Situated in the northwestern corner of Uzbekistan, Khiva has been a hub of commerce and culture for centuries. The city is divided into two distinct areas: the old town, known as Ichan Kala, and the modern city that has grown around it.
Uzbekistan on The Great Silk Road
Being located at the crossroads of the ancient 'Silk Road', Uzbekistan remains one of the richest places in terms of history and culture. For centuries the great cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva were important centers of trade, wealth, culture and learning and today they are among the most exotic cities of the Islamic world. Ancient mosques covered in shimmering tilework, crowned by stunning turquoise domes etch the skyline. Together with Tashkent, these three cities form the core of our journey through this ancient and extraordinary land. In Tashkent the Uzbek capital we visit the Khast Imam complex and the Mui Muborak library which contains an original Koran dating from the 7th Century AD. Later we ride the metro, visit the State Museum of Applied Arts and explore the fabulous Chorsu food bazaar. Next is legendary Samarkand, whose colorful history dates back over 2,500 years. Here we discover its most celebrated sights including the madrassas and mosques of the magnificent Registan and the Observatory of Ulugbek. A short drive away across the mountains is the World Heritage-listed Shahrisabz where we explore the ruins of the palace of the conqueror Timur. From Samarkand, we visit the village of nearby Konigil, known for its ancient silk paper-making workshops. At the end of our day, you have free time to just wander around the center of Samarkand and admire its magnificence. Alongside Samarkand, Bukhara is one of the great Silk Route cities of central Asia and two days allow ample time to see the principal sights and make our own discoveries. We then travel across the desert steppe to Khiva, once a slave-trading Khanate, and the most intact and homogenous of our three ancient cities. Within its baked mud brick walls, we visit a wonderful carpet and textile workshop and see some stunning vernacular architecture whilst exploring several mosques, madrasas and mausoleums that dominate this ancient city.
