Introduction to Kyrgyzstan & Uzbekistan

(11 days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Bishkek, Karakol, Kochkor, Tashkent, Samarkand

This private tour of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan focuses on each country’s most renowned cultural and historical sites and areas of natural beauty.

Begin in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. During private touring, explore the city center and see highlights such as the White House, the Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts and the Osh Bazaar, a lively produce and housewares market, to browse for traditional Kyrgyz crafts such as felt hats, embroidered slippers and handmade carpets.

Continue through the Kyrgyzstan countryside to the town of Karakol. During private touring, visit the colorful Dungan Mosque and Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Also enjoy a dinner of local dishes such as ashlan fu noodle soup at the home of a Dungan (Chinese Muslim) family.

Next, transfer to the rural village of Kochkor. En route, see the remarkable Jeti-Oguz (Seven Bulls) sandstone cliff formation, visit a traditional felt-making workshop and watch a demonstration of hunting with a golden eagle, a traditional method once common among the nomadic people in the region.

En route back to Bishkek, visit the Burana Tower, an 11th-century minaret and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see a field of mysterious, centuries-old balbals (carved stone heads and figures). Also enjoy lunch at the home of a German-speaking Mennonite family, a minority population that has lived and farmed in the region for generations.

From Bishkek, take a private excursion to Ala Archa National Park, a deep river valley in the rocky Tian Shan Mountains, for short hikes among the forests and slopes of the breathtaking region.

Fly to Tashkent, the modern capital of Uzbekistan. With your private guide, walk through the narrow streets of the Old Town, and visit the vast Hazrati Imam complex to see historic mosques and one of the oldest Korans in the world. Explore Chorsu Bazaar, a busy market under a huge Soviet-era dome that's stocked with spices, produce and other daily goods. Visit the Museum of Applied Arts, a richly decorated historic mansion dedicated to Uzbek crafts such as silk, ceramics, carpets and wood carving. Other touring options include walking through Independence Square, seeing a local synagogue, learning about the country's diverse cultural influences at the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan, seeing important historical artworks at the State Fine Arts Museum, and perusing interesting Soviet-era architecture in the metro stations and elsewhere.

Continue by high-speed train to fabled Samarkand, one of Central Asia's oldest and most important Silk Road cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During private touring, visit the magnificent Registan, a former trading square bounded on three sides by towering madrassas covered in dazzling tile mosaics. Gaze at the blue-tiled portals, minarets and domes while learning about Samarkand's role as the capital of the influential Timurid dynasty in the 14th and 15th centuries. See other Timurid landmarks such as the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the ornate Gur-e-Amir mausoleum dedicated to legendary ruler Timur (Tamerlane) and his relatives, and the 15th-century Ulugh Beg Observatory, a monumental astronomical device. Walk among the beautiful tile-covered mausoleums of the Shah-i-Zinda ensemble, a hillside necropolis active for more than 800 years. Visit local markets and handicrafts boutiques, and stroll through the old Jewish quarter. Also tour the Afrosiab Museum, which houses archaeological artifacts and an important seventh-century fresco. One evening, enjoy a performance about Uzbek history and traditional costumes at the El Merosi theater. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange a tasting at a local winery, a lesson to learn to make traditional bread and other activities.

One day, enjoy a private excursion over the mountains to the town of Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Timur (Tamerlane) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the historic center, see structures built during the Timurid dynasty, such as the colossal ruined gates of the Ak Saray Palace, the Dorus Saodat memorial complex, the Kok Gumbaz Mosque and the Chorsu Bazaar.

Return to Tashkent by high-speed train for a night.