Central Asia

Arrive in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, and transfer to the hotel for some rest. After lunch at a local restaurant, head to Ala-Too Square to see the Manas Monument celebrating a legendary Kyrgyz hero and the country's indepdendence. Tour the National History Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts with its large collection of Soviet-era art. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening.

This city of trees and broad boulevards was originally a rest stop on the Silk Road. Spend time in lovely Oak Park this morning and stroll down Erkendik Boulevard. After lunch, we meet with students and staff at the American University of Central Asia. Dinner this evening is accompanied by a performance of classical Kyrgyz music.

Enjoy a morning at leisure before gathering for lunch at a local restaurant. Return to the airport this afternoon for our flight to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, set on the edge of the Tian Shan Mountains.

Begin today’s exploration in Panfilov Park at the pastel-colored Orthodox cathedral built during the Russian colonial period. At the Green Bazaar, marvel at the fresh, locally grown produce, nuts, and dried fruits. Then tour the Museum of Musical Instruments. At the Central State Museum, view part of its vast collection of more than 200,000 artifacts. Tonight, meet with a political scientist from the local university, who talks with us about contemporary Kazakhstan.

This morning, observe the sport of falconry at a nearby falcon farm. We then ride a cable car up the Talgar Pass for stunning views of the Medeo Valley below. Enjoy the evening at leisure.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for our flight to Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe (literally, "Monday" in Persian), named after a small market village where traders would gather on Mondays. See the Ismail Samani monument with its golden arch and bubbling fountains and stroll through Rudaki Park, dedicated to the legendary Persian poet. Dine on Tajik specialties at dinner this evening.

Spend the day exploring this pleasant city with its tree-lined avenues. Begin with a tour of the National Museum of Tajikistan. Opened in 2013, this modern museum showcases the country’s natural and political history. Wander among the many stalls of the Mehrgon Bazaar before stopping for lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, visit the Museum of Antiquities, and see the New Mosque, Central Asia’s second largest. End the day with a performance at the Durminj Museum of Musical Instruments.

Today, we venture outside the capital to the town of Hisor, set in a valley surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Inhabited since the Stone Age, the area features an 8th-century mosque, a 16th-century madrasah, and an 18th-century fortress. Silk Route traders who traversed the valley in the Middle Ages made Hisor a center of commerce and learning. At the Hisor Fortress, view its remaining thick, burnt-brick monumental gate framed by two towers.

This morning, fly to Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, a mix of tree-lined boulevards, Soviet-style buildings, mosques and madrasas. Upon arrival, stop at Alisher Navoi Theater, the national opera house, named in honor of the father of Uzbek literature. Delve into the storied history of the city as we stand before the fountains and monuments in Independence Square. At the Museum of Applied Arts, see exquisitely embroidered wall coverings and other textiles displayed in a traditional mansion from the late 19th century.

This morning, set out for Khast Imom Square to visit the Muyi Muborak Madrasah, which houses a collection of rare Islamic manuscripts, including the 7th-century Osman Quran, said to be the world’s oldest. Then, check out daily life with a walk through Chorsu Bazaar, where locals shop for fruits and vegetables, fresh-baked bread, and all manner of sweets. Enjoy dinner on our own this evening.

After breakfast, transfer to the railway station and board a train to the desert city of Samarkand, located at the midpoint of the Silk Road. Visit its famed Registan (“Sandy Place”) Square and the massive Bibi Khanum Mosque, built in the 15th century in honor of Tamerlane's wife. Check in to our hotel, then regroup to enjoy rooftop drinks and hors d’oeuvres as we take in the city skyline. From there, visit the Gur-Emir Mausoleum after hours. Stand in awe before the brilliant blue mosaic and tile work that adorn the final resting place of Tamerlane, who made Samarkand the capital of his vast empire stretching from Iran to northern India.

Begin today with a visit to the ancient city of Afrosiab for an archaeologist-led tour through the site and adjoining museum. After lunch, return to Samarkand and visit the tombs and mausoleums of Shah-i-Zinde. Next explore the Ulug Bek Observatory, built by Tamerlane’s grandson, a remarkable astronomer-king, then attend a demonstration of traditional Uzbek bread making. Later, feast on traditional cuisine during dinner at a local restaurant.

Return to the rail station after breakfast and continue our journey by train to Bukhara. Take a walking tour through Old Town, passing through Lyabl-il-Hauz Square and the old Jewish Quarter. See the ancient Magoki Attori Mosque and wander the covered bazaar, built in the 16th century.

Spend a full day exploring this storied city of mosques and madrasahs. See Chor Minor with its four turquoise domes, the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, and the Kalon Minaret and the Samani Mausoleum, which serves as the resting place of the founder of the Samanid Dynasty and was buried under sand until it was discovered in the 20th century. At the Ark Citadel, tour the fortress with a local archaeologist. Next, venture outside the city to the "Palace of Moon-Like Stars," the summer palace of the last emir of Bukhara.

Depart Bukhara for Khiva, crossing the Kyzyl Kum ("Red Sand") Desert on a route once trod by camel caravans and stopping en route for lunch. Check in to the hotel upon arrival and then head out on foot for an evening stroll through the Old Town. Stop in a local restaurant to dine on the region’s specialties.

According to legend, the oasis of Khiva was founded by Shem, a son of Noah, at the spot where he found water in the desert. Begin our walking tour here at the Tash Hauli (“Stone”) Palace, residence of the 19th-century ruler of Khiva, Allah Kuli Khan. Admire the Juma ("Friday") Mosque’s carved wooden ceiling and columns, then continue to the Kalta Minor Minaret and the Islam Khoya Minaret, which stands more than 175 feet tall. Stop at the Kunya Ark and then conclude the day with a visit to the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, built in 1810 to honor the patron of Khiva, a 14th-century poet and wrestler.

Depart early this morning for the Turkmenistan border and continue our drive to Dashoguz, once a stop along the Silk Road, for a short tour of the city and lunch. Afterward, fly over the dramatic Karakum ("Black Sand") Desert to the capital city of Ashgabat.

Visit Independence Park and the Arch of Neutrality this morning. At Ashgabat’s National Carpet Museum, take in the impressive collection of Turkmen carpets from the Middle Ages through the 20th century. After lunch, visit a nearby farm devoted to breeding the Akhal-Tekke, thought to be the oldest breed of horse in the world.

Join a local archaeologist to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Nisa, once an important trading center of the Parthian Empire (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE). Next, visit the massive Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque, the resting place for Saparmurat Niyazov, the leader of Turkmenistan from 1985 to 2006. Stop in the Russian Bazaar, one of Turkmenistan’s largest and oldest covered markets, before continuing to Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, designed after Istanbul’s Blue Mosque with white marble exterior and four minarets. This evening, gather to toast our journey at a festive farewell dinner and Turkmen folk-dance performance.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch flights returning home.