Flight to Tashkent

Tashkent - Travel to Tashkent with TK or HY from your home country. Depending on your flight connection, you will arrive in Tashkent either late in the evening or the following morning. Your guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Enjoy an overnight stay in Tashkent.

Tashkent - A Blend of Modernity and Tradition

Tashkent - Today, explore the captivating capital of Uzbekistan, where post-Soviet charm meets oriental allure. It’s remarkable how modernity and tradition coexist in Tashkent. In the old town, visit the Khasti Imam complex, home to the oldest version of the Koran. On the large square, explore the Tilla Sheikh Mosque, Barak Khan Madrasah, and Mausoleum Kaffal Shashi, and experience the vibrant Chorsu Bazaar, a historic hub on the Great Silk Road. In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Applied Arts. Also, see Independence Square, Navoi Theatre Square, and the Monument to Earthquake Victims. Conclude the day with an underground journey, dinner, and an overnight stay in Tashkent.

Train Journey to Kokand, Renowned Pottery from Rishtan

Fergana - After breakfast at the hotel, board the comfortable train at 08:07 A.M. through the stunning Kamchik pass (2,268 m) to Kokand, arriving at 12:13 P.M. In Kokand, explore the splendid Islamic architecture, including the palace of Khudoyar-Khan and the grand Juma mosque (Friday mosque). Continue to Rishtan, where artisans have preserved the secrets of azure ceramic craftsmanship for over 800 years. Learn from ceramic master Rustam Usmanov in Rishtan about the creation of the blue and gold faience that adorns Islamic sanctuaries. Proceed to Fergana for dinner and an overnight stay.

Silk from Margilan, Drive Over the Mountain Pass to Tashkent

Tashkent - To better acquaint yourself with the city, take a tour through the tree-lined streets of Fergana and visit the German cultural center. Continue through diverse landscapes to Margilan. At the “Yodgorlik” silk factory, discover the production steps of “white gold.” The quality and design of the silk fabrics produced here are highly regarded beyond the country’s borders. In the afternoon, drive back to Tashkent over the mountain pass. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

Tashkent, Train Journey to Samarkand

Samarkand - In the morning, take a fast train from Tashkent to Samarkand, arriving in just 2 hours. Samarkand is one of the world’s oldest cities and a central hub of the famous Silk Road.

Samarkand - At the “Afrosiyob” Museum, gain insight into Samarkand’s history. Visit the Shahi Zinda Complex, a stunning collection of mausoleums in Timur style adorned with majolica and mosaic tiles. Witness the continuation of centuries-old traditions in Samarkand at the Paper manufacturing factory, where paper is naturally produced from mulberry tree fibers. Visit the Observatory of Ulugbek, the renowned astronomer and grandson of Amir Timur, who built his observatory in 1428, discovered in 1908.

Samarkand - In the late afternoon, enjoy a vibrant folklore program at the “El-Merosi” Theatre, showcasing the region’s history through dance. The show features costumes from various historical periods of Uzbekistan, from the Bronze Age to the present. Dinner at a local restaurant.

The Oriental Samarkand

Samarkand - In the Middle Ages, Samarkand was considered one of the world’s most beautiful and significant cities. Be captivated by the palace-like Gur Emir Mausoleum of ruler Timur. Experience the highlight of your trip at Registan Square, with its three magnificent, artistically decorated madrasas. Tashkent Street, known for its souvenir shops, leads you to the once-greatest mosque in Central Asia, the Bibi Khanym Mosque.

Samarkand - Timur aimed to showcase his limitless technical and financial capabilities by constructing the most beautiful mosque in the Eastern world. Enjoy a culinary walk through the bazaar, sampling raisins, apricots, and nuts. Cook with an Uzbek family and savor a typical local dinner.

Samarkand-Shakhrisabz-Bukhara

Shahrisabz - Travel along the historic Great Silk Road through the picturesque mountain landscape to Amir Timur’s birthplace, Shakhrisabz. He quickly amassed a larger empire than Alexander the Great. Admire King Timur’s architectural achievements and explore the town and market.

Bukhara - In the late afternoon, continue to Bukhara, an oasis town in the Kyzylkum Desert. Dinner at a local restaurant. Enjoy three overnight stays in Bukhara.

“Noble” Bukhara

Bukhara - Begin your tour with the Mausoleum of Ismail Samani, followed by the Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum. Wander through the old town, where you’ll feel transported to the world of ‘One Thousand and One Nights.’ It’s astonishing that, just like 100 years ago, teaching and learning still occur in mosques and madrasas, such as the Miri Arab madrasa. Admire the “classic” architectural complex Lyabi Khauz with its trading domes, mosques, madrasas, and the dervish monastery Khanaka in the old town, earning the honorary title “noble town.”

Bukhara - Enjoy dinner in an old Jewish house with a Bukharian family. Susani embroiderer Abdurahman will share insights into Bukhara embroidery, and you’ll try the Emir’s Plov.

Bukhara

Bukhara - Visit the Chor Minor madrasa, whose four minarets (chor – four) and style resemble Indian architecture. Then, travel to the summer residence of the last Bukhara Emir, Sitorai Mokhi Khosa, meaning “The place where the moon and the stars meet” in Persian.

Bukhara - Bukhara is one of the seven holy towns of the Islamic world. Numerous Sufi orientations have existed in Uzbekistan over the years. The Sufi order Naqshbandiya had the most enduring impact, leaving a significant legacy. Bahauddin Naqshbandi, one of Tamerlan’s spiritual mentors, based his philosophy on “God in the heart, work in the hands.” The memorial complex of Bahauddin Naqshbandi is considered the Central Asian Mecca.

Bukhara - In the afternoon, explore the Jewish quarter of Bukhara and visit a Synagogue over 400 years old. Then, visit a Puppet Workshop. Dinner at a local restaurant by “Lyabi Khauz.”

Khiva, Through the Deserts and Steppes

Khiva - Journey through the Kyzylkum Desert (“Red Sand”) and steppe to Khiva. Enjoy a picnic at an Uzbek “Roadhouse.” Arrive in Khiva and check into the hotel. In the evening, explore on your own. Enjoy a princely dinner at the “Toza Bog” summer palace (for groups of at least 8 people).

Fairy Tale Khiva

Khiva - Visit the old town of Khiva “Ichan Kala,” which has preserved its historical, oriental character. Stand before the massive wall with its four entrances to Ichan Kala and feel transported to another world. Around the Kalta Minor (short minaret), once so tall you could see distant Bukhara, life bustles as it did in ancient times. On this tour, take in the sights: Kunya Ark, the old residence of the Khiva Khans, the Medrasa of Muhammad Rakhim Khan, Mausoleum of Pakhlavon Makhmud, Medrasa and Minaret of Islam Khodja, the Residence Tosh Khovli, and Juma Mosque – Friday mosque, with its wooden beam ceiling supported by 212 artistically carved wooden columns.

Enjoy Khiva, Flight to Tashkent

Khiva - In the morning, enjoy free time to explore on your own. After lunch, travel to Ayaz Kala, an impressive ancient mud fortress. In the Kyzylkum Desert, on the slope of one of the eastern foothills of the Sultanuvaystag, the enormous ruins of one of the great fortresses of old Khorezm dominate – Ayaz Kala. Archaeological excavations date the Ayaz Kala fortress to the 2nd century BC. It was part of a system of border fortresses forming a chain from East to West, protecting the Khiva oasis from the desert side. Visit the other mud fortress, Toprak Kala (ancient capital of Khorezm, 2nd century AD).

Tashkent - Dinner at a local restaurant in Urgench. Then, take a flight back to Tashkent at 21:15. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

Tashkent, Flight Home

Tashkent - Check out of the hotel. Transfer to the airport. End of the trip.

• 10x hotel accommodation in a double room, 1x yurt accommodation with 4 people
• Dinner in an old Jewish house in Bukhara
• Tashkent-Kokand and Samarkand-Tashkent train journeys by fast train in economy class
• Sightseeing program including entrance fees according to the itinerary
• Lunch
• Local English speaking tour guide
• Dinner
• Breakfast
• Savitzki Museum (avant-garde art) in Nukus
• Round trip/excursions and transfers in air-conditioned modern vehicles
• Visit the paper factory - in a family business in Samarkand
• Domestic flight Tashkent-Urgench in economy class

• Folklore show in the Summer Palace in Khiva on day 3: $ 15 per person

On this Uzbekistan journey, travelers will immerse themselves in the country’s rich cultural diversity and the enchanting allure of the Orient. Alongside visiting Uzbekistan’s ancient cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and Tashkent, the tour includes a trip to the lush Fergana Valley, renowned for its fruit and vegetable cultivation, silk production, and traditional crafts. Participants will observe artisans at work, embark on culinary adventures, and have ample time for personal exploration. Be transported into the world of 1001 nights, experiencing the sounds and aromas of oriental bazaars, architectural wonders, the history of distinct regions, and a wide array of cultures and traditions up close. Wishing travelers an unforgettable journey to this legendary land.

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