The IRT Society's Best-Loved Railway Journeys 2018 - 46

the irt society's best-loVed railway journeys®

Golden Eagle: Caspian Odyssey

Golden Eagle Luxury Trains

Owen Hardy

tHe tour

Begin this amazing tour in
Yerevan, capital of Armenia, and
travel through the South Caucasus to Georgia and Azerbaijan
before crossing the Caspian Sea
to Turkmenistan. There join the
Silk Road route through Uzbekistan, ending in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Travel in luxury aboard the
fully en-suite Golden Eagle.

Days 4 & 5: Tbilisi & Telavi
Head into Georgia, arriving
Tbilisi. The old part of the city
retains much of its original
layout, a web of winding streets
and alleyways. Sites include the
13th-century Metekhi castle,
5th-century Sioni Cathedral
and Janasia Museum. Also visit
beautiful wine area in Telavi.

Day 1 & 2: Yerevan
Arrive Yerevan. Included transfer
to the Marriott for a one-night
stay. Tour the capital city, which
has a rich history, having been
occupied as early as 6000 BC.
Travel outside the city to visit
the ancient Geghard Monastery
and Garni temple. Board the
Golden Eagle and depart for
Georgia on Day 2.

Day 6: Gori & Mtskheta
Gori is one of the oldest cities
in Georgia, founded in the 7th
century. Joseph Stalin was born
here in 1879. Visit the Stalin
Museum, which includes his
private railway carriage. Then on
to Uplistsikhe; this famous cave
city dates from the 6th century
BC. Late afternoon, we visit the
city of Mtskheta, Georgia'a old
capital and a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.

Day 3: Lake Sevan & Dilijan
Scenic rail journey around Lake
Sevan and short walk on beach.
In Dilijan, visit Monastery of
Haghpat. Cognac reception this
evening at Avan Dzoraget Hotel.

Day 7: Baku, Azerbaijan
Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, lies
on the western shore of the
sparkling Caspian. The core of
present-day Baku is the Old
Town, or fortress, of Icheri-Shek-

tHe itinerary

her. Most of the walls, strengthened after the Russian conquest
in 1806, survive, as does the
90-foot tower of Kyz-Kalasy. The
Old Town is picturesque, with
its maze of narrow alleys and
ancient buildings. Overnight at
five-star hotel in Baku while our
train is loaded on the ferry.
Day 8: Turkmenbashi
Early morning we join the train
ferry for a 12-14 hour crossing
of the Caspian Sea to the town
of Turkmenbashi, the western
terminus of oil and natural gas
pipelines and the Trans-Caspian
Railway, linking the Caspian
region with central Asia. Those
who do not wish to take the
ferry will have additional time in
Baku and fly to Ashgabat.
Day 9: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Today we tour Ashgabat, capital
of Turkmenistan. Situated between the Kara Kum Desert and
the Kopet Dag mountain range,
its fountains, golden domes,
marble buildings and hundreds
of thousands of evergreen trees

appear strangely incongruous in the middle of the desert.
Highlights include the National
Museum and Kipchak Mosque.
Days 10-11: Khiva, Uzbekistan
Travel through the Kara Kum
Desert. Optional visit to the
astounding 'burning sands' gas
crater fire at Darvaza. Explore
the ancient city of Khiva,
founded 2,500 years ago, with
its impressive mosques and bazaars. As one of the Silk Road's
most important trading posts
(and one of IRT guests' favorite
stops), it is now a World Heritage Site. It lies at the crossroads
between Mongolia, Russia,
China and Persia.
Day 12: Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Bukhara is simply outstanding. The main highlight is The
Ark, a residence of the Emirs of
Bukhara, the ruthless leaders
who ruled until Soviet times. We
travel out of the city to experience the Emir's enchanting
Palace of the Moon and Stars.

46
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The IRT Society's Best-Loved Railway Journeys 2018

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