CENTRAL ASIA: THE SILK ROAD

Dates: March 9 to 23, 2009

Description: Join a modern-day caravan to the heart of the Central Asian Silk Road – the countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Our odyssey begins in the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan, where we’ll re-live ancient songs and admire beautiful Small Almaty Gorge, snaking upward to 5,000 feet among craggy peaks and alpine slopes. From Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s energetic capital, we’ll fan out into the countryside, visiting the country’s Silk Road oases: fabled Samarkand, Tamerlane’s blue-tiled capital, with its wealth of arched mosques and soaring minarets; the desert trade center of Bukhara, ruled over by emirs for many years; and Khiva, its walled Old Town now an architectural reserve. Observe the ancient traditions of carpet weaving at a factory in Samarkand, where the weavers grow indigo, coleus and dahlias to use for dye, and visit a renowned ceramics workshop in Gijduvan, where the pieces are characterized by flower ornamentation and natural colors. In Khiva, enjoy a costume show and dance performance by local folklore experts.

Cost: From approximately $5795 per person (plus airfare)

Contact: For more information, contact Usha Sellers, Program Director, in the Office of Alumni Relations at usha.sellers@tufts.edu or 1-800-THE-ALUM (1-800-843-2586) or 617-627-5323.

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