Uzbekistan on The Great Silk Road
Group size: Maximum 20
Food and drink: Breakfast is included every day. Elsewhere, we enjoy the great variety of local food and drinks on offer.
Price includes: Agency services, local tour guide, arrival transfer, all local transportation, domestic flight, 11 nights accomodation and meals as indicated.
Not Included: Visa fees, travel insurance (compulsory), international flights, additional meals, drinks, departure transfer, optional tours, spending of a personal nature, laundry and tips.
Tour Highlights
- Hastim Imam Square – Tashkent
- Shahrisabz Ak-Saray ruins of Temur’s summer residence
- Chorsu Market
- Fortress Ark – Bukhara
- Mui Muborak Library
- Former Emir’s Royal Residence
- Applied Arts Museum
- Tuda-Kal & Gazelle Reserve
- Samarkand Registan
- Labi Khaus Complex – Bukhara
- Ulugbek’s Observatory
- Kalta-minor Minaret – Khiva
- Shah-I-Zinda Complex
- Khiva Tash Hauli Palace
- Konigil Silk Paper Mill
- Historic Juma Mosque – Khiva
Itinerary
Tashkent
Upon arrival at Tashkent Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Today is just an arrival day and we will plan to meet up in the evening. Pre-tour accomodation is available if you wish to arrive a day earlier.
Tashkent
We explore new and old Tashkent today, visiting the Khast Imam complex including the Mui Muborak library which houses a collection of ancient manuscripts and the original Qur'an, published by Caliph Usman in the 7th century AD. We visit the excellent Museum of Applied Arts housed in a former mansion of a Russian diplomat. Later we take a ride on the Tashkent metro, comparable only to Moscow’s celebrated subway system, and explore the wonderful Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent’s most famous farmers market.
Tashketn - Samarqand
An early start to the railway station for the 8.00am fast train to Samarkand, arriving two hours later. We then spend the rest of the day doing the city tour that covers highlights of this magnificent city, including the Registan complex, Gur Amir mausoleum, the Shah-I-Zinda complex, the bazaar and more.
Konigil - Samarqand
Continue the Samarkand tour we travel to nearby Konigil, where the ancient craft of papermaking can still be seen. Upon request, on our way back to Samarkand, we can visit a carpet factory to see the famous Uzbek rugs being made.
Shahrisabz - Samarqand
Today we have a trip out to Shakhrisabz over the Pamir-Alay mountains to see the World Heritage - the birthplace of Timur. It contains several impressive Timurid monuments including the White Palace built in 1380.
Samarkand to Bukhara
It will be an interesting drive to Bukhara and along the way, we stop to visit the remains of the Ribat-I Malik Caravanserai, one of several 11th-century caravansarais - inns and its reservoir-Sardoba built along the Silk Road. We will arrive in Bukhara in the mid-afternoon, where we visit the Chor Minar and Lyabi Hauz.
Bukhara
Like Samarkand, there is much to see and do here and we spend our time exploring its most fascinating sights, including the Ishmael Samaniy Mausoleum, Bukhara ark-royal palace and the Kalon complex which is an iconic symbol the city. There’s also time for a hamam - an ancient bathhouse, shopping or just roaming the back streets of this ancient city. Keep in mind that Bukhara is the place for shopping.
Bukhara
We continue our sightseeing today, with the chance to visit craft centers and carpet shops. We also go outside of Bukhara to visit Tuda-kul Lake and the Gazelle Nature Reserve. Returning to Bukhara you may have some free time.
Bukhara - Khiva
Today is the longest day of the trip (around 8 hours) as we head north across the Kyzil-kum desert to the remote fortified town of Khiva. We can stop along the way for a picnic lunch and will arrive in the late afternoon.
Khiva
The old town of Khiva is UNESCO Heritage sight and contains some stunning monuments, notably the Juma (Friday) Mosque. There are also wonderful craft workshops including carpet weaving and suzani (embroidered textile), where original plant dyes and ancient designs are still employed. We spend our day exploring the mosque, madrasa, minarets, bazaars, and workshops of this homogenous old city.
Khiva to Tashkent
Today is a free day for you to wander through this wonderful old city and shop for any last-moment souvenirs. In the late afternoon, we will transfer to the nearby Urgench airport for our flight back to Tashkent.
Tashkent
Our trip through some of the greatest cities on the Silk Road ends here.
Accomidations
Travel Sustainable Level 1
