 A
JOURNEY FROM IRAN TO CENTRAL ASIA
A cultural tour of Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan
Both the Persian and the Moghul Empires crossed beyond the political borders as we know them today and the result is the varied historical, cultural and ethnic variety of this fascinating region. Our program covers the historical and cultural centers in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in addition to the other "stans" and highlights some of the many wonders of Iran. This is novel program and one that will be remembered for a long time to come.
Day
01 Friday: Arrive Tehran (IRAN)
On arrival, we are welcomed to Tehran, the pearl of Persia.
After checking into our hotel, we enjoy a leisurely evening
and rest up, before our formal itinerary of exploring this
country rich in history and culture begins.
Overnight: Laleh Hotel, Tehran (2 nights)
Day
02 Saturday: Tehran
Full day tour starts off with a visit to the Carpet Museum
which has an excellent collection of Iranian hand woven
carpets, followed by the Museum of Reza Abbasi. This museum
named after the most famous miniaturist in the Safavid
era, was opened in 1977. It exhibits artifacts dating back
to prehistoric, ancient and Islamic periods and is particularly
rich in Islamic calligraphy. Next is visit to the Crown
Jewels Museum and lastly, we visit the Archaeological Museums
with its fine collection including a stone capital of a
winged lion from Susa and a 6th century B.C. audience hall
relief of Darius the Great from the Treasury at Persepolis.
The museum has items dating back from the Sumerian Period
(4500 B.C.) to contemporary times. (B, D)
Day
03 Sunday: Tehran/Shiraz (Flight)
Morning visit the Glass and Ceramic Museum, Golestan Palace,
the Ethonological Museum and Sa'dabad Palace. Late afternoon
transfer to the airport for our flight to Shiraz, traditionally
known as the city of Roses and Nightingales.
Overnight: Homa Hotel, Shiraz (2 nights) (B, D)
Day 04 Monday: Shiraz
Shiraz is the capital of the Province of Fars.
Our visit today will include the Eram Garden,
the tombs of Saadi and Hafiz - two of the most
well known Persian poets, Nasirol-Molk Mosque,
Afif-Abad Garden, Narenjistan Museum and the
traditional Vakil bazaar. (B, D)
 Day
05 Tuesday: Shiraz/Esfahan (Flight)
Morning excursion to Persepolis, which in Greek
literally means the capital of Persia, lies
60 kms/37 miles north of Shiraz. Persepolis
is the last and final ultimate expression of
the ancient Middle East. Construction began
by Darius the Great (521 - 468 B.C.) as the
focus of the mighty Achemenian Empire nearly
2500 years ago. Our next stop is Naqsh-e-Rustam
- tomb of the famous Rustam. Late evening transfer
to the airport for our flight to Esfahan, another
highlight city. Legend has it that Esfahan
was founded at the time of Tahmourass or Keykavous.
During the Safavid Era (16th and 17th Century
A.D.), Esfahan was a city of Gardens and Palaces.
Overnight: Abbasi Hotel, Esfahan (3 nights)
(B, D)
Day 06 Wednesday: Esfahan
Full day tour of this magnificent
city includes Hasht Behesht Palace
(built in 1680 A.D. during the
rule of Suleiman II, the Armenian
Vank Church, Friday Mosque and
the famous bridges. (B, D)
Day 07 Thursday: Esfahan
Today visit includes
Imam Square (Naqsh-e-
Jahan) with its Sheikh
Lotfollah and Imam
Mosques, Aliqapu Palace,
Chehel Sutoon Palace
(40 pillars) built
by Shah Abbas as a
hall of audience and
visit what definitely
a most famous bazaar
in Iran. (B, D)
Day 08
Friday:
Isfahan/Tehran/Mashhad
(Flight)
This morning
we are
transferred
to the
airport
for our
flight
to the
holy city
of Mashhad
via Tehran.
All roads
in Mashhad
lead to
the Holy
Shrine
of Imam
Reza and
thus this
evening
our tour
starts
with a
visit to
the courtyard
of the
shrine
(open only
to Muslims),
followed
by the
pilgrim’s
bazaar.
Overnight:
Homa Hotel,
Mashhad
(1 night)
(B, D)
Day
09 Saturday: Mashhad/Ashgabat
(TURKMENISTAN - Drive)
Our
fascinating tour of Iran
comes to an end today as
we cross another frontier,
this time to Turkmenistan
after an interesting scenic
drive to the city of Ashgabat.
Overnight:
Nisa Hotel, Ashgabat (3 nights)
(B, D)
 Day
10 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
11 Monday: Ashgabat/Merve/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
12 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:
Hotel Asia, Khiva
(2 nights) (B,
Snack, D)
Day
13 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
14
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
15
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
16
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
Shedor,
Samarkand
(4
nights)
(B,
D)
Day
17
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
18
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
19
Tuesday:
Samarkand/Penjikent/Samarkand
Today
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