TransAsian
Silk Road on motorbike
from 25 July to 24 August
“For centuries, from the gradual abandonment of the Silk Road onwards, the line from the Kara Kum Turkmen desert to the Takla Makan desert in Chinese Turkestan has remained one of the least crossed places on the planet. Until at the beginning of the twentieth century, almost suddenly, some of the best – and most visionary – scholars of ancient things decided, all together, to set out to discover the civilizations that were said buried, and intact, under the sand.”
Peter Hopkirk – Diavoli Stranieri sulla Via della Seta
Thursday 25 July ANCONA – IGOUMENITSA
Meeting of participants at box Anek Lines, Maritime Station, Port of Ancona. Handling of port formalities and boarding on the M/N of the company Anek Lines. Accommodation on board in private cabins. Departure for Igoumenitsa. During navigation you can use all the facilities of the ship (restaurant, self-service, bar, game room with slot machines, TV room, disco, shops). Dinner and overnight on board.
Friday 26 July: IGOUMENITSA – THESSALONIKI 320 km
Breakfast on the boat. Disembarkation scheduled at 09.30 and beginning of the great adventure that will take us to the borders of the Chinese Empire, along the Great Silk Road.
Departure for Thessaloniki along the E 92. Early afternoon arrival and hotel accommodation.
Free dinner. Overnight stay.
Saturday 27 July: THESSALONIKI – ALEXANDROUPOLIS 300 km
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Alexandroupolis, a city on the border with Turkey and the only port east of Thessaloniki on the Aegean Sea.
Early afternoon arrival. Hotel accommodation and time for relaxation. Free dinner. Overnight stay.
Sunday 28 July: ALEXANDROUPOLIS – ISTANBUL 305 km
Breakfast at the hotel. Asia is ever closer and today it will welcome us when we arrive at its door: reach the cosmopolitan and millennial Istanbul, city of incredible charm and history, Gateway between the two continents: Europe and Asia. We will arrive in the afternoon at the hotel and after the accommodation in the rooms we will have the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of Ancient Constantinople.
Free dinner. Overnight stay.
Monday 29 July: ISTANBUL
Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing day in Istanbul. Departure from the hotel and visit of the Byzantine Hippodrome, where the chariot races took place; the Church of Santa Sofia, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, commissioned by Justinian to affirm the greatness of the Roman Empire and the Blue Mosque, famous with its blue majolica. Lunch in tourist restaurant. Visit the Topkapi Palace (The Harem section is optional), a sumptuous residence of the Sultans for almost four centuries, whose architecture with the magnificent decorations and furnishings bear witness to the power and majesty of the Ottoman Empire; the Gran Bazaar, the largest covered market in the world, characterized by the domed roof formed by a maze of alleys and streets. Return transfer to the hotel. Free dinner. Overnight.
Tuesday 30 July ISTANBUL – SAFRANBOLU 264 km
Breakfast in hotel4. We resume our bikes to leave for the south coast of the Black Sea, to get to Safranbolu, a city named after the Saffron and World Heritage Site for the excellent preservation of the architecture of the Ottoman Empire. Accommodation at the hotel. Free dinner. Overnight.
Wednesday 31 July SAFRANBOLU – AMASYA 380 km
Breakfast at the hotel. The crossing of Turkey begins with the first stop at Amasya, the Ancient Amasea where the traces of the Ancient Roman Empire are still visible. Arrival and accommodation at the hotel. Overnight.
Thursday 01 August AMASYA – ERZORUM 560 km
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer stage that brings us closer and closer to the border with Iran. We will arrive in Erzurum, capital city of Eastern Anatolia near the border with Armenia.. Arrival and accommodation at the hotel. Overnight.
Friday 02 August ERZURUM – DOGUBAYAZIT 282 km
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we approach the Iranian border to stay the last night in Turkey before crossing the border. Arrival in Dogubayazit and hotel accommodation. Overnight.
Saturday 03 August DOGUBAYAZIT – Frontier with Iran – TABRIZ 311 km
Asphalt
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for the border of Iran between the town of Gurbulak in Turkey and Bazarga in Iran. Meeting at the border with the Iranian assistant who will assist us in processing the entry formalities in Iran and will continue with us by car to the Turkmen border. Arrival in Tabriz in the afternoon. Accommodation in hotel. Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight.
Sunday 04 August TABRIZ – TEHRAN 634 km
Asphalt
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to the Iranian capital, Tehran. Lunch at the restaurant on the way. Late afternoon arrival. Accommodation and dinner at the hotel. Overnight.
Monday 05 August TEHRAN: city visit
Breakfast at the hotel. In the late morning beginning of the visits of the city from the National Museum (only the Archaeological part) rich in a vast collection of objects and testimonies of the Achaemenid, Sassanid and Islamic civilizations; the Golestan Palace the historical residence of the Qajar royal dynasty, located in Tehran. It is the oldest monument in the city, part of a complex of buildings once enclosed by the walls of the historic citadel. Lunch in the local restaurant. Visit the National Jewelry Museum which displays one of the most spectacular collections of treasures in the world. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
Tuesday 06 August TEHRAN – BABOLSAR 300 km
Asphalt
Breakfast at the hotel. We leave the capital Tehran to head to the north of the country, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, where the best caviar in the world is produced. We will arrive in Babolsar after crossing the mountains behind Tehran (with peaks over 5000 meters) in the afternoon. Lunch on the way. Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight.
Wednesday 07 August BABOLSAR – Golestan Ntl Park – BOJNURD 480 km
Asphalt
Breakfast at the hotel. We will cross Golestan National Park today for our last stop in Iran.
The Park is one of the best preserved in the world with a rich biodiversity and it is not uncommon to meet the Caucasian Leopard, the Brown Bear and other protected animal species.
Arrival in Bojnurd in the afternoon. Hotel accommodation.
Lunch along the way. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight.
Thursday 08 August BABOLSAR – Turkmen border – ASHGABAT 240 km
Asphalt
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure at dawn to head towards the border Iran – Turkmenistan. Beautiful road and all curve until you get to the two borders. PICNIC LUNCH AT THE IRANIAN BORDER. PATIENCE IS NEEDED FOR THE LONG WAIT IN THE HANDLING OF FORMALITIES BETWEEN THE TWO BORDERS. In the late afternoon we will cross the Turkmen frontier beyond which the guide and the Turkmen staff will await us. After the border a few kilometers to enter Ashgabat, the Turkmen capital. Arrival and accommodation in Hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Friday 09 August ASHGABAT – DERWAZA (GATE OF HELL) 270 km
Asphalt in bad condition – Maximum attention
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will visit the capital. Free lunch, In the afternoon departure for the first of the two stages through which we will cross the Turkmen desert. Arrival at the famous “Gate of Hell” huge hole in the ground from which gas burns perpetually. Overnight in the tent in the desert. Dinner at the camp and overnight.
Saturday 10 August DERWAZA – KHIVA 440 km
Asphalt in bad condition – Maximum attention
Breakfast at the hotel. The crossing of the Turkmen desert continues north to Dasoguz, practically the border with Uzbekistan passing through Kounya Urgench (Turkmenistan). In this case too, customs formalities will be lengthy and a lot of patience is needed. Processing of entry formalities and continuation to Khiva which we will reach shortly. Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in hotel.
Sunday 11 August KHIVA – BUKHARA 450 km
300 km Asphalt good. 150 km asphalt in bad condition
Breakfast at the hotel. We pick up our bikes to head to the South of the country and reach Bukhara. Arrival and accommodation at the hotel. Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight.
Bukhara has been for centuries one of the most important cities of Islamic Transoxiana, located east of Khorasan, in the desert of Kyzyl Kum (the Red Desert). During the Mongol invasion, it was destroyed by Genghis Khan and fell under Timur’s influence. Thanks to its strategic position on the Silk Road, it saw its economy develop considerably and became an important religious center of Asia: many mosques and madrasahs were built, still bearing witness to a splendid past. Day dedicated to the visit of the city, you can see: the complex Poi-Kalon, the square separates the madrasa Mir-I-Arab and the mosque KalomJummi. Visit of the Kalon minaret (in Taijk: large), of the three covered bazaars: TaqiZargaron, TaqiTelpakFurushon and TaqiSarrafon, the Magok-I-Atori mosque, where you can admire in the same space: the remains of a Buddhist monastery, a temple and a mosque, the madrasa Nadir Divanbegi, built in 1630, the Kukeldash madrassa, one of the largest Islamic schools in Central Asia. Lunch in a restaurant. Continuation of the visits with the fortress Ark, a city in the city, as ancient as Bukhara, home of the rulers of Bukhara for a millennium, the mosque Bolo Hauz, the mausoleum IsmoilSamani, built in 905 is one of the most elegant buildings in all of Central Asia.
Monday 12 August BUKHARA – SAMARKANDA 280 km
Asphalt in medium good condition
Breakfast at the hotel. Breakfast at the hotel. Departure in the early morning hours Samarkand is the third largest city in Uzbekistan; it is one of the oldest cities in the world and was also the richest city in Central Asia for its location in the center of the Silk Road. For most of its history, Samarkand was part of the Persian Empire, later becoming the splendid main city of Tranxoxiana, under Timur and the country’s capital for 40 years under Ulugh Beg. Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in hotel.
Tuesday 13 August STOP IN SAMARKAND
Breakfast at the hotel. Day dedicated to the visit of the city: the Gur Emir (in tajik: tomb of the emir), mausoleum dedicated to Timur and his descendants (15th century), the Registan square, the Khanym mosque (15th century) and the Siab market, the necropolis of the rulers and nobles of Rksamaanda, ShakhiZinda (the living king), the Ulugbek observatory (1420), you can admire the remains of a large astrolabe for the observation of the position of the stars, and the Afrasiab ruins with the museum. Lunch in the restaurant and tasting of local wines. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Wednesday 14 August SAMARKAND – Tajikistan border – DUSHAMBE (Tajikistan) 295 km
Asphalt in good condition
Breakfast at the hotel. We will leave to the east to cross the border near Panjakent to enter Tajikistan!!! Arrival in the afternoon in Dushambe the Capital and hotel accommodation. Free time available. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Thursday 15 August DUSHAMBE – KALAI HUMB 355 km
Asphalt in poor condition with easy dirt roads
Breakfast at the hotel. START TODAY THE ADVENTURE ALONG THE PAMIR HIGHWAY!!! Departure to the Pamir plateau following the Hgwy M41 via Tawildara and Khaburabad Pass…a variety of languages, cultures and traditions that change in each valley will accompany us to China. Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in hotel.
Friday 16 August KALAI HUMB – KHOROG 355 km
Asphalt in poor condition with easy dirt roads
Breakfast at the hotel. Following the banks of the Panji River, today’s road across the Pamir Plateau runs along the Afghan border (the longest border in the world between Afghanistan and Tajikistan) and we can feel the huge differences between the two countries. … We will drive along the military zone called GBAO with permission issued by Italy.
Dinner in local restaurant and overnight in hotel.
Saturday 17 August KHOROG – MURGHAB 311 km
Asphalt in poor condition with easy dirt roads
Breakfast at the hotel. We turn east towards the valley of Murghab, located 3,000 meters. of height until reaching the city of Murghab, capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan region, located at 3,650 meters. of altitude and surrounded by the highest peaks of the Pamir. Dinner and overnight in Guesthouse .
Sunday 18 August MURGHAB – KARAKUL LAKE 150 km
Asphalt in poor condition with easy dirt roads
Breakfast in Guesthouse. Today’s stop between the peaks and glaciers will simply leave us breathless and the road will take us through the White Horse Pass (4,655 meters) to the spectacular Karakul lake, hidden among the arid Pamir plateau. Dinner and overnight in Guesthouse.
Monday 19 August KARAKUL LAKE – SARY TASH 120 km
Asphalt in medium-good condition
Breakfast in Guesthouse. The road gets a bit more challenging but we will be rewarded by the splendor of what surrounds us. Today we will cross the Tajiko border at the Kyzyl-Art pass and after 10 km we will cross the Kyrgyzo border to reach the village of Sary Tash where we will spend the night before facing the Chinese border. Dinner and overnight in a local house.
Tuesday 20 August SARY TASH – OSH 190 km
Asphalt in medium-good conditions with easy dirt roads
Breakfast in Guesthouse. We leave for the north of the country, the ancient kingdom still inhabited mainly by nomads. The road takes us through the Taldyk Pass (3,620 meters) to Osh, the ancient capital Kirgyza where we will arrive in the early afternoon. Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.
Wednesday 21 August OSH – Chychkan Gorges – TOKTOGUL LAKE 330 km
Asphalt in good condition
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to the north east to arrive on the shores of Lake Toktogul. Stop at the village of Uzgen, ancient capital of the Karakhanid Kingdom. We can admire the ancient Minaret and the remains of the caravanserais of the Ancient Silk Road. We will depart through the Central Tien Shan mountain range along the beautiful Chychkan Gorge Canyons. Arrival in the afternoon. Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight.
Thursday 22 August TOKTOGUL LAKE – BISHKEK 400 km
Asphalt good
Breakfast at the hotel. Last stop of our incredible adventure along the Silk Road dream. Along the streets of the central chain of Tien Shan we will reach the capital Bishkek.
After hotel accommodation, afternoon visit of the Capital. Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.
Friday 23 August STOP IN BISHKEK
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will go to the customs warehouse for the delivery of the motorcycles to be sent back to Italy. (arrival in Italy 15 days after delivery approximately). Rest of the day free available for relaxation and to savor the adventure ended.
Dinner in local restaurant. Overnight.
Saturday 24 August BISHKEK – ITALY
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for the return flight to Italy. Arrival in Italy in the evening. End of services.