Arrival in Tashkent

Tashkent - Upon arrival, a driver will meet travelers outside the airport terminal and provide a transfer to the hotel.

Fly Tashkent-Urgench, transfer from Urgench to Khiva and sightseeing in Khiva

Tashkent - The driver will collect travelers from their hotel in Tashkent at 5 am for a 7 am flight.

Urgench - After exiting the airport terminal, travelers will find a metal fence where greeters wait. Our driver will be there with a name board to transfer guests to Khiva city, located 35 km away.

Itchan Kala - Ichan Qala Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990, is an open-air museum representing the old city, surrounded by walls and transformed into the State Historical Archaeological Museum. Covering 26 hectares, the Inner Fortress transports visitors to a past era with its narrow lanes, low houses, mosques, mausoleums, and madrassahs (Quran schools).
Sightseeing in Ichan Qala Fort includes:

• Muhammad Amin Khan Madrassa (1855)
• Kalta Minor
• Zindon (city jail)
• Kunya Ark (“Kuhna Ark” in Uzbek)
• Muhammad Rakhim Khan Madrassa (1871)
• Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
• Islam Khoja Madrassa
• Islam Khoja Minaret—the tallest minaret in the city (Note: Climbing the minaret costs 100,000 sum per person and is not included in the tour price)
• Juma Mosque (1788)
• Tash Hauli Palace (“Stone Palace” in Uzbek) (Note: Separate entrance to the reception court, ishrat hauli).

Transfer from Khiva to Bukhara with a private driver

Bukhara - The transfer from Khiva to Bukhara is a 7-hour drive, crossing the Amu Darya River (historically known as Oxus) and the Kizilkum Desert. There is an optional lunch stop at a tea house—chayxana.

Sightseeing in old town Bukhara and afternoon train to Samarkand

Bukhara - This walking tour covers art, history, the old town, architectural monuments, and food. Bukhara, a UNESCO-listed city, is one of Central Asia’s oldest cities with a 2500-year history. Known by various names such as Bumichkat “New Castle,” Al Madina as-sufriyya “Copper City,” Madinat at-tujjor “City of Traders,” and Foxira “Honorable City,” Bukhara is truly unique.

Moschea Bolo-khauz - Bolo Hauz Mosque (18th century) is a functioning Friday mosque consisting of a reservoir, mosque, and minaret. (Note: Visitors can view the mosque from outside as it is a functioning Friday mosque.)

Ark of Bukhara - The Citadel Ark (1st-20th centuries) dates back to the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. The fortress has been destroyed and restored multiple times, with most reconstructions occurring in the 18th-20th centuries.

Great Minaret of the Kalon - Poi Kalon complex (“The foot of tall” in Uzbek) from the 12th-16th centuries includes a mosque, madrassah, and minaret, serving as a major center of trade and scholarship along the Silk Road. The minaret’s beauty even amazed Genghis Khan.

Magoki Attori Mosque - Magoki-Attari Mosque is Central Asia’s oldest surviving mosque. Before the Arab invasion, the site housed a Buddhist monastery and a Zoroastrian temple. It now contains the Museum of the History of Carpet Weaving.

Lyab-i-Hauz - Labi Hauz Complex (“The edge of the pond” in Persian) was constructed by Nadir Divan Begi, the Grand Vizier of Bukhara, around 1620.

Bukhara Synagogue - The 16th-century synagogue is located south of Labi Hauz Square in the Jewish Quarter of the old town. Jews have been a significant minority in Bukhara since their forced migration from Merv and Shiraz in the 14th century, with many emigrating to Israel and the US since the 1970s. (Note: The synagogue is often closed, but if open, travelers can visit inside to see the old Torah.)

Monument to Hodja Nasreddin - The statue of Hodja Nasruddin, a beloved philosopher and humorist, is on his donkey. While he is generally considered Turkish, Uzbeks claim he was born in Bukhara.

Samarkand - In the late afternoon, travelers will be transferred to Bukhara train station, 15 km away, to take the train to Samarkand (subject to availability). Upon arrival, a driver will meet them outside the Samarkand train station and transfer them to their hotel.

Sightseeing in Samarkand

Samarkand - Samarkand, a fairy tale city along the ancient Silk Road, is known by many names such as “The Mirror of the World,” “The Garden of the Soul,” “The Jewel of Islam,” and “The Precious Pearl of the Moslem World.” In ancient Greece, it was known as Marakanda.

Ulugh Beg Observatory - The Ulugbek Observatory was built by astronomer-king Ulugbek, grandson of Amir Temur, in the 15th century.

Shah-i-Zinda - The Shahi Zinda complex (“alive king” in Uzbek) from the 12th-20th centuries is the burial place of royals and nobles and is one of Uzbekistan’s most spiritual sites.

Bibi Khanym Mosque - The Bibi Hanim Mosque, from the 15th century, was built in honor of Temur’s chief wife, Saray Mulk Khanum.

Gur Emir Mausoleum - The Gur-Amir Mausoleum (“the tomb of the king” in Uzbek) dates back to the 15th century.

Registan - Registan Square (“sandy place” in Uzbek) from the 15th-17th centuries is a stunning architectural ensemble with intricate Islamic designs and calligraphy on its mosques and madrassahs.

Travel by train from Samarkand to Tashkent. Sightseeing in the capital of Uzbekistan and departure to final destination

Tashkent - Early morning transfer to Samarkand train station to take the train to Tashkent (subject to availability). Upon arrival, a guide will meet travelers outside the Tashkent train station to begin sightseeing.

Monument of Courage Earthquake Memorial - The Earthquake Memorial commemorates the tragic earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966, and is located near the earthquake’s epicenter.

Ensemble Hazrati Imam - The Khazrati Imom Complex (16th-20th centuries) is the historical spiritual heart of the city. It includes the functioning Friday mosque “Khazrati Imom Mosque” from 2007, Barak-Khan Madrassa from the 16th-18th centuries (now a shopping area), Tellya Sheikh Mosque from the 19th century, Muyi Moborak Library (which holds rare Oriental manuscripts, including the world-famous Caliph Osman-Koran from the 7th century), and the mausoleum of Abu Bakr Mohammed Kaffal Shashi, one of Central Asia’s first Koran preachers and a renowned scientist.

Chorsu Bazaar - Chorsu Bazaar (“four roads” in Uzbek) is the commercial heart of the city and has been for centuries.

Amir Temur Square - Amir Timur Square, the center of the modern city, is a green space with flowers and fountains. It features important political and cultural buildings, including the statue of Amir Timur (known in Europe as Tamerlane) on horseback, the “Uzbekistan” hotel built in 1974, the University of Law (formerly the Women’s Gymnasium), the Museum of Amir Timur, the well-known Tashkent Clock Towers (the first tower was built in 1947 to house a clock mechanism from Eastern Prussia, a war trophy brought back by watchmaker Ayzenshteyn), and the Uzbekistan Forums Palace.

Tashkent - Transfer to Tashkent International Airport.

• Entrance tickets to the monuments
• Transfer from Khiva to Bukhara in a private vehicle
• Domestic air ticket from Tashkent to Urgench
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Train ticket from Samarkand to Tashkent
• Train ticket from Bukhara to Samarkand
• Breakfast
• English speaking local tour guide for sightseeing in Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent
• Accommodations (double or twin shared) in high rated Hotel 3* or central located boutique hotel

• Lunch and Dinner
• Photo and video charges 5 usd (for photography cameras. It is free if travelers use phone cameras)
• Single room supplement 30 usd per night/single room
• Personal travel insurance
• Hotel extra services
• Gratuity/Tips for guide/drivers

Travelers eager to explore the ancient cities along the Great Silk Road without the stress of planning will love this six-day tour. Discover the enchanting city of Samarkand, the bustling trade city of Bukhara, the open-air museum of Khiva, and Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent. Each city offers the expertise of a local guide for sightseeing, allowing you to explore at your own pace on this private tour. Enjoy internet access in all hotels, with breakfast, train and domestic flight tickets, and entrance fees for activities all included.
Accommodation with breakfast is provided
The itinerary can be tailored to suit your interests
Explore the city at your leisure with your local guide
Border pick-up is available upon request

• Check in to the hotels is after 14:00
• Note: In a high tourist season when the high-speed train is unavailable, we will replace this with the most-comfortable class of regular train
• The itinerary might be changed according domestic air ticket availability
• After booking send copy of passport for booking train tickets and hotels, please
• It is recommended to have some extra cash in US dollars to buy the souvenirs, food, tipping and for other expenses. There are many ATMs but you can’t withdraw US dollars they always give you cash in local currency and there is a limit
• On this tour you visit architectural marvels which have a rich history and important religious sites. It’s recommended to follow a specific dress code when visiting these iconic landmarks. Both men and women should wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees. Avoid wearing tight, revealing, or transparent clothing. Women should cover their hair with a headscarf or shawl when they enter to holy places

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.