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April 30 – May 21 - Art & Artisans of the Silk Road
Day 1 April 30 Arrive in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan and overnight Airport Greeting And Welcome Dinner.
Day 2 May 1 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Full day sightseeing in Ashgabat, including the vast and exciting Sunday market. Lunch at a local craftsman's family home. Afternoon, visit The Textile and Carpet Museum, the History Museum and the Fine Arts Museum. The history museum has a superb collection of carved ivory drinking horns from Nissa, from the 1st & 2nd century BC. In the evening enjoy a special folklore program. Dinner and overnight in Ashkabat.
Day 1 April 30 Arrive in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan and overnight Airport Greeting
And Welcome Dinner.
Day 2 May 1 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Full day sightseeing in Ashgabat, including the vast and exciting Sunday market. Lunch at a local craftsman's family home. Afternoon, visit The Textile and Carpet Museum, the History Museum and the Fine Arts Museum. The history museum has a superb collection of carved ivory drinking horns from Nissa, from the 1st & 2nd century BC. In the evening enjoy a special
folklore program. Dinner and overnight in Ashkabat.
90 Meter Monument and Revolving Restaurant 2004
Day 3 May 2 Ashgabat
Visit the site of ancient Nissa, going back to the time of the Parthians in the third century B.C. This ancient site is located at the foot of the Kopet Dag mountains which divide Turkmenistan from Iran. Stop for a visit of the famous stud farm of the Akhal Tekke horses. Special farewell dinner and overnight in Ashgabat.
Day 4 May 3 Morning flight to Dashgovuz ,drive to Kunya Urgench, the original capital of the Khorezm Kingdom. Visit the tallest minaret in Central Asia, the beautiful blue-tile mosaic domed Turabek Mausoleum, the tomb of Tekesh and the huge portal of Karavansaray. Picnic lunch en route. . Dinner and Overnight in Khiva
Day 5 May 4 Khiva, Uzbekistan Full day excursion to Khiva, the most intact and remote city of Central Asia. Experience the richness of this museum city that houses the most homogenous collection of architecture in the Islamic world. Lunch with local family Dinner in local restaurant.
Day 6 May 5 Drive to Bukhara
Day 7 May 6 Bukhara
The fabulous “Silk and Spice Festival” Artisans and artists from throughout Central Asia gather in a festival of color, music and celebration of the arts. We will meet some of the artists who participated in the 1 st Annual International Folk Art Festival in Santa Fe, NM
July 2004 and we’ll be introduced to other artists from the Silk and Spice Festival.
Full day sightseeing in Bukhara to include a visit to the 2000 year-old Fortress Ark where Emirs once lived. Visit Poi-Kalon, or "Pedestal of the Great", the heart and focal point of all Bukhara. After lunch, with local family continue to Lyabi-Khaus otherwise known as The Shore of the Pool, an architectural complex consisting of 16th century medrasahs and a mosque. Dinner and fashion show in the courtyard of the old medrasah.
The Musician Samarkand
 Day 8 May 7 Bukhara Silk and Spice Festival
Begin sightseeing at the Sitorai Mohi Hosa (5 km north of the city). The former summer residence of the last ruler, it has beautiful stucco plaster interior decorations, huge banquet halls, and a large collection of costumes, silver and Ming china. Continue to Chor-Bakries, about 10 km west of the city, and contains the burial grounds of some of the aristocracy of Bukhara. Lunch at the collective farm. Dinner and overnight in Bukhara.
Day 9 May 8 Bukhara Silk and Spice Festival
Today visit the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, dating from the early 10th century. Continue to Chashma Ayub - the Spring of Job, where according to the old Testament, Job caused water to gush from the desert. After lunch, continue past the remains of the ancient city walls built in the 9th century. Visit Magoki - Attori mosque, dating from 12th century, Medrasahs of Ulug Bek and Abdul-Asis Khan, and the nearby dome covered markets. Special dinner with folk program,
Day 10 May 9 This morning, drive from Bukhara. to Samarkand. Stop in Gizhduvan for a visit the most important ceramic center in the Bukhara region. Lunch at a local potter's home. Continue afternoon drive to Samarkand, arriving late afternoon. Dinner and folk program in an old Medrassah.
Day 11 May 10 Samarkand
This morning, visit the great central square of Samarkand, the Reghistan. Continue to Gur-Emir, where Tamerlane is buried, to Bibi-Khanum Mosque and also visit the nearby market. After lunch visit Shaki -Zinda ensemble of the Mausoleums. This unusual necropolis has monuments of the 14th and 15th centuries, reflecting the development of the monumental art and architecture of the Timurid dynasty. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Samarkand.
.Day 12 May 11 Samarkand - Shakrisabz - Samarkand
Full day excursion to Shakrisabz, the actual birth place of Tamerlane. Visit to Ak Saray White Palace, Tamerlane's vast residence complex built in the 14th and 15th centuries. Visit the Jehangir mausoleum, continue to the Kok -Gumbaz mosque, Dorus Tilavet and Shamseddin Kulyal Mausoleums. Picnic lunch at Ming Chinor tea house. After lunch visit the craft centers of the region. In the evening special guest lecturer on the history of the Silk Road.
Day 13 May 12 Samarkand
After breakfast visit the Samarkand State Art Museum. Continue to the Ulugbek Observatory. Ulugbek was the grandson of Tamerlane, who developed the best observatory in the medieval world. After lunch drive to the actual site of the ancient city of Afrosiab, and after visiting the excavation with the archeologist and director of the museum, visit the Afrosiab Museum with its
excellent collection of treasures from the site. Special dinner and folk program at Registan Square. Overnight in Samarkand.
Day 14 May 13 Samarkand - Penjikent - Samarkand
Day trip to Penjikent (Tadjikistan) - old settlment along the Zeravshan River.
Morning visit to Imam Al-Bukhari Islamic Institute. Visit the exciting Chor-Su market to see cradles, hand-made musical instruments, and fruit and vegetable market. After lunch, continue by bus to Samarkand. Arrive hotel late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Samarkan
 
Valentina’s Designs, Valentina’s Models Samarkand 2004
Day 15 May 14 Samarkand-Tashkent
Drive to Tashkent
Day 16 May 15 Tashkent
City sightseeing in Tashkent will include a visit to the State Art Museum and the Museum of History, visit Abdul Khasim Medrassah with its craft workshops. After lunch enjoy a special performance by the Tashkent Puppet Theatre. Continue to the Museum of Applied Arts. In the evening enjoy dinner in the museum of Akbar Rakhimov, a local potter and one of the finest ceramic artists in the country. Note: Akbar’s father, who is one of the most noted ceramacists in Asia, visited Santa Fe in 2002 as a guest of the U. S. State Department. He doesn’t speak English, but he’s always eager to welcome Santa Feans to his home.
Day 17 May 16 Tashkent-Fergana Fly to Ferghana
 Then by road to Kokand, capital of the Kokand Khanate in the 18th and 19th centuries. Visit the Khan's palace museum. Continue to Rishton, one of the most important ceramic centers in Central Asia. Lunch at a local potter's home. Continue to the silk ikat-weaving center of Marghilan. Note: One of the weavers who visited us in Santa Fe last summer is in Marghilan and we will spend some time with him in his studio.
Fergana Valley Studios
 Day 18 May 17 Drive to Kyrghyzstan for visit to Osh
one of Central Asia's oldest and an important crossroads for on the "old silk road". Visit the Osh market. Afternoon flight to Bishkek
Day 19 May 18 In the morning visit the Historical Museum. Enjoy a lecture of the history and culture of the nomadic people of the region. Visit the excellent Soviet painting collection at the Fine Arts Museum. After lunch, visit the Children's Craft Center. Time permitting, visit a local pottery workshop. Dinner and overnight in Bishkek.
Day 20 May 19 Bishkek
After breakfast, drive 80 km east to Burana tower, remains of the Karakhanid minaret. Nearby is a unique collection of Turkish stones grave markers. Lunch at a nearby Kyrgyzs Village.
visit to the nearby mountains to view the 8th century petroglyphs at Tamgaly Tas
Return to Bishkek for dinner and overnight.
Day 21 May 20- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Almaty Kazakhstan
After breakfast, Tas. After picnic lunch, drive to Almaty. Transfer to the hotel for Dinner and overnight in Almaty..
Day 23 May 22 Almaty
After breakfast, full day sightseeing in Almaty, visiting the Zenkov Cathedral, one of the world's tallest all wood buildings. Continue to the Central State Museum. After lunch, ascend the Kok Tube mountain by cable railway to a height of 1700 meters, where there are spectacular views of Almaty. Return to Almaty to visit the unique Museum of Kazakhstan National Musical instruments, and enjoy a special folklore program and farewell dinner.
Late evening departure for US!!! Welcome Home
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