Starting: 15 Sep 2012 for 23 days
Tour Status: Closed
Land Only Price: £3,985
Single Supp: £395
Please note that a Wild Frontiers price means NO hidden extras, NO local payment or kitty, NO compulsory single supplement.
Download DossierTurkmenistan, Iran, Armenia & Georgia - Spanning centuries, cultures and continents, the fabled Silk Road once snaked its way across 4,000 miles of desert and ocean, from the shores of the China Sea to the markets of Persia and the Mediterranean. Its ancient routes have echoed to the sounds of merchants and Mongols, pilgrims and pack animals and its very name still conjures up a magical sense of the Orient. Following in the footsteps of the traders of old, we pass along some of the lesser known ancient routes that meander across the deserts and mountains of Central Asia, undertaking a journey that takes us from Turkmenistan to Georgia. Along the way we will visit mountain strongholds and ornate caravanserai, explore some of the oldest monastic retreats in the world and meet many of the varied peoples who inhabit these lands. This is a journey that encompasses the cultures and traditions of countless ages and, as we cross the Karakum Desert to view remains of ancient civilisations and head up into the Alborz Mountains of Iran, we continue a tradition that has endured for three millennia. But it wasn’t only trade that passed along these highways; religions too followed in the wake of the caravans and, as we enter the fertile landscapes of Armenia, we enter a world bedecked with the architectural splendour of some of the most venerated monasteries on earth. This incredible odyssey encompasses some of the most diverse and fascinating regions in Asia, where the ghosts of the past still haunts the landscapes of the present and where history and tradition assail us at every juncture. The Silk Road is long gone, but its legacy still remains.
Accommodation for this night is included due to the arrival times of our suggested flights. Those on the suggested group flight will arrive in the early hours of Day 2.
Today we will pay a visit to the colourful Tolkuchka Bazaar, the largest open air market in Central Asia, and also take a tour of this bizarre city.
This morning we head west from Ashgabat, travelling via the Parthian site of Old Nisa en route to the Kopet Dag Mountains where we stay in a local house.
We will explore the nearby canyon and some of the local waterfalls. Continuing on to the village of Konyegummez, we'll spend the night in a local village house.
En route back to Ashgabat we'll visit Kow Ata Underground (55m underground) and visit the Carpet Museum - which holds the world's biggest carpet.
After a free morning, we fly down to the city of Mary, the gateway to the fabulous ruins of ancient Merv.
Driving across these desert plains, we visit little known Margush, which archaeologists now believe was equal to those of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China.
The ancient city of Merv was once one of the greatest cities in the world. We have ample time to visit its remains as well as the impressive Mary Museum.
En route to Mashhad we will visit the Robat-e-Sharaf, one of the oldest and most ornate caravanserais in the region and then crossing the border, we continue on to the holy city of Mashhad.
We visit the impressive Imam Reza shrine, whose golden domes and towering minarets present one of the most remarkable monuments anywhere in the Muslim world. Later we take an overnight train to Tehran.
We'll have a full day to see some of the sights of this chaotic & impressive city from Tehran from the Golestan palace to the breathtaking Crown Jewels
To the north of Tehran the Alborz Mountains stretch from the Armenian border to the Caspian Sea. They are home to some impressive''Assassins' Castles'' and today we'll visit the fabled Alamut Fortress.
There'll be some opportunities for walks today i the mountains as we head for the incredibly picturesque mountain village of Masule.
A tour highlight today is the chace to walk to Roodkhan Castle, one of the best preserved of all the castles in the area.
Departing Masule we make for the Shabil area, a region renowned for its nomadic herders. From here we'll head to the far north-western corner of the country and the small town of Ahar, renowned for its traditional carpets.
This morning we drive on to the mountain township of Kalibar, set in a beautiful valley to the east of Mount Babak for a 4hr return walk to the impressive Babak Castle.
Crossing the border, we drive up through the winding mountain roads of southern Armenia to the town of Goris, famed for its medieval cave-dwellings.
This morning we will visit the magnificent Tatev Monastery, a former centre for the arts and sciences. Later we head to the ancient observatory at Karahunj, a mystical setting that predates both the Pyramids and Stonehenge by over 3 millennia.
This morning we will drive to the 13th century monastery of Noravank, with its beautiful stone crosses. Then we head to Khor Virap, the closest point in Armenia to the biblical slopes of Mount Ararat with majestic views across to the holy mountain.
This morning we take a tour around one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. We'll also visit the nearby pagan temple at Garni as well as Geghard Monastery, named after the lance that was used to pierce the side of Christ on the cross.
This morning we drive to the city of Echmiadzin, the spiritual centre of the country. We then head to Lake Sevan (2000m), the largest lake in the country.
Before we leave Armenia we drive through the the stunning Debed Canyon to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Sanahin & Haghpat Monasteries, two of the finest medieval monasteries in the country.
This morning we will have a city tour including all of Old Tbilisi. The tour ends after lunch.
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