After a camp-style breakfast, we will drive to the UNESCO site of Kunya-Urgench, on the left bank of the Amu Daria River, for a sightseeing tour. Urgench was the capital of the Khorezm region, part of the Achaemenid Empire. The old town monuments, a mosque, fortresses, a 60-metre high minaret and more, date from the 11th-16th centuries.

After, we will cross the border before our lunch stop. Here we will also change vehicles and drivers before continuing onto Khiva.

On arrival, we will check in to the hotel where the rest of the day can be spent at leisure.

After breakfast, we will continue with our Bukhara sightseeing. The first stop will be Sitorai Mohi Hosa, the last emir, Alim Khan’s summer palace from 1912 to 1918, and the Bahoutdin Architectural Complex, which also homes the tomb of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari, the founder of the Naqshbandi order.

Later, we will bid farewell to Bukhara and board the train to Samarkand, among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. We will arrive late afternoon and after checking in, we’ll head to Registan Square, one of the most beautiful sites on the Silk Road. You’ll see intricate tile work and vibrant colours displayed - all different perspectives depending on the time of day visited.

This morning we will cross the land border to Tajikistan where we will be met by your Tajik team. Your new guide and driver will take you to the first fascinating stop, the ruins of the ancient settlement of Sarazm. Meaning ‘where the land begins’, this UNESCO site bears testimony to the development of human settlements in Central Asia (from the 4th millennium BCE to the end of the 3rd millennium BCE).

We will continue on with a visit to a local museum and Marguzor, or ‘Seven Lakes’ – each lake has its own colour, name and story. You will be driven to the sixth lake, and then you will hike from the sixth to the seventh lake. Lunch will be at a guesthouse situated at the fourth lake.

You will be picked up from the sixth lake and driven to the lunch spot for a lovely lunch with beautiful views. After, we will return to Panjakent where the rest of the day is spent at leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll stop at our first site of the day, the Tajikistan United Museum, one of the most significant cultural institutions and a great place to start your introduction to the history and culture of the country. The Buddha in Nirvana is one of the most iconic exhibits and dates back to the 7th century.

After, we will make a stop at the Botanical Garden, a beautiful and tranquil space that showcases a wide variety of plants from Tajikistan and other parts of the world. A highlight is the rose garden, which features a stunning variety of roses in different colours and sizes, and the Japanese garden, a beautifully landscaped space, with water features and bonsai trees and Japanese maples.

Followed by a visit to the Oriental Bazaar, always a favourite, and also known as the Green Bazaar. It really is an exciting cultural experience to have and get a glimpse into everyday life in Tajikistan. Purchase nuts and spices, dried fruit and traditional Tajik bread, known as non. After lunch, we will head to the beautiful Hissar Fortress more than 2,500 years old, and opposite, the Madrasah Kukhna (Old madrasah). Built in the 17th century, the madrasah had up to 150 pupils learning the Koran, the khadises (Prophet’s sayings), the history of Islam and more.

We will then return to Dushanbe where the rest of the evening will be spent as you wish.

Day 13:  Dushanbe  Khujand

After breakfast, we will travel to Khujand, a city in the Fergana Valley. Located on the Great Silk Road and the only city built on the bank of the Syr-Darya River, in 1986, the city celebrated its 2,500th anniversary.

Travelling to Khujand, we will take in some picturesque sights - two mountain passes, Anzob pass and Shakhristan pass (have your camera handy!).

On arrival, we will visit the Republican Historical-Ethnographic Museum, one of Tajikistan's most important cultural institutions, the Timur-Malik Fortress, also known as Khujand Fortress; Timur Malik was a statesman, and the emperor of Khujand. Archaeological Museum, the Mosque and Madrasah of Sheikh Muslihiddin, a complex consisting of the cathedral mosque, a 19th-century minaret and the Mausoleum of Sheikh Muslihiddin. Finally, we will stop by the Payshanba Bazaar, which is situated in front of Khujand Mosque. The bustling marketplace building itself is an architectural marvel; its central building a striking example of Soviet-era architecture blended with traditional Central Asian design elements.

We will then head to the hotel and the rest of the day is at leisure.

After a early breakfast we will head to the border of Uzbekistan where you’ll meet your new guide and driver and continue the journey to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. It is a vibrant and historically rich city, with a history spanning over two millennia.

We will arrive around lunch time where we will proceed to the hotel to check in and rest and freshen up.

Later, we will head out on our first tour of the capital, a visit to Independence Square and Amir Temur Square and Statue.

After this visit we will drive back to the hotel where the rest of the night can be spent as you wish.

After breakfast at the hotel, our city tour continues with a visit to the old part of the city and the religious complex of Khasti Imam. Here, you’ll see Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, Barak Khan Madrassah, Muay-Mubarak Mosque, which is also home to the Koran of Khalif Osman and gold hair of prophet Muhammad. The Dzhuma-mosque of Khodja Akhrar Vali and Kukeldash Madrassah will also be visited this morning. A last stop to Chorsu Oriental Bazaar will bring an end to our memorable time in Tashkent. Don’t forget to look up - the most stunning feature of the bazaar is its huge blue dome.

We will then travel to the airport to catch a flight to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, nestled at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains. It’s also known as the greenest city in Central Asia due to its leafy streets and green spaces.

On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to get some rest before your exciting day of sightseeing tomorrow.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will travel 45-km to see our first amazing attraction, Ala-Archa Gorge. The gorge lies within the national park on a spur of the Tien Shan mountain range. It is a magical place for hiking, enjoying fresh air, and the scenery is just breathtaking.

Afterward, we will return to Bishkek and visit the main sights. Our first stop is the heart of the city, Ala-Too Square, the main city space used for political demonstrations, festivals and events. Formally known as Lenin Square until 1991, there is also a military monument with an hourly changing of guards. You will see the large statue of Lenin here. We will also see the Monument to Manas the Great, which stands in front of the National History Museum on the square.

We will then return to the hotel where the rest of the day can be spent as you wish.

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