CADABRA: SECRETS OF CENTRAL ASIA

Day 2: Bishkek (B/L/D)

• Arrival at Manas Airport. Our team will pick you up and drive to the capital. We start our City Tour in Bishkek. We will visit the heart of the city, Ala-Too Square. After, we can enjoy a walk in Oak Park, one of the favorite places of local people. Bishkek is known as the greenest city in Central Asia thanks to its countless parks and alleys.
• After lunch, we will have time to visit the local market Osh Bazaar (may not work on Mondays). Here you can appreciate the creativity and talent of local artisans. Just as you step into the market, you plunge into the oriental atmosphere: an infinite flow of people, and a great variety of goods and colors.
• In the evening, we can go to one of the best restaurants in Bishkek where you can taste delicious Kyrgyz national dishes.

Day 4: Bishkek – Burana – Cholpon Ata (B/L/D)

• After breakfast in Bishkek, we go towards Burana Tower. Burana Tower is an ancient minaret in the Chuy Valley in the north part of Kyrgyzstan. It is close to the city of Tokmok. The tower with funerary monuments, earthworks, remains of the castle and three mausoleums – that’s all what last out of the ancient Balasagyn town that was founded by Karakhanids at the end of the ninth century.
• Lunch in the Iskra Village with a Doungane family, the ethnicity of Chinese Muslims who had to flee China. You taste their national cuisine. Then we drive to the northern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, the pearl of Central Asia. The lake is the second largest alpine lake in the world. The interesting fact about the lake – due to the very great depth of the lake and its large volume of salt, the water in it does not have time to cool completely in winter, so the lake practically does not freeze.
• In the evening, you will enjoy the charming sunset on board the boat (approx. 1 hour). While this trip, you can admire the snow-capped mountains that surround the lake and are reflected in the crystal-clear water. Later we have dinner in restaurant and rest in the hotel.

Day 6: Karakol – Kegen – Almaty (B/L/D)

• After breakfast, depart to the Kegen Border post between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Transfer from the border post to Almaty Village.
• Lunch on the road or picnic on the way. Along the way, we will visit Charyn Canyon. Charyn Canyon is located in the National Park. It is considered the little brother of the Grand Canyon in the United States. The erosion made by the Charyn River has created dramatic and impressive landscapes. When you arrive, you will admire the great panorama and you will walk down to the bottom of the canyon to walk about 2 km in the labyrinth of the Valley of the Castles. Later we drive to Almaty.
• Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 8: Almaty – Dushanbe (B/L/D)

• In the morning, transfer to Almaty International Airport for taking a flight to Dushanbe. Our team will welcome you to Dushanbe International Airport. Upon your arrival, enjoy lunch in the restaurant.
• Today we will spend the rest of the day exploring Dushanbe. Dushanbe, means “Monday,” is a relatively new city that was formed in 1925 on the site of a small village Dushanbe, place of the large bazaar on Mondays. During the Soviet period, the city was called Stalinabad (1929-1961) Political, Cultural, Educational and Financial Center of the Republic of Tajikistan. Visit the National Museum of Tajikistan, Flagpole, City Center, Dusti Square, Ismoil Somoni Monument, Rudaki Park, Mehrgon Market.
• Dinner in a city restaurant (Chinese or Tajik). Enjoy your night in Dushanbe.

Day 10: Panjakent – Samarkand (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we leave Tajikistan.
• On the way to the border, visit Sarazm Excavations (UNESCO World Heritage Site, 5,500 years old). Upon arrival at the border, we are ending our Tajikistan part of the tour.
• Arrival at Jartepo Border, and you are in Uzbekistan now. Our team will meet you at the border and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12: Samarkand – Bukhara (B/L/D)

• Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Train Station at and take the train to Bukhara.
• As we arrive in Bukhara, we will have lunch. Then we are going to explore the beauties of the ancient city. We will visit: Samanid Mausoleum, one of the oldest buildings (10th century, Chashmai Ayyub Mausoleum also known as the Museum of Water); Bolo Haouz Mosque built in 1712 and looks elegant and splendid; Ark Fortress, the citadel of Kings and Khans; Poi Kalan Complex that has a madrasah, minaret, and old mosque; Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, one on of the oldest madrasa; Ulugbek Madrasah, one of the first madrasah built in 1417, and; Abdulaziz-Khan Madrasa, a medieval madrasah built in 1651.
• Dinner in a restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 14: Ashgabat – Darvaza – Ashgabat (B/L/D)

• Breakfast in the hotel.
• Today we are going to visit the attractions of Ashgabat, the White City. You will see the Presidential Palace, Ruhyyet Palace, Wedding Palace, Modern “Yildyz” Hotel, Ferris Wheel,
• Constitution Monument, Arch of Neutrality, Monument and Park of Independence, Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, and Ashgabat 2017 Sports and Housing Facilities. Afternoon drive to Darvaza Burning Gas Crater which is one of the top international tourist destinations. The area is rich in natural gas, burning for more than 50 years. This unique landscape in the world will fascinate you and you will want to come again.
• After dinner, drive back to the capital and arrive in Ashgabat. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 16: Ashgabat – Istanbul (B/L/D)

• Transfer to the airport. Upon arrival in Istanbul, transfer to the hotel for check-in.
• Pickup for lunch then visit Blue Mosque, Hippodrome Square, and St. Sophia Church. Transfer for dinner before going back to the hotel for check-in.

Day 18: Istanbul – Manila (Meals on Board)

• Departure from Manila.