LOST WORLDS OF ANCIENT KESH

Period

8 days / 7 nights

Itinerary

Tashkent-Shakhrisabz-Tashkent

Season

June-September. Best period end of June – beginning of July

Tour highlights:

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Fascinating journey to the lands of ancient Kesh. You will visit the Sarymas ridge, see and walk through the deepest gypsum Kaptarkhona cave, a kilometer long. You will visit the mountains of ancient Kesh, look over the side of Zarmas which is one of the largest canyons of Uzbekistan. You will see what a city dweller has scarcely seen before.

This region is rich in history. Since ancient times, the gorge in the Sarymas ridge has served as a caravan route. The Yakkabag mountains were used for wintering and training of Amir Timur troops. This region abounding with caves, rich in water and abundance of game and animals was supremely well suitable for these purposes. In addition, these mountains are rich in juniper forests, iron and other ores. Here you can see the ancient foundries which smelted metal including weapons for Tamerlan’s army. You will see huge canyons where his army was hidden and trained. All this and much more is waiting for you!

Tashkent, arrival.

Arrival in Tashkent.  Guide and driver will meet you with a signboard "BBS Travel".  Transfer to the hotel (check in is after 14:00).

City tour around Tashkent: The Khast Imam complex (16c), the Koran of Osman. Madrasah Kukeldash.

Visit Independence square, Amir Temur square, some metro stations

Overnight in Tashkent.

  • Tashkent-Shakhrisabz (morning train)

    Light early breakfast at hotel. Transfer to railway station to take train to Shakrisabz.

    Meeting in Shahrisabz

    Departure to mountain area. Visiting the Lyangar canyon. It is a beautiful canyon surrounding sai with the same name.

    Visiting the Shrine of Katta-Lyangar. Sufi Shrine located on the top of the mountain.  To get to it you need to go through the steps to the top of the mountain, surrounded by ancient graves of Sufis from the 16th century on the one hand, and by large orchard and cliff on the other side.

    Visiting the salt mines, where still salt is produced by the old-fashioned way. Mines are represented by pits 15-30 meters deep, usually round in shape. Inside you can see how the local "miners" extract salt, taste it and take clean and transparent crystals of salt as a souvenir.

    Transition to the high-mountain “Maydanak” observatory

    Dinner. Overnight.
  • Breakfast.

    Visiting the karst Mingchukur plateau. Karst Mingchukur plateau (thousand pits) is located at an altitude of 2500 meters in the spurs of the Hissar range. The surface of the plateau is rocky and waterless, but almost all of its surface is densely vegetated with trees and shrubs, where numerous sinkholes and caves hide. The depth of the caves can reach up to 50 meters. Every year, the underground and aboveground appearance of the plateau changes slightly; due to the “soft” limestone frequent collapses and the birth of new washouts and sink holes occur.

    Transfer to the ancient foundries of Amir Temur. Walk through the unique canyon, which has preserved the traces of ancient excavations and foundries.

    Visiting the Kala Mozor Falls.

    Visiting the Zarmas canyon. One of the largest canyons of Uzbekistan has a length of more than 14 km and a width of 800 m, the height of the canyon walls in some places exceeds 500 m.

    Return to “Maydanak” observatory.

    Dinner. Overnight.

This and the next days the speleo-tours are waiting for us.

Transition to the Kaptarkhona cave. Speleo-tour.  Kaptarkhona is a cave in the gypseous limestone, with a length of about 1 km. It is the world with its own sounds, unique locations and its indescribable beauty.  People come here to listen to the eternal silence and to know themselves in this greatness of the huge mountain halls.

Transition to the Kyzyl Gaza Pass. Encampment.

Dinner. Overnight.

  • Track to the Kalla-i-Shiron gorge and visiting the Cave of Amir Temur. Amir Temur Cave is located in Kalla-i-Shiron tract, that is translated as the lion's fortress. If you look at the gorge from above, it becomes clear why the gorge has such a name. The natural fortress, formed by 200 meters vertical walls of the gorge has only one descending path; the second obstacle on the way to the cave is a powerful sai, especially in the spring. There is a legend that in this cave Tamerlane gathered his troops in the period when he fell into disfavour of the Shahrisabz ruler. It was from here that he went to Shakhrisabz and then to Samarkand and conquered them.

    Returning to the Camp.

    Dinner. Overnight.
  • Ascent to the top of Khodja Karaul mountain 3720 m. You have a great opportunity to climb one of the peaks of the Western Hissar and see the hidden karst plateau.

    The Hissars of Kashkadarya region are abound in Holy places. Most of them are located on the tops of mountains, above 3500 meters, closer to God. On top of the Khodja Karaul mountain (3765 m) there are stone shrines.  The views from this peak are very beautiful and informative, especially towards Surkhandarya area. You can see the whole Baysuntau range, Chulbair mountain, Chimbay and many four-thousand meters mountains. On top there are 7 stacked stone pyramids (tours) – pyramids are directed to the side of the Khodja-Akhchaburun mountain (3855 m), where, according to legend, the remains of the Saint are buried.

    Returning to the Camp.

    Dinner. Overnight.
  • Departure to Shahrisabz train station. Departure to Tashkent.

    Arrival and transfer to hotel.

    Overnight in Tashkent

TASHKENT, departure

Breakfast at the hotel. Check out till 12:00.

Transfer to the international airport.

Flight home.

  • Accommodation in Tashkent
  • Accommodation in guest house and tents (single accommodation is not possible)
  • Transportation services through the tour, including airport and train stations transfers
  • English-speaking local guides
  • Services of astronomies and porters
  • Meals as per program (lunch boxes during active part of the tour)
  • Excursion program as per itinerary
  • Obtaining permits to visit closed areas
  • Astronomical excursions in Maidanak
  • Providing camp equipment
  • Train tickets Tashkent-Shakrisabz-Tashkent (sitting places)
  • Meals not mentioned in the program
  • Photo and video charges
  • Visa fee
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Any personal expenses
  • Other services not mentioned in the itinerary

Conditions:

Itinerary: Tashkent-Shakhrisabz-Tashkent

Duration: : 8 days, 7 nights

Travel time: June-September. Best period end of June – beginning of July;

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