Glimpse of Five Stans

Your epic exploration of Central Asia opens in Kyrgyzstan.

On arrival at Bishkek International Airport, be warmly welcomed by your guide and driver. Then, transfer to your downtown hotel for some rest.

Get acquainted with Bishkek from Ala-Too Square. Every two hours, there is a chance to see the soldiers change guards with goose steps. On the north edge of it, the State Historical Museum reminds the country's Soviet past. In front of the museum stands the statue of Manas, a legendary hero of Kirghiz. Two other landmarks you will tick off are the Opera and Ballet Theater and Victory Square.

Next, with an hour's drive, you will arrive at the Ala Archa National Park and place amid scenic valleys adorned with colorful vegetation, a variety of wild creatures, snow-capped peaks, and gushing waters. Spend several hours taking in natural beauty and return to your hotel late in the day.

Bid farewell to Bishkek and drive about four hours to Cholpon-Ata, a scenic town nestling on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, the second-largest alpine lake on the earth after Lake Titicaca in South America. En route, there is a stop at the Burana Tower, backdropped by the snowy mountains and overlooking the golden fields with some other historical remains from the same time scattering around.

In the afternoon, after a short break in your hotel, get on a boat and cruise the Issyk-Kul Lake leisurely, gazing up the snow-capped Tian Shan - the Mountains of the Heaven, with a glass of champagne in hand.

Nicknamed "the Stone Garden", the open-air Museum of Petroglyphs is full of ancient stone carves and some other prehistoric structures, with the earliest ones dating back to over 4,000 years ago and most coming between the 8th century BC and the 1st century AD. Explore the vast area this morning and seek on the stones some information of hunting, fighting, and sacrificing scenes from the distant past.

Afterward, drive back to Bishkek for an evening flight to Almaty, the former capital and today's largest city in Kazakhstan. Before that, there will be some time to stroll around the busy Osh Bazaar, see the local bargain for their daily need, and sample your favorites from a big labyrinth of exotic products: homemade honey, sausages, spices, sweets, and souvenirs.

Meet your Kazakh guide and driver at Almaty International airport for the exclusive transfer to your hotel.

Get an introduction to Kazakhstan by browsing the city of Almaty. Start from the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan with myriads collections taking you through the county's history and explaining to you the fascinating nomadic way of life. Later, while strolling through the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, you can admire the Tsarist-era Zenkov Cathedral and compare an incredible selection of musical instruments in the Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments. Nearby the park, explore the Green Bazaar and then try an authentic Kazakh lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, take a cable up to the highest point in the city - the Kok Tobe Hill to capture stunning panoramic views of Almaty.

Leave Almaty behind for Dushanbe by flight. Meet with your tour guide and driver at the airport and then head to a local restaurant for lunch.

This relatively young capital of Tajikistan takes on a post-Soviet elegance with its tree-lined streets and large parks creating a cozy, homely urban environment. You will visit the modern National Museum of Tajikistan for an overview of the nation's complex history. The sculptures outside of the museum are also interesting, such as the sculpture of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenian Empire. Round off the day at the nearby Rudaki Park. Spend some time wandering along with fountains, statues, manicured lawns, towering trees from across the world, and a plethora of stunning flowers.

Wake up early and journey onward to the Uzbekistan - Tajikistan border. Alight for a break at the Iskanderkul Lake about 3 hours later. This scenic lake guarded by beautifully-shaped rocky peaks is a perfect place to catch some of the beauty of the Fann Mountains. Another stop will be Penjikent Ancient Settlement, the ruins of an ancient town in Sogdiana dating back to AD 400. You can imagine the layout of the complex at that time through the excavation sites and get a glimpse of their life through the colorful wall paintings that survived in ruins.

Continue to the border for custom formalities and meet with your Uzbek tour guide and driver, who will escort you to your hotel in Samarkand.

The ancient city of Samarkand, overpacked with stunning Islamic architecture of mosques and mausoleums, leaves no wonder why poets and historians described the city as "the Pearl of the Eastern Muslim World".

Walk into the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the resting place of Timur and some family members, and immerse in the shining details richly decorated with carved bricks and various mosaics. A couple of minutes' walking is Registan Square surrounded by three grand madrasas. Here you can take stunning photos outside the buildings and appreciate the impressive mosaic art inside the madrasas.

Take a break at the Bibi-Khanym Mosque with its quiet courtyard and then visit the Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis. Marvel at the beautiful mausoleums along the narrow medieval street and make sure to step into some of the mausoleums to enjoy their richly decorated details.

Board the high-speed Afrosiyob train to Bukhara, 1.5 hours away.

Upon arrival, meet with your tour guide and start your exploration of Bukhara. You will visit the Ark of Bukhara, which once was inhabited by various royal courts and was mostly destroyed in the 1920s. These days, you can only get some ideas of the life inside through several rooms within the fortress. Just across the road, the Bolo-Kauz Mosque stands with amazing wooden carved pillars in the front. Afterward, take a walk from the Kalon Minaret to the Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble, passing through the ancient Trading Domes. Before the night falls, enjoy a photo opportunity at the Chor Minor, which was picked for the cover of the Lonely Planet Central Asia.

Driving about 7 hours, passing through the Kyzylkum Desert, you will reach Khiva. En route, you will have a chance to visit the Sitorai-Mokhi Khosa Complex, which combined the elements of imperial Russian architecture with the traditional Uzbek interior decoration.

Arrive in the late afternoon and have the rest of the day at leisure.

Unlike Samarkand and Bukhara, Khiva is more like an open-air museum where over 50 historical sites are concentrated in its inner city called Ichan Kala.

Today you will have a whole day to explore its major attractions, in the company with a local guide. Schedule your time on what you prefer, maybe the large turquois-tiled Kalta Minor Minaret, the Juma Mosque supported by hundreds of beautifully carved wooden columns, or the Kuhna Art - the residence of Khica's ruler. Aside from them, you can also find some traditional silk carpet weaving workshops and witness the women doing the process of making rugs. Before leaving for the hotel, it is recommended to climb up the watchtower of the Ark for a spectacular sunset view of Khiva.

After breakfast, proceed to the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border for customs formalities. Your tour guide and driver from Turkmenistan will greet you and escort you to the Darvaza Gas Crater. Dubbed by locals as "the Door to Hell", this is a natural gas field in the middle of the Karakum Desert. The ground collapsed in 1971, leaving a gas pit with a diameter of 69 meters and a depth of 30 meters. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, the government decided to burn it off, but until now, the fire is still burning. You can witness the spectacular and fascinating view of the gas crater as the night falls and enjoy BBQ dinner and the starry sky before sleeping in the camp.

Picnic-style breakfast in the camp and then transfer to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. There is a break stop at the village of Erbent, the largest settlement on the road between Darvaza and Ashgabat. Besides, the continuously changing desert landscapes make the drive an experience in itself.

Arrive in the afternoon and have the rest of the day at leisure.

Ashgabat is a city where all the new buildings were built in white Iranian marble, making the whole city white and bright. You will spend half a day exploring its major landmarks, including the impressive Gypjak Mosque with a beautiful golden dome, the Ashgabat National Museum of History, the Arch of Neutrality, and Independence Park.

After that, go out of the city to visit Nisa, an ancient settlement of the Parthian Empire, which was a major power from the mid-3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD.

Your adventurous Central Asia tour comes to an end. Bid farewell to your guide and board your flight back home.