The IRT Society's Best-Loved Railway Journeys 2018 - 24

Shangri-La Express / Golden Eagle: The Silk Road Continued

Day 14: Merv, Turkmenistan
Once an important stopping
point on the Silk Road, Merv
was briefly the world's largest
city during the 12th century. In
1794, tragedy struck after the
Emir of Bukhara destroyed the
dam which supplied Merv's
population with water. Explore
the city's mainly unrestored
remains.
Day 15: Ashgabat,
Turkmenistan
Arrive Ashgabat, capital of
Turkmenistan and newly constructed "Las Vegas of the Kara
Kum Desert." The city's modern
layout - with its thousands of
evergreens, fountains, whitemarbled new buildings and
gilded statues- is amazing.
The center is dedicated to its
notorious (and deceased) first
president. Highlights include
the National Museum and Kipchak Mosque.
The Golden Eagle makes a brief
scheduled stop at Ichoguz,
where we have the option to
leave the train and make a short
journey to Darvaza's famous
burning gas crater, a spectacular
sight best seen at night.
Located in the middle of the
Kara Kum desert where the
area is rich in natural gas, the
230-foot-wide crater is known
by locals as the 'Door to Hell'
and has been burning since
1971. It's a unique experience
that is not to be missed.
Day 16: Khiva, Uzbekistan
Cross back into Uzbekistan and
tour Khiva-important trading
center at crossroads of routes
between Mongolia, Russia, China and Persia. Khiva's fabulous
buildings, mosques, minarets
and bazaars testify to its former
wealth. This was a favorite stop
for our group.

Owen Hardy

Day 17: Kara Kum, Kazakhstan
All-train day crossing Kazakhstan's Kara Kum Desert, stopping briefly at remote villages
along way. Evening crossing
into Russia.
Day 18: Volgograd, Russia
Stalingrad, as it was known in
WWII, was the scene of one of
the most horrific battles in human history. Visit sobering war
memorial at site where Russia
turned back Nazi advance.
Day 19: Moscow, Russia
Arrive Moscow late afternoon.
Transfer to five-star centrally
located hotel for two-night stay.
Evening at leisure.
Day 20: Moscow, Russia
Full day touring in Moscow: St.
Basil's Cathedral, Red Square,
Kremlin, Lenin's Tomb. Alternate
touring options abound.
Day 21: Moscow, Russia
Airport transfers included.

tHe HigHligHts

* Grand trek across China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Russia
* The most stylish and comfortable way to see sights rarely
seen by Western travelers
* Terracotta Warriors of Xian
* Beijing's Temple of Heaven,
Forbidden City, Tiananmen
Square, Great Wall
* Viewing Samarkand's Registan
Square beautifully lit at night
* 'Door to Hell,' burning gas crater in Darvaza, Turkmenistan

Owen Hardy

* Thousand Buddha Cave
Complex of Dunhuang, site of
500 grottoes carved up to 1,700
years ago
* Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, site of the legendary WWII
battle between the Nazis and
the Soviet Union
* Exploring Gobi Desert by
camel, including Crescent Lake
* Moscow's Kremlin & Red
Square
* Flexible touring options in
Beijing, Xian, Moscow
* All meals, wine/beer with lunch
and dinner, tours, airport transfers and gratuities included
* For a shorter journey, begin
your tour in Almaty on Day 10
Eleanor Hardy

24
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DATES,
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u.s. & canada; (502) 897-1725, elsewhere * tourdesk@irtsociety.com
https://www.irtsociety.com/journey/silk-road-beijing-moscow-private-train/
The IRT Society's Best-Loved Railway Journeys 2018

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