10 days/ 9 nights
Highlights:
Participate in the process of hand-made silk paper production, of IX с methods
Participate in cooking class of traditional meal with local family
Explore ancient sites and monuments of Great Silk Road: mosques, madrassahs and minarets of X-XVI cc.
Day by Day itinerary
Day 1 Tashkent arrival
Day 2 Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva (domestic flight)
Day 3 Khiva
Day 4 Khiva – Bukhara
Day 5 Bukhara
Day 6 Bukhara -Samarkand (train)
Day 7 Samarkand
Day 8 Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand
Day 9 Samarkand – Tashkent (train)
Day 10 Tashkent departure
Detailed day-by-day itinerary:
Day 1 Tashkent arrival
Arrival at International Airport of Tashkent. Driver and guide will welcome you at the Airport and transfer to hotel (check-in at/after 14:00). You can leave your luggage in hotel.
Start sightseeing tour in Tashkent: You will visit the Architectural complex of Khast-Imam, charming Kukaldash Madrasa, one of the biggest Bazaar of Uzbekistan, Chorsu and the Museum of Applied Art of Tashkent.
After lunch, you will explore beautiful and unusual underground stations of Tashkent Metro, Amir Temur Square and Independence Square.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 2 Tashkent -Urgench -Khiva (domestic flight)
Early breakfast at hotel.
In the morning at ____ you will meet your driver at hotel and transfer to the airport and take domestic flight to Urgench.
Upon arrival at the airport of Urgench, the driver will meet you and transfer to Khiva.
Time to explore marvelous city, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your sightseeing tour includes visits to all monuments and sites of Ichan Kala: Juma Mosque, Kunya Ark fortress, Kalta Minor minaret, the Madrasa of Muhammad Amin Khan and the Tash-Kauli Palace.
After lunch continue to explore other exceptional monuments of Ichan Kala: The Mausoleum of Pahlavan Mahmud, the Mausoleum of Sayid Alauddin, the Madrasa of Islam-Khodja.
Overnight at hotel.
This may sound interesting for you!
If you want an active holiday and want to immerse yourself in the real Khorezm atmosphere, take a mini course of Khorezm dancing “Lyazgi”.
And if you are a big fan of unusual photos, don’t forget to capture impressive panoramic view of Khiva on your camera climbing on the roof of Aksheykh bobo madrasah before sunset!
Day 3 Khiva
Breakfast at hotel.
Half day you will have sightseeing tour and visit other architectural monuments, located in Dishan Kala: house-museum of Nuralla Bay, Kibla Toza Bog Palace, which was the Summer Residence of Khiva Emirs and one of the most beautiful monuments in Khiva of the XIX century.
After lunch time, you will have free time to enjoy the last day in Khiva.
Night at hotel.
Tip for the day!
The culinary discovery of the day: only in Khiva you can taste tukhumbarrak, gumma, and shivit oshi dishes.
Souvenirs and gifts for relatives: Khiva is the center of woodcarving crafts; the most beautiful patterns and quality products can be bought here.
Also, handmade woolen socks are also a particularity of Khiva seamstresses.
Day 4 Khiva – Bukhara (~7-8h road trip)
Breakfast at hotel.
Early in the morning you will meet your driver at hotel and transfer to Bukhara direction by passing red sands of the Kizil-Kum desert (~7-8h road trip).
On the way, there will be rest stop to explore Amu-Darya river, which seems as a blue serpent in the desert.
Lunch on the way.
In the afternoon going on the road doing another rest stop near Gazli. Upon arrival in Bukhara transfer to hotel and check-in at 14:00.
Overnight at the hotel.
Tip for the day!
Souvenirs and gifts for relatives: Bukhara is famous for its hand-made Jewelry -silver rings, earrings and bracelets, as well as silk carpets and scarfs!
Day 5 Bukhara
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning you will meet your guide at hotel.
During full day sightseeing tour, you will visit: the architectural complex Poi-Kalyan, the madrasa of Ulug Beg and Abdulaziz Khan, Tim Abdullah Khan – a covered bazaar built in 1577, Magok-i Attari Mosque.
After lunch continue to explore other marvelous monuments, as: architectural ensemble Laybi-Hauz, Ark-Citadel –a residence of Bukhara khans, a massive fortress, built and occupied around the 5th century AD, Bolo-Hauz Mosque, built in the 17th century, the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, which is one of the most ancient monuments in the city and the mausoleum Chashma Ayub.
Overnight at hotel.
This may sound interesting for you!
While strolling through the old streets of Bukhara, you can check out the synagogue, which is located in the former Jewish quarter.
After a day full of visits try the Oriental Spa in the ancient Hammam, get a relaxing massage and get lightness of body and soul!
Day 6 Bukhara – Samarkand (domestic train)Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning you will meet your guide at hotel and continue your sightseeing tour. You will visit: the mosque Tchor Minor, summer residence of last Emir of Bukhara Sitorai Mokhi Khosa.
Check out at 12:00, after lunch time, meet driver at hotel at ___ and transfer to Railway station to take train express to Samarkand. Arrival at _____, meet driver in Railway station of Samarkand and transfer to hotel.
For the evening, you will be a guest of local Uzbek family and cooking class of traditional dish will take place!
Overnight at hotel.
Day 7 Samarkand (city tour)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning meet your guide at hotel and start your sightseeing tour to: The Registan Square, the ensemble of three madrasas, the Gur-Amir Mausoleum –the family crypt of the great dynasty of Tamerlane, and Bibi Khanum Mosque.
After lunch time you will visit the Siyab Bazaar, and the Shakhi-Zinda Ensemble, which includes more than 20 historical buildings, built from early XI to XIV cc.
Overnight at hotel.
This may sound interesting for you!
Do not miss to visit Registan in the evening when the square looks different in the night lighting show, and sometimes there is a 3D show on the square. Ask your guide if the 3D show coincides with the date of your visit, be sure to make a reservation!
Day 8 Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand (~83 km, 2h drive)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning meet driver and guide and transfer to Shakhrisabz city (~83 km, 2h drive). On the way photo stop in Shaytan Jiga Plateau, where you can see stone objects, formed thousands of years before.
Another stop will be on the top of Takhtakaracha pass, where local people trade herbs, species, local snacks and dried fruit.
In Shakhrisabz sightseeing tour will start with visiting huge remains of the entrance portal of Ak-Saray Palace. Then you will visit Dor-ut Tilavat Ensemble with Kok-Gumbaz Mosque and Mausoleum of Sayyids. After, Dor-us Saodat Memorial Complex and the Mausoleum of Jakhongir.
Lunch time. In the afternoon drive back to Samarkand.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 9 Samarkand – Tashkent (train)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning check out of hotel.
Meet your guide at hotel and continue your sightseeing tour. You will visit: the first observatory in Central Asia, built by Mirzo Ulugbek in XV c., St. Daniel Memorial complex and Afrasiab Museum.
After lunch break, you will visit another interesting place, Samarkand paper mill, located in Koniguil village.
At ____ driver will transfer to railway station and you will take fast speed train to Tashkent. Upon arrival in Tashkent, meet your driver and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 Tashkent departure
In the morning (2-3 h before flight departure time) meet your driver at hotel and transfer to the International Airport.
We will wish you to have a safe flight and always remember your trip to Uzbekistan!
