Explore Silk Road cities

Welcome to Uzbekistan! Most flights arrive early in the morning. Transfer to the hotel and immediate check-in. You can have a rest after your long flight, take a shower, and have breakfast before meeting your group and guide at noon for the welcome briefing.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will set out on an orientation tour of Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia with a population of around 3 million people. Tashkent is not only the biggest city in Central Asia, but also one of the oldest. Unfortunately, most of its historic buildings were destroyed in a catastrophic earthquake in 1966, after which Tashkent was rebuilt as a model Soviet city.
We will then visit Independence Square, a symbol of freedom for the Uzbek people since they declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Next, we take a stroll on Tashkent’s artists’ corner, locally known as Broadway. At Amir Timur Square, we will then encounter Uzbekistan’s national hero, Emperor Timur (Tamerlane). At the end of the day, we will enjoy our welcome dinner, celebrating the start of what promises to be a captivating adventure through Uzbekistan.
Please note: If you arrive a day early, we can book an extra night for you at the hotel.
Hotel Inspira-S 4* or similar

After breakfast, we visit the Old City area of Tashkent where you will find the Khast Imom Complex which contains the ancient holy Quran of Caliph Osman. We will then experience the bustling crowds of traders at Chor-Su Bazaar, the city’s main market. We will also have the opportunity to experience a ride on the beautifully decorated Tashkent Metro. We complete the city tour of Tashkent with a visit to the Applied Arts Museum.

Dinner at a local restaurant and chat about the next day’s trip to Nukus.
Hotel Inspira-S 4* or similar

We will start the day early to catch our domestic flight to Nukus, the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, within the territory of Uzbekistan. Due to its remote location near the Aral Sea, Nukus was a ‘closed city’ throughout the Soviet era, as the Red Army researched and developed chemical warfare weapons here. We will visit the famous Savitsky Museum, officially known as the State Art Museum of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. The museum showcase the life’s work of Russian painter and collector Igor Savitsky, whose legacy includes thousands of archeological and ethnographic treasures, along with the world’s second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde art. Many avant-garde artists were purged by Stalin, but Savitsky acquired their artworks and kept them hidden from the vigilant eyes of the KGB in this isolated desert location. After lunch, we drive around half an hour to the Mizdakhan necropolis, which is one of the most respected holy sites of Karakalpakstan. We will explore the famous Mazlymkhan suluu mausoleum that dates back to the time of the Mongol rule in the region and discover other centuries-old monuments.
This evening we will organize a folklore show with traditional Karakalpak music and dance.
Hotel Tashkent or similar

Our destination for today is Khiva. On the way, we will visit the ruins of Ayaz Kala, an ancient fortress in the Kyzylkum (Red Desert). We will drive about two hours to Ayaz Kala. According to archeological excavations, the oldest parts of the Ayaz Kala fortress date from the 2nd century BC. It was one of a chain of border fortresses which stretched from east to west and defended the Khiva oasis from attack. At Ayaz Kala we will have a lunch prepared by locals inside a traditionally built yurt.
After lunch, we will drive for another 40 minutes to Toprak-kala, an impressive archaeological site which once served as the capital of the ancient Khorezmian kingdom. We will be able to go up to the top of its fortress for a view of the ruins of its palatial rooms, temples and other structures.
After yet another couple of hours, we reach Khiva. Upon arrival, we will check-in at the hotel and meet up again for dinner.
Hotel Bankir 3* or similar

A jewel of desert architecture, Khiva is one of the most important centers of ancient Khorezm. Locals believe that Shem, son of Noah, founded the city when he discovered a freshwater spring in the middle of this vast desert. Archeologists believe the city was founded some 2,500 years ago. Today, Khiva is the most architecturally intact and tightly packed of Central Asia’s Silk Road cities. Its intense blue-and-green tile work ranks as some of the most ornate in Uzbekistan, and the entirety of the Ichan-Kala – the inner city – is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also has the feel of a movie set or an open-air museum. Khiva is full of incredible architecture, and today we will get the chance to see it all. The focus of our tour is the walled Ichan-Kala, within which are preserved more than 60 historic monuments and hundreds of centuries-old houses. We will also have the chance to watch a traditional acrobatic performance of rope walking.
Dinner in a local restaurant.
Hotel Bankir 3* or similar

Early morning flight to Bukhara. From Bukhara Airport it’s just a 10 minutes’ ride to the old town.
Bukhara is the second of our UNESCO World Heritage Site stops. The city’s very name -Bukhara – conjures up images of the exotic Orient. For centuries, it was an important trading post and center of scholarship. The Old City has been well preserved and is crammed full of minarets, mosques, and madrassas. Its once notorious canals and pools, the source of many an epidemic, have now been drained, but the most famous, Lyabi-Hauz, is still there. Today it’s an oasis shaded by mulberry trees in the heart of the city. Your guide will show you Bukhara’s unmissable sights, and you can soak up the atmosphere wandering through the labyrinthine alleyways. Key sites on today’s tour itinerary include the historic trading domes, Lyabi-Hauz complex, Magokiatori mosque, Kosh madrasah and the Poi kalon complex. Some free time in the afternoon. In the evening we will meet a local woman, who will tell us more about life in Bukhara, and talk about some local rituals. Dinner in a local restaurant.
Hotel Alexia Suite 3* or similar

Today morning we visit a couple more sights near Bukhara. First, we visit the Mausoleum of Naqshbandi, 15 km outside the city center. There are many orders in Sufism, all of which have been represented  at different times in what is now Uzbekistan. The Naqshbandiyya order has a great and long-lasting influence, and the memorial place is still a popular place of pilgrimage for Sufis. From here, we will visit the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara. In Persian it is called Sitorai Mokhi Hossa, “the place where the moon meets the stars”. On the way back to the old town we will stop to see Chor Minor madrassah. In the afternoon we continue sightseeing in the old town of Bukhara. We will visit the Ark Fortress, the 10th century Samanid Mausoleum and Bolo Hauz Mosque. Free time in the evening and independent dinner.
Hotel Alexia Suite 3* or similar

Today we will drive to a village near Bukhara to explore the rural life of Uzbekistan. On the way, we will also visit the famous pottery workshop of Gijduvan. Upon arrival in the village of Vobkent, we will meet the family of Mr. Rustam. He will introduce us to his home, and village. We will have a walk in the village, meet locals and see cotton fields. We will prepare and have lunch together. In the afternoon we take the high-speed train Afrosiob from Bukhara to Samarkand (3:45 pm – 5:30 pm). Upon arrival in Samarkand, transfer to the hotel for check-in and dinner in the city. After dinner, on the way to the hotel, stop at Registan Square for an evening view of the magnificent madrasahs.
Hotel Kosh Hovuz 3* or similar

Sublime Samarkand was the capital of the Timurid Empire; Timur was one of history’s greatest conquerors. His vast empire rivaled any, stretching across the Eurasian steppe. He ruled his kingdom with an iron fist, whilst at the same time patronizing the arts and literature. Much of the architectural heritage from this period has been preserved, allowing us to see how the city might have been at the peak of Timur’s power.
We will start the city tour with a visit to Bibi-Khanum Mosque, a structure that legend says was gifted to Timur by one of his wives. We will also have some time to explore Siyob Bzaar.
After lunch, we vsiit Registan Square, the most famous landmark in all of Uzbekistan. This square was the focal point of medieval Samarkand and is framed by three beautiful madrassas (religious schools), Ulugbek, Sherdor, and Tillya Kori. We will cmplete today’s city tour with a visit to Gur-e-Amir, the gilded mausoleum where Timur is buried. We will hear stories from his life and how he began the construction of Samarkand.
Hotel Kosh Hovuz 3* or similar

After breakfast, we will continue to explore the fairytale city of Samarkand. We go first to the Shah-i Zinda, a magnificent tiled necropolis; and then visit Ulgubek’s Observatory, which was once the biggest research center in Central Asia. Ulugbek was decades ahead of the West with his observations of the solar system and the Earth, and we will learn more about his story in this prestigious setting. At Afrasiyab Museum you will get a chance to learn about the ancient city of Samarkand – then known as Afrasiyab – which was destroyed by the Mongols in the early 13th century. Free time before dinner to do some shopping and packing. Farewell dinner.
Please note: If you prefer to fly out of Tashkent instead of Samarkand, we can arrange transport back to Tashkent in the evening (2h train ride) and transfer to the airport.
Hotel Kosh Hovuz 3* or similar

Check-out at the hotel is any time before noon. You will have free time until your transfer to Samarkand International Airport for your flight home.
Please note: We may arrange an extension tour to neighboring countries or to other parts of Uzbekistan, such as the Fergana valley or Termez – please contact us to discuss.