Along Central Asia's Silk Road

Traveling the ancient Silk Road, encounter a mélange of culture and religion, art and architecture. On this exciting 17-day small group journey, relish the unfamiliar – embracing the humanity shared with Central Asia’s welcoming people. Discover Kyrgyzstan’s delightful capital, Bishkek, experiencing traditional Kyrgyz culture at a yurt-making demonstration and admire the Bronze Age Tamgaly Petroglyphs. Spend a day touring Kazakhstan’s Russian-accented Almaty and attend an exciting falconry demonstration. Highlights of Uzbekistan’s fascinating capital, Tashkent, include its treasured 7th-century Quran and Chorsu Bazaar. Touring of Khiva uncovers this Uzbek city’s storied past and a traditional folklore performance. In ancient Bukhara, watch skilled silk weavers work and savor a traditional meal in a Sufi miniaturist’s home. Visit a century-old ceramics workshop. Legendary Samarkand then reveals its treasures, including regal Registan Square and Tamerlane’s mausoleum. Sample a historic winery’s offerings. Returning to Tashkent, visit a renowned ceramicist’s studio.

Event Itinerary

Day 1: Depart for Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

• Depart from the U.S. on overnight flights to Bishkek

Day 2: Arrive in Bishkek

• Arrive late in the Kyrgyz capital and transfer directly to the hotel

Day 3: Bishkek

• Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers for a briefing on the journey ahead
• Panoramic tour of Bishkek, the former Soviet republic's largest city
• Welcome dinner at a local restaurant

Day 4: Bishkek / Burana

• Visit the village of Burana and its 11th-century tower, one of the few remnants of the ancient Silk Road city of Balasagun
• Lunch in the home of a Kyrgyz family, followed by a yurt-making demonstration

Day 5: Bishkek / Almaty, Kazakhstan

• Stop at Tamgaly Gorge to view Bronze Age petroglyphs
• Picnic lunch among the ancient rock carvings before continuing to Almaty

Day 6: Almaty

• Tour Panfilov Park and the adjacent Holy Ascension Cathedral
• Visit the Museum of Kazakh Musical Instruments
• Ascend Kok Tobe mountain by gondola for panoramic views of Almaty and the Tian Shan mountains
• Attend a falconry demonstration

Day 7: Almaty / Tashkent, Uzbekistan

• Fly to the Uzbek capital of Tashkent
• Visit the Museum of Applied Arts, showcasing fine examples of Uzbek embroidery, jewelry, ceramics, and carpets
• Dinner at a local restaurant

Day 8: Tashkent

• Tour the Old City's Khazrati Imam Complex of mosques and madrassahs, home to the world's oldest surviving Islamic holy book: the 8th-century Uthman Quran
• Explore the vibrant Chorsu Bazaar
• Optional evening performance at the national opera house

Day 9: Tashkent / Urgench / Khiva

• Fly to Urgench and continue to Khiva
• Explore the UNESCO-listed Itchan Kala (inner city), including the Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum, the Islam Khoja minaret, and the Juma Mosque with its 200 wooden pillars
• Evening performance at the Khiva Puppet Theatre

Day 10: Khiva

• Visit the turquoise-tiled Kalta Minor minaret, the Kunya Ark citadel, the Madrassah of Muhammad Rahim Khan, the 163-room Tash Hauli Palace, and the Hunarmand artisans' workshop
• Rooftop sunset cocktail party and dinner with a live local folklore performance overlooking the city

Day 11: Khiva / Bukhara

• Journey through the Kyzylkum Desert to the ancient Silk Road city of Bukhara
• Visit the 15th-century Poi Kalyan religious complex
• Evening visit to Akbar House, the preserved home of a 19th-century Jewish merchant, followed by dinner

Day 12: Bukhara

• Walking tour of the 16th-century Lyab-i Hauz religious complex
• Explore the domed Taki-Telpak Furushon bazaar and watch silk weavers at work
• Visit the home of a Sufi miniaturist in the Old Jewish Quarter and enjoy a traditional lunch of plov—the Uzbek national dish
• Tour Chor Minor madrassah, the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, and the 5th-century earthen Ark of Bukhara Fortress

Day 13: Bukhara / Gijduvan / Samarkand

• Visit the Memorial Complex of Naqshband, burial site of the founder of the world's largest Sufi Muslim order
• Tour the Narzullaev Ceramics Workshop, where traditional methods have been practiced for six generations
• Board the train to legendary Samarkand

Day 14: Samarkand

• Calligraphy workshop at Registan Square
• Visit the 15th-century Bibi-Khanym mosque and browse the sprawling Siyob Bazaar
• Tour and tasting at a historic local winery

Day 15: Samarkand

• Explore the Afrasiyab Museum, depicting Samarkand's 2,500-year history; the 15th-century Ulugh Beg Observatory; and the Meros Paper Mill, where artisans craft traditional handmade paper
• Visit the Shakhi Zinda Necropolis and temple complex
• Evening visit to the Gur Emir Mausoleum—Tamerlane's resting place—followed by a night view of illuminated Registan

Day 16: Samarkand / Tashkent

• Return to Tashkent and visit the studio of renowned ceramicist Akbar Rakhimov
• Farewell dinner

Day 17: Depart for U.S.

• Early morning transfer to the airport for connecting flights home