Email address: [email protected]
© SAIGA Tours
Start
Oct 7, 2023
Ashgabat
Ashgabat
2023-10-07
End
Oct 15, 2023
Tashkent
Tashkent
2023-10-15
Duration
9 days
Price
US$2895.00
TOUR OVERVIEW
5 marathons in 5 countries, over 9 days - what an epic and exciting challenge!
This tour is for anyone who wants to embark on a wild journey filled with unique running challenges, interspersed with the chance to experience the wonderful countries they're taking place in.
You can choose to take part in just one of our running challenges, a combination or 2/3/4 of them, or of course, the ultimate challenge - all 5! The events are designed to accommodate any type of walker/runner, so each one can be done as 5km, 10km, half marathon, or full marathon. So no matter your ability, you can take part.
Extensions and optional activities are available in each destination, so your trip can be customised so that you can see as much or as little of these countries as you like.
If you like the look of this tour but the dates don't work for you, or you'd like to do part of the tour, please get in touch and let us know. All our tours are able to be split into smaller sections, we're always scheduling new tours and your dates might work for one of them, or we can always organise an independent tour.
| Start | Price | Single Sup. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 5 Marathons | Oct 7-15 | $2895 | $510 |
| Pre-tour Extensions |
|
|
|
| Merv Day Trip | Oct 7 or 8 | $400 | N/A |
| Sep 26-Oct 8 | $2040 | $600 | |
|
Turkmenistan Only Marathon |
Oct 7-Oct 9 |
$1000 | $160 |
| Day 1 Optional Activities |
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|
|
|
Ashgabat sight-seeing |
Oct 7 |
$50* | N/A |
| Nisa, Turkmenbashy Mosque, Kow Ata |
Oct 7 |
$50* | N/A |
|
Horse Farm |
Oct 7 |
$65* | N/A |
| Day 4 Optional Activities |
|
|
|
| Almaty sight-seeing | Oct 10 | $45* | N/A |
| Day 6 Optional Activities |
|
|
|
| Bishkek half-day sight-seeing | Oct 12 | $25* | N/A |
| Ala-Archa National Park day trip | Oct 12 | $40* | N/A |
| Post-tour Extensions |
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*Prices are dependant on at least 4 people joining, if fewer than price may change.
All day tours include transport and English speaking guide. Entrance fees and extra accommodation not included. Exceptions listed in descriptions in itinerary.
$INCLUSIONS:
| ✓ | Entrance to the marathon running events |
| ✓ | Letter of Invitation for Turkmenistan |
|
✓ |
Accommodation in twin share at roughly 3 star hotels |
|
✓ |
Breakfast at hotels each morning |
|
✓ |
Lunches and dinners as per itinerary |
|
✓ |
Land transport as per itinerary |
|
✓ |
English speaking guides on Days 3, 5, 7 & 8 |
EXCLUSIONS:
|
⨯ |
Visa fees if necessary (everyone will need for Turkmenistan) |
|
⨯ |
Visa support if necessary, other than Turkmenistan |
|
⨯ |
Flights Ashgabat-Almaty, and Almaty-Tashkent |
|
⨯ |
Meals other than those stipulated |
|
⨯ |
Transport to and from the start and end of tour |
|
⨯ |
Personal expenses such as souvenirs or any optional activities |
|
⨯ |
Any COVID related expenses |
|
⨯ |
Travel/medical insurance |
Itinerary
Day 1Sat Oct 7
Arrive in Ashgabat, Optional Activities
-
Arrive in Ashgabat, transfer to the hotel.
-
Optional activities:
- Sight-seeing tour around Ashgabat.
- Trip to visit Nisa, Turkmenbashy Mosque and Kow Ata.
- Day trip to horse farm outside of Ashgabat (entrance fee to horse farm included, horse riding not included - $25 per hour, paid directly on site)
- Overnight in Ashgabat.
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner.
Day 2Sun Oct 8
Turkmenistan Marathon, Fly to Almaty
-
Complete the
marathon
around the Ak Altyn Hotel, where you'll be staying.
- Return to the hotel to freshen up. Check out 15:30-16:00.
- Early dinner after check-out.
- Transfer to the airport. Fly to Almaty 21:00-00:50 (flights not included).
- Arrive in Almaty at 00:50 Sunday night/Monday morning.
- Transfer to the hotel and overnight in Almaty.
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner.
- Those doing the Turkmenistan Only section will stay in Ashgabat tonight and be transferred to the airport the following day.
Day 3Mon Oct 9
Kazakhstan Marathon
-
Meet your guide and transfer to the marathon starting point at President’s Park in the outskirts of Almaty.
- After the marathon transfer back to the hotel.
- Dinner at a local restaurant.
- Overnight in Almaty.
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner.
Day 4Tue Oct 10
Optional Activities in Almaty, Drive to Bishkek
-
Free morning in Almaty.
-
Optional activity:
- City tour of Almaty, inclduing Panfilov Park, Zhenkov Cathedral, the Green Bazaar, Old Square and Republic Square. Visit the State Museum, see the Presidential Palace and ride one of Central Asia's only two metros.
- Drive to Bishkek in the afternoon.
- Packed lunch en-route to Bishkek.
- Cross the border to Kyrgyzstan at Ak-Zhol in the afternoon and transfer to Bishkek.
- Dinner in a local restaurant.
- Overnight in Bishkek.
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5Wed Oct 11
Kyrgyzstan Marathon
-
Transfer to the marathon starting point, around one hour from Bishkek.
- After the marathon transfer back to the hotel.
-
Optional activity:
- Massage therapy treatment at the local spa (pay directly for your specific treatment).
- Dinner in a local restaurant.
- Overnight in Bishkek.
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner.
Day 6Thu Oct 12
Optional Activities in Bishkek, Fly to Tashkent
-
Check out of the hotel in the morning. Free time.
-
Optional activities:
- Half-day city tour visiting Ala-Too square and Independence Square, where you can watch the changing of the guard in front of the huge Kyrgyz flag. Walking through the city center, you'll go through small parks offering shady walkways and pass Parliament house, Statue of Lenin, Kyrgyz and Russian Drama Theaters, Ballet and Opera house, State Art Museum and Victory Square.
- Transfer to Ala-Archa National Park, 45 km from Bishkek. The park was created in 1976 and occupies about 2 280 hectares just 45km from the capital. Ala-Archa is translated from Kyrgyz language as “motley (or bright) juniper”. Walk in the gorge. Picnic lunch en route. Drive to Ata Beyit Memorial Complex dedicated to the victims of Revolt against Tsarist Empire in 1916, victims of Stalin’s Repressions 1934-1938, and victims of 2010 Revolution. (Entrance fee to the National Park, and picnic lunch included.)
- Transfer to the airport at 16:00 (flights not included).
- Arrive at Tashkent airport at 19:00. Transfer to hotel.
- Dinner in Tashkent.
- Overnight in Tashkent.
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner.
Day 7Fri Oct 13
Uzbekistan Marathon, Drive to Khujand
-
Run the
marathon
near Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent.
- Packed lunch after the marathon.
- Transfer to the Tajik border.
- Dinner and overnight in Khujand.
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Extensions
Merv Day Trip
For those history buffs who want to see a bit more of the ancient stuff whilst in Turkmenistan.
5 Stans Autumn Mega Tour
Bishkek to Bukhara, Almaty to Ashgabat, and everything in between. This epic tour will take you right across Central Asia through canyons and gorges, cosmopolitan cities, across land borders, and even to a fiery crater.
The Original Turkmenistan Independence Day Tour
We were the very first to ever have foreigners attend the Independence Day events in Ashgabat, and we're still super excited by it every year!
Turkmenistan Independence Day Mega Tour
Exclusive access to the epic Independence Day events, plus all the must-sees such as the Gates of Hell and Yangykala Canyon. But that's not all! This mega version of the tour also ventures into the far east to some of the least visited parts of the world.
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