Included: All accommodation based on double occupancy per itinerary, local service charge and tax • Arrival and departure airport transfers for those arriving and departing on the tour start and end dates • Land transportation per itinerary by private air-conditioned vans or coaches • Economy class train tickets from Khiva to Bukhara, from Bukhara to Samarkand, and from Samarkand to Tashkent • Internal airfare per itinerary in economy class: Dasoguz-Ashgabat, Tashkent-Bishkek, and Bishkek-Almaty one-way with taxes included • Meals as listed in itinerary • Special welcome and farewell dinners including local beer and wine • Beverages with included lunches and dinners: bottled water, choice of non-alcoholic drink, tea or coffee • All sightseeing and excursions including entrance fees per itinerary • Local English-speaking guides throughout itinerary • Special cultural features and meetings as stated in itinerary • Services of an experienced professional MIR tour manager throughout the land tour • Bottled water on buses during tour days and drives between cities • Gratuities to tour manager, local guides, and drivers • Baggage handling at hotels, airports and railway stations where available • Destination preparation information packet
Not Included: Increases in local taxes/VAT (please note that Uzbekistan may implement 20% VAT in 2019) which will be added to the trip cost as applicable); International airfare between the U.S. and the tour start and end cities; air taxes or fuel surcharges; pre- or post-tour services; visa or passport fees; medical and trip cancellation/ interruption insurance; emergency evacuation costs; food or beverages not included in group meals; items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcohol, telephone expense, excess baggage fees, photo/video expenses inside museums (where allowed); other items not expressly listed as included.
Air Arrangements: Program rates do not include international airfare to Ashgabat/from Almaty. Due to the variety of flight options available, there is no group flight for this program. A recommended flight itinerary will be sent by MIR Corporation upon confirmation.
Cancellations and Refunds: All cancellations must be made in writing to MIR Corporation and the following cancellation charges will apply: Cancellations received 91 or more days before departure, deposits paid or due in full of $1,000 per person; those received 61 days to 90 days before departure, 50% of land tour cost per person; those received 60 days or less before departure, no refund. Refunds cannot be made to passengers who do not complete the full tour for any reason at all. MIR Corporation reserves the right to decline to accept any person as a participant in a tour, or to require any participant to withdraw from a tour at any time at his/her own expense, when such action is determined by tour staff to be in the best interest of the health, safety, or general welfare of the tour group or of the individual participant, and subject only to the requirement that the recoverable cost of unused services and accommodations be refunded, if any.
Single Travelers: We make every effort to match single travelers who request a roommate. However, shared accommodations cannot be guaranteed and a solo supplement rate will apply if a roommate cannot be confirmed.
Insurance: Trip cancellation/interruption insurance is available. Insurance information will be sent to you by the MIT Alumni Travel Program on receipt of your registration.
Responsibility: A Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk Agreement of MIR Corporation and MIT for loss of property, injury, illness or death will be provided to passengers upon enrollment and is available to prospective travelers at the MIT website or upon request. A signed release and exlusions agreement is required for trip participation.
Program Price Land Tour: $7,195 per person double occupancy Solo Supplement: $1,275
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Journey in Central Asia: The Five ’Stans April 27-May 14, 2020
Turkmenistan • Uzbekistan • Tajikistan • Kyrgyzstan • Kazakhstan
Terms & Conditions
To reserve space on this program, please call the MIT Alumni Travel Program at 800-992-6749 or email [email protected]. Or complete and mail a reservation form which can be found on the trip’s website at https://alum.mit.edu/stans-2020.
A deposit of $500 person is required and is payable by major credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover) or by check, to MIR Corporation-Trust (the tour operator for this program). Credit cards are accepted for deposit payment only. Mail payment and reservation form to: MIT Alumni Travel Program, 600 Memorial Drive, W98-2nd Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139
Reservations to be paid in full by January 28, 2020, 90 days prior to departure payable by check only. Reservations received after January 28, 2020, must be accompanied by payment in full. A signed release agreement is required for trip participation.
May 7 Samarkand • day trip to Penjikent, TajikistanMakeadaytripacrosstheUzbek-TajikbordertoPenjikent,thesiteofafifth-centuryarchaeologicaldig.ExploretheremainsoftheOldTown,thefrescoedfoundationsofwealthymerchanthomes,andtwoZoroastriantemples.BackinSamarkand,enjoydinnerinaprivatefamilyhome.Dilimah Hotel (B, L, D)
May 8-9 Tashkent, Uzbekistan Visitaworkshopwherehandcraftedpaperismade,tourasmallsilkcarpetfactory,andobserveademonstrationoftraditionalUzbekbread-baking.ThencatchtheeveningexpresstraintoTashkent,capitalofUzbekistan.StrollthrougholdTashkent,stoppingtoviewtheUthmanKoran,consideredbySunniMuslimstobetheoldestKoranintheworld.Visittheprivatestudioofasixth-generationceramicist,andtakearidethroughthecity’smarvelousmetrostations,designedintheSovieteratobe“artgalleriesforthepeople.”Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace (2B, 2L, 1D)
May 10-11 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan FlytotheKyrgyzcapital,Bishkek,touringsomeofthecity’sfinemuseums,greenparks,andthevibrantOshBazaar.DriveouttotheUNESCO-listedBuranaTower,oneofthefewremainingSilkRoadwatchtowersinKyrgyzstan.AttendalivelydemonstrationofKyrgyzhorsegames,andsharelunchwithavillagefamilyintheirhome.EnjoyatraditionalperformanceofselectionsfromtheEpic of Manas,passeddownbywordofmouthforcenturies.Hyatt Regency Bishkek (2B, 2L, 2D)
May 12-13 Bishkek • Almaty, Kazakhstan MeetwitharesidentKyrgyzwhoparticipatedintheApril2010Revolution,andadmireAlaArchaNationalParkwithitsstunningalpineglaciersandpeaks.ThencatchashorteveningflighttoAlmaty,Kazakhstan.ObservetraditionalKazakhfalconryatafalconfarm,andstrollthroughcentralAlmaty,visitingcandy-coloredZenkovCathedralandthedelightfulMuseumofMusicalInstruments.Toastyourjourneyatafarewelldinner.Intercontinental Almaty Hotel (2B, 1L, 2D)
May 14 Depart Almaty TheprogramconcludestodaywithbreakfastandtransferstotheAlmatyairportforinternationaldepartures.(B)
April 27-29 Depart USA • Arrive Ashgabat, TurkmenistanArrivetoAshgabatveryearlyinthemorningofApril29andtransfertothehotelforanimmediatecheck-intorestbeforethemorningtour.ViewthemagnificentwhitemarblePresidentPalaceSquare,andexploretheUNESCO-listedruinsofNisa,accompaniedbyalocalarchaeologist.Enjoyawelcomedinneratthehoteltocelebratethebeginningofthejourney.Hotel Oguzkent (B, L, D)
April 30 Ashgabat • Dashoguz • Khiva, UzbekistanFlytoDashoguzinthenorthernpartofTurkmenistan.CrosstheUzbekborderandcontinuetoUNESCO-listedKhiva,thebestpreservedoftheancientcaravancities.Thisevening,enjoyanoptionalguidedwalkaroundKhiva’sOldTown.Asia Khiva Hotel (B, L, D)
May 1 Khiva HighlightsofKhiva’satmosphericOldTownincludetheTashHauliPalace,oncehometotheKhivankhanandhisfourlegalwives;the10th-centuryDzhumaMosquewithits115carvedwoodencolumns;andthe12th-centuryKunyaArk.EnjoyacolorfulperformanceofKhorezmianmusicanddanceoverdinner.Asia Khiva Hotel (B, L, D)
May 2-4 BukharaDepartforBukhara,CentralAsia’smostancientlivingcityandatreasuredUNESCOWorldHeritageSite.TourtheArkCitadel,Bukhara’s2,000-year-oldfortress,andmeetitsSeniorScientificAdvisorinchargeofongoingrenovations.AdmiretheIsmaelSamaniMausoleumwithits16differentstylesofbrickworkaswellasthe12th-centuryKalonAssembly,teemingwithmerchantsandlocalvendors.StrollthroughBukhara’soldJewishQuarter,visitamadrassahtoenjoyaperformancebylocalartists,andmarvelattheluxuriousSummerPalaceoftheLastEmir.Sofiya Hotel (3B, 3L, 2D)
May 5-6 SamarkandVisitavillagestudiothatspecializesintraditionalsuzaniembroiderybeforesettingouttothefabledSilkRoadoasisofSamarkand.ApplaudtheunsurpassedmajestyoftheRegistan,thecity’sUNESCO-listedcenterpieceandmostrecognizablelandmark.VisitTamerlane’sBibiKhanumMosque,therowof15th-centurytombsandmausoleumscalledShah-i-Zinda,andUlugBek’sremarkablemedievalobservatory.OtherhighlightsincludethelivelySyabBazaarandtheGur-EmirMausoleum,thefinalrestingplaceofTamerlane.Dilimah Hotel (2B, 2L, 2D)
Day by Day ItineraryMorethan2,000yearsago,thegreattraderoutesthatlinkedEuropeandChinaopenedCentralAsiatoforeigncultures,customs,andreligions.HistoricallylinkedwithsuchnamesasAlexandertheGreatandGenghisKhan,thisfascinatingregionhasbeenreligiouslyandpoliticallyinfluencedbytheIslamicworld,theWest,andRussiainturn.Todaythisregionisarichconcoctionofdeepculture,stormyhistory,evolvingethnicities,andup-to-the-minutepolitics.
