Explore the Silk Road: 13-Day Tour in Central Asia

After check-in and passport formalities, take a direct flight from Istanbul (IST) Airport to Almaty (ALA) Airport on THY flight TK 352. The flight is operated on a Boeing 737 MAX 8, departing at 01:20 and arriving at 08:50. No visa is required to enter Kazakhstan; a passport stamp is sufficient. On arrival, transfer to the city centre by private vehicle. Early check-in at the hotel is arranged if possible. There is a break for brunch/breakfast and rest after the flight. Lunch is served at a local restaurant, where you can try Kazakh dishes such as beshbarmak, kuyrdak and plov. In the afternoon, take a panoramic city tour of Almaty at a relaxed pace. Visit Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral, known for its wooden architecture. Built without nails, the historic cathedral is 56 m tall. During the visit to the Green Market (Zelyony Bazaar), enjoy free time to browse local products and sample nuts, spices and kumis. Then take the cable car up Kok-Tobe Hill for a bird's-eye view of the city. After dinner, return to the hotel to rest. Overnight in Almaty at Renion Hotel or a similar hotel. Lunch and dinner are included.

After breakfast at the hotel, the Almaty tour begins. The day's programme includes the Şaşu ceremony, horseback games and a cable car ride to an altitude of 2.260 m. The visit to the Hun Ethnographic Complex begins with a traditional Kazakh welcome ritual. During the Şaşu ceremony, sweets, bonbons and money are scattered over the guests being welcomed. Beşike Salu (the cradle ceremony) demonstrates the Kazakh tradition for newborns. Tusay Kesu (the tether-cutting ceremony) introduces the ritual marking a child's first steps. Inside a Kazakh tent (yurt), guests learn about the culture of hospitality and are served kumis. This is followed by demonstrations of the traditional horseback game Kız Kuu (Chasing the Girl) and horseback wrestling, Atpen Audarysmak. A demonstration shows how Kazakh National Bread (baursak), an important part of the local culinary culture, is made. A traditional Kazakh menu is served for lunch at the local restaurant within the Hun Complex. In the afternoon, weather permitting, the tour continues to Shymbulak Mountain. The programme includes Medeu Valley (1.691 m), home to the world's highest-altitude ice skating stadium.

After breakfast at the hotel, there is an opportunity for last-minute shopping or free time in Almaty. This is followed by a transfer to the airport. Depart from Almaty (ALA) at 16:35 on Air Astana regional flight KC 109 and arrive in Bishkek (FRU) at 18:25. Entry to Kyrgyzstan is visa-free; a passport stamp is sufficient. On arrival, transfer to the hotel by private vehicle. After a short rest, head out for an evening city tour. The tour takes in Ala-Too Square, a symbol of independence in central Bishkek, and the Manas Monument, which depicts the hero of the Kyrgyz national epic. Comprising half a million lines, the Epic of Manas is the world's longest epic and holds an important place in Turkish-Kyrgyz literature. See the city's main landmarks on a panoramic tour. View the White House, the Philharmonic Building and the National History Museum from the outside. Return to the hotel after dinner. Stay overnight at Asia Mountains or a similar hotel in Bishkek. Breakfast and dinner are included.

After breakfast at the hotel, depart on a journey of approximately 270 km to the Issık Göl region. Steppes and mountain ranges can be seen along the way. Stop for photos at Boom Canyon in Central Asia, formed by the Çu River. Then visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Burana Tower and Archaeological Complex. The site contains the 11th-century remains of Balasagun, the ancient capital of the Karahanlı State, one of the earliest minarets of Turkish-Islamic architecture, and an open-air museum of stone figures (balbals). Arrive at Issık Göl. The world's 2nd-largest mountain lake after Titicaca, Issık Göl lies at an altitude of 1.607 m and is 182 km long. It never freezes due to its high salt content and volcanic activity. Its name, Issık, meaning warm, comes from this characteristic. Free time is provided to walk around the lake and explore nature. After dinner, stay overnight at Raduga Hotel or a similar hotel in Issık Göl. Breakfast and dinner are included.

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Issyk Kul and return to Bishkek. On arrival, we check in at the hotel. The rest of the day is free time. You can walk around the city centre, browse silk carpets, Kyrgyz embroidery and the traditional ak kalpak hat at Osh Bazaar, Bishkek's largest traditional market, or rest at the hotel. After dinner, we stay overnight at Asia Mountains or a similar hotel in Bishkek. Breakfast and dinner are included.

After a morning transfer to the airport, depart for Tashkent (TAS) via Bishkek (FRU) on Centrum Air regional flight C6 220. The flight departs at 14:20 and arrives at 15:00. No visa is required to enter Uzbekistan; a passport stamp is sufficient. On arrival, transfer to the hotel by private vehicle and check in. The rest of the day is free time. You can take a walk near the hotel and explore the surrounding area. Dinner is served at the hotel. Stay overnight at Hotel Uzbekistan or a similar hotel in Tashkent. Breakfast and dinner are included.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set out on a city tour of Tashkent. We visit the Alişer Navayi Opera and Ballet Theatre, named after Alişer Navai, the Uzbek national poet and an important figure in Turkish literature, and Independence Square, which symbolizes Uzbekistan's independence. We then see Emir Timur Square and Statue, dedicated to Emir Timur, the founder of the Timurid Empire and one of the greatest commanders of the Turkic world. At the Applied Arts Museum, we learn about traditional Uzbek arts. Hz. İmam Mosque houses the Hz. Osman Quran manuscript, one of the oldest copies of the Quran in the Islamic world, dating back to the 7th century. Our tour includes visits to this sacred site, Kukeldaş Madrasa and the Old City district. We explore Çorsu Market, known for its spices, nuts, dried fruit and silk products. We enjoy panoramic views of the city from Tashkent TV Tower, one of Asia's tallest TV towers. We have lunch at a local restaurant. There is free time in the afternoon. During this time, you can walk along Tashkent's wide boulevards or shop for local products and souvenirs in modern shopping centres or traditional bazaars. We have dinner at the hotel.

Early in the morning, transfer to the airport for a regional flight to Khiva. Centrum Air flight C6 89 is scheduled to depart from Tashkent (TAS) at 05:50 and arrive in Urgench (UGC) at 07:30. Upon arrival in Urgench, continue to Khiva by road, a transfer of approximately 30 minutes. After reaching the hotel, time is set aside for breakfast and a short rest. The Khiva city tour includes a visit to Itchan Kala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This historic walled city is an open-air museum and one of the best-preserved stops on the Silk Road. The tour includes Pehlivan Mahmud Mausoleum, dedicated to Khiva's patron saint; Cuma Mosque and Minaret, with its 218 wooden columns; and İslam Hoca Madrasa, home to the city's tallest minaret. Visit Kalta Minar (Short Minaret), the unfinished blue-tiled symbol of Khiva, and the walled İç Han Kale (Itchan Kala). Walk through the narrow streets of Khiva, known as the Stone City of the Silk Road. Dinner is accompanied by traditional Khiva music and a local dance performance. Stay overnight at Karavan Hotel in Khiva or a similar hotel. Breakfast and traditional dinner are included.

The program includes a 6-hour desert journey and an evening walk. After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Bukhara. The road journey takes approximately 6 hours and offers panoramic views of the Kyzylkum Desert, one of Central Asia's natural areas. Short stops are made along the way, and the guide shares information about the region's history and geography. On arrival in Bukhara, check in at the hotel and take a short rest. In the evening, take a walk through the city center, passing narrow streets, historic buildings and illuminated squares. Dinner is served at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Bukhara. Breakfast and dinner are included.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set out on a city tour of Bukhara. With a history of approximately 2.500 years, Bukhara is one of the Silk Road's important centres of learning and trade. The city has been home to many scholars and merchants throughout its history. During the tour, we visit Nakşibendi Hazretleri Tomb. This complex is dedicated to Bahaeddin Nakşibend, one of Central Asia's important Sufis. Dedicated to the founder of the Nakşibendi order in the Turkish-Islamic Sufi tradition, the complex is also the main spiritual source of the Nakşibendi order in Türkiye. It stands outside the city, surrounded by green gardens. We stop at the Leb-i Havuz Complex, where historic caravan routes intersect. Here, mulberry trees, a caravanserai and madrasas surround the pool. We see Bolo Havuz Mosque and Kalan Minaret, two of the city's landmarks. According to legend, Kalan Minaret (47 m, 1127) is a structure that even Cengiz Han refused to destroy. We then visit Mir Arap Madrasa and Kalan Mosque, examples of classical Central Asian architecture. Teaching in Islamic studies continues at Mir Arap Madrasa today. We have dinner at a local restaurant or at the hotel.

Early in the morning, after breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the train station. Depart for Samarkand on the Afrosiyob High-Speed Train. Enjoy views of Central Asia during the journey of approximately 2 hours. On arrival in Samarkand, check in at the hotel. After lunch and a short rest, begin the tour of Samarkand on the Silk Road. Visit the İmam Buhari Mausoleum. It houses the tomb of İmam Buhârî, an important hadith scholar in the Islamic world and the author of Sahih-i Buhârî. It is a sacred pilgrimage site for the Turkish-Islamic world. The Gur Emir Mausoleum is the burial place of Emir Timur (Tamerlan), the founder of the Timurid Empire. Its dark blue dome, gold ornamentation and marble tomb make it an example of Central Asian Turkish-Islamic architecture. During the tour of Registan Square, see three large madrasas that reflect Central Asian architecture. Ulugh Beg Madrasa (1417-1420) is known for astronomy and mathematics, Sher-Dor Madrasa (1619-1636) for its facade depicting lions, and Tilya-Kori Madrasa (1646-1660) for its gold ornamentation. The square is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to the hotel after dinner.

After breakfast, we continue our tour of Samarkand with visits to Bibi Hanım Mosque and Şah-ı Zinde Necropolis. Bibi Hanım Mosque was commissioned by Timur in honour of his favourite wife, Bibi Hanım, and built between 1399-1404. The largest mosque of its time, it is known for its blue dome. The Şah-ı Zinde Complex, whose name means Living King, houses mausoleums from Timur's era. The necropolis consists of 20+ mausoleums built during the 11th-19th centuries and features examples of Central Asian blue tilework. After lunch at a local restaurant, we return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight accommodation are at City Hotel or a similar hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

Transfer to Samarkand Airport in the early morning. After check-in, passport control and departure procedures for Uzbekistan, depart from Samarkand (SKD) for Istanbul (IST) on THY flight TK 373. The direct flight, operated with an Airbus A321, is scheduled to depart at 06:10 and arrive at 09:25. The tour ends upon arrival in Istanbul at 09:25 in the morning, Türkiye time. Our 13-day Silk Road journey through 3 countries ends here. This journey stretches from Almaty's Hun Ethnographic Complex to the mountain peaks of Shymbulak, from Bishkek's Manas Monument to Issyk-Kul Lake, from Boom Canyon to Burana Tower, from the Quran of Hazrat Osman in Tashkent to Itchan Kala in Khiva, and from the Naqshbandi Mausoleum in Bukhara to Registan Square in Samarkand. Thank you for choosing us for this journey to the roots of the Turkic world. We look forward to seeing you on another Ejder Turizm tour.