Private Train | The Lengendary Silk Road|
From the cobblestones of the Forbidden City to the walls of the Kremlin |
| 2012 | |||
| These are English language dates | 17 APRIL to 30 APRIL 2012 | ||
| . | 16 OCT to 29 OCT 2012 | ||
| 2013 | |||
| 09 APRIL to 22 APRIL 2013 | |||
| 15 OCT to 28 OCT 2013 | |||
| There are other dates for French, Italian, Spanish and German. You would need to be reasonably fluent! |
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Itinerary - scroll down
This journey makes you familiar with the manifold cultures along the legendary Silk Road and numerous localities that made history,
among them no less than 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Tien Shan Mountains, the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are richly endowed with history and culture, a flavour of which you will sample on
this exciting journey by Private Train.
Your route
Ashgabat––Mary/Merv––Bukhara––Khiva––Samarqand–– Shakhrisabz ––Tashkent––Turkestan––Astana
| Day 1 | Welcome to Ashgabat Arrival and transfer to your First-Class hotel in Ashgabat. |
| Day 2 | Starting in the Desert In the forenoon you will board your Private Train and start your journey through the infamous Karakum Desert. Witness fascinating nature with sandhills up to 90 meters high. Around evening you will reach a train station in the Karakum where, after a short bus ride, you will see a gas crater with a huge fire, burning day and night since the 1960s. An unforgettable sight! Overnight in your Private Train. (BLD) |
| Day 3 | Former Royal City of Nisa and today’s Capital Ashgabat In the morning you’ll visit the colourful Tolkuchka Bazaar, a typical oriental market, one of the largest in Central Asia, where in addition to camels one can also buy precious silver jewellery and valuable carpets. Then you will drive to the old Parthian city of Nisa. In Ashgabat’s National Museum you will be able to see ruins of ancient Nisa. After lunch you'll take a city tour and become acquainted with today's capital Ashgabat, with the unmistakable handwriting of the Turkmenbashi, the leader of the Turkmens: You’ll dine with folklore and later depart on your Private Train. (BLD) |
| Day 4 | Merv, the Ancient Pearl of the East In the early morning your Private Train will arrive at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Merv with its gigantic walls and ramparts in the desert and the impressive ruins of old buildings such as the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, the Virgin Fortress (Kis Kale), the cold room and other mausoleums. You'll lunch in the picturesque courtyard of an artist and then you will get on your Private Train headed for Bukhara. (BLD) |
| Day 5 | Bukhara––The City with the Desert Lighthouse Situated in the middle of the Kyzyl Kum desert, Bukhara features about one thousand monuments, which recall the halcyon days of the Great Silk Road. Foreign spices, furs and especially silk fabrics were stored and handled in the caravansaries. In the old city (UNESCO-World Culture Heritage) you'll see the Kaljan Minaret and the Labi-Hauz Ensemble. In front of the Nasreddin-on-the-donkey monument you’ll listen to some anecdotes about the man. You’ll have dinner in the courtyard of a Madrasah with musical accompaniment, local dances and a presentation of colourful national costumes. You'll spend the night in a centrally located upper Middle-class hotel in Bukhara. (BLD) |
| Day 6 | Bukhara, the Noble Today, you’ll experience the city in an all-day tour program, including lunch. Bukhara is a large, unique and authentic art museum that maintains its old oriental face. In the morning, we guide you to the magnificent Mire-e-Arab Madrasah and the most beautiful and precious building in Central Asia, the Samanid Mausoleum. Then you'll take a tour through the fortress Ark. You'll see there the coronation hall and visit the summer residence of the last Emir. At the end of your stay you’ll see the only women’s mosque in the world. In the evening your train departs for Khiva and you will spend the night in your compartment. (BLD) |
| Day 7 | A Fairy Tale of 1001 Nights After breakfast you will go to the Southern border of the seven river lands, in the oasis of Khiva. When you stand before the mighty city wall of Khiva with its gates and bastions of clay brings, you are in another world: Around the Kalta Minor Minaret life still pulses today as it did in old times, and on a tour you see palaces, mosques, minarets, mausoleums and Koranic schools show you, what medieval oriental urban development must have been like. You will enjoy lunch in the atmosphere of the former Summer Palace of the Emir. In the evening you will depart to Samarqand. (BLD) |
| Day 8 | Samarqand––Intersection of Cultures Today you experience the historical prominence of Samarqand, the most beautiful city in the world in Tamerlane’s time: the grave city Shah-e-zende (“the living Shah”), the excavation sites of Afrosiab and the Registan Square present an impressive collection of Central Asian architecture. You will spend the night in a First-Class hotel in Samarqand. (BLD) |
| Day 9 | Samarqand, the Magnificent You visit a silk carpet factory and an Uzbek craftsman’s family, see paper manufactured from mulberry bark, the observatory of Ulug Beg, the ruins of the Bibi Khanum Mosque and the palace-like Gur Emir Mausoleum. You will spend the second night in your First-Class hotel in Samarqand. (BLD) |
| Day 10 | On the Great Silk Road to Shakhrisabz Enjoy an excursion into the surrounding mountain region where elsewhere forgotten ceremonies of Shaman cult still are held. You will experience a folklore performance in the unique tradition of this region and get to know the inhabitants in their authentic everyday life. A friendly welcome is guaranteed! Next you will follow the Great Silk Road and arrive in the green city, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Here, in Shakhrisabz (UNESCO-World Heritage Site) you’ll tour the monumental memorials of the barbaric Mongol Prince and also have the opportunity to watch the thriving bustle of this lively town. In the evening you'll depart on your Private Train to Tashkent. On board: Uzbek wine tasting. (BLD) |
| Day 11 | Tashkent, the Green Oasis In the morning your Private Train arrives in Tashkent at the foot of the Tien Shan Mountains. On your sightseeing tour you’ll experience the green oasis of the Steppe: the Madrasah Kukeldash, the Kavoj and Amir Timur monuments and the opera. In the evening you will attend the famous Tashkent Navoy Opera (depending on the schedule). Afterwards your Private Train departs for Kasachstan. (BLD) |
| Day 12 | Nomad’s Pilgrimage Center: Turkestan After breakfast and lunch on board you arrive at the city of Turkestan in Kazakhstan (border formalities occur comfortably in your cabin). You will see the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (UNESCO World Heritage Site) with its dome hall, monumental mosque and well house. Then your Private Train will travel on to Astana – at dinner it will be time to say farewell to your friendly train staff. (BLD) |
| Day 13 | Astana¬––Art object of the Steppe You will reach Astana in the early afternoon and check into your room at a First-Class hotel. In the afternoon you will take a city tour of the modern metropolis and experience architectural masterpieces of our time, among others, the famous pyramid of the British star architect Norman Foster and the government buildings with their impressive glass fronts. At the banks of the Jesil you will be surprised by the view of Astana’s sky line. Depending on your flight arrangement you will be either taken to the airport in the evening or the next morning. (BLD) |
| Day 14 | Astana¬— An epic journey comes to an end! |
Pre and post tour extensions
We can organise any extra touring.
Inclusions: Hightlights: Prices: Cabin Types: Callery:. Go to next page
You have been reading about the set date, fully guided PRIVATE Train with exclusive cabin types. If you want programmes on the standard
trains (public trains) follow the links below
| Options: | • Any Date Independent |
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