Welcome to Uzbekistan!

Tashkent - Upon arrival in Tashkent, travelers should collect their luggage and proceed outside the airport to meet their driver. Follow these directions to locate your driver:

1. After clearing customs, exit the airport building and turn left (there is only one exit).
2. Follow the white arrow on the ground outside the airport.
3. Walk past the official taxi stand on your right and continue.
4. From the airport exit, walk approximately 30 meters until you see an iron fence on your right where people are waiting.
   Your driver will be waiting for you behind the fence, holding a sign with your name, ready to transfer you to your hotel in Tashkent city.

Tashkent City Tour

Uzbekistan State Museum of Applied Art - Established in 1997, this museum houses over 7,000 rare works of applied art crafted by skilled artisans from the first half of the 19th century to the present.

Monument of Courage Earthquake Memorial - This memorial is dedicated to 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 a rare collection of Oriental manuscripts, including the world-famous Caliph Osman-Koran from the 7th century), and the mausoleum of Abu Bakr Mohammed Kaffal Shashi, one of the first Koran preachers in Central Asia and a renowned scientist.

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

Metro Tashkent - Experience a ride on the Tashkent Metro, the only underground system in Central Asia, built in 1977.

Tashkent-Samarkand by Train

Tashkent - In the morning, check out from the hotel and transfer to the Tashkent railway station to take the train to Samarkand.

Samarkand - Samarkand, one of the world’s oldest cities, is a contemporary of Rome, Athens, and Babylon, with a 2,750-year history. Known as “The Mirror of the World,” “The Garden of the Soul,” “The Jewel of Islam,” and “The Precious Pearl of the Moslem World,” this unique city was called Marakanda in ancient Greece.

Observatory of Ulugbek - Built by astronomer-king Ulugbek, grandson of Amir Temur, in the 15th century.

Bibi Khanym Mosque - Constructed in the 15th century in honor of Temur’s chief wife, Saray Mulk Khanum.

Siyob Bozor - The local Siab market, meaning “black river” in Uzbek, offers spices, fresh and dried fruits, and various souvenirs.

Samarkand City Tour

Registan - Registan Square, meaning “sandy place” in Uzbek, dates from the 15th-17th centuries. It features stunning architectural ensembles with intricate Islamic designs and calligraphy on the facades of its mosques and madrassahs. Ulugbek Madrasah, built between 1417 and 1420, is the oldest madrasa in Registan Square. This construction was overseen by Ulugbek, the Astronomer King and Temur’s grandson, who was both a distinguished ruler and scholar. Tilya-Kori Madrasah, meaning Gold-covered madrasa, was built in the 17th century in Registan Square. Travelers should visit this madrasa to see the mesmerizing golden ceiling of the mosque, located to the left of the courtyard, which gives the madrasa its name. Sher Dor Madrasah, meaning the tiger or lion madrasa, was built between 1619 and 1636 by Yalangtush Biy and is one of the most-photographed buildings in existence.

Gur Emir Mausoleum - The Gur-Amir Mausoleum, meaning “the tomb of the king” in Uzbek, is a must-see site in Samarkand from the 15th century. It is the final resting place of Temur. Originally planned for Temur’s favorite grandson, Muhammad Sultan, Samarkand was deemed a more fitting resting place.

Shah-i-Zinda - The Shahi Zinda complex, meaning “alive king” in Uzbek, dates from the 12th-20th centuries. It is the burial place of royal persons and nobles and is one of the most spiritual places in Uzbekistan.

Samarkand-Bukhara by Train. Walking Tour in Bukhara

Bukhara - In the morning, check out from the hotel and transfer to the Samarkand railway station to take the train to Bukhara.

Bukhara - Bukhara, one of Central Asia’s oldest cities, has a 2,500-year history. Known as Bumichkat “New Castle,” Al Madina as-sufriyya “Copper City,” Madinat at-tujjor “City of Traders,” and Foxira “Honorable City,” this unique city has many names.

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

Monument to Hodja Nasreddin - The statue of Hodja Nasruddin, the homespun philosopher and humorist on his donkey. While he is generally accepted as Turkish elsewhere, Uzbeks claim he was born in Bukhara and is one of their own.

Great Minaret of the Kalon - The Poi Kalon complex, meaning “The foot of tall” in Uzbek, dates from the 12th-16th centuries. It consists of a mosque, madrassah, and minaret, and was a major center of trade and scholarship along the Silk Road. The beauty of the minaret amazed Genghis Khan (Temuchin or Temujin).

Bukhara City Tour

Ark of Bukhara - The Citadel Ark, dating from the 1st-20th centuries, was constructed at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. Throughout history, the fortress has been destroyed several times but has been restored. Most of the citadel’s buildings were reconstructed during the 18th-20th centuries.

Samanid Mausoleum - The Ismail Samaniy Mausoleum, dating from the 9th-10th centuries, is the oldest, best-preserved, and most breathtakingly original building in Bukhara.

Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum - The Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum, meaning “Prophet Job,” commemorates the site where, according to legend, the prophet Job came to the Zerafshan Valley during a severe drought. As people perished from thirst, Job struck the dusty earth with his staff, and a cool spring of sweet water emerged, providing salvation. The Chashmai Ayub, meaning “the Spring of Job” in Uzbek, marks this site.

Transfer from Bukhara to Khiva with a Private Driver

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

Khiva - Upon arrival in Khiva, check in to your hotel.

Ichan Kala City Tour

Khiva - Ichan Qala Fort has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990. Today, Ichan Qala is an open-air museum representing the old part of the city, surrounded by walls and transformed into the State Historical Archaeological Museum. Covering 26 hectares, the Inner Fortress transports visitors to the past with its narrow lanes, low houses, mosques, mausoleums, and madrassahs (Quran or Koran schools).
The sights in Ichan Qala Fort include:
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).

Khiva to Urgench Transfer and Fly to Tashkent

Urgench - Transfer to Urgench airport and fly to Tashkent.

Tashkent Departure

Tashkent - Your adventure concludes. If you wish to spend more time in Tashkent, additional accommodation can be arranged in advance (subject to availability), or you can purchase a day trip in Tashkent.

• Entrance tickets to the monuments per itinerary
• Visa support if needed
• Transfer from Khiva to Bukhara in a private vehicle
• Domestic air ticket from Tashkent to Urgench
• Accommodation in a nice tourist-class Hotel 3* or a central located boutique hotel
• Train ticket from Bukhara to Samarkand
• Breakfast
• Air-conditioned vehicle for pick up and drop off and during city tour per itinerary
• 24 hours customer service
• English speaking local tour guide for sightseeing in Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand

• Lunch and Dinner
• Photo and video charges (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

Discover Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia, ranking as the fourth-largest in the former USSR. Khiva resembles an open-air museum, with every corner offering breathtaking views. In 329 BC, Alexander the Great visited Samarkand and remarked, “Everything I have heard about Samarkand is true, except it is even more beautiful than I had imagined.” Experience Bukhoro-i-sharif (Bukhara the Noble), a city that feels like one expansive bazaar. Enjoy a guided tour in Samarkand, a prominent jewel on the Silk Road. This tour provides travelers with the flexibility to explore cities at their own pace.

• Accommodation in a nice tourist-class Hotel 3* or a central located boutique hotel (toilet and bath are in the room). However, the level of service, interiors including beds and cleaning at the hotels is not quite as European standard.
• Check in to the hotels is after 14:00
• 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
• There may be changes in the program along the way. Attractions may be under restoration or temporarily closed for other reasons. These are conditions that we cannot take into account, and which we therefore ask for a certain tolerance towards.

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