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Tours
By Region |
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ROUTE
OF THE CARAVANS
A cultural tour of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan Central Asia, the land of the “stans”, may also be referred to as the “Land of the Caravans”. The Caravan routes affected history and cultures greatly as they opened the lines of communication and trade between previously isolated societies; cultures influenced, and were influenced, resulting in rich diversity and significant cultural growth. Route of the Caravans is a four country tour of a region that is famous not only for the many branches of the silk route that ply within, but also as the birthplace of great builders of empires such as the Moghuls and Tamerland. Route of the Caravans is an exciting 17-day journey back in time.
Day 01 Saturday: Arrive Ashgabat (TURKMENISTAN)
Khush Gelinis – welcome to Turkmenistan! This evening
you are scheduled to arrive Ashgabat. Once clearing through
Customs & Immigration, you will be met at the exit
gate for the transfer to the hotel. Check in starts from
1400 hrs.
Overnight: Nisa Hotel, Ashgabat (3 nights) (D)
Day 02 Sunday: Ashgabat
Full day sightseeing tour of the capital
city of Turkmenistan – we shall
visit the Talkuchka Sunday Bazaar,
also known as the Turkmen’s Carpet
Bazaar then the famous archaeological
site of Nisa, which served as the winter
capital of the Parthian rulers. Next
visit is the National Museum of History & Ethnography.
There is a rich collection from the
Neolithic sites along the slopes of
Kopet Dag mountain ranges. The Bronze
age period is highlighted by finds
from Murghab river and from the sites
of Margiana. The highlight of the museum
is the remarkable collection of ivory
rythons from Nisa. A vase collected
from the main stupa structure in Merve
is believed have contained body relics
of an important Buddhist monk. The
other galleries are dedicated to the
ethnic collection from famous Turkmen
jewelry to costumes of various Turkmen
tribes. There is also a big collection
of the bridal decorations for the horses.
Our next stop is the city mosque and
the Presidential Square. (B, D)
Day 03 Monday: Ashgabat/Merv/Asghabat
Travel
to one of the ancient archaeological sites of Merve
by taking flights in/out of Mary town. We shall have
a detailed visit of Merve by visiting Gaiyur Kala,
Erk Kala and Sultan Kala. We shall also see the impressive
mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar one of the powerful Khorezmian
ruler. The archaeological site of Merve often mentioned
as Margiana by classical writers is a rich city, which
was part of the Achaemenian empire in 6th century BC,
the city was invaded by the Macedonians under Alexander
the Great and passed through successive rulers till
it was invaded by the Arabs in 8th century AD serving
as part of a springboard for their invasion of Central
Asia. In the Islamic era it was known as the ‘Mother
of the cities’, which flourished as an important
town on the Great Silk Road running to Parthia. It
was invaded by the Mongols in 13th century who depopulated
the city by mercilessly killing more than a million
souls. The archaeological museum of Mary is situated
in the town and was selected to house the finds from
the archaeological sites. There is a fairly large collection
of Bronze age sites of Gonur Tepe and the artifacts
found are comparable with the Sialk and Baluch sites
of the same age. There is also ethnic section dedicated
to the local tribes. (B, Snack, D)
Day 04 Tuesday: Ashgabat/Tashauz/Khiva (UZBEKISTAN - Flight and drive)
Morning
transfer to the airport for the flight to Tashauz.
Meet & drive to Khiva via Kunya Urgench, this was
the capital of once powerful Khorezmia, which was flourished
under the Achaemenid rule in 6th century BC. Then was
wrested away from the last of the Persian rulers the
Sasanids by the invading armies of the Arabs. Later
powerful Turkic tribes who were converted to Islam
took reins of the Kingdom and under whose rule the
city flourished when great scholars of the Muslim attended
the court of Khorezmshahs. A powerful and merciless
invasion of the Mongolid hordes put an end to the ruling
dynasty.
Overnight: Malika Hotel, Khiva (2 nights) (B, Snack,
D)
Day 05 Wednesday: Khiva
Today we explore the World Heritage Site
at Khiva, a city where time has stood
still. Our visit starts with the main
site of Ichan Kala followed by Kalta
Minor, the Kunya Ark, the Rakhimkhon
Madrassah, the Mausoleum of Pakhlavan
Makhmud, the Friday Mosque and the Tashauli
Palace and Harem. To complete the feeling,
we climb the Khodja Minaret to take in
the amazing fairy tale panorama. (B, D) Day 06 Thursday: Khiva/Bukhara (Drive)
Our drive to Bukhara is through the
arid setting of the Kyzyl Kum Desert.
Along the way we stop for some refreshments
and see how humans have survived
over the centuries in this barren
landscape. Prior to arrival in Bukhara,
a visit will be made to Sitora-i-Mokhikhosa,
the Summer Residence of the former
Emirs of Bukhara.
Overnight: Hotel Zargaron Hotel,
Bukhara (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 07 Friday: Bukhara
One of the grandest
of Uzbek centers, Bukhara
is an open museum with
many mosques, madrassahs
and a grand minaret.
We spend the day visiting
some of the finest
examples of Islamic
Architecture in the
world, where exquisite
tile and mosaic work
complements the beautiful
brick-work; no wonder
the city is a World
Heritage Site. Our
visit includes the
Lab-e-Khauz Complex
with the Nadirkhon
Devanbegi Madrassah,
the Mogak Attari Mosque
and the Poi Kalon Minaret.
We also visit the Madrassahs
of Aziz Khan and the
Ulugbek Ark Fortress,
the residence cum army
headquarters of the
Bukharan Emirs that
houses an interesting
collection of objects
from those days and
the Mausoleum of Ismail
Samanid, which features
some of the best 10th
century brickwork,
with a marked Persian
influence. (B, D)
Day 08 Saturday: Bukhara/Gijduvan/Samarkand (Drive)
This
morning we start off
with our visit to a
local family ceramic
factory in Gijduvan
then continue onto
visit the World Heritage
Site of Shakhrisabz,
home town of Tamerlane.
This historic centre
contains a collection
of exceptional monuments
and ancient quarters,
which bear witness
to centuries worth
of history, and particularly
to the period of its
climax in the 15th
century under the empire
of Tamerlane.
Overnight: Hotel
Samarkand Plaza, Samarkand
(4 nights) (B,
D) Day 09 Sunday: Samarkand
The
historic town
of Samarkand
is a crossroad
and melting pot
of the world's
cultures and
has been declared
a World Heritage
Site recently.
Founded in the
7th century BC
as ancient Afrosiab,
Samarkand had
its most significant
development in
the Timurid period
from the 14th
to the 15th centuries.
We start our
day with visit
to the Urgut
Market, which
is known in this
region. Next
stop is the Afrosiab
Museum, located
on the site of
ancient Afrosiab
and the Historical
Museum of Uzbek
Culture & Art,
with the wooden
coffin of Tamerlane
and a large copy
of the Koran.
We culminate
the day with
a visit to the
Ulugbek’s
Obervatory & Gur
Emir, the mausoleum
of Tamerlane. (B,
D) Day 10 Monday: Samarkand
We
save the
best for
last. Our
tour today
takes us
to the major
monuments
and includes
the Registan
Mosque and
the
adjoining
madrassas,
Bibi-Khanum
Mosque,
the Shakhi-Zinda
compound. (B,
D) Day
11
Tuesday:
:
Samarkand/Penjikent/Samarkand
Today
we make an attempt at
crossing into TAJIKISTAN.
The border crossing
is subject to rules
that keep on changing,
one of the notorious
features of daily life
in Central Asia. Our
objective is to the
see the site of the
ancient city of Sogdiana
at Penjikent. Should
the border crossing
not be possible then
we return to Samarkand
for a free day. (B, D)
Day
12
Wednesday:
Samarkand/Tashkent
(Drive)
Early
morning depart for
Tashkent. Upon arrival
check in at the hotel
then head out immediately
to visit the old part
of the city, the Kafelsashi
Mausoleum, the Barak
Khana, the Tila Shaikh
Mosque and Archives,
Kukeldesh Madrassah,
the History Museum
of Uzbekistan and
the Navoi Theatre.
The evening is free,
with an opportunity
to see a local opera
or ballet (optional).
Overnight:
Hotel Dedeman, Tashkent
(1 night) (B, D)
Day
13
Thursday:
Tashkent/Bishkek,
KYRGYZSTAN/Issyk-Kul
(Flight
and
Drive)
We
arrive
at
Bishkek
after
a
short
flight
from
Tashkent.
Once
clearing
through
Customs & Immigration,
you
will
be
met
at
the
exit
gate
for
a
transfer
to
Issyk-Kul
with
en-route
visit
at
Burana
Tower
Archaeological
Museum,
which
is
situated
on
the
site
of
a
caravan
town
dating
to
the
10th
Century
AD.
We
arrive
Issyk-Kul
in
the
evening.
The
enchanting
Issyk-Kul
Lake
is
surrounded
by
high
mountains,
with
134
rivers
flowing
into
the
lake,
with
traditional
yurts dotting
the
landscape,
this
truly
is
a
picturesque
landscape.
Overnight:
Royal Beach Hotel,
Issyk-Kul (2 nights)
(B, Snack, D)
Day
14 Friday:
Issyk-Kul
This
morning we head
out first to visit
the petroglyphs.
The petroglyphs
represent a most
important source
of studies on
history, tangible
and intangible
heritage of the
ancient and medieval
Kyrgyzstan and
dated back to
the
period
between II millennium
B.C. and VIII
century A.D. Continue
on
to Karakol city
to visit the
Preshevalsky
Museum, dedicated
to the memory
of Nikolai Michailovich
Preshevalsky,
an
enthusiastic
explorer
accredited for
his excellent
works
on flora and
fauna
of the Issyk-Kul
region. He was
also
known for breeding
a tiny horse
in
the steppes of
Tibet,
which later
came
to be known as
the Preshevalsky
Horse.
Before returning
back to the hotel,
stops will also
be made at a
Russian
Orthodox Church & Dungan
Mosque. (B, D) Day
15 Saturday:
Issikul/Bishkek
(Drive)
Drive
back to
Bishkek.
Check in
at the
hotel then
head out
to visit
the
History
Museum famous
for its
collection
of Bolshevik
Revolution
artifacts.
Next
stop is
Frunze’s
Jouse, named
after the
Soviet General
Michael
Fruze,
who won
Central Asia
for the
Blosheviks
in the Civil
War.
Last stop
will be
made at the
Osh Bazaar.
Overnight:
Silk Road Lodge,
Bishkek (1 night)
(B, D) Day
16 : Bishkek/Almaty,
KAZAKHSTAN
(Drive)
Head
out early this
morning, driving
through the
heart of the
Zailiysky Steppes,
with beautiful
sceneries we
head off to
another stan.
This time it
is Kazakhstan,
one of the largest
countries in
the world. Check
in at the hotel
then immediately
set out to visit
the
Zhenkov’s
Cathedral,
an extraordinary
Russian Orthodox
Church built
of wood. We
then take
a
walk through
beautiful
Panfilov Park.
Later
we visit the
History Museum.
Overnight: Hotel
Otrar, Almaty
(1 night)
(B, Snack,
D)
Day 17 Monday: Depart Almaty
Our
tour comes
to an
end today
as we
bid farewell
to
the last
of the
Central Asian
Republics.
After following
many
branches of
the
silk trader’s
routes,
it
is
our
time
to
bid
farewell
with “Sau
Bolinizder”,
as
you
are
transferred
to
the
airport
for
your
departure
flight.
Check
out
time
is
by
1100
hrs. (B)
Departure
Dates |
2010
English Speaking Departures
Apr 17, May 22, Jun 05, Jul 10, Aug 07,
Sep 25 & Oct 09 |
Inclusions |
| Tour
Price Includes |
Tour
Price Does Not Include |
|
Accommodation as mentioned or similar, including
hotel taxes |
International
Airfare |
| Meal
Plan as mentioned (B=Breakfast,
Snack, D=Dinner) |
Domestic
& regional airfares (from $ 480.00) |
|
All sightseeing and transfers |
Insurance & Visa fees |
| Services
of local English speaking guide |
Drinks/Beverages
with meals |
| Entrance
fees to museums and sites included in the
itinerary |
Tips/Gratuities
to Drivers & Guides |
| Necessary
visa supports |
|
|
Tour
Price |
|
| We
accept payment in US $ (US Dollars),
CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent
EURO (for clients outside North America).
Bestway
Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection.
Once full payment has been received, and no
modification has been made to the tour itinerary,
we will honour that rate.
For
complete payment procedures, please download
download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf
Note: to read this file you must have Adobe
Acrobat. |
| Departure |
Double
Occupancy |
Single
Room Supplement |
| 2010 |
US
$ 4880 |
US
$ 585 |
|
Estimated
International Airfare - International
airfare is NOT included in this tour |
| Canada
- West Coast |
N/A |
USA
- West Coast |
US
$ 2400 |
| Canada
- East Coast |
N/A |
USA
- East Coast |
US
$ 2000 |
|
Participants |
| This
tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum
of 15 participants. |
Notes
|
Customised
Itinerary
If you would like to have a tour on dates
other than the above ones or with a customised
itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy
to work out an exclusive program for you.
Foreign Language Departures
Please contact us for information on French,
German,
Italian and Spanish
speaking departures.
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com
or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of
U.S.A./Canada may call us 800.663.0844. |
 |
|
|
| © Copyright 1999-2010 Bestway
Tours & Safaris |
Site last updated May 27,
2010 |
| Photographs by Peter
Langer & Mahmood
Poonja |
Website © 1999-2010 Powered
by BTS |
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