Day 1 Arrival in Almaty

Arrival in Almaty and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the Rabat Palace Hotel.

Day 2 Almaty – Father of the Apple (A, L, I)

Morning sightseeing tour of the green metropolis at the foot of the spectacular Ile Alatau mountain. The tour includes the Russian Orthodox Cathedral Zenkov, built entirely of wood, as well as the Almaty Circus, the Wedding Palace and the central mosque.

During the day we enjoyed a welcome lunch in a traditional yurt. In the afternoon, we head for the train. On arrival, we will have a welcome drink and listen to an information speech.

Overnight on the train.

Day 3 Turkestan – Nomadic Pilgrim Centre (A, L, I)

After breakfast on the train, you will arrive in Turkestan. We will visit the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasaw, built in 1394 and one of the most important examples of Timurid architecture (UNESCO World Heritage Site).

After the excursion, the journey continues by train towards Tashkent.

Freight 4 Tashkent – Green Oasis (A, L, I)

Our train arrives in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, early in the morning. A sightseeing tour in the green oasis of Aro, where we will see the monuments of Kukeldash, Kavoj and Amir Timur and typical mutated houses. In the evening, a concert in the music hall (programme permitting). After the show, we continue our journey by train.

Overnight on the train.

Day 5 Travelling through time (A, L, I)

At night, our train passes through a mountainous area. The Greek heritage, the cultural heritage of the Bactrians and the Kushan Empire have been preserved in the mountainous area. Fire worship and shamanism are still practised in the area. Trading caravans as well as the armies of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Timur have passed along these narrow roads.

We arrive in Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Timur. In the city, we take a sightseeing tour, including a visit to the palace of the brutal Mongol ruler. The palace dates back to the 1300-1400s. In the evening we take the train towards Samagrand. On the train we taste Uzbek wines.

Overnight on the train

Day 6 Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures (A, L, I)

The day is spent visiting the sights of the historic city. The city was considered the most beautiful and valuable city in the world during the Timur’s reign. We will visit the Shah-e Zinde necropolis, the Afrosiab excavations and Registan Square, a remarkable architectural ensemble in Central Asia. It is also historically important, as many Uzbek women burned their veils there in 1917 to mark their transition to a new era.

Overnight at the Registan Plaza Hotel or similar.

Day 7 Samarkand (A, L, I)

A day in the city includes a tour of a silk carpet factory, a visit to a local handicraft family making paper from mulberry wood, a stop at the Ulug Beg Observatory and the ruins of the Bibi Khanum Mosque. We will also admire the interior of the Gur-Emir Mausoleum.

Overnight at the Registan Plaza Hotel or similar.

Day 8 Samarkand (A, L, I)

The morning is free for a tour of Samagrand. The train to Khiva leaves in the afternoon.

Overnight on the train.

Day 9 Khiva (A, L, I)

Today we visit the oasis of Khiva, the rock of the story of a thousand and one nights. Standing at the gate, you feel as if you’ve stepped into another world. On a tour of the oasis we see exotic landscapes, palaces, mosques, minerals, mausoleums and madrassas (a Muslim religious school). We enjoy lunch at the summer palace of a former emir.

Overnight on the train.

Day 10 Bukhara – Ylväs (A, L, I)

Bukhara, in the middle of the Kyzylkum desert, has thousands of architectural monuments that reflect the golden years of the Silk Road. Exotic spices, furs and especially silk were preserved and traded on the city’s caravan iron trains. In the old town of Bukhara (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), we see the Kalyan mineral, almost 50 metres long, and the Lyab-I Hauz complex on the pond. In the courtyard of Madrasa, we watch a performance by local dancers and a display of national costumes accompanied by music.

Overnight in an Asia Bukhara hotel or similar.

Day 11 Samanid Mausoleum (A, L, I)

Bukhara, also known as Sheriffi (noble), has well preserved its ancient oriental look with its incomparable authentic architecture. In the morning we drive to Mir-e-Arab Madrasah and the Samanid Mausoleum, one of the most beautiful architectural treasures in Central Asia. After these, the journey takes us to the massive Ark Citadel, a city within a city that used to house the Bukhara government. There we will visit the throne hall and the summer residence of the last emirate. The train continues in the evening.

Overnight on the train.

Day 12 Merv, Pearl of the East (A, L, I)

The train arrives at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Merv in the morning. Merv is a remnant of one of the largest and most powerful cities in the world. The initial impression is one of disbelief: great walls in the middle of the desert flanked by ancient buildings such as the tomb of Sultan Sanjar. Lunch is at the home of a local family.

Overnight in a Grand Turkmen hotel or similar.

Day 13 The capital of Ashgabat and the former imperial city of Nisa (A, L, I)

In the morning, drive to the ancient Parthian city of Nisa. After lunch, guided tour of the modern capital, a typical Turkmenbashi city. A Hollywood-style city whose oil wealth may be impressive, but sometimes makes people gasp. In the afternoon there is a guided tour of the Ashgabat National Museum. The museum shows a culture that has been shaped by many people, ethnicities and religions.

In the evening transfer to the airport.

Day 14 – Return home