Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Cultural Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Ashgabat

(Sightseeing tour duration: 5-6 hours)

Arrive in Ashgabat. STANTOURS driver will meet you at the Ashgabat International Airport (If you are arriving by an early morning flight, extra night at the hotel may be needed).

Start sightseeing from the Independence Park. Visit Ancient Nissa (UNESCO), National Museum, Neutrality Arch, Wedding Palace (viewpoint for taking pictures), Earthquake Memorial Complex, Stairs of Health, and Ertogrul Gazi Mosque. Drop off at the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Ashgabat → Darwaza

(Sightseeing tour duration: 5-6 hours; ≈3-4 hours of driving)

Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Start sightseeing tour. Visit Horse Stable (possible to ride a horse) and Gulistan Bazaar.
After having a lunch, drive to Darwaza Gas Crater. On the way visit Water Crater and Mud Crater.

Arrive in Darwaza and set up the camp. Enjoy a BBQ for the dinner near the burning crater.
Free time. Overnight at the Yurt Camp under the starry desert night.

Day 3: Darwaza → BP Dashoguz/Shavat → Khiva

(≈3-4 hours of driving)

06:00 Camp-style breakfast.
06:30 Transfer to the border point Dashoguz-Shavat (Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan border point). Arrive to the border. Cross it (go through formalities on both checkpoints).

On the Uzbekistan side our driver will meet you and drive to Khiva (≈1-2 hours of driving). Drop off at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: Khiva

(Sightseeing tour duration: 4-5 hours)

09:00 Start your walking sightseeing tour in ancient Khiva.

Explore the walled inner town of the city of Khiva - Itchan Kala. Visit Mukhammad Aminkhan Madrasah, Mukhammad Rahimkhan Madrasah, Kalta-Minor, Kunya-Ark, Juma Mosque, Tash-Khovli Palace, Minaret of Islam-Khoja, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5: Khiva → Urgench → Bukhara

(Free day)

Breakfast at the hotel.
12:00 Check out. Free time.
15:40 Transfer to Urgench train station (30 km).
17:20 Transfer to Bukhara by night train.
23:15 Arrive in Bukhara and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: Bukhara

(Sightseeing tour duration: 4-5 hours)

Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Start sightseeing tour. Visit Lyabi-Khauz ensemble, surrounding the pool on three sides, consists of the Kukeldash Madrasah - the largest madrasa in the city, on the north side of the pool, and two religious edifices built by Nodir Devon Begi: a khanqah (a lodging house for itinerant Sufis) and a madrasa, which stand on the west and east sides of the pool respectively.

Visit Magoki-Attori Mosque (today, the mosque is used as a carpet museum), Chor-Minor Madrasah (alternatively known as the Madrasah of Khalif Niyazkul), Trade domes (there are four trading domes have only survived up to now), Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Miri-Arab Madrasah, Kalyan Minaret - one of the most prominent landmarks in Bukhara, Kalyan Mosque, Ark Fortress and Bolo-Khauz Mosque. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 7: Bukhara → Samarkand

(Free day)

Breakfast at the hotel.
12:00 Check out. Free time in the city.
15:00 Transfer to the train station.
16:11 Transfer to Samarkand by high-speed train Afrosiyob.
18:00 Arrive in Samarkand. Transfer to the hotel. Free time (we recommend visiting Gur-Emir and Registan to see a night view). Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: Samarkand → Shakhrisabz → Samarkand

(Tour duration: 5-6 hours)

Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Transfer to Shakhrisabz (85 km) with a driver. Drive through the Aman-Kutan Gorge and Takhta-Karacha Mountain Pass. On the way stop to take a view at Teshiktosh (Stone with hole). The film "Apachen" (1973) was shot on this location - an area that looks incredibly like the American Southwest. Short stop at the top of the mountain pass. There is a tiny market where some local dried fruits can be bought.

Arrive in Shakhrisabz. Start your self-guided walking sightseeing tour. Visit Mausoleum of Jakhongir in Dor-us Saodat Memorial Complex, remains of Ak Saray Palace and Kok Gumbaz Mosque.

13:00 Meet your driver in the parking lot of Kok Gumbaz Mosque (we recommend having lunch at the Family Restaurant KishMish). Drive back to Samarkand. Drop off at the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: Samarkand → Tashkent

(Sightseeing tour duration: 5-6 hours)

Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Visit Gur-Emir Mausoleum, Registan Square - The Pearl of Central Asia, Bibi-Khanum Mosque and Siab Bazaar - the largest market in Central Asia and the most visited place after Registan. After exploring the bazaar STANTOURS will arrange a lunch at the Plov Center.

Continue sightseeing. Visit Khazrat Khizr Mosque - the first mosque of Samarkand, Mausoleum of the first President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis and Ulughbek Observatory - one of the most significant observatories of the Middle Ages. Visit the Meros paper mill in Konigil village.

16:10 Transfer to the train station.
17:35 Transfer to Tashkent by high-speed train Afrosiyob.
20:08 Arrive in Tashkent. Transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10: Tashkent

(Sightseeing tour duration: 5-6 hours)

09:00 Start sightseeing from the Old City part of Tashkent. Visit Khast Imam - a cultic architectural complex and the religious center of Tashkent where the world famous Uthman Quran has been preserved. Khast Imam complex consists of Barak-Khan Madrasah, Tillya Sheikh Mosque, Muyi Muborak Madrasah, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, New Khazrati Imam Mosque and the Muftiate building. Drive to Chorsu Bazaar - one of the oldest bazaars in Uzbekistan.

After exploring the bazaar STANTOURS will arrange a lunch at the Central Asian Plov Center. Plov is cooked in a giant, wood-fired kazans. Enjoy your plov!

Have a short Tashkent metro ride. Visit Independence Square, Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theatre, Amir Timur Square and Monument of Courage. Drop off at the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11: Departure from Tashkent

Breakfast at the hotel.
12:00 Check out. Free time.
Transfer to the Tashkent International Airport according to the flight time.