Silk Road Treasures: Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
Tour of the main sights of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan: Tien Shan and Pamir Mountains, Lake Issyk-Kul, Silk Road Cities, Culture and Crafts
| Country: | Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan | |
| Duración: | 16 days / 15 nights | |
| Best time to travel: | July-August | |
| itinerary: | Bishkek –
Issyk-Kul Lake –
Karakol – Bokonbaevo village – Bishkek – Osh – Pamir mountains – Osh – Margilan – Fergana – Rishtan – Kokand – Tashkent – Bukhara – Samarkand – Tashkent |
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This group tour offers to discover the beauty of mountainous Kyrgyzstan and the historical sights of Uzbekistan. We will follow the ancient route once used by caravans of the Great Silk Road and visit the most colourful attractions in both countries:
- 10 cities: the green foothills of Bishkek, the resorts of Karakol and Cholpon-Ata, the 'southern capital' of Osh, the handicrafts of Rishtan and Margilan, historic Kokand, modern Tashkent, ancient Samarkand and holy Bukhara with its magnificent oriental architecture.
- Lake Issyk-Kul. It is a warm high-mountain lake with a comfortable resort infrastructure and picturesque surroundings. The coast of Issyk-Kul is encircled by mountain ranges of extraordinary beauty, including the coniferous Semenovskoye Gorge, the amazing canyon 'Fairy Tale', reminiscent of magical castles made of colorful clay and changing its outline, and the gorge of red rocks Jety-Oguz.
- Shows and master classes: falconry in Bokonbaevo settlement, master class on cooking national Kyrgyz bread, process of making ceramics in Rishtan and silk fabrics in Margilan.
- Visit to the high Pamir mountains and explore breathtaking panoramas and authentic nomadic culture.
- itinerary,
Services & Cost
Visa
Useful information
| Tour program: | ||
| Day 1. | Arrival in Bishkek. Arrival in Bishkek early in the morning. Meet at the airport and further transfer to the hotel for accommodation and rest. Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, a cozy green city with a population of about 1 million people which is located in the middle of the Chuy valley, at an altitude of 750 meters, and right at the foot of Kyrgyz part of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too Range. After breakfast start of the sightseeing tour in Bishkek. Visit the central Ala-Too Square, flagstaff (and changing of the guard), statue of Lenin and Freedom Monument, Philharmonic Hall, monument to Manas. Free afternoon. Rest and overnight. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 2. | Bishkek – Issyk-Kul lake by road (250 km, 5 hours). Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide at the hall and check out from the hotel. Transfer to Issyk-Kul Lake. En route visit Burana Tower (minaret of the Burana settlement, 10th-11th centuries): facade, interior, museum. It is an archaeological and architectural monument located in the depth of the ruins of Buraninsky settlement. It is an outstanding ancient building and plays a very important part in the Kyrgyz cultural heritage. Its height today is 21.7 meters, but initially the tower was at least 40 meters tall, however, its upper part was subsequently destroyed by an earthquake. Proceed to Cholpon-Ata along the northern shore of Issyk Kul Lake. High-altitude Lake Issyk-Kul (“warm lake”) is the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan, the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America, and the second (after lake Baikal) lake with the clearest water in world. The lake is located at an altitude of 1620 meters and is surrounded by mountains all around. The water in Issyk-Kul is a little salty, it does not freeze in the winter and in the summer its temperature warms up to 24 degrees Celsius. The northern shore of Issyk-Kul is a famous resort zone with well-developed infrastructure. Accommodation and overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 3. | Issyk-Kul lake – Karakol via Djety Oguz gorge by road (140 km, 2.5 hours). After breakfast transfer to Karakol (a small town in the Eastern part of Issyk-Kul) and sightseeing tour there on arrival. Visit Przhevalski museum, a wooden Orthodox Russian church and impressive wooden Dungan mosque, built without metal nails by the Dungan people. After lunch transfer to Jety-Oguz Gorge (25 km) with its famous red rocks, The Broken Heart and The Seven Bulls. Huge dark green wood’s spread over red sandstone mountain slopes and create an incredible color contrast. Drive back to Karakol. Accommodation at the hotel and rest. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 4. | Karakol – Bishkek via Skazka canyon and Bokonbaevo village by road (405 km, 6 hours). Breakfast. Morning transfer from Karakol back to Bishkek along the Southern shore of the lake. Stop at “Skazka” canyon (Fairytale canyon), which consists of sand and red clay.. Sightseeing and easy hiking in the picturesque canyon. It has been forming for millions of years under the influence of geological processes, water, and wind. You can wander for hours between fabulous castles and towers through a winding labyrinth, the bottom of which is strewn with ephedra bushes. There is even an unusual canyon that looks kind of like the Great Wall of China. Proceed driving. En route we will make an additional stop at Bokonbaevo village, whose inhabitants have been famous for breeding birds of prey since ancient times. Demonstration of falconry (optional). Arrival in Bishkek. Accommodation at the hotel and rest. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 5. | Bishkek – Osh by morning flight (1 hour). Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning. Transfer to the airport for further flight to Osh. Osh is the “southern capital” of Kyrgyzstan. The city is located on the east side of the Fergana valley, at an altitude of roughly 1000 meters, and is surrounded by low rocky spurs of the Alay Range on three sides. On arrival in Osh meet the local guide and start the city tour. Visit Suleiman Mount, one of the main shrines of the Islamic world in Central Asia. On the mount visit to a historical museum, located in the main cave. After that walk up the hill and watch a little mosque of Babur, The Great Mogols Dynasty founder, and take a bird eye’s view of the city. Accommodation at the hotel in the afternoon. Rest and overnight. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 6. | Osh – Pamir Mountains by road (280 km, 5 hours). Breakfast at the hotel. 09:00 Meet the driver at the hall of the hotel. Group transfer along the Pamir Highway to the yurt camp located on the Edelweiss meadow at the foot of Lenin Peak. Arrival at the camp, accommodation at the yurt camp and lunch. After lunch we meet the guide and make an easy hike to the Lukovaya Meadow. Walking to the Lukovaya (Leek) Meadow (3800 m) where wild green onions grow and dozens of marmots live. During the Pamir summer, the meadow is covered in a carpet of colourful flowers. Travel time: 3 hrs; altitude difference: +200 m, -200 m. Return to the yurt camp and dinner. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight at “Edelweiss Meadow” camp (3600 m). |
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| Day 7. | Hiking to sacred Tulpar-Kel Lake, hiking (5 hours). Travel time: 5 hrs; altitude difference: -100 m, +100 m. Breakfast at the hotel. 09:30 Meet the guide. Today we will make a hike to the sacred and famous Tulpar-Kel Lake, get familiar with everyday life and traditions of Kyrgyz nomads and taste koumiss (traditional Kyrgyz milk beverage). The locals believe the lake is sacred. Living on its shores, taking water, bathing, feeding cattle and fishing are prohibited. Praying on the shore, dipping sick body parts, or sprinkling water on them is allowed and believed to bring healing. Return to the camp. Master class on cooking national Kyrgyz bread. Dinner at the yurt camp and rest. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight at “Edelweiss Meadow” camp (3600 m). |
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| Day 8. | Pamir Mountains – Osh by road (280 km, 5 hours). Breakfast at the yurt camp. Group transfer to back to Osh via the famous Alay Valley, high-altitude Taldyk pass (3645 m) and Chiirchik pass (2408 m). Arrival in Osh. Check-in at the hotel and rest. Free afternoon. We recommend a walk around the city and a visit to the Osh Bazaar, where you can buy national souvenirs. Meals: breakfast. Overnight at the hotel. |
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| Day 9. | Osh – "Dustlik" land border – Margilan – Fergana by road (130 km, 2,5 hours). After breakfast transfer to the land border with Uzbekistan. Border formalities. Meet Uzbek guide and driver and proceed further into the Fergana valley. En route to Fergana visit a small town of Margilan – the silk production center of Uzbekistan. Visit the local silk factory and watch the process of adras and khan-atlas production. On arrival in Fergana – accommodation at the hotel for overnight. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 10. | Fergana – Rishtan – Kokand by road (90 km, 1,5 hours). Kokand – Tashkent by train (4 hours) After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Rishtan, one of the centers of ceramics in Uzbekistan. The city is famous for its incredible glazed ceramics which are popular among tourists as souvenirs. Visit the Center of Ceramics, acquaintance with the masters and their crafts. Demonstration of ceramic pottery making process. Further transfer to Kokand, the former capital of the Khanate of Kokand (18-19 cc). Kokand is located right at the entrance to the fruitful Fergana valley, used to be an important stop point of the Great Silk Road and used to be a part of the ancient state of Davan. Its flourishing happened in the 18th century when it became the capital of Kokand khanate and the religious center of the region – in the past, there were 40 madrasas and 300 mosques in Kokand. Sightseeing in Kokand: Khudoyar-Khan Palace and Djami Mosque. Proceed to the raiway station in Kokand to carch a train to Tashkent (17:33-21:45). Accommodation at the hotel on arrival, rest and overnight. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 11. | Tashkent. Tashkent is the multifaceted capital of the modern country of Uzbekistan and the republic’s center of cultural and political life. Tashkent’s architecture is striking in its diversity and variety: archaeological monuments from the Zoroastrianism era that are more than 2200 years old, architectural masterpieces of the Middle Ages, monumental buildings of the late 19th century, the most beautiful underground subway in the world, and of course, the numerous modern buildings. Breakfast and start of the guided sightseeing tour around Tashkent. Today we visit first the old part of the city and the religious complex Khasti Imam, consisting of Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, Barak Khan Madrassah, Muy-Mubarak Mosque – the storehouse of the well-known Koran of Khalif Osman and gold hair of prophet Muhammad; Dzhuma Mosque of Khodja Akhrar Vali, the State Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, Kukeldash Madrassah and Chorsu Oriental bazaar. In the afternoon explore the new city, including visiting of Independence Square, Amir Temur Statue and Minor White Mosque, and ride the Tashkent metro. Meals: breakfast. Overnight at the hotel. |
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| Day 12. | Tashkent – Bukhara by morning train (4 hours). After breakfast transfer to to the raiway station and further transfer to Bukhara by a high-speed train (07:30-11:20). Bukhara is an ancient city in Uzbekistan which also used to be part of the Great Silk Road. Medieval Bukhara was one of the main political, cultural, and religious hubs of the Middle East. Over 140 architectural monuments have been preserved here. The historical center of Bukhara is included in the list of World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO. On arrival – start the sightseeing tour in Bukhara. Visit Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, local bazaar, Bolo Khauz Mosque, Ark Citadel with Zindan prison, Po-i-Kalyan Complex (Kalyan Minaret and others), Miri Arab Madrasah, Magoki Attori Mosque and Mosque Ulugbek Madrasah. Return to the hotel. Rest and overnight. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 13. | Bukhara – Samarkand by road (280 km, 4 hours). Free morning. At 11:00 meet the guide and visit the out-of-town site, located in 20 min driving from Bukhara – Sitorai-Khosa Palace, the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara. After lunch time transfer to Samarkand by road. Samarkand is as old as Rome, it is one of the most ancient cities in the world and former capital of the great Tamerlane empire. It is a museum city, a city which was once the heart of the caravan trade in the midst of the Great Silk Road. Samarkand conserved its unique aura of the Oriental medieval age until this very day. On arrival – accommodation at the hotel and rest. Later in the evening – visit Registan square in the colorful lights. Meals: breakfast. Overnight in Samarkand. |
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| Day 14. | Samarkand. After breakfast start of the guided sightseeing tour around Samarkand: visit Registan Square (Ulugbek Madrasah, Sher-Dor Madrasah, Tilla-Qori Madrasah), Gur-e Amir Mausoleum (Tamerlane’s sepulcher), Rukhabad Mausoleum (from the outside); after lunch visit Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, Ulugbek Observatory. Return to the hotel. Rest and overnight. Meals: breakfast. |
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| Day 15. | Samarkand – Tashkent by evening train (2 hours). Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide and continue exploring. Visit Afrosiab museum and settlement, Siab oriental bazaar, Samarkand carpet factory “Hudzhum” and Samarkand Paper Mill (Meros complex in Konigil village), where famous Samarkand paper is made by hand on ancient technologies. Transfer to the railway station and further transfer to Tashkent by train. Arrival in Tashkent, transfer to hotel and check-in. Meals: breakfast. Overnight at the hotel. |
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| Day 16. | Departure fromTashkent. Meet the driver and transfer to the airport. Departure from Tashkent. Meals: breakfast. |
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Tour price includes:
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Tour price does not include:
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Information on the hotels
| City | Hotels 3* | Hotels 4* | |
| Bishkek | Olive Hotel 3* or similar | Solutel Hotel 4* or similar or similar | |
| Issyk-Kul Lake | Caprice Hotel or similar | Caprice Hotel or similar | |
| Karakol | Green Yard Hotel 3* or similar | Karagat 4* or similar | |
| Osh | Sun Rise Hotel 3*or similar | Classic Hotel 4*or similar | |
| Pamir mountains | Yurt camp | Yurt camp | |
| Fergana | Asia Fergana Hotel 4* | Asia Fergana Hotel 4* | |
| Tashkent | Sato Hotel 3* or similar | Inspira-S Hotel 4* or similar | |
| Bukhara | Rangrez Hotel 3* or similar | Paradase Plaza Hotel 4* or similar | |
| Samarkand | Arba Hotel 3* or similar | Zarafshon Parkside Hotel 4* or similar | |
Transport
Depending on the size of a group the following means of transportation are used during the tour:
Uzbekistan and other countries:
| Group | Vehicle |
| Group 1–2 pax | "Chevrolet Lacetti" |
| Group 4 pax | "Hyundai Starex minivan for 6 seats" or similar |
| Group 6–8 pax | "King Long minivan for 10 seats" or similar |
| Group 9–14 pax | "Eurise minivan for 18 seats" or similar |
Visa and Visa invitation to Uzbekistan:
Visa-free regime for up to 60 days has been established for citizens of countries below:
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Visa-free regime for up to 30 days has been established for citizens of countries below:
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Read more about visa to Uzbekistan here »»
Visa to Kyrgyzstan
Under current rules visa-free stay within unlimited period on the territory of Kyrgyzstan is granted for the nationals of the following countries:
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List of states granted visa-free stay up to 90 days: Mongolia, Ukraine.
List of states granted visa-free stay up to 60 days
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Visa-free access to Kyrgyzstan up to 30 days: Malaysia.
Useful Information on Traveling to Kyrgyzstan:
Useful Information on Traveling in Uzbekistan
► Memo: Useful tips for tourists »»
Photos of the tour:
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