The Silk Road

Those on the group flights arrive very late in the evening into Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Land only passengers can arrive at the hotel any time today, the leader may not be around today.

*Hotel Arien Plaza or Shodlik Hotel or similar, Comfortable Hotel*

We have a relaxed morning after the late arrival last night.We later start our sightseeing of this Central Asian capital. This will include visiting Independence Square flanked by public buildings and water fountains and also the Old City with its mausoleums and bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 60's and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to keep the heat down in summer. There are some very interesting museums as well as mosques.*Hotel Arien Plaza or Shodlik Hotel or similar, Comfortable Hotel*

We catch the morning fast train to Samarkand arriving mid-morning. We spend the rest of today and tomorrow morning exploring Samarkand.

Samarkand is steeped in history, dating back 2,500 years and impacted by such figures as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, who made it the capital of his empire in the 14th Century. Its central position on the Silk Road meant that it was an important stop on the route from Istanbul to Peking (now Beijing). At its heart is the grand Registan Square flanked by the three grand madrasahs of Ulughbeg (15th C), Sherdor (17th C) and Tilya Qori (17th C).

Over the next day and a half we visit the grand square as well as the Gur Emir Mausoleum, burial place of Tamerlane, his sons and his grandson, Ulughbek. The Ulugbek Observatory built in 1420 by Tamerlane’s grandson who was not just a ruler but also a well-known astronomer. We move on to the oversized Bibi Khanum Mosque and Shakhi Zinda – the ‘Living King’ necropolis – with its series of mausoleums dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Our final visit is to the exotic Siab Bazaar with its fresh and dried fruit and nuts and other local food produce. The leader may shift the order the sites are visited.*Dilshoda Hotel or Malika Prime Hotel or similar, Standard Hotel*

This morning we continue our visit of Samarkands many sites. In the afternoon we drive to Bukhara, the best preserved of the Silk Road cities we visit.*Kavsar Plaza or similar, Standard Hotel*

We spend two full days exploring Bukhara. The best preserved mediaeval city in Central Asia, this UNESCO World Heritage Site dates back over 2,000 years. Our city tour takes us to the Lyabi Khauz complex, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, this is the site of the oldest pool of its kind in Central Asia. The pool is surrounded by madrasahs and a khanaka (lodging house for travelling Sufis) including the largest madrasah in Bukhara, the 15th century Kukeldash Madrasah.

We continue on to the Poi-Kalyan religious complex with its 48m Kalyan minaret dating back to the 12th century and the symbol of Bukhara; the large Kalyan Mosque (15th century) with its galleries topped by 288 domes; and the only active madrasah in the city, Bukhara Miri-Arab (16th century). Next is the Samanid Mausoleum, the oldest piece of Islamic architecture in Central Asia and burial site of the 10th Century Emir, Ismail Samani. Finally we visit the Ark, a 5th century citadel and the oldest building in Bukhara.*Kavsar Plaza or similar, Standard Hotel*

We continue our exploration of the sites of Bukhara.

Later this afternoon we will catch the fast train back to Tashkent arriving in the capital in the evening. The train leaves Bukhara at 15:52 and arrives in Tashkent at 19:40.*Hotel Arien Plaza or Shodlik Hotel or similar, Comfortable Hotel*

We spend the morning visiting parts of Tashkent we'd missed on the first day. After lunch we head back to the train station to catch the train to Almaty in Kazakhstan. This is one of those epic train rides which Central Asia does so well. Since 2017 a new train service has cut the duration to 17hrs departing Tashkent around 15:00h and arriving in Almaty the following morning around 09:30h. Travelling on trains through this region is a great way of not only covering large distances (almost 1000kms in this case) but also of seeing the change in the landscape and mingling with locals.

*Overnight train*

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Arriving early we have the whole day to explore Almaty with its backdrop of the Tien Shan mountains. With leafy streets and café culture, the former Kazakh capital has a distinctly European feel. We visit a number of sites such Zhenkov Cathedral, made entirely of wood and without the use of nails.*Kazzhol Hotel or similar, Standard Hotel*

We spend today exploring the countryside around Almaty. We first head for Issyk Lake (not to be confused with Issyk Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan which we visit later on the trip). Set amidst thick forests and pastures with wild flowers, this alpine lake is located at 1,760m above sea level within the Issyk Gorge. From here we continue to Turgen Gorge known for its beautiful natural scenery and waterfalls, some as tall as 40m. After a day spent exploring part of the Ile-Alatau region we return to Almaty for the night.*Kazzhol Hotel or similar, Standard Hotel*

Heading for the border we soon find ourselves in our third and final country: Kyrgyzstan. The mountainous country was completely closed to outsiders during the Soviet Union era but has since opened up to flaunt its spectacular natural beauty and lingering nomadic culture. Our first stop, however, is Kyrgyzstan’s modern capital city, Bishkek.This afternoon we spend some time visiting the city’s main sites taking in Ala Too Square, Parliament House, the White House, the change of the guard, the Lenin Statue and the Manas Monument.*Hotel Asia Mountains 1 or similar, Standard Hotel*

We continue our journey through the Tien Shan Mountains and head towards Issyk Kul Lake. The second largest salt lake in the world, after the Caspian Sea (and fast becoming the largest as the Caspian Sea recedes), it measures 70km by 180km and is almost 700m at its deepest point. Its name translates as Hot Lake and was given as, even in the depths of winter and despite being just above 1,600m, it never freezes. The area around the lake is a mixture of forest and meadow with a backdrop of towering mountains and glaciers.We drive along the southern shore of Issyk Kul before arriving at Jety Oguz Gorge where we will spend the night in a traditional yurt.Yurts are semi-permanent tents used by many nomadic people of Central Asia. The camp we stay at is made up of 6 sleeping yurts (each accommodating 4 to 5 people of the same gender) and one communal/dining yurt. There is a shower and two flush-toilets but hot water for washing has to be requested specifically. There is also a generator for electricity for 3 hours in the evening. Spending a night in a yurt camp is a fantastic experience and a small insight into a way of life which has gone on for centuries.*Djety Oguz or similar, Yurt Camp*

Jety Oguz translates as the Valley of Seven Bulls named after the distinct seven red-coloured rocks found in the gorge. We can learn about the local legends behind the name as we go on a 3 to 4-hour hike through the gorge, either walking along the river or going to a nearby waterfall. We should have the option of attending a Golden eagle hunting demonstration before moving on (this depends on whether the Golden eagle hunter is available). From here it’s a relatively short drive to the town of Karakol on the eastern side of Issyk Kul. A ski resort in winter, Karakol is a quaint town of cottages and shady avenues. We visit the Dungan Mosque, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Victory Park as part of a short tour. Tonight we enjoy a home cooked meal at a local Uygur or Dungan family.*Green Yard Hotel or similar, standard Hotel*

We start with a visit of the Przhevalsky Museum dedicated to the travels and geographical studies of Russian scientist and geographer Nicolay Przhevalsky whose expeditions explored much of Central and East Asia.We then continue around the lake along the north shore, passing Scythian burial mounds, towards Cholpon Ata. We explore the nearby petroglyphs which are between 4,000 and 1,400 years old. The rest of the day is spent relaxing on the beach or wandering around town. There is also the option of doing a boat trip.*Karven Club Resort or similar, Standard Hotel*

We leave the lake behind and head toward the capital Bishkek. En route we cross the Boom Gorge. Boom ominously means ‘evil spirit’ and early travellers, in the 19th Century found the journey arduous and fraught with setbacks. Our next stop is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Burama Tower, an 11th century minaret and the first of its kind in Central Asia.We eventually arrive back in Bishkek for our final night.*Asia Mountains 1 Hotel or similar, Standard Hotel*

The trip ends this morning in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Those on the group flights will be transferred to the airport for their flight back to London arriving later today.