NEW The Stans of Central Asia: Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan

16 days
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Group Tour
Explore two of Central Asia’s most famous Stans—Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan—and uncover the rich legacy of the Silk Road on our NEW 2017 adventure. And if take our trip extensions, you’ll be able to explore all five of the Stans—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—making this a truly epic journey through one of the most ancient ...
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Very Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Enjoy an exclusive glimpse into the archives of the Savitsky Museum
    • Visit the opulent 18th-century Bolo Hauz Mosque and the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum
    • Visit with a local ceramic master and learn about the centuries-old traditions of this ancient art form.
    • Exploring Samarkand, one of the oldest cities in the world
    • Including by the troops of Alexander the Great, the Arab Caliphate, and Genghis Khan.

What's this trip about?

    Explore two of Central Asia’s most famous Stans—Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan—and uncover the rich legacy of the Silk Road on our NEW 2017 adventure. And if take our trip extensions, you’ll be able to explore all five of the Stans—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—making this a truly epic journey through one of the most ancient and mysterious corners of the globe.

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Details

Itinerary focusOff the Beaten Path
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 18 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityAshgabat
End CityTashkent

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Local Immersion & Homestays

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture
  • History
  • Nature

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 18

Trip includes

    • All land transportation and 1 internal flight
    • Accommodations for 14 nights
    • 18 small group activities
    • Services of 2 local O.A.T. Trip Leaders, 1 in Turkmenistan and 1 in Uzbekistan
    • Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters
    • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next O.A.T. trip—an average of $250

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Itinerary

DAY 1

Depart U.S. You depart the U.S. for your flight to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, via Istanbul, Turkey. The particulars of your arrival overseas will be detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

DAY 2
Arrive in Istanbul, Turkey • Fly to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Today you’ll arrive in Istanbul, where you’ll meet your connecting flight to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Depending on your flight schedule, you’ll arrive late on Day 2 or very early on Day 3. Travelers who took our pre-trip to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan will arrive in Ashgabat late at night or early the next morning.

DAY 3
Explore Ashgabat Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Grand Turkmen Hotel or similar

After a late breakfast and briefing with our Trip Leader, set off on a walking tour of Turkmenistan’s capital, a white-marbled oasis rising from the edge of the Kara Kum Desert. Mode...

DAY 4
Ashgabat • Visit Akhal-Teke horse farm Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Grand Turkmen Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we’ll stop at the opulent Ertugrul Ghazi Mosque, which honors the founder of the Ottoman Empire. Then, after spending time mingling with the lo...

DAY 5
Ashgabat • Fly to Tashauz • Khiva, Uzbekistan Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Asia Khiva Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we board a flight over the vast, sun-scorched sands of the Kara Kum Desert (Central Asia’s hottest desert) to the oasis town of Tashauz. Kn...

DAY 6
Explore Khiva Meals included: B L Accommodations: Asia Khiva Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we’ll set off on a full-day walking tour of Khiva. Legend says that the ancient Silk Road oasis of Khiva was founded at the place where Shem, son of Noah, discovered water i...

DAY 7
Khiva • Visit Nukus & Savitsky Museum • Home-Hosted Lunch Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Asia Khiva Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we'll journey to Nukus, capital of the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic. Due to its remote location near the Aral Sea, Nu...

DAY 8
Khiva • Overland to Bukhara Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Amelia Boutique Hotel or similar

Today we experience the Silk Road the way centuries of merchants did, as we spend the day traveling across the Kyzyl Kum Desert on our way to Bukhara. Following the same...

DAY 9
Explore Bukhara Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Amelia Boutique Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we embark on a full-day tour of Bukhara. Like Khiva, Bukhara was a prominent destination along the Silk Road that grew wealthy on the trade that passed through. We’...

DAY 10
Bukhara • Discover Vobkent Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Amelia Boutique Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we’ll visit Vobkent, a village situated about a dozen miles north of Bukhara distinguished by its 127-foot-high minaret. Completed in 1199 and visible fo...

DAY 11
Bukhara • Visit Gijduvan • Overland to Samarkand Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Malika Classic Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we begin our journey to Samarkand, stopping en route in the village of Gijduvan. Known for its production of exquisite pottery, we v...

DAY 12
Explore Samarkand • Home-Hosted Dinner Meals included: B D Accommodations: Malika Classic Hotel or similar

Today is devoted to exploring Samarkand, one of the oldest cities in the world. Established during the middle of the first century BC, Samarkand—like many Silk R...

DAY 13
Samarkand • Visit Shakhrisabze Meals included: B L Accommodations: Malika Classic Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we’ll journey to Shakhrisabze, birthplace of Tamerlane, the most influential military leader of the Mongol Empire. Along the way, we’ll stop at a local ...

DAY 14
Samarkand • Journey to Tashkent Meals included: B L Accommodations: Lotte City Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we journey to Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital. One of the oldest cities in Central Asia, rock paintings in the neighboring Chaktal Mountains reveal that hum...

DAY 15
Explore Tashkent Meals included: B D Accommodations: Lotte City Hotel or similar

After breakfast, our discoveries in Tashkent continue with a visit to Abul Kasim Madrasah, a historical monument that has become a center for local artists and craftsmen. We’ll also get t...

DAY 16
Fly to U.S. or begin post-trip extension Meals included: B After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. via Istanbul. Or, begin post-trip extension to Tajikistan: Dushanbe & Khujand.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,995
Price per day$375
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours).

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Overseas Adventure Travel offers unique small group adventures worldwide to Americans over 50. By land and sea, we explore on—and off—the beaten path with a resident OAT Trip Leader, immersing ourselves in local cultures, sampling unique modes of transportation, and staying in authentic lodgings that reflect the essence of your destination. Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises serves both our GCT and OAT brands with an award-winning fleet known for exceptional value and high-quality experiences in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Custom-designed according to our travelers’ specifications, our fleet includes 50+ small river and ocean-going ships that we own or privately charter.

Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprise—comprised of a family of travel companies—committed to changing people’s lives by offering high-impact experiences to our travelers and building local communities through philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and volunteerism.

Simply by traveling with OAT, you support the work of the nonprofit Grand Circle Foundation, which was created with the mission of changing people’s lives through travel—both those of our travelers, and of the people who welcome us so warmly into their homelands.

Journey with the Leader in Adventure Travel and Watch Your Dreams Take Flight: It is the stuff of dreams: gazelles bowing to lap at a glassy pool in the Serengeti as the vast sky turns purple with night, the tiered splendor of the Himalayas, rising behind a Tibetan monastery. Dreams like these are everyday realities for OAT travelers, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

Our Value puts your travel dreams within reach: OAT can help you realize your travel dreams for a lot less than you thought possible. Together with our regional offices located throughout the world, we’ve been able to establish long-term relationships with many local vendors and hotels. Buying direct brings down our costs—and allows us to pass the savings on to you. And negotiating directly for hotel space also allows us to secure as many single room allotments as possible for our solo travelers. That way, we can also extend our great value to solo travelers. In fact, we offer the best value for solo travelers, guaranteed.

The Choice is yours: You’ll always have plenty of choices with OAT. We offer you a breadth of awe-inspiring travel destinations—from the peaks of the Andes to the sweeping desert sands of the Sahara to the rugged natural beauty of Iceland. You'll also enjoy more trip extension choices than ever before—like hiking to ancient monasteries in Bhutan or discovering the Moai monolithic rock statues on Easter Island. You have plenty of choices within each adventure, too, including several interesting optional tours. And the free time we’ve woven into our itineraries allows you plenty of opportunities for independent exploration. You can shop, unwind, perhaps linger at a sidewalk café, visit an interesting gallery or museum, or explore a cobbled street that caught your eye earlier in the day. You can do as much or as little as you want on an OAT adventure—the choice is yours.

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Adventure Travel: Adventure travel with OAT is a journey beyond the familiar, one that takes you into the very heart of a destination—to meet people where they work and live.

OAT Advantages: Journey with the leader in adventure travel and watch your dreams take flight, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

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Trip Leaders: No matter where in the world you venture with OAT, you'll have one of our resident, expert Trip Leaders by your side. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure.

Airport Transfers: We’ve listened to your feedback, and will now offer international airport transfers to and from your hotel to our travelers who choose to purchase their own airfare on OAT adventures as part of our Personalize Your Trip program, which allows you create the OAT adventure that's right for you.

Personalize your trip: OAT travelers have long expressed the desire to decide exactly where they’re going, how they get there, and when they wish to leave. That’s why we developed a variety of choices that enhance the value of every trip we offer, allowing you to create the adventure that works best for you.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Grand Turkmen Hotel Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Grand Turkmen Hotel is conveniently located near Ashgabat's Independence Monument and the National Museum. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, four bars, sauna, outdoor pool, and fitness center. There are 120 air-conditioned rooms, each with satellite TV, minibar, Internet access, and private bath with hairdryer.

Asia Khiva Hotel Khiva, Uzbekistan

The Asia Khiva Hotel is close to Khiva’s historic Old Town, with a view of the city walls, and offers a swimming pool, spa, sauna, and restaurant and bar onsite. The 98 modern rooms include air conditioning, satellite TV, and a private bathroom.

Amelia Boutique Hotel Bukhara, Uzbekistan

The Amelia Hotel is located in a 19th century home in the center of old Bukhara. Each of the 12 rooms is decorated with a different theme and offers air conditioning, a minibar, wireless Internet, and a modern private bathroom with hair dryer and toiletries.

Malika Classic Hotel Samarkand, Uzbekistan

The Malika Classic Hotel is in the center of Samarkand, a short drive from the Shah-I Zinda and Gur-e Amir Complex, with an onsite bar and restaurant, business center, and gift shop. The hotel and its courtyard are decorated with traditional Uzbek carving and furniture. Each of the 26 rooms offers air conditioning, room service, satellite TV, minibar, and private bathroom.

Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace Tashkent, Uzbekistan

The Tashkent Palace Hotel is situated near the center of Tashkent, close to the Amir Temur Square and the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre. Along with a rooftop restaurant, piano bar, and gym facilities, there are 232 air-conditioned rooms at the hotel, each with telephone, satellite TV, and private bath with shower and hair dryer.

Transportation & Flights

Travel on city streets, paved and unpaved roads, with several walking tours along uneven streets We drive overland in an air-conditioned coach,

Transportation & flights

Travel on city streets, paved and unpaved roads, with several walking tours along uneven streets We drive overland in an air-conditioned coach
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
  • 35 meals—daily breakfast, 11 lunches, and 10 dinners (including 2 Home-Hosted Dinners)
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
overse-StaCenOve

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