Grand Silk Road Azerbaijian-Georgia-Armenia-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgistan-China 8 cultures, 3 religions and 28unforgettable days

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1 Grand Silk Road Azerbaijian-Georgia-Armenia-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgistan-China 8 cultures, 3 religions and 28unforgettable days 1 DAY/15.09: Arrival at Baku /Azerbaijan/ Arrival at Baku.Meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. 2 DAY/16.09: Baku/ AbsheronPeninsula Visit the city of Baku, called IchariShahar - the Inner City and the historical center of Baku. Walking in the narrow streets of the city, visiting cultural monuments, museums, squares. Visit the Maiden Tower also known as GizGalasi; built in 12 th century. La Maiden Tower houses a historical museum of Baku City. The tour continues to the Palace Shirvanshah; the main palace building, Divanhane, the cemetery with the crypt, the Shah's mosque with a minaret, the Mausoleum of SeyidYahyaBakuvi and the door of the East called "Murad door", a reservoir and the remnants of the bathrooms - are these are the structures that are part of the vast complex of Shirvanshah. In the afternoon we visit the Absheron Peninsula; Azerbaijan and was named "Land of Fire" because of "flaming" hills from gas seepage through the cracks of the earth. There are many legends dedicated to this place. The tour continues to the YanarDagh the Mountain of Fire. Lunch and dinner at local restaurant Overnight in Baku. 3 DAY/17.09: Baku Shemakhi Sheki Leaving for Sheki from Baku; visit the historical and religious sites of Shemakha. Late afternoon arrival in Sheki - important trading center. In the old town there are caravanserais and the majestic walls of 1300 meters long fortification. Mausoleums visit Eddi-Gjumbez; Gjulistan the fortress; Dzuma Mosque, Palace of the Khans, built in the late eighteenth century. Full of prestigious decorations stained glass and wood and wonderful frescoes. Dinner and overnight in Sheki. 4 DAY/18.09: Sheki Kvareli - Gremi - Sighnaghi Tbilisi /Georgia/ Departure to the border with Georgia; customs formalities. Change transport and guide. We will explore Kakheti- the land of wine. Hundreds of species of grapes are grown here and we could try some of the best wines in a selected local winery.

2 Then we head to the wine store (gvirabi, tunnels) in natural tunnel where we will have the chance to taste some local wines and have lunch with typical products. Subsequently we will visit the fortified religious complex of Gremi, capital of Kakheti in the XVI century, then in the afternoon we ll visit the estate of Chavchvadze family, walking in the beautiful park full of old-growth and exotic plants. Visit the city of love "Sighnaghi". Drive Tbilisi.Dinner at a local restaurant.overnight in Tbilisi. 5 DAY/19.09: Tbilisi city tour Breakfast.City tour in old Tbilisi. You will be able to take a look at the history of the city from the first centuries to the present, you will walk through the narrow streets of the city and you can explore the religious architecture. Lunch. You will find several religious buildings - churches, mosques, synagogues, you will see the famous 19th century houses with polychrome wood and balconies. Visit the sulfur bath which made an unforgettable impression on Pushkin, Lermontov, Duma. Next you will visit the stunning treasury of Georgia - National Art Museum or History Museum (it depends which will be opene). Dinner at a local restaurant.overnight in Tbilisi. 6 DAY/20.09: Tbilisi - Mtskheta - Gori - Uplistsikhe Tbilisi After breakfast visit Mtskheta, the ancient religious capital, near Tbilisi, where in the 4th century St. Nino introduced Christianity to the Ivorian kingdom. This town, where some of the oldest and most important churches of the country, is the spiritual heart of Georgia. Visit the Church of Jvari and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, large building dating back to 11th century, presenting plant elongated cross, decorated with splendid stone sculptures both outside and inside. According to tradition the tunic of Christ is buried under the cathedral. Both Jvari and Svetitskhoveli are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visiting the City of Uplistsikhe Cave (I millennium. C.), inhabited until the fourteenth century. Since then, the caves have been converted into apartments, shops and public buildings (the oldest of which is the theater of Georgia) and by huge wine cellars. The city has an old and interesting complex with residences, markets, wineries, bakeries, theater and the three-nave basilica church built on the rock. Some traces of the caravans are still preserved along the hills overlooking the rocky complex. Farewell dinner. Overnight in Tbilisi. 7 DAY/21.09: Tbilisi - Haghpat Sanahin Yerevan/ Armenia/ Breakfast. Drive to Georgian-Armenian border Sadakhlo. Border formalities. Transport and guide change. Continue the tour in Armenia. Today we will visit two unique masterpieces of Armenian architecture of X-XIV centuries: the monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Literally the name Sanahin in Armenian means "this one is older than the other," which probably means that this monastery is older of than Haghpat. These two monasteries are very close to each other and can be easily seen from one to the other. Both are located on an uneven plateau, separated by a deep crack formed by a small river that flows into the river Debed. Haghpat Monastery was one of the largest religious, cultural and educational centers of medieval Armenia.Lunch at a local restaurant. Drive to Yerevan. Welcome dinner at a traditional Armenian restaurant with folk music. 8 DAY/22.09: Yerevan Garni Geghard Sevan - Dilijan Breakfast. Take trip to Garni. This Pagan Temple built in the 1st century AD. It is the only temple that has been preserves from the Pagan times in Armenia. It was devoted to the god Mihr, who was the god of cleanness. In 1679 it was destroyed by earthquake. In the 1975 the Temple was restored. Then we will continue our trip to Geghard Monastery. Its name came from the legendary lance that was used to pierce the body of Christ. It has been kept here for centuries. Though the exact foundation of the monastery is unknown, the present complex was built in the mid 13th century. Afterwards we will drive to a local house where you will have the chance to see and participate in the preparation of Armenian national bread: lavash. It is a very thin, usually sold in very large forms. It is usually cooked in a ground oven: tonir''. In 2015 it has been inscribed in UNESCO intangible heritage list. Here we will enjoy the Armenian fast food with lavash and cheese. Lunch here. Drive to Lake Sevan which is one of the largest lakes in the world. It stands out with its sweet and astonishingly blue water. Here we can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the beautiful lake. Then we will visit Sevanavank Monastery which is situated on Sevan Peninsula. There are 2 monasteries actually; one of them is destroyed but the other stands still. They have been built in the middle Ages, around 10th century. Dinner and overnight in Sevan. 9 DAY/23.09:Dilijan Noratus Selim Karahunj Goris

3 Breakfast. Visit Noratus, the greatest cemetery of the Khachkars, cross stones. Then we will cross the routes that have been used by travelers of the Great Silk Road. We ll stop near the caravanserai of Selim, which was an important trading center on the Silk Road and was also the place for overnight stay. Here we can see the immortal traces the history of the world. Lunch in a local restaurant. Visit Karahunj or Zorakarer, the ancient astrological observatory, which is years older than Stonehenge and years older than the Egyptian pyramids. Many archaeologists who visited Karahunj have determined that the site was a temple with a large highly developed observatory. Arrive at Goris. Dinner and overnight in here. 10 DAY/24.09: Goris Tatev Khndzoresk - Meghri Tabriz/ Iran/ Breakfast. The journey begins with a visit to the monastery of Tatev (9-13 cc). To get here we will take the longest nonstop cable car of the world. Tatev was the famous center of studies of the time. Visit to the cave village of Khndzoresk. Lunch at local restaurant. Transfer to border between Armenia and Iran. Meeting with guide and driver of Iran. Drive to the city of Tabriz. On the way we will visit the cathedral St. Stepanous. Overnight in Tabriz. 11 DAY/25.09: Tabriz- Zanjan Breakfast. Visit the city of Tabriz. As many of the historical monuments of the city have been destroyed by earthquakes, little evidence is left from the centuries-old history of the town. However, the city retains some places and ancient buildings of great charm and interest. An important monument that has survived is the Citadel of Tabriz. Other buildings of interest are the Mosque of Kabud or "Blue Mosque" built in 1465, the Grand Bazaar, since ancient times one of the main attractions of the Middle East market, Fortress Alisha and Azerbaijan museum. Drive to Zanjan. Overnight in Zanjan. 12 DAY/26.09: Zanjan- Tehran Breakfast.City tour inzanjan, visit the Museum of RakhtshuyKhane, Old Market and the Museum of salt people. Leave for Tehran.On the way visit Dome Soltaniehe, ancient capital of the Mongol Ilkanidi, rulers in Iran in the fourteenth century. In 2005, UNESCO listed Soltaniyeh as one of World Heritage sites. Overnight in Tehran. 13 DAY/27.09: Tehran- Mashhad Breakfast.In the morning visit to the greater Tehran museum including the Golestan Palace. Transfer to the airport for the flight to Mashhad. Visit to the tomb of Imam Reza. Overnight in Mashad. 14 DAY/28.09: IR- BP Gaudan-Ashgabat / Turkmenistan / Breakfast. Transfer to the border between Iran and Turkmenistan. Meeting on the border: Gaudan. Border formalities and transfer to our hotel. Rest in the evening.dinner at a local restaurant.overnight in Ashgabat. 15 DAY/29.09:Ashgabat Breakfast. City tour in the capital of Turkmenistan: the city that was completely rebuilt after the great earthquake that destroyed it in Ashgabat appears to us as a modern city characterized by towering white buildings and majestic fountains of pure Soviet-Asian style. Visit of the most significant monuments, in particular the National Museum, Independence Park, the mosque-mausoleum of Turkmenbashi. In the afternoon excursion to visit the ruins of Nisa, the ancient capital of Parthia, a major power in the ancient world. At the end return to hotel, overnight. Lunch and dinner at local restaurants. 16 DAY/30.09: Ashgabat Mary Breakfast.In the early morning transfer to the airport and fly to Mary. Upon arrival, transfer to the ancient caravan city of Mery, the oldest and best preserved oasis city along the Silk Road, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mery is located in the Karakum desert in a strategic position for the caravans that had to reach China from the Mediterranean. The city is composed of several urban centers surrounded by walls and erected over the centuries by the major powers of the ancient world. Then visit to the mosque Talkhatab Baba. At the end accommodation at the hotel in Mary. Overnight.Lunch and dinner at local restaurants. 17 DAY/01.10: Mary-Farab-Bukhara / Uzbekistan /

4 Breakfast. After breakfast leave for Farab, 290 km, border between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Lunch at local restaurant and departure to Bukhara.Rest and dinner at the hotel. 18 DAY/02.10: Bukhara Breakfast.Full day city tour of Bukhara which, with its 2000 years of history, is a real town-museum with its magnificent monuments of Islamic architecture. Thanks to its strategic location along the caravan routes connecting Saudi India and China, the city soon became an important commercial, cultural and religious. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the most significant monuments including the fortified town of Ark, the Bolo Hauz mosque with its minaret, ChashmaiAyub, Mosque Then Kalyan and its minaret, the madrasa Miri Arab, Ulugbeg and Abdulazizkhan the complex of Hauz, the mosque of Magokki Actors and the old silk bazaar where we can immerse ourselves pleasantly among the small shops of fabrics and craft shops. Dinner at the madrassa of Nadir Devonbegi.Overnight in Bukhara. 19 DAY/03.10: Bukhara-Shakhrisabz-Samarkand Breakfast. Leave for the city of Samarkand. On the way visit to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane, the legendary leader and king who at the turn of the fourteenth and fifteenth century conquered most of Central Asia, founded the Timurid Empire with its capital in Samarkand. Literally in Persian, Shakhrisabz means "The Green City", visit the most significant monuments of Shakhrisabz, lunch at a local restaurant. The tour continues to Samarkand. Rest and dinner at the hotel. 20 DAY/04.10: Samarkand Tashkent Breakfast. Samarkand is the third largest city of Uzbekistan size. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and was also the wealthiest city of Central Asia due to its location at the center of the Silk Road. For most of its history, Samarkand has been part of the Persian Empire, later becoming a beautiful main city of Tranxoxiana under Tamerlane and capital of the country for 40 years under Ulugh Beg. Lunch at local restaurant. Transfer to the station for the train to Tashkent (17:00). Transfer to the hotel, rest and dinner. 21 DAY/05.10: Tashkent - Kokand Rishtan-Fergana Breakfast at hotel.passing through the city of Tashkend. Departure for the Fergana Valley through the Pass Kamchik (2450 mt) and arriving in Kokand. Lunch and hike in Kokland. Visit the city, the eponymous capital Kanato existed between 1709 and 1876; the vast territory now divided between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the city has always been the most important hub of trade routes of the Fergana Valley since the time of the Way of Silk. Continuation to the town of Rishtan. Continue to Fergana, a city that gives its name to the valley. It is one of the most fertile regions not only of Uzbekistan, but throughout Central Asia. Accommodation in hotel, dinner and overnight. 22 DAY/06.10: Fergana Dustlik Osh / Kyrgyzstan / After breakfast transfer to the border Dustlik between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The tour continues to Kyrgyzstan. Border formalities. Continue the tour to the city of Osh. Osh, ancient city crossed by the Silk Road, is the second largest city of Kyrgyzstan, built on seismic foothills of the Pamir Mountains. Visit the fortress of Suleiman, a hill in the city center, where the great Prophet would go to pray, and the Grand Bazaar, always very animated. Visit to Alymbrek and KurmanjanDatka museums. Overnight in Osh. 23 DAY/07.10: Osh-Bishkek Breakfast. Transfer to the airport and fly to Bishkek. Transfer to the city of Bishkek. The capital lives without embarrassment with evidence of its recent history. The statue of Lenin is still present in the city's central square. Visit Ala-Tau to attend the ceremony of the changing of the guard to the west of the square is the White House, the State Government and the Kyrgyz Parliament, a popular choice by Kyrgyz children, the Panfilovpark. Nearby is another public park, the Dubovy, with its ancient oaks. Together with Erkindik Park, these two green areas make Bishkek the greenest cities across Central Asia. All attractions are in the center Bihskek. Visit the open air museum of applied arts. Also visit the history museum if it is open (closed on Monday, it will be under the REBUILDING) Overnight in Bishkek. 24 DAY/08.10: Bishkek Naryn

5 Breakfast.Departure to the city of Naryn.The route to the city of Naryn, which will pass the whole day.on the way visit to the historical complex Burana. Overnight in Naryn. 25 DAY/09.10: Naryn Kashgar(China) Today after breakfast drive to the border Kyrgyzstan and China through the pass of Turogart (about 3900 Mt) that allows the crossing of the Pamir range. Picnic lunch before crossing the border.meeting with the guide and driver of China. The journey continues to the Kashgar oasis city of primary importance on the Silk Road. After arrival, transfer to the hotel for the rest. Overnight in Kashgar. 26 DAY/10.10: Kashgar Yarkand Magaty Breakfast.Departure to Yarkand. Visit the grave of Amanisha Khan, who created the folklore song "Twelve Mukam" (World Heritage). The imperial reign Mausoleum Yankand ( ). The Yarkand kingdom was founded by khan Syeed Sudan. Then departure to Maghty. 27 DAY/11.10: Magaty - Kashgar Breakfast at hotel, watching the performance of Mukam which is played by the last 2 descendant.then sightseeing to the beautiful thousand island lake. Later transfer to town 7 for visiting the farmer s painting exhibition. Lunch at local restaurant, then transfer back to Kashgar(200 km 3 h). 28 DAY/12.10: Kashgar - Urumqi- Departure Breakfast. Drive to Urumqi. Visit to AbakhKhoja Tomb, Of Kah Mosque, and the Xinjiang handicrafts center. Airport transfer for the return flight.