provided water for the entire city.
• - Samanids Mausoleum (9th-10th centuries), believed to be the most ancient brick building in Central Asia, as well as the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum.

Check out of your hotel after breakfast and drive to Shakhrisabz (270 km, 4 hrs). Upon arrival, your guide will meet you to start a city tour of Shakhrisabz, where you’ll visit:

Downtown Shakhrisabz, unique for its town layout and architecture.

• - Dorus Saodat Memorial Complex, which includes the Jahongir and Omar Sheikh Mausoleum and the 14th-century Khazratiy Imam Mosque.
• - Dor-ut Tilovat Ensemble, including the Kok-Gumbaz Mosque (Blue-Domed Mosque) and the burial vault of Tamerlane’s father.
• - Ruins of the Ak-Saray Palace (White Palace), Tamerlane's summer residence, considered an astounding work of art by his 14th-15th century contemporaries.

Drive to Samarkand via the Tahtakaracha Pass (85 km, 2 hrs). Arrive in Samarkand, capital of Tamerlane’s Empire. Check into the hotel and have a free evening to rest or explore the neighborhood. Overnight in Samarkand.

Breakfast at the hotel before beginning your private tour of Samarkand, a 2500-year-old city, to the following sites:

• - Gur Emir, the imposing burial site of Tamerlane and Mirzo Ulugbek.
• - Registan Square, the commercial center of Samarkand for centuries and Samarkand’s most famous site today. The square includes three madrasahs: Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century), Sher-Dor Madrasah (17th century), and Tilla-Kori Madrasah (17th century).
• - A boulevard lined with workshops, souvenir stores, and ice cream stands.
• - Bibi Khanum Mosque, built by Tamerlane for his favorite wife.
• - Siab Bazaar, a multi-level complex where you can shop for souvenirs and sample sweets, fruits, and Samarkand’s famous bread.
• - Shakhi-Zinda, a burial complex built between the 9th-14th centuries. Climb the blue-domed path and explore more than 20 small mausoleums that line the broad alleyway.
• - Ulugbek Observatory, where you can see the remains of a 14th-15th century sextant and tour the Ulugbek Museum.

Breakfast and check out of the hotel. Your sightseeing tour of Samarkand will continue with visits to these culturally significant sights:

• - Visit to the excavation site and museum of the ancient city Afrosiab.
• - Tour of Khodja Daniyar Mausoleum, believed to be the tomb of the prophet Daniel, whose remains were brought here by Tamerlane.
• - Drive to Konigil Village to observe the traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry leaves.
• - Excursion to the Oriental Silk Carpet Factory to see firsthand how top-quality carpets are created. You can even learn basic skills from the masters and try carpet-weaving yourself!

Transfer to the railway station to catch the afternoon train to Tashkent (330 km, 2.5 hrs). You’ll be met at the Tashkent station and taken to the hotel.

Your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to begin your Tashkent city tour, which will include:

• - Excursion to the Old City, including the Khazret-Imam Architectural Complex, which holds the oldest known Quran in the world. Also on-site are the Madrasah of Barak-Khan (16th century), Tillya-Sheykh Mosque, Juma Mosque, and the Mausoleum of Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi (15th century).
• - Visit to Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent’s most well-established bazaar that includes a large selection of traditional ceramics, jewelry, handbags, garments, and more.
• - Ride on the Tashkent Metro, an immaculate subway system with each station decorated in colored mosaics and ceramics to depict a specific theme.
• - Walk through Amir Timur Square, with a massive statue of none other than Tamerlane himself at the center.
• - Explore Independence Square, including the moving Mourning Mother Monument and the Eternal Flame, burning continuously in memory of more than half a million Uzbek soldiers who died during World War II.
• - Drive to the Sacred Heart Cathedral, a 20th-century Roman Catholic Church with beautiful stained-glass windows and Gothic-style architecture.

Tour of the Applied Arts Museum, an informative collection of Uzbekistan’s finest handicrafts housed in an ornately decorated villa.

Free morning. Check out of the hotel by noon and transfer to Tashkent International Airport for your outbound flight, departing Uzbekistan with sweet memories! End of the 11-Day Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan Tour.

End of 11-Day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Tour