Silk Road Train 2017

FUN FOR LESS

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EXOTIC SILK ROAD TOUR “We Don’t Send You, We Take You!” 800.591.2432 | funforlesstours.com

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MARCO POLO

THE EXOTIC SILK ROAD TOUR 20 Day September 29, 2017 - with Dr. Michael Wilcox

Registan Square - Samarkland

Jim & Carol Tyndall with their daughter, Jamie Soucy boarding The Silk Road Express Train

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Your BEST opportunity to experience the Silk Road You really need to understand what a rare opportunity this will be to travel the ancient Silk Road. It has taken us many months to put this special package together. To make this the BEST experience possible, we chartered a private deluxe train through Central Asia that will follow the Silk Road.

Like a ship on land, we will travel by night in our deluxe sleeping cars to our next destination, spend the day touring and then re-board our private train to our next destination. The train also has DELUXE toilets and showers!

Jim, Carol & Jamie (owners of Fun For Less Tours), spent the month of October traveling the Silk Road.

Part of their travel was on the Orient Silk Road Express Train through Central Asia, (the Heart of the Silk Road) - to say the least, they loved every minute!!!! Traveling by train was the perfect way to travel. The only issue they had was the train’s itinerary. They felt there were important areas the train did not visit. The only way to improve the itinerary was for Fun For Less Tours to Charter the whole train which would allow them to design their own itinerary AND that is exactly what we did. It is our train - with our special designed program, never offered to others!

This special tour, with our own private train, includes Dr. S. Michael Wilcox as our guest educator! The Silk Road is rich in history: Marco Polo, Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Tamerlane, Russian Czars, and so much more. Michael will be teaching us about how the Silk Road changed the world; he will also cover Marco Polo and the many famous conquerors that controlled Central Asia. Michael will bring all this rich history to life.

There is so much to see, you will need a digital camera to hold the many thousands of pictures you’re going to take. Every day is another highlight day. There is not room to express how phenomenal all the ancient sites are. Central Asia is filed with UNESCO World Heritage Sites! As an example, the ancient town of Bukhara and the surrounding area has 997 monuments (ancient buildings and structures), UNESO just made the whole area of Bukhara a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

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Ancient Buildings on the Silk Road – R e g i s ta n S q u a re i n S a m a r k a n d w i t h o v e r o n e B I L L I O N i n d i v i d u a l b e a u t i f u l c o l o re d t i l es .

Po s s i b l y , t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l b u i l d i n g s w e h a v e s e e n a ny w h e re i n t h e w o r l d a n d t h a t i n c l u d e s t h e Ta j M a h a l .

Registan Square - Samarkland

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Travel by Planes, Buses, Istanbul

Kiva Ashgabat

Bukhara Merv

Samarkand

Tashkent Khujand

Shakhrisabz

In China:

Xi’an was the ancient capital of China and the start of the Silk Road. Xi’an was where the Emperors lived during the time of the Silk Road. If you look at the map above you will see our tour starts in Xi’an and then flys to Dunhuang, which was a major crossroad on the Silk Road. In Dunhuang the Silk Road splits into three major trails west. We will take the Northern route, which is the absolute best route for experiencing ancient ruins and staggering beauty. From Dunhuang we take a high-speed train to Turpan, then on to Urumqi by bus. From Urumqi, we will fly over the 14,000-foot mountains that separate China from Central Asia into Almaty Kazakhstan (the 9th largest country in the world). Almaty is where we will find our PRIVATE DELUXE Train.

In Central Asia (The Heart of the Silk Road):

We will travel throughout Central Asia by our Chartered Private Train - almost every stop was part of the Silk Road! In addition to Almaty you will experience Bishkek, Tashkent, Khujana, Shahrsubz, Samarkand, Khiva, Bukhara, Merv and Ashgabat. The Ancient Silk Road continued into Iran, through Syria and on into Europe, but we leave our Private Train in Ashgabat. Here our passengers will have two choices. One to fly home, the other to continue on with our optional extension into Istanbul.

This really is a once in a lifetime chance to experience the Silk Road in a way no one else can deliver!

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High Speed Train & our Private Train

Almaty Bishkek

Urumchi Turpan Dunhuang

Xi’an Silk Road

Very Important information: There are a total of 7 countries that end in Stan. We will actually be traveling through 5 of those countries: Kazakhstan (the 9th largest country in the world), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. There are two other countries that end in Stan THAT WE ARE NOT VISITING – Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is critical to understand the difference. The 5 Stans we visit were part of the Soviet Union from the 1800’s until 1991. After 70 years of Russia’s no religion policy, there are very few that practice religion, be it Christian or Muslim. Just because a country ends in Stan, does not make them an Afghanistan or Pakistan.

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Traveling the Silk Road - China

Breathtaking ancient Buddhist carvings and murials in the Mogao Grotto - Dunhuang, China

The Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang is the World’s richest treasure trove of Buddhist manuscripts and art. There are over 900 years of carvings that began as early as 386 AD. The grottoes total over 480,000 square feet and boast thousands of murals and sculptures.

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The Zenkov Cathedral, Almaty Kazakhstan

The Zenkov Cathedral, Almaty Kazakhstan.

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Traveling the Silk Road - Central Asia

Central Asia (The Heart of the Silk Road)

The Silk Road brought riches to Central Asia, which was used to create some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The best way to describe Central Asia’s Architecture is Unique, Majestic and Breathtakingly Beautiful. In Samarkand alone there were billions upon billions of tiles used to create some of the most beautiful structures in the world Page 4 & 5 is one example of work that dates back to the 1400’s. Central Asia’s Architecture is not only beautiful on the outside it is also unique and beautiful on the inside!!

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Why NOW is the Time!

As mentioned, Carol and Jim Tyndall went this year on the same train we will use in 2017. Only we are chartering the whole train. Here is why that is so important: • This is the only time the train has ever been able to visit all 5 Stans. The train Jim and Carol were on in October visited only 3 Stans: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan. They did not visit Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan. A train is not like a bus that you can just take a different road, pull over almost anywhere and stop or park. Getting permission to travel by rail, wanting to stop and park your train like a bus is not easy.

After over 6 months of hard work with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, for the first time ever, our private train has received permission for us to travel through all 5 Stans. We don’t know if this will ever happen again as we had to charter the whole train, change the itinerary, add an additional night on the train and work for months setting up the train schedule along with getting government approvals.

• The huge price savings from our chartering the whole train. As far as we know, no one has ever chartered the entire private train in Central Asia, which created huge savings. This is the same train with the same train company we are using for Trans-Siberia. Our 16-day train portion for the Silk Road is $2,000 less expensive than the 16 day Trans-Siberian Rail Trip. Please understand – chartering the train is giving you the chance to have the lowest price possible to experience the Silk Road by Private Train!!!! See “Price Comparison” on page 15.

• Even when we added tours & airfare in China, we are still less than others paid for just the Silk Road Train that visited only 3 Stans! There were 16 passengers on the train with Jim and Carol from the USA. They knew Jim and Carol were preparing for a tour in 2017 that would be substantially better than their tour. They asked what we expected to charge for our tour that included chartering the whole train, improving the itinerary, adding additional Stans, adding an additional night on the train, adding China along with airfare in China and the adding of an educator? They were shocked at our pricing. For the same cabin category they were in and without China, educator, additional Stans AND one less day on the train, they had paid over $3,000 more per person than what we plan on charging our passengers for everything!

• NO LONG DRIVES! On Jim and Carol’s trip they met many people traveling through the Silk Road by bus. When they asked how they liked their tour, every one said they loved the sites, and the hotels were ok, but the long drives were exhausting and grueling! They spent ½ of their time or more doing long drives that were often well over 6 hours on terrible roads. Then when they arrived, they were given less time then they would have liked to see the sights. WE HAVE NO LONG DRIVES! We will travel by train at night and then tour during the day. Some of the bus travelers they met said they had looked at the train but it only visited 3 of the Stan countries. They wanted all 5, so they went by bus. You will get all 5 Stans without any long drives, plus you will have plenty of time to enjoy the many beautiful sites.

Please, Please, Please listen to us. This is the BEST designed tour of the Silk Road, the BEST in hotels, the BEST deluxe train, and the BEST educator – All at the BEST price you will ever see!!!!

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Ashgabat - The White Marble City

Hotel Lobby

Your Hotel 12

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Our last stop before flying to Istanbul is Ashgabat, one of the richest cities in the world. You have to see this city to believe it!!! The whole city is made out of white Marble. It is impossible to describe the staggering beauty of this city. Italy produces the best marble in the world. From what we were told 70% of all the marble produced in Italy is shipped to Ashgabat and even that is not enough, they also buy additional Marble from other countries like Spain. Every building, even apartment buildings are built out of white Marble. That is why it is often called the White City. When you can spend over one billion to build a church out of Marble, you have money to burn.

There is even a 8 to 10 foot statue of the president made out of gold. Your hotel you will stay in (pictures to the left) would rank as one of the finest hotels in the world; it is above 5 star luxury. It looks like a copy of the flagship hotel of Dubai. You will spend two nights in absolute luxury in this fantastic hotel.

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We Love the People Along the Silk Road One thing really stood out to us. Everyone is friendly in Central Asia. People were willing to let us take pictures of them or with them everywhere. Most would give us a hug and bless us after taking the pictures.

Some even tried to get us to come to their home for tea.

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Our Fantastic 20 day Silk Road Package Price Includes: The Silk Road Express Private Train is 16 days (we add a 4 day China portion that brings the total tour to 20 days).

The 16 day train portion includes many nights on the train along with several hotel nights. We are using the same train company as the one across Siberia. Chartering the whole train has made it possible to do the Silk Road at prices substantially less than the Siberia Rail trip. The 16 day Siberia Rail Train cost $8,395 for the Classic Cabin (2 lower beds). The 16 day Silk Road Train portion costs $6,395 for the Aladdin Cabin (same 2 lower beds). That is a full $2,000 less than the Siberia Rail Trip.

We have even more savings on cabins that include their own toilet and shower – the savings range from $5,000 to $7,000.

Chartering the train has created a huge savings.

The 16 day Train portion includes the following: Price: $6,395

• It is our train, with only our passengers on it. We have designed a special tour including stops not offered to others including visiting all 5 Stans.

• 1-night 5-star Luxury Hotel in Almaty.

• Private Chartered Train in Aladdin Cabin.

• Most days you will have three meals.

• All touring, Guides, Entrance fees in Central Asia.

• 2-nights 4-star Deluxe hotel in Samarkand.

• 1-night 3-star First Class hotel in Bukhara – best location to enjoy Bukhara.

• 2-nights in one of the best 5-star Luxury Hotels in the World – Ashgabat.

• All transfers in Central Asia.

• Shows and cultural performances along the way.

• Special experienced train staff that will accompany us on the train and with us on all tours.

• Dr. S. Michael Wilcox as your special guest educator.

• Fun For Less Tour Staff: Lindsay Tyndall & Spencer Tyndall.

• Whisper Perfect headset receivers that allow you to hear everything, even when you step away from the group to take the important picture.

The 4 day China Portion Includes: Price: $1,895

• $815 in airfare.

• Xian to Dunhuang.

• Urumchi to Almaty.

• High Speed Train between Dunhuang and Turpen China.

• 1-night 5-star Luxury Hotel Xi’an China.

• 1-nights 4-star Deluxe Hotel Dunhuang China.

• 2-nights 4-star Deluxe Hotel Turpen China.

• All transfers in China.

• All tours in China.

• Breakfast and dinner in China.

• Dr. S. Michael Wilcox as your special guest educator.

• Fun For Less Tour Staff: Lindsay Tyndall & Spencer Tyndall.

• Whisper Perfect headset receivers that allow you to hear everything, even when you step away from the group to take the important picture.

Total 20 Day Package Price: $8,290*

*Per person cash discount price, based on double occupancy. Does not include Domestic or International airfare, visas and tips.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have already done the China Silk Road portion & want only the train portion - that is possible. Please Call Us.

* NOT included in the 20 day package price:

• Optional Pre-tour to Xi’an & Dunhuang, China or the optional extension to Istanbul. Itineraries & Pricing Info is listed on the following pages.

• Airfare into China and home from either Ashgabat or Istanbul. Airfare will not open up until approximately 10 months before your tour. We estimate it will be about like the Airfare into China and home from Russia for the Trans-Siberia group. All roundtrip airfare into China and home from Russia has been below $2,000 per person.

• Visas, tips, personal expenses.

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Silk Road Itinerary – Non-Extension Group

Note: This is the non-extension group itinerary. It is only a partial list as we are still working on making sure we will see what is most important. Like all of our tours, the itinerary is subject to change as we find ways of improving the itinerary!

There are two optional extensions: Early arrival into Xi’an with tours and the Istanbul, Turkey extension at the end of the tour. Both itineraries are listed below the Non-Extension Group Itinerary.

Non-Extension Group Itinerary: Day 01 September 29: Fly to Xi’an Fly from the US to Xi’an.

Day 02 September 30: Xi’an Evening arrival into Xi’an. Upon arrival into Xi’an, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel.

Day 03 October 1: Xi’an – Dunhuang Xi’an is the capital of 11 dynasties and one of the largest medieval cities in the world. In the morning, we will take a city tour with a special visit to Xi’an’s ancient city wall. This may be the best preserved City Wall in the world, dating back over 500 years. The ancient city wall stretches almost 9 miles around the city with its moat and drawbridges still intact. The top of the wall is wide enough to put 4 semi-trucks side by side. Afterwards, fly to Dunhuang, an important stop along the Silk Road and has a history of over 2,000 years. It has been important for thousands of years because it used to be the starting point of the Ancient Silk Road. Upon arrival in Dunhuang, we will visit Dunhuang Museum. Afterwards, we will be taken on a camel ride through the “Singing Sand Dunes” in the desert. After dinner, enjoy a very special local performance ‘The Grand Ceremony of Dunhuang’. Overnight Dunhuang.

Day 04 October 2: Dunhuang – Turpan Tour the Mogao Grottoes, the World’s richest treasure trove of Buddhist manuscripts and art. It began in 386AD and was added to over the next nine centuries, the grottoes total over 480,000 square feet and boast over 2,000 murals and sculptures. Afterwards, transfer to the railway station and take the highspeed train across the desert to Turpan. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Overnight Turpan.

Day 05 October 3: Turpan Today’s sightseeing features Gaochang, the ancient walled capital of the Uighurs, which flourished between the 7th and 14th centuries, or the ruins of Jiaohe City, where large fragments of actual streets and buildings remain.

We will also visit Grape Valley, in lush contrast to the desert surrounding it, and the amazing 2,000-year-old Karez Irrigation Tunnels, which brought water from melting snow on the mountains to this parched city. Then visit the Flaming Mountains, named for their vibrant color and Suliman’s Minaret. Overnight Turpan.

Day 06 October 4: Turpan – Urumqi – fly to Almaty Kazakhstan Board a coach transferred to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, China’s huge western province. Upon arrival in Urumqi, take a city tour, which gives you a glimpse of the major sights of this northwestern city. Populated by Han, Uyghur people and thirteen ethnic minorities, Urumqi is quite different from the usual Chinese street scene.

Here you can see nomadic Kazakhs, a Middle Eastern bazaar and more. Then transfer to the airport to fly from Urumqi to Almaty Kazakhstan.

Day 07 October 5: Almaty, The Father of the Apple – Bishkek This morning we will visit the breathtaking mountains. Upon returning to Almaty, we will visit the impressive Zenkov Russian Orthodox Cathedral, built entirely of wood along with the Wedding Palace, the Central Mosque and Kazakh, welcoming lunch in a traditional Yurt. Late this afternoon we will board our chartered deluxe private train in Almaty. We will travel tonight into the country of Kyrgyzstan and the city of Bishkek.

Day 08 October 6: Bishkek – Orient Silk Road Express Upon arrival, we will tour the beautiful city of Bishkek. We will take a walking tour through this beautiful city and its many monuments. After we head to the Ala Archa National Park for a leisurely walk into the beautiful mountains near Bishkek with snow capped peaks that reach 14,000 feet. This time of year the leaves are changing to create beautiful fall colors. Late in the afternoon we will drive the short distance to the border of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. We will continue tonight through Kazakhstan until we cross into the country of Uzbekistan.

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Day 09 October 7: Tashkent, the Green Oasis Your private train arrives in the early morning into the Uzbek Capital of Tashkent. On your sightseeing tour of the city, you can have a look at this green oasis in the steppe and see the Madrasa Kukeldash, the Kavoj and Amir Timur Monuments, and the typical Kazakh mud brick houses. In the evening, you will attend Tashkent’s famous Navoi Opera or a concert in the Tashkent Philharmonic Hall (program permitting). The night will be spent on the train heading to our next destination.

Day 10 October 8: Shahrisabz - Traveling through time During the night, your train passes through mountainous territory. The Greek heritage has been preserved in this inaccessible mountainous region. Cultural influences of Bactrians and Kushan Empire also survive here. Fire Worship and shamanism are still practiced here in the form of rituals and myths seldom found elsewhere. Trade caravans once travelled through these narrow mountains gorges and the armies of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Timur (or Tamerlane) also passed by here. A traditional ceremony offers you firsthand insight into the region’s unique folklore. Your journey then continues along the Great Silk Road aboard your train to the Green City of Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Timur. Your sightseeing here includes the monumental architecture of the brutal Mongol ruler’s great palace from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In the evening, we depart for Samarkand by train.

Day 11 October 9: Samarkand, the Crossroads of Culture & Silk Road Today is spent visiting the sights of this famous historic city, which during the rule of Timur was considered the most beautiful and prestigious city in the world. The Necropolis of Shah-e Zinda (the living Shah), the excavation sites at Afrosib (with a museum tour) and the staggeringly beautiful Registan Square are certainly among the most notable architectural ensembles in all of Central Asia. It is also historically important as the site where many Uzbek women burned their veils (paranjas) in 1917, to signal their arrival in a new era. The night is spent in a 4 star Deluxe Samarkand Hotel.

Day 12 October 10: Samarkand Your day in this fascinating city includes a tour of silk carpet manufacturer, a visit to an Uzbek Craftsman’s family to see paper being made from Mulberry Bark, stops at the Ulug Beg Observatory and the ruins of the Bibi Khanum Mosque and viewing the interior of the palace-like Gur Emir Mausoleum. You spend a second night in your Samarkand Deluxe Hotel.

Day 13 October 11: Samarkand – Chudshand Tajikistan This morning we will head by train to a breathtaking part of the world as we cross mountains into the country of Tajikistan. We will travel on through the night to Chudshand.

Day 14 October 12: Chudshand Tajikistan In the morning visit the fortification of the city along with the Museum of Archeology. We will also visit the Shaikh Muslihiddin Mosque, along with the Arbob Palace and the Payshandba Bazaar (the biggest Bazaar in Tajikistan.

We will also visit the “Tajik Sea” a large lake just outside of town. At the end of the day, we will board our train for Khiva.

Day 15 October 13: Khiva Today you will visit the oasis of Khiva, a fairy tale from 1001 Nights – in stone. Standing at the mighty town wall with its gates and bastions of mud brick you feel transported into another world. On your sightseeing tour of the oasis, you have a chance to take in its exotic atmosphere. Its palaces, mosques, minarets, mausoleums and madrassas (Muslim religious schools) represent one of the best-preserved ensembles of medieval oriental urban architecture in the world. At the end of the day, you will re-board your train heading to Bukhara.

Day 16 October 14: Bukhara, the Nobel One Located in the middle of the Kyzylkum Desert, Bukhara has about one thousand architectural monuments recalling the golden age of the Great Silk Route. Exotic Spices, furs, especially silk, were stored and traded in the city’s caravanserais. In Bukhara’s Old Town (all a UNESCO World Heritage site), you see the almost fifty-meter tall Kalyan Minaret and Lyab-I Hauz Ensemble by the pond. You will spend the night in a 4-star Deluxe Hotel in Bukhara.

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Day 17 October 15: The Samanid Mausoleum Bukhara, which also bears the by name Sherif (the noble one), has preserved its ancient oriental countenance in its extensive, unparalleled collections of authentic architecture. In the morning, we drive you to the splendid Mir-i Arab Madrasah and the Samanid Mausoleum, one of Central Asia’s most beautiful architectural treasures.

Afterwards, you will tour the massive Ark Citadel, a city within a city that was once the seat of government of Hukhara’s former rulers. There you view the throne room, after which you visit the last Emir’s Summer Residence.

We will spend the night on the train.

Day 18 October 16: Merv, The Pearl of the East Your private train arrives in the morning at the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site of Merv, the reminants of what was once one of the world’s largest and most magnificent cities before being destroyed by Genghis Khan.

The initial impression is disbelief: Gigantic walls and ramparts simply standing in the middle of the desert next to the impressive ruins of ancient buildings such as the Tomb of Sultan Sanjar, the Maidens’ Castle (Kyz Kala), the historical ice-houses, and other tombs. We will then continue by train to Ashgabat where we will overnight in a fantastic 5-star Luxury Hotel.

Day 19 October 17: The White Marble City of Ashgabat This morning we will drive to the ancient Parthian city of Nisa. We will then head back to the White Marble City of Ashgabat. The city is absolutely impressive with everything being made out of Marble. The Hollywood-style settings throughout this city flush with new-found oil wealth. We will overnight again in our 5-star luxury hotel.

Day 20 October 18: Fly Home or Fly to Istanbul Those going home will depart early morning for their flight back to the US. For those going on the Istanbul extension you will fly later in the morning to Istanbul.

Pre-Tour Extension to Xi’an and Dunhuang Itinerary • Cost of Extension $469 per person.

• Note: The Xi’an extension includes an extra day in Xi’an to visit the Terracotta Warriors and an extra day in Dunhuang to visit more than will be seen by the non-extension group. The Xi’an extension group will join with the non-extension group on 28 September at the Dunhuang Hotel. They will be together for the rest of the tour.

Day 1 September 27: Fly to Xi’an Fly from the US to Xi’an.

Day 2 September 28: Xi’an Evening arrival into Xi’an. Upon arrival into Xi’an, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel.

Day 3 September 29: Xi’an (only seen by those on the Xi’an Extension) Xi’an is the capital of 11 dynasties and one of the largest medieval cities in the world. Our day will start with a visit to the Wild Goose Pagoda. The rest of the day will be spent visiting the greatest archaeological discovery of the century, more than 2,000-year-old Terracotta Warriors burried with the Emperor Qin Shi Huang. In the evening, we will attend one of the best cultural shows you will see anywhere in the world, The Tang Dynasty Dinner and Cultural Show. This fantastic show is full of music, dance and colorful traditional costumes. Today is a fantastic highlight day! Overnight Xi’an.

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Day 4 September 30: Xi’an – Fly to Dunhuang In the morning, we will take a city tour with a special visit to Xi’an’s ancient city wall. This may be the best preserved City Wall in the world. Dating back over 500 years, the ancient city wall stretches almost 9 miles around the city with its moat and drawbridges still intact. The top of the wall is wide enough to put 4 semi-trucks side by side. Afterwards, fly to Dunhuang, an important stop along the Silk Road and has a history of over 2,000 years. It has been important for thousands of years because it used to be the starting point of the Ancient Silk Road. Upon arrival in Dunhuang, we will visit Dunhuang Museum. Afterwards, we will be taken on a camel ride through the “Singing Sand Dunes” in the desert. After dinner, we will have a short visit to the night market before we transfer to the hotel. Overnight Dunhuang.

Day 5 October 1: Dunhuang (only seen by those on the Xi’an Extension) We will drive to visit Jade Gate Pass, located 90km away from Dunhuang. Originally known as Small Square City, which is one of the two important passes on the western frontier of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220) lands. It was added to the World Heritage list on June 22, 2014. Then, visit the earliest existing Great Wall - Han Dynasty Great Wall. Afterwards, we will drive to visit the Dunhuang Yadan National Geologic Park, situated approximately 110 miles in the northwest away from Dunhuang City and is the largest one of Yadan Landform found so far. The park stretches 15 miles from north to south and about 1 mile from east to west. It features the unique and wonderful scenes and landscapes of the Gobi desert. After dinner, enjoy a special and fantastic local performance ‘The Grand Ceremony of Dunhuang’. This evening you will join with the non-extension group at the Dunhuang Hotel. ** From this point on, your day by day is the same as the non-extension group starting Day 4 October 2.

Post Extension Tour to Istanbul Itinerary • Cost of Istanbul Post-Extension: $695

• Includes 2 nights Deluxe Hotel, All Tours, All Entrance Fees, Guides and Fun For Less Staff throughout.

• Includes Airfare from Ashgabat to Istanbul worth $345.

• Note: you are on the same itinerary with the non-extension group until Day 20 October 15th. Later today you will fly to Istanbul to start your optional extension.

October 18 & October 19: Istanbul You will depart around 7:30 am for your flight to Istanbul. You will arrive in Istanbul around 9:30 am. You will have two full days of touring. Here is a partial list of what you will see and experience. A wonderful boat ride on the Bosporus, the water that separates Asia from Europe. Your tour will include the magnificent Hagia Sofia, the Hippodrome and the stadium of ancient Byzantium, where an Egyptian Obelisk and Bronze sculpture of the entwined serpents from Delphi still survive. We will also visit the Blue Mosque, which owes its name to this exquisite tiles adorning its interior. We will also visit the Topkapi Palace, which from the 15th to the 19th Century was the principle residence of the Ottoman Sultans. You will spend two nights in a Deluxe Hotel in Istanbul.

October 20: Fly home This morning you will take your flights from Istanbul back to the US and home.

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