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Day 1
Tashkent
Meeting and assistance on arrival. Transfer to hotel.
Morning rest at leisure Afternoon sightseeing tour of Tashkent to visit the old town: Kaffal Shashi mausoleum, Barak Khan Medrassah, Tilla Sheih Mosque, Chorsu Bazaar, Kukeldash Madrassah. Overnight at hotel
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Day 2
Tashkent
Samarkand “Afrosiab” train 08:00-10:15
Morning transfer to railway station to catch a train to Samarkand and on arrival transfer to hotel. In the afternoon half day city tour of Samarkand to visit: Registan Square to see the three beautiful madrassahs and Gur Emir - mausoleum of Great Tamerlane.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 3
Samarkand
Bukhara – 268km
Half day sightseeing in Samarkand: visit Bibi Khanum mosque, the Silk Road bazaar and Shahi Zinda necropolis.
Afternoon drive to Bukhara. On arrival transfer to hotel, check in. Overnight at hotel
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Day 4
Bukhara
Full day sightseeing tour in Bukhara: visit – Lab-i-khauz, madrassah Nadirkhon Devanbegi, Khanaga, Mogaki Attari mosque, Poi Kalon minaret and mosque, Madrassahs Aziz Khan and Ulugbek Afternoon visit Ark Fortress, Balakhauz mosque, mausoleum of Ismail Samanid, Chashma Ayub Optional: Folk show with dinner at Nodirkhon Divanbegi Medrassah.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 5
Bukhara
Khiva – 470 km (approx 8 hours drive)
Morning drive to Khiva via famous Kizil Kum desert (Red sands) See desert flora and fauna: unique saksaul trees and other desert vegetation, different kind mammals.
Stop at Amudarya river bank . Later proceed to Khiva and on arrival transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel
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Day 6
Khiva
Urgench 30 km - Tashkent HY1058 20:40/23:30
Khiva is the museum under the open sky. Today we will have a walking tour in Ichan Kala. Visit Kalta Minor, Kunya Ark, Madrassah Rakhimkhon, Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud.
Enjoy view of whole ancient Khiva, Friday mosque and Tashauli Palace/harem. Evening transfer to Urgench airport (30 km) for flight to Tashkent and on arrival transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel
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Day 7
Tashkent
Bishkek HY 775 16:05-18:30
Morning excursion to Applied Arts Museum. Later visit Mustakillik (Independence) Square in the heart of Tashkent and famous Tashkent Metro (underground) decorated with local marble and granit like an underground palaces, visit Opera Navoi Theatre square.
Transfer to the airport for flight to Bishkek. On arrival transfer to hotel, check in.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 8
Bishkek
Cholpon Ata – 265 km
Morning drive to Cholpon Ata, on the northern bank of Yssyk-Kul (hot lake), the second biggest mountain lake in the world after the Titicaca Lake., situated 1600 meters above the sea level.
Rest on the lakeshore in a unique combination between mountainous and marine climate. Visit of the petroglyphe's field from Cholpon-Ata and the Burana tower on the way. Burana tower is situated in the centre of ancient town – Balasagun. The tower is 24, 6 metres high (original height was 45 metres).
On arrival to Cholpon Ata transfer to hotel.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 9
Cholpon Ata
Karakol – 155 km
Morning drive to Karakol. En route visit of the Prejvalsky Museum located 12km from Karakol.
It was built to commemorate the famous Russian traveler and scientist Nikolai Prezhevalski, who dedicated 21 years of his life to the investigation of the Issik-Kul valley and the mountains surrounding the region. Upon arrival to Karakol visit the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and Dungan Mosque - old aged building of the mosque was built in Chinese style by Dungans and made of wood.
It was built without a single nail. Overnight at hotel
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Day 10
Karakol
Kochkor village – Naryn – 430 km
Morning drive to Naryn, en route short excursion to Jety-Oguz gorge.
Later visit Kochkor village (270 km), an excellent place to experience the rural lifestyle in Kyrgyzstan.
On arrival accommodation at the guest house.
Overnight at guest house
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Day 11
Naryn
Tash Rabat – Torugart Pass – Kashgar 397 km
Our Kyrgyz adventure is near completion as we head towards to Kyrgyz-Chinese border point “Torugart”.
After completing customs formalities, we drive to Kashgar (approx. 170 km). Overnight at hotel
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Day 12
Kashgar
Morning free at leisure.
Afternoon sightseeing tour in Kashgar: Visit the largest mosque in China Idkah mosque (1442), Apak Khoja’s Tomb – the holiest place in Xinjiang for Sufis (1640), Handicraft Street, and old parts of the town.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 13
Kashgar
Hotan – 300km
Afternoon transfer to Hotan.
On arrival transfer to hotel.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 14
Hotan
Today we start exploring Khotan: visit the factory of handmade silk production, woolen and carpet workshop, jade factory. Visit local History museum, to see interesting subjects of excavations from nearby ancient cities in Takla Makan desert, including mummies.
In the afternoon we drive 45 km to Rawak Stupa, which is a Buddhist stupa located on the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert, along the famous Silk Road trade route in the first millennium Kingdom of Khotan.
Optional: Camel riding.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 15
Khotan
Aksu
Morning drive to Aksu. Sightseeing in Aksu.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 16
Aksu
Turpan K9788 23:25-13:17+
Full day sightseeing in Aksu.
Evening transfer to the railway station to take train to Turpan.
Overnight: train
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Day 17
Turpan
On arrival in Turpan free time at leisure for your own exploration. Overnight at hotel
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Day 18
Turpan
Dunhuang T218 22:40/10:48
Continue sightseeing in Turpan to visit picturesque Tuyoq ancient village (70 km) to see the oldest in Turpan area Buddhist caves dated back to the 4th c.
Visit local Uygur families enjoy beautiful mountain and grapes sceneries. Later visit the impressive ruins at Gaochang ancient city (47 km), Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (56 km) on the flanks of the Flaming Mountains, and famous Grape valley (12 km) which is a pleasant park with vineyards and fruit trees, there are special places for relaxing and eating the grapes and melons.
Grapes were introduced to Turpan over 2000 years ago Late evening transfer to the railway station to take train to Dunhuang Overnight: train
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Day 19
Dunhuang
An arrival to Dunhuang transfer to hotel. Check in. Day trip to the Mogao Caves – the world’s richest treasure-trove of Buddhist manuscripts, wall paintings and statuary dated back to 4th up to 14th century onwards; created during nine dynasties they mark the height of Buddhist art.
Afternoon visit the nearby Mingsha (Singing) Sand Dunes and Crescent Lake.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 20
Dunhuang (Liuyuan station)
Urumqi by train Z69 09.53-16.47
Upon arrival in Urumqi a short introductory tour of the city. On arrival excursion to Xinjiang regional museum to see archaeological treasures from the Silk Road and Xinjiang’s minority cultures.
A display of well-preserved 3000 year old mummies, excavated from Loulan at Takla Makan desert, completes the exhibition.
Overnight at hotel
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Day 21
Urumqi
Departure
Transfer to the airport for departure flight home.
End of the service