The Silk Road: Marco Polo & Golden Cities of Central Asia - 2023

Today you’ll board an overnight flight to Ashbagat, which continues on Day 2 as you dream of the unique adventure to come.

After arriving in Ashgabat in the early morning, you’ll have a day at leisure to relax and unwind after your travels. A late breakfast is included, after which you can enjoy your day at your leisure. Should you wish to kick-start your explorations, your Adventure Leader can provide suggestions for places to check out.

This evening, savor a Welcome Dinner along with a folk show to introduce you to the culture of this region. After dinner, we’ll set off on an exciting night tour of Ashgabat, discovering this historic city under the lights. (This is a great time to have your camera handy — the photography opportunities are excellent.)

Included Feature:

• Nighttime city tour of Ashgabat

Cultural Discovery:

• Folk show during your Welcome Dinner

After breakfast, you will begin your day with a visit to to the Turkmenbashi Mosque and Mausoleum. Then, you’re off to explore a memorable UNESCO World Heritage Site — Nisa. Once the capital of the Parthian Empire — which ruled this region thousands of years ago — this once-great city was revealed by archaeologists. We’ll tour this remarkably well-preserved site, which includes a ceremonial hall, treasure house, and residences. Lunch will be at a local restaurant.

This afternoon, we’ll explore Ashgabat further on a comprehensive city tour. As we travel through the Turkmen capital, the history of the city and country will unfold in the form of landmarks — the Park of Independence, Ruhnama statue, Earthquake Monument, and the Arch of Neutrality. Dinner will be at a local restaurant after the tour.

Included Features:

• Visit Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque
• Visit the Parthian Fortresses of Nisa
• Ashgabat city tour

This morning after breakfast, we’ll head out to a horse farm to see a unique and ancient equine — the Turkmen Akhal-Teke. This breed can be traced back 5,000 years, and is intricately connected to the Turkmen identity — so much so, in fact, that it graces the country’s national emblem. We’ll get to see these majestic creatures and even get a chance to ride one. Your afternoon is at leisure, and dinner is at the hotel tonight.

Included Feature:

• See Turkmen Akhal-Teke horses at a local horse farm

Our discovery of this unique part of the world continues today — we fly to Tashauz and cross over the border into Khiva, Uzbekistan. Throughout our journey, we’ll enhance our experiences with background information on the areas we explore. One of the world’s only doubly landlocked countries (which is a landlocked country surrounded by other landlocked countries), Uzbekistan has developed a culture all its own over the centuries. Khiva offers a superb glimpse into the country’s past, which retains the aura of an ancient Silk Road town once visited by hordes of nomads and traders. Today, we’ll learn more about this country during a lecture entitled “Silk Road & the Glory of Uzbekistan's World Heritage Cities." Dinner is included this evening.

Cultural Discovery:

• Lecture: Silk Road & the Glory of Uzbekistan’s World Heritage Cities

We’ll explore more of Khiva’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring an astounding 60 architectural monuments: everything from madrassas to mausoleums and mosques. This is a spectacular introduction to this ancient city and allows you to get a sense of this city’s fascinating story.

We’ll stop by a local handicrafts center that features wood carving, embroidery, and carpet weaving. Then, get to know some of the locals at a lunch at the home of Lady Zarafshan with folk dancing. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant. After delving into the sights and immersing ourselves in the culture here, we’ll enjoy a panoramic view, at sunset, from the West Gate Tower. It’s the perfect coda to a remarkable day.

Included Features:

• Visit Khiva’s Old Town
• Panoramic sunset tour of Khiva

Cultural Discovery:

• Visit a local handicrafts center
• Home-hosted lunch accompanied by Lady Zarafshan folk performance

This morning, you’ll fly from Khiva to Bukhara. This is Central Asia’s most sacred city, and we’ll begin to become acquainted with its history and allure on an orientation walk. We’ll explore the Lyab-i Hauz area of town, the central component of which is a pool that was built here in the 17th century (the name itself means “shore of pool”). We’ll discover some of the religious diversity here as we visit an old synagogue in the Jewish quarter of town as well as a madrassa at the square. Dinner is on your own this evening.

Included Feature:

• Orientation walk around Bukhara’s old town

Explore Bukhara in depth today, as we embark on a city tour. This was a hub of spiritual and intellectual growth as far back as the eighth century until it was destroyed by Genghis Khan in the 13th century. It rose to prominence once again, becoming the capital of the Bukhara Khanate but remained at the center of regional upheaval throughout the centuries, with many different armies taking control of it. The result is a captivating mix of impressive architecture.

Visit the bustling bazaars of Bukhara, which are housed in the restored “trading domes” that date from the 14th to the 17th centuries. Here, we experience the pulse of modern life while surrounded by fascinating remnants of the past. Later, we’ll savor some tea and conversation at a local teahouse, followed by a Vantage-exclusive musical performance by a well-known Uzbek folk singer. You'll also get the unique opportunity to visit a puppetry museum and take in a show there.

Lunch and dinner are included at local restaurants today.

Included Features:

• Full-day Bukhara city tour
• Visit Fortress Ark and Bolo-Hauz Mosque

Cultural Discoveries:

• Musical performance by renowned Uzbek folk singer, Saodat G’ulomova
• Visit Bukhara’s bazaars, housed in centuries-old “trading domes”
• Sample teas at a local teahouse
• Live show at a puppetry museum

We see yet another side of Bukhara today, as we explore the home of one of the city’s famous residents — politician Fayzulla Khodjaev. Now a museum, the home is a fine example of the Bukharian architectural style of the late 19th century, and our visit will provide insight into the life of Khodjaev and the spirit of his times.

We’ll continue our domestic discoveries in the home of Toshev Rakhmon. Mr. Rakhmon is a master of suzani, a type of embroidery unique to this part of the world (the name comes from the Persian word suzan, which means needle). We’ll enjoy a demonstration of Mr. Rakhmon’s artistry — an exclusive for Vantage travelers.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the rest of the afternoon and evening are at your leisure. Perhaps you will take a walk and discovery this mystery city yourself, or relax and take advantage of your hotel's amenities. Your Tour Director can give you suggestions for nearby restaurants to dine at this evening.

Vantage Exclusive:

• Suzani embroidery demonstration by a master embroiderer

Included Feature:

• Tour the former home of politician Fayzulla Khodjaev

We’ll visit the Mokhi Khosa, a grand summer palace of the emir, and enjoy lunch before transferring to the train station for your journey to Samarkand. Your ride will take you through the beautiful scenery of this country, the landscape largely unchanged from when explorers and traders once roamed the land. You’ll arrive in Samarkand and transfer to your hotel, where dinner is included.

Included Feature:

• Visit the summer palace of the former Emir of Bukhara

Cultural Discovery:

• Ride a local train through the countryside

This Central Asian city has existed since the fourth century BC when it was conquered by Alexander the Great, but it was Tamerlane (also known as Timur the Lame) that made it the capital of his vast empire. While this region was hidden behind the Russia’s Iron Curtain for decades, it has roots in a variety of Middle Eastern and Central Asian cultures. To learn more about Samarkand, join us for a lecture on Tamerlane and his most mythical Silk Road city before we depart on the day’s explorations.

Many of the places you’ll visit today — including the Gur-Emir Mausoleum, Registan Square, and three separate madrassas — reflect the deep Persian influence in this region: colorful, intricate designs, massive domes, and traditional minarets. Your first stop will be at the tomb of the city’s most famous resident: Tamerlane, the 14th-century nomad emperor who was one of the most successful conquerors of all time. Tamerlane was interred here along with his descendants after he died in 1405.

In the afternoon, we’ll discover the Ulugbek Observatory (named for Tamerlane’s great-grandson, who built it in the 15th century). After, we’ll join a local family for a home-hosted dinner, featuring delectable pilav demonstrated by a chef. In the evening, you can join a nighttime panoramic tour in Samarkand, getting to see this fascinating city under the lights.

Included Features:

• Tour the Gur-Emir Mausoleum
• Visit Registan Square, including Bibi Khanum Mosque
• Visit the observatory of Ulugbek
• Nighttime panoramic tour of Samarkand

Cultural Discoveries:

• Lecture on Tamerlane and his mythical Silk Road city
• Home-hosted dinner with pilav cooking demonstration

After a hearty breakfast this morning, you’ll embark on a full-day excursion to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. As ruler of the Timurid Empire, Tamerlane’s summer palace — the ruins of which we’ll explore on this tour — was a masterpiece of medieval architecture. We’ll also visit the tomb of his favorite son, Dzhahongir. Savor an included lunch before returning to the city.

In the evening, take your seat at El Merosi, Samarkand’s theater of historical costume, and enjoy a performance showcasing the exquisite clothing worn by past and present-day peoples of Central Asia. Dinner is at a local restaurant this evening.

Included Feature:

• Historical tour of Shakhrisabz

Cultural Discovery:

• Watch a performance at El Merosi theater of historical costume

This morning, visit Siab Bazaar, a colorful and lively farmers market where locals peddle their wares. Then, tour the ancient Necropolis Shakhi-Zinda mausoleum complex. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll venture to the Uzbek capital of Tashkent by train. Shortly before, you'll discover Samarkand, which is known for its silk paper — which you'll learn more about during a visit to a paper mill.

Dinner is on your own this evening, as we settle into yet another fascinating Central Asian city.

Included Feature:

• Tour the Shakhi-Zinda mausoleum complex

Cultural Discovery:

• Visit the Siab bazaar

Become acquainted with the epicenter of modern Uzbek culture — Tashkent, its capital city, is teeming with historic landmarks, museums, and distinctive neighborhoods. Our full-day tour will take us to the Old Quarter, Independence Square, Khast Imam square, and more. We’ll stop by the Museum of Applied Arts, which was built by local craftsmen in the 1930s. Though it was constructed during the era of Soviet hegemony, the building and its contents reflect many facets of Uzbek artistry, architecture, and culture. We’ll also immerse ourselves in the flow of everyday life here as we take a ride on the Metro train. This subterranean system is renowned for its aesthetic beauty, and we’ll admire it as we travel beneath the city with the locals.

Later, we join a local family — the Rakhimovs — at their ceramics studio. World-famous master of ceramics Akbar Rakhimov founded this studio and it has been in the family ever since. We’ll admire the handiwork and learn about the family’s artistry at their private museum. Our Farewell Dinner will be at the hotel's restaurant this evening.

Included Features:

• Full-day Tashkent city tour
• Visit a master ceramicist’s family studio

Cultural Discoveries:

• Visit the Museum of Applied Arts
• Ride the Tashkent Metro to admire its beautiful stations

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home or explore yet another fascinating destination on your extension to Almaty, Kazakhstan.