Exploring the culture of the Three Stans

Day 1: Arrival in Almaty and City tour 

Arrival in Almaty at 0840 AM. Meet & welcome. Transfer to hotel. 

Afternoon city tour of Almaty. Visit the Panfilov Park – named after the 28 heroes, who died for freedom and independence of this country, the Zenkov Cathedral – the oldest building of the city, that is entirely wooden, built without any metal nails, visit the Memorial Complex devoted to the World War Two memories with eternal flame. Also, we’ll get to visit the Central Moslem Mosque, Independence Square with the 3 main symbols of Kazakhstan and Obelisk devoted to the country’s independence. 

Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 2: Almaty – Tashkent – Bukhara

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to airport for flight to Tashkent 1045 AM – 1225 PM

Afternoon, arrival in Tashkent, transfer to railway station to catch a train to Bukhara. Upon arrival dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in a hotel. 

Day 3: Bukhara -Samarkand 

After breakfast we’ll have a half day of sightseeing of this ancient city. Bukhara is one of most historically rich cities on the Great Silk Road attracting attention of thousands of people with its unique heritage. Today we’ll visit: The Ark Forteress – Citadel is the most ancient memorial of Bukhara, on archeological matter dated to the 3rd century B.C. Kalon Complex – consists of minaret, Mosque and Madrasah both of which are still active. Next we’ll visit most popular place of Bukhara – reservoir Lyabi Khauz complex built in 1620 by khans’ dignitary Nodir Devan Begi. 

Take evening train to Samarkand. 

Upon arrival in the evening visit heart of the city – Registan Square which played great role in commercial and scientific life of the time.

After this long day, we’ll have dinner at one of the local restaurants and overnight in Samarkand.

Day 4: Samarkand  –  Panjakent – Seven Lakes – Panjakent 

Morning drive to the border. Crossing the border.  Drive to Panajakent. The city of Panjakent (“five villages”) is located in Khujand area of Tajikistan in the picturesque Zarafshon river/valley. Quite possibly the five villages started the history of this remarkable city which originated in the V-VIII centuries AD. Panjakent in that time was one of the most important cultural and crafts centers of Sogd. It was even named the “Central Asian Pompeii”.

Continue your journey to Marguzor lakes – a trip of around 4 hours in total from Samarkand (including border crossing).  The Marguzor lakes are a collection of seven beautiful lakes. We will drive to each of the lakes.  The names (in order) are: Lake Mizhgon (which means Eyelash) –  this multi-coloured lake is considered one of the most beautiful of the seven lakes. 

Lake Soya (‘Shade’) and Lake Husher (‘Vigilance’) are located at an altitude of 1700 m.   The fourth lake ‘Nofin’ is 3.5km long with a depth of 70m. The fifth lake is named Hurdak and the sixth is Marguzor – a lake 5 km in length, 80 m deep and located at 2139 m above sea level. 

The seventh lake is named Hazorchashma (which means one thousand sources) and is the highest of the seven lakes at 2400 m above sea level.

Overnight in the hotel Panjakent Plaza 3*

Day 5: Penjikent city – Ghazza village  – Khujand 320km 

Breakfast. Today you’ll drive to the village of Bory, which is located in 1900m above sea level in the mountains, with a population of about 1000 people living in 120 houses. The architecture of the buildings in the village are reminiscent of XVIII-XIX century construction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0y68UR0aqI&t=4s  

After drive to Ghazza village, in the Fan mountains, which is 60 km away by road. Ghazza is a remote village, located 1700 m above sea level, at the foot of the Hamid and Obshor mountains with a population of about 200 people. Enjoy walking through the village, meeting local people and finding out how Tajik people live in the mountain areas.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKC-ni06QYg&t=287s 

After lunch, drive to Khujand. Upon arrival, Sightseeing the city: museum, western market Panjshanbe and mausoleum Shaykh Muslihiddin.

Dinner at local restaurant with a traditional folk concert. Accommodation in the hotel Sugdiyon 3*.

Day 6: Khujand – border Oybek  – Tashkent – Chimgan Mountains

Breakfast. Morning drive to Tashkent.

Transfer to the border. Crossing the border. Arrive in Tashkent. 

Upon arrival in Tashkent, lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon depart to Chimgan Mountains (80 km, ~2 h.). The road will go via the picturesque surroundings with full of local villages, gardens, and streams. From Amirsoy mountain Resort, take a cable car to ascend to the Kumbel Ridge (2,300 m) where you can enjoy admiring at the surrounding mountains and the peak known as ‘Big Chimgan’ (3,300 m). Form there lift by a cable car to the observation deck of the Big Chimgan. Continue to the shore of Charvak reservoir, surrounded by green mountain flanks. Charvak Lake is a favorite place to enjoy summer days outside the city. Drive down serpentine road to have dinner at a local restaurant. Back to Tashkent. 

Overnight in a hotel. 

Day 7: Tashkent – Almaty (Kazakhstan)

After breakfast at the hotel, morning transfer to airport for flight to Almaty 0845 – 0945 AM. Upon arrival in Almaty, transfer to Almaty city center. We’ll visit Arbat Street, the Museum of Musical Instruments. Central Square with Golden Man Stella. Lunch at local restaurant. 

In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Medeu Sport Complex – an Ice-Skating Ring opened during the winter months located at an altitude of 1691.2m. We’ll continue our tour and sightseeing by taking a nice cable car ride up to the Shymbulak Ski Resort. You’ll get to see Medeu Sport Complex from the cable car and will have some time to explore the beautiful European alpine views and sceneries at this Ski Resort located at an elevation of 2200m above sea-level.

Drive back to Almaty for our last-minute shopping/ early dinner. 

Thereafter, since it is our last night, you’ll have a chance to explore the city on your own and do some shopping at the Mega Malls or at Arbat Square. 

At midnight transfer to airport. 

Almaty – KL or Qatar