11-day Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan Tour

Arrive in Tashkent. You will be met by Advantour driver and transferred to the hotel. Check in to the hotel at 14:00. Your tour will start with meeting your guide to start sightseeing in the capital of Uzbekistan, the biggest city in Central Asia. Begin at the Courage Monument, which commemorates the 1966 earthquake and honours the resilience of the people of Tashkent, before continuing to the historic Old City. Visit the Mausoleum of Kaffal Shashi, walk past the Khast-Imam Complex, view the exterior of the Islamic Civilization Center, and stroll along the newly developed Zarkaynar Street. Next, explore Chorsu Bazaar and a local pottery gallery, then ride the beautifully decorated Tashkent Metro to the modern city centre. Enjoy free time for lunch on Taras Shevchenko Street, known for its lively dining scene, then continue to the State Museum of Applied Arts and admire the elegant facade of the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, concluding the tour at Amir Timur Square. Overnight at the hotel. After the tour or later in the evening you can visit the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent on your own (optional).

Transfer to the railway station at 06:30 in the morning. The high-speed train, Afrosiyob, leaves from Tashkent at 07:30 and arrives in Bukhara at 11:17. Upon arrival you will be met by Advantour driver and transferred to the hotel. Leave your luggage at the hotel. Check in at noon. Take a walking sightseeing tour with a guide in historic center of Bukhara which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Visit Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, Chor-Minor Madrasah, trade domes, Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Start the second day with a visit to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa – summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir, unique site combining Oriental and Russian architecture. Continue to Bakhouddin Naqshbandi Mausoleum and the House Museum of Fayzulla Khodjaev. In the afternoon depart Bukhara and drive to Samarkand (275 km, 4 h.*). Arrive in Samarkand, check in to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel. *The road on vans and buses is on average an hour longer. Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours

Meet your guide and driver at hotel lobby to start city tour. Visit spectacular Registan Square, remains of Bibi Khanum Mosque, Siab Bazaar, Ulugbek Observatory, Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis and Gur Emir Mausoleum – authentic shrine of Tamerlane. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Continue sightseeing: visit Afrasiab Museum and the Tomb of Saint Daniel. Then drive to Konigil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. Enjoy free time with car and driver at your disposal after sightseeing tour. Late in the afternoon transfer to railway station to take the high-speed Afrosiyob train departing to Tashkent (journey time 2 h 10 min). Pick-up and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours

Transfer to the International Airport to take flight to Almaty. Arrive in Almaty, transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel lobby to start the sightseeing tour in Almaty: visit Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral and Central State Museum (closed on Tuesdays). In the afternoon a short drive (25 km) will take you to Chimbulak. Here, visit the ski resort and ride the cable car to enjoy the amazing views of the snowy peaks of the Tian Shan Mountains. Our last stop of the day will be the Sunkar Falcon Farm, where you’ll enjoy a spectacular show with specially trained hawks – hunting with these magnificent birds is a distinguishing feature of the Kazakh way of life (available Wed - Sun at 16-00 from April till October). Return to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Your guide and driver will meet you at hotel lobby. Depart Almaty and drive to Charyn Canyon (220km, 3-4h). Charyn Canyon located to the east of Kazakhstan, with an unforgettable view of a huge gorge with cliffs and of various colours and shades. The canyon is a part of the Charyn National Park territory has an opportunity to see the old ash-tree grove, the Castle Valley, one part of 154-meter canyon with cliffs resembling towers. Despite a long way to go, the beauty of the Canyon makes you forget long hours of drive and this sight of nature in Kazakhstan will stay long in your memories. Arrive in Canyon. Have some time for picnic and rest. After that walk along canyon and enjoy its beautiful view. In the afternoon return to Almaty. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 9-10 hours

Transfer to the airport to take morning flight to Astana. Upon arrival meet your guide and driver at the airport to start sightseeing in the capital of Kazakhstan. Visit “Old center”, town of merchants in the past. Visit Millennium Axis line named by Kisho Kurokawa, chief architect and creator of Astana general layout. Visit Astana Opera building, the Round Square with numerous fountains. Continue to Nurzhol (Green Water) Boulevard with skyscrapers of exceptional architectural forms. You will go up the Bayterek monument and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view at the top of the monument and observation tower. The city tour will be rounded up with a visit to Khan-Shatyr, shopping and entertainment center. Free time. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours

In the morning, depart Astana and drive to memorial complex ALZHIR, located 40 km away from the city. Concentration camp was built in the middle of vast Kazakh steppe in 1938 and stopped functioning in 1953, the year Stalin died. For 15 years, just as much as 20,000 women were brought to the camp from different regions of USSR. In 2007, memorial complex was opened on the territory of the former camp ALZHIR to commemorate those who have fallen under Stalin repressions. In the afternoon, return to Astana. Free time. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours

Check-out from the hotel at noon. Free time until transfer to Astana International Airport. Departure. End of the 11-day Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan tour.