The Legendary Silk Road: The Five ’Stans with UCLA Professor Nile Green
Kazakhstan u Kyrgyzstan u Uzbekistan u Tajikistan u Turkmenistan
August 20 – September 6, 2010
Trace the path of the great camel caravans along the Old Silk Road, admiring the
vaulted portals of the mosques and madrassahs, their curving domes cloaked in sky-blue ceramic tiles. Explore five different UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the historic Old Towns of the fabled Uzbek oases Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Along the way, lunch with a master ceramicist, meet with a Bukharan architect, and spend a morning at one of the best open markets of Central Asia, Ashkabad’s Tolkuchka Bazaar.
Almaty u Bishkek u Tashkent u Samarkand u Penjikent u Bukhara u Khiva u Ashkabad Dear UCLA Alumni and Friends, Join fellow Bruins on a fascinating survey of a region that was once the center of world commerce, the Silk Road through Central Asia. Touching five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – this journey explores a little-known area that is once again growing in global importance. Discover their beautiful Persian and Turkic architecture, brilliant fabrics and hand-woven carpets and hear the modern concerns of the welcoming people in the sparsely-inhabited countries at the center of ancient trade routes and strategic energy networks. This Silk Road exploration is accompanied by Nile Green, professor in the UCLA history department, who specializes in the history of Islam in South Asia and of Muslim societies in general. His unique perspective and historical expertise will enhance your experience at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Isn’t it about time you took advantage of one of the most renowned university travel programs in the country? Join our caravan, leaving on August 20, 2010. Sincerely,
Christel Pailet Director, Alumni Travel For more information, please contact us at 310-206-0613 or 800-UCLAlumni (825-2586) UCLAlumni.net/Travel
Tour Highlights: Y In Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, enjoy a special Kyrgyz Manas folk performance Y Visit the private studio of a sixth-generation Uzbek ceramicist in Tashkent Y Observe the process of dyeing and weaving silk at a Samarkand carpet workshop Y In Ashkabad, visit a master of Turkmen jewelry in his studio Y Explore UNESCO-listed Nisa, once a major center of the ancient Parthian Kingdom. Y Enjoy formal lectures and informal discussions with Study Leader Professor Nile Green
Study Leader: Nile Green is a professor in the history department at UCLA, and was previously Lecturer in South Asian Studies at the University of Manchester and Milburn Research Fellow at Oxford University. His research focuses on the history of Islam in South Asia, particularly on the history of Sufism. By training a historian of religion, he also specializes in the wider “Persian” world and considers himself a historian of Muslim societies in general. The author of several books and numerous articles, Professor Green looks forward to sharing his expertise on the Islamic countries of Central Asia.
ting, attend a performance at the Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater. Tashkent Palace Hotel or similar (B, L) Thursday, August 26 Tashkent • drive to Samarkand
Friday August 20 – Saturday, August 21 Depart USA • arrive Almaty
Arriving in Almaty, transfer to a five star hotel. Hotel Intercontinental Almaty or similar (Meals aloft) Sunday, August 22 Almaty
Explore Panfilov Park with its candy-colored Zenkov Cathedral, the collection of applied art at the State Central Museum, the Central Bazaar and the delightful Museum of Musical Instruments. (B, L, D) Monday, August 23 Almaty • drive to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Depart for Bishkek by way of beautiful Small Almaty Gorge and the world-famous Medeo Sports Complex. Enjoy dinner at a Bishkek restaurant with a Kyrgyz Manas folk performance. Hyatt Regency Bishkek or similar (B, L, D) Tuesday, August 24 Bishkek
Visit Victory Park and the State Historical Museum, featuring the history and culture of the nomadic people of the region. Visit the Children’s Craft Center and enjoy their special folklore program. Attend a performance of both classical and Kyrgyz folk music with dinner. (B, L, D) Wednesday, August 25 Bishkek • fly to Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Hop a morning flight to Tashkent. Tour Independence Square, the Shahid Memorial Complex and the private art studio of a sixthgeneration Uzbek ceramicist. Schedules permit-
This afternoon, travel overland to Samarkand. Sightseeing begins at the iconic Registan with its three stately madrassahs and continues to Ulug Bek’s Observatory, one of the most advanced observatories of the ancient world. Hotel Asia Samarkand or similar (B, L, D) Friday, August 27 Samarkand
Visit the Bibi Khanum Mosque, built by Tamerlane in memory of his favorite wife, and the Shah-i-Zinda complex, the row of tombs and mausoleums stretching between the present and the past. Tour a silk carpet factory to observe the entire weaving process. (B, L, D) Saturday, August 28 Samarkand • day trip to Penjikent
Travel out of town to a 5th century archeological site in Penjikent, Tajikistan. Tour the remains of Shakristan, two Zoroastrian temples, the citadel, and the houses of wealthy families. (B, L, D)
Day-by-Day Itinerary (contin-
Sunday, August 29 Samarkand • drive to Bukhara
Set off for Bukhara via 14th century Shakhrisabze, the birthplace of Tamerlane, to see the ruins of UNESCO-listed Ak Saray (White Palace), one of Tamerlane’s most expansive undertakings. The palace complex included a massive portal covered with incredible blue, white and gold ceramic tile mosaics. Sasha and Son B&B or similar (B, L, D) Monday, August 30 Bukhara
Admire Lyab-i-Khauz Plaza and explore the Kalon Mosque and Minaret. Visit the 2,000-year-old Ark Citadel and the Zindan Prison, with its infamous “bug pit.” Also visit the Ismael Samani Mausoleum, the 10th century resting place of the founder of the Persian Samanid Dynasty, with its sixteen different styles of brickwork. Meet with a Bukharan architect to hear about the current state of renovation. (B, L, D) Tuesday, August 31 Bukhara
Explore the Summer Palace of the last emir, with its Museum of National Crafts, and visit a madrassah for a performance by local artists. (B, L, D) Wednesday, September 1 Bukhara • drive to Khiva
This morning head for Khiva on the same route taken by loaded Silk Road camel caravans. Stop en route for a look at the Amu Darya River, which loosely parallels the Uzbek-Turkmen border. Asia Khiva Hotel or similar (B, L, D)
Thursday, September 2 Khiva
A walking tour of Khiva includes the Tash-Hauli Palace, built for the reigning khan and his four wives, the Dzhuma Mosque with its interior forest of carved wooden pillars and the Kunya Ark, the original residence of the khans. (B, L, D) Friday, September 3 Khiva • drive to Tashauz • fly to Ashkabad
Depart for the Turkmen border and continue to Tashauz for a flight to Ashkabad. Grand Turkmen Hotel or similar (B, L, D) Saturday, September 4 Ashkabad
Explore Turkmenistan’s capital city, visiting the Turkmen-Turkish cultural center, the National Museum of History and Ethnography and the Museum of Carpets and Textiles, displaying gorgeous carpets, kilims and costumes. Enjoy an independent evening. (B, L) Sunday, September 5 Ashkhabad
Get an early start to the Tolkuchka Oriental Bazaar, one of Central Asia’s best. Tolkuchka is a Russian word literally meaning “a lot of elbowing.” Gather for a farewell event with lunch at a studio of a local fashion artist. Later, visit UNESCOlisted Nisa, once a major center of the ancient Parthian Kingdom. (B, L) Monday, September 6 Depart Ashkabad
The tour concludes with transfers to the airport. (Meals aloft)
Traveler Information Included: All accommodation, hotel taxes • All meals as listed in the itinerary • Group arrival/ departure transfers for passengers arriving/departing on scheduled start/end days • All land transportation per itinerary including motor coach and one-way domestic flights from Bishkek to Tashkent, and from Tashauz to Ashkhabad • Special cultural events and extensive sightseeing, including entrance fees • Welcome and farewell receptions • Services of a tour manager throughout the land program • Gratuities to tour manager, guides, drivers and baggage handlers • Comprehensive pre-departure packet • Lecture series by Professor Nile Green Not Included: Travel insurance • Roundtrip airfare from/to your home city. MIR can assist you with reservations • Passport and visa fees • Personal items such as telephone calls, alcohol, laundry, excess baggage fees • Single supplement
Air Arrangements: Program rates do not include international airfare. Because there are a number of flight options available, there is no group flight for this program. Information on recommended flight itinerary will be sent by our tour operator upon confirmation.
What To Expect: This trip is moderately active due to the substantial distances covered and the extensive walking and stair climbing required. To reap the full rewards of this adventure, travelers must be able to walk at least a mile a day; flexibility and a willingness to accept local standards of amenities and services are highly recommended as well. In true expedition style, some delays or changes in the itinerary are likely. Please note that at the time of printing, a State Department travel warning for Uzbekistan remains in place. The warning was issued in May 2005 after violence erupted in the Fergana Valley town of Andijan; and was updated in June 2009 to reflect recent events in the valley. This itinerary does not include the Fergana Valley region.
General Terms and Conditions
Please read this information carefully, as your deposit payment represents your acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions. PROGRAM COST INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS & AIR ARRANGEMENTS: Please see previous page. RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENTS: To reserve space, complete and return the reservation form with your non-refundable deposit ($500 per person). Please mail the completed registration form with check (payable to MIR Corporation-CA Trust) to UCLA Alumni Association, Attn: UCLA Alumni Travel, James West Alumni Center, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1397. Or call UCLA Alumni Travel at 310-206-0613 or 800-UCLAlumni (825-2586). You may also fax your reservation to: 310-209-4271. Balance of payment for all land and air costs is due by check only by May 22, 2010, 90 days prior to departure. Reservations will be processed in order of receipt, subject to availability. Upon reservation you must provide your full legal name as it appears on your passport. In the event that an airline ticket is issued with incorrect information you have provided, you will be responsible for charges associated with the ticket’s reissue. CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS: Costs of cancellation if received: 91 or more days before departure, deposit paid or due in full of $500 per person • 61 days to 90 days before departure, 50% of land tour cost per person • 60 days or less before departure, no refund. All cancellations must be made in writing to the UCLA Alumni Association and are effective upon our receipt of your written notification. RESPONSIBILITY: MIR Corporation, UCLA Alumni Association, and cooperating agencies act only in the capacity of agent for the participation of all matters relating to transportation and/or all other related travel services and assume no responsibility for injury, loss or damage to person or property in connection with any service, including but not limited to that resulting directly or indirectly from: acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays and expenses arising from quarantine, strikes, thefts, pilferage, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulation, discrepancies or change in transit over which it has no control. Prices are subject to change without notice. Tour plan, sequence of cities visited or even number of nights in each city as advertised can change due to change in logistics at the time of travel. We reserve the right to provide alternate hotels if mentioned hotels become not available for any reason. If for any reason beyond our control, scheduled flights or airfares are changed, any increase in airfare will be collected from tour members, and any decrease will be refunded. The airlines used are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board the aircraft. RELEASE AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK: By making a deposit on any of MIR Corporation’s tours, I/we am/are aware that during the expedition tour, trip, cruise or vacation that I am participating in, booked through MIR Corporation, and their agents and associates, certain risks and dangers may occur, including but not limited to the hazards of traveling down country roads or in villages in buses, cars, vans, jeeps, rivers, hiking through mountainous terrain, accident or illness in remote places without medical facilities, forces of nature and travel by air, automobile, jeeps or other conveyance. In consideration of, and as part payment for, the right to participate in such trips or other activities and
the services arranged by MIR Corporation, and their agents or associates, I/we have and do hereby assume all of the above risks and will hold MIR Corporation and their agents and associates harmless from any and all liability action, causes of action, debts, claims and demands of any kind and nature whatsoever which may arise of or in connection with my trip. The terms hereof shall serve as a release and assumption of risk from my heirs, executors and administrators and for all members of my family. INSURANCE: It is highly recommended that travelers obtain appropriate insurance coverage against these risks; information on additional insurance to cover trip cancellation/interruption or baggage coverage is available and will be mailed upon receipt of your reservation. A detailed statement of limitations and exclusions of liability of MIR Corporation and UCLA for loss of property, injury, illness or death will be provided to passengers upon enrollment and is available to prospective travelers upon request. A signed release is required for trip participation. ARBITRATION: Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this agreement or the performance thereunder, including without limitation any claim related to bodily injury, property damage or death, shall be settled by binding arbitration in Lakewood, California, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association then existing. TOUR OPERATOR: MIR CORPORATION Journeys to Legendary Destinations at the Crossroads of Europe and Asia since 1986. CST #2082306-40. WST #601-099-932. ©2009 MIR Corporation, photographs and all rights reserved. Photos: MIR Corporation
Reservation Details The Legendary Silk Road: The Five ’Stans Kazakhstan u Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan u Turkmenistan
u
Uzbekistan u
with UCLA Professor Nile Green August 20 – September 6, 2010 Please mail the completed registration form with check (payable to MIR Corporation-CA Trust) to the UCLA Alumni Association, Attn: Alumni Travel, James West Alumni Center, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1397. Or call UCLA Alumni Travel at 310-206-0613 or 800-UCLAlumni (825-2586). You may also fax your reservation to: 310-209-4271. Balance of payment for all land and air costs is due by May 22, 2010, 90 days prior to departure. Payment of balance due by check only. Reservations will be processed in order of receipt, subject to availability. LAND PROGRAM RATE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,995 (Per person land tour based on double occupancy) SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,495 (Single availability limited)
Registration Form Enclosed is a non-refundable deposit for $ ___________ ($500 per person) to hold ___________ place(s) on
The Legendary Silk Road: The Five ’Stans.
Please note preferences: o I am traveling alone and prefer a single room at the single
o Please make check payable to MIR Corporation-CA Trust
o Charge my deposit to: o Visa o MasterCard o American Express
Acct# ________________________________________________ Exp date _______________ _____________________________________________________ _ Signature as it appears on credit card Full name (as listed in passport) ___________________________ _____________________________________________________ Date of birth ______________ UCLA class year_____________
supplement rate ($1,495)
o I will share accommodations with: _____________________________________________________ o I would like to know about possible roommates (shares are not guaranteed) o Non-Smoker o Smoker
International Airfare:
o Please arrange my air from __________________________
to Almaty / from Ashkabat and send me a sample itinerary and price. o Economy class o Business class
I/we have read and agree to the terms and conditions of the trip as described in the brochure. Signature _____________________________________________
Full name (as listed in passport) ___________________________
Date _______________________
_____________________________________________________
Signature _____________________________________________
Date of birth ______________ UCLA class year ___________
Date _______________________
Mailing address (no PO boxes please) ________________________
UCLA Alumni Travel is a benefit of membership in the UCLA Alumni Association. The Association requires all alumni and friends to join to use our services. You may invite one companion to travel with you as a guest on your membership.
_____________________________________________________ City/State/ZIP __________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Tel (Home) ___________________________________________
o Yes, I am a member of the UCLA Alumni Association o No, I am not a member. Please send me an application to join.
(Cell) _________________________________________________ Fax __________________________________________________ E-mail _________________________________________________
For more information, please contact us at 310-206-0613 or 800-UCLAlumni (825-2586). E-mail: AlumniTravel@UCLAlumni.net UCLAlumni.net/Travel
The Legendary Silk Road: The Five ’Stans with UCLA Professor Nile Green
Kazakhstan u Kyrgyzstan u Uzbekistan u Tajikistan u Turkmenistan
August 20 – September 6, 2010
The Legendary Silk Road: The Five ’Stans with UCLA Professor Nile Green
Kazakhstan u Kyrgyzstan u Uzbekistan u Tajikistan u Turkmenistan
August 20 – September 6, 2010
310-206-0613 or 800-UCLAlumni (825-2586) UCLAlumni.net/Travel
UCLA Alumni Association Attn: Alumni Travel James West Alumni Center Los Angeles, CA 90095-1397
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mercury Mailing Systems, Inc.