2008 Tours

• Classic Turkey
• Eastern Turkey & the Black Sea
• Textiles & Crafts of Turkey & Uzbekistan
• Walk & Sail
• Three Seas & the Garden of Eden
• Classic Aegean
• Biblical Tour
• Winter Escape
• Fairytale Land of Germany
• Discover the Balkans
• Timeless Egypt
• Treasures of Tamerlan
• Splendors of Iran
• The Fertile Crescent
• Georgia & Arminea Arts & Crafts
• Silk Road Treasures
• Jewels of Central Asia
• Terms & Conditions

Silk Road Treasures

For over 2 millennia, this area has formed a bridge between Europe and Asia, mingling people and trading goods via the thoroughfare that came to be known as the Silk Road. Central Asia's storybook history combined with stunning scenery will captivate you, and the generous instinctive hospitality of the people here will warm your heart. The atmosphere of the ancient trading posts and the evidence of nomadic empires is evident throughout your visit.

Day 1 ~

Depart USA on your flight to Tbilisi.

Day 2 ~

In-flight; arrival in Europe and transfer plane for flight to Tashkent.

Day 3 ~ Tashkent
Arriving in Tashkent after midnight, you will be met at the airport and after clearing Customs and Immigration; you will be transferred to your hotel. After some sleep and a chance to freshen up, you will begin your Silk Road experience with a city tour of Tashkent. You will see the monuments and religious centers at the Hasti Imam Square, the ancient heart of Tashkent, (Barak-khan Madrassah, the Mausoleum of Kafal Shashi). We will explore the beautiful Amir Timur Square and the buildings around it, built in different periods over the last three centuries; the gorgeous Theater of Alishe rNavoi, built by the Japanese in the middle of the 20th century, the Museum of Applied Arts with its refined samples of Uzbek handicrafts, and the Chorsu Bazaar. 

Day 4 ~ Khiva
In the morning we will fly to Urgench, the modern city of the Khorezm region, and travel approximately 30 km to Khiva, the capital of the ancient Khorezmian Kingdom.  We will have a full day tour of Khiva, including a visit to Ichan Kala, the inner fortress; the Muhammad AminkhanMadrassah and its minaret; Kunya Ark and the Juma Mosque with 218 wooden pillars; the Harem of Khiva Khans; and the  Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud, a famous ancient wrestler and poet who patronized Khiva.

Day 5 ~ Dashoguz
After some leisure time to explore more of this Silk Road city that has been frozen in time, we will travel to to the border crossing point at Dashoguz between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and after border formalities, we will drive to the famous city of Konye-Urgench whose almost complete annihilation by Genghis Khan more than 800 years ago is a palpable example of the incredible destructive power of Khan and the legendary Tamerlane. Rebuilt during the relatively calm period that followed, Urgench grew into an important trading city before Tamerlane, considering the area a rival to his own Samarkand, effectively completed its demolition. We spend the night in Turkmenistan town Dashoguz.  

Day 6 ~ Darvaza
This morning leaving Urgench we will stop overnight in the oasis town of Darvaza, where we can see nomadic people and their customs and handicrafts, and experience our own bit of Turkmen history by spending the night in a yurt. We will also see the unusual Darvaza Gas Craters, the result of Soviet gas exploration in the desert. One of the craters is on fire, and its incredible blaze is visible during the night for several miles.  

Day 7 ~ Ashgabat
Leaving Darvaza, we will travel next to Ashgabat ( 'city of love' in Arabic), the capital city of Turkmenistan since its independency in 1991 and it is  undergoing through a dramatic changes. We will stop en route to visit the village of Erbent to discover everyday rural life. Probably the high light in Ashgabat  will be a visit to one of the Central Asia’s market Tolkuchka Bazaar with its rugs, and any kind of imaginable goods.

Day 8 ~ Ashgabat

Today will be spent touring some of the sites in this ever-changing city.  We will see the Arch of Neutrality (erected in 1998 to celebrate Turkmenistan's endorsement of a policy of political neutrality, the top of the structure reached by glass elevator, has a great view of the city); Independence Square, surrounded by extravagant palaces and ministry buildings, and the National Museum with its fine collection of historic artifacts and relics.   

Day 9 ~ Ashgabat

Today we will take a side trip to visit the unique Kow Ata Underground Lake. Entering through a cave at the base of a mountain and following a staircase about 200 feet underground, you will discover a subterranean lake of clear warm water.  We will return to Ashgabat for a visit to the Carpet Museum, rich with history of Turkmen carpet weaving; and the "Spiritual Temple of Turkmen Nation mosque in Kiptchak.

Day 10 ~ Mary  

This morning we will take an early flight from Ashgabat to Mary, the third-largest city in Turkmenistan. On arrival, we will travel to Gonur Depe, the largest archaeological excavation in the Near East where experts have confirmed it to be the site of the fifth great center of civilization (joining Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and India). Some of the highlights of Gonur Depe include the palace excavations, the Zoroastrian temple "Temenos", the Necropolis, and the Temple of Water. We will return to Mary to spend the night.  

Day 11 ~ Mary

Today we will explore one of Turkmenistan's greatest attractions, the historic city of Merv. Vast and complex, this is the country's only UNESCO World Heritage site and is considered of vital significance to the culture of Central Asia. We will visit the remains of Alexandria, Antiokhia, SultanKala, the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, Ibn Zaid, and the medieval castle “Keshk”. In the afternoon we will tour the Museum of History and the Mausoleum of Talkhatan Baba before returning to Mary for the evening.  

Day 12 ~ Bukhara

We will cross the border today at Farap, traveling through the Kara Kum desert and crossing the Amu Darya River. After customs and border formalities, we will continue on to Bukhara where you will have the afternoon at leisure.  Central Asia's holiest city, Bukhara's old town is essentially an architectural preserve that is being restored, and you will enjoy some time to wander the streets to absorb the atmosphere.

Day 13 ~ Bukhara

Our While in Bukhara, we will visit the old city, the Ark Fortress, the Bolo Hauz Mosque, Ismail SamaniMausoleum, Chashma Ayub, Kalyan Minaret, and the Trading Domes with all kinds of handicrafts, carpets and jewelry being sold there. We will also explore the Maggoki Attori Mosque, Lyabi Hauz Square, Kukeldash Madrassah, Nadir Divan Begi Madrassah, and the Indian style Chor Minor of the 19th century.

In the afternoon we will travel outside of Bukhara to visit the  Bahautdin Naqshbandi Shrine, monument to the great Islamic scholar and Sufi spiritual leader,  and the Bukhara Emir’s Summer Palace, Sitora-i-Mokhi-Khosa.  . 

Day 14 ~ Samarkand

Today we will drive south-eastward to Samarkand, the 'Oriental Star', traveling via Shakhrisabz, the city where Tamerlane was born. In Shakhrisabz we will see the famous Ak Saroy (White Palace), Kok Gumbaz, Doru Saodat and Doru Tillovat. After lunch we will continue on to Samarkand, where we will check in at our hotel and have some leisure time.

Day 15 ~ Samarkand

We'll begin our exploration of Samarkand by visiting the Registan Square with its three Madrassah, where for centuries students learned the Law of God and some secular subjects. We will see the sumptuous gold-covered Tillya Kari Mosque, and then view the Tomb of Tamerlane, which also contains the tomb of Mir Seiid Bereke, Tamerlane's spiritual tutor. Then we will visit the Shahi Zindah complex, which contains the Mausoleum of Qusam Ibn-Abbas, who is considered the second most important figure in Islam after Muhammed.  Next we will see the   tremendous Bibi Khanum Mosque, built by Tamerlane's order to symbolize the power of Allah.  In its yard you see the massive stone book-holder, which, as legend goes, was once used for the Holy Book kept in Tashkent.  We will finish our day with a tour of the Ulug Beg’s Observatory and the Aftroisab Museum.

Day 16 ~ Tashkent

Today we will return to Tashkent at a leisurely pace, stopping along the way to visit colorful local markets. There will be time on arrival to do final exploring or shopping before our farewell dinner. Flights to Europe depart in the middle of the night so you will have a short night's sleep before leaving for the airport.

Day 17 ~

Transfer to the airport shortly after midnight for departing flight to Europe-USA.

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