Uzbekistan Holidays along the Silk Road

Your driver will meet you at the airport and drive you to the hotel. Check-in time is 14.00. Time at leisure. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

Transfer to the domestic airport. Morning flight to Nukus (1h 40 min), the capital of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Visit the famous Museum of Igor Savitskiy (closed on Mondays). Today the museum houses the second largest collection of Russian avant-garde paintings (after the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg). It also has the largest collection of archaeological, folklore, applied and contemporary art from Karakalpakstan and Central Asia with more than 86.000 exhibits. Afterwards transfer to Khiva (200 km, 3.5 h). Overnight stay in Khiva.

Please note: The road condition is not of high quality

Khiva is 2500 years old and was the capital of the Khiva Khanate from the 16th until the 20th century. The city is famous for its well-preserved city wall that surrounds Khiva’s old town, known as Ichan Kala (“inner town”). As the majority of historical monuments are located in the Ichan Kala, you will have a walking tour today. You will visit Khiva’s largest madrasah, Mukhammad Amin-khan, next to which the Kalta Minor (“short minaret”) is located. It’s famous for its unusual shape and decor. The citadel Kunya Ark was the Khan’s main palace until the 19th century when the construction of the Tash-Khovli palace was completed. The latter is known for its beautiful harem. Khiva’s Friday mosque Juma has an unusual design with more than 200 wooden columns. The city’s most holy site is the Pakhlavan Makhmud mausoleum, where many newly married couples come to be blessed. Overnight stay in Khiva.

The duration of the tour is about 5 hours long.

Drive to Bukhara through Kyzylkum desert (450 km, 7-8 hours). After arrival, there will be some free time in Bukhara. Overnight stay in Bukhara.

Please note: Parts of the road are not of high quality.

Bukhara was one of the biggest trading centres and stops for caravans during the Great Silk Road and has a very rich history. Visit the Ismail Samani Mausoleum which is considered to be a masterpiece of the 10th century’s architecture, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum and Bolo-Khauz Mosque. Since the 1^st century, the Ark citadel was the residence of all Bukhara’s rulers. One of the most beautiful places in Bukhara is the Poi-Kalon complex (Minaret Kalon, Miri-Arab Madrasah, Kalon Mosque). Stroll through the three trading domes visiting one of the city’s oldest mosques Magoki-Attori. Reach Lyabi-Khauz, the favourite square of local citizens, which is the centre of the old town and surrounded by several architectural monuments. Overnight stay in Bukhara.

The duration of the tour is around 5 to 6 hours.

Meals: D

Continue to explore Bukhara by car today. Visit Chor-Minor Madrasah, which has an unusual architectural style with four minarets. Drive to the holy site of the famous Sufi Bakhouddin Naqshbandi, which is a popular pilgrimage place amongst the locals. Afterwards, visit the Summer Palace of Bukhara’s last emir Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa and Chor-Bakr Necropolis. The afternoon will be free to spend at your own leisure. Overnight stay in Bukhara.

The duration of the tour is 4 hours long.

Drive to Shakhrisabz (275 km, 4-4.5 h), a UNESCO world heritage site, having 2700 years of history. It is the birthplace of the local hero Tamerlane. Visit the historical part of Shakhrisabz. Your sightseeing includes the remains of Ak-Saray palace, Tamerlane’s biggest palace, Dorus Saodat, where Tamerlane’s first son was buried and Dorut Tilovat complex with its amazing blue domes. Continue your drive to Samarkand through a picturesque Takhta Karach mountain pass* (90 km, 2 h). Overnight stay in Samarkand.

The duration of the tour in Shakhrisabz is around 1.5 hours.
Please note: Parts of the roads are not in the best condition

*Only sedan cars are allowed to cross the mountain pass. In case you travel by minivan/bus the road leads around and the drive will take approx. 3 hours.

Start your tour in Samarkand by car. It’s time to explore Tamerlane’s capital, which is one of Uzbekistan’s most famous cities. Samarkand’s architectural monuments will amaze you with their beauty and brightness of colours. The city’s most famous place is Registan Square, which consists of three impressive madrasahs. You will see the largest historical mosque of Central Asia Bibi-Khanum, next to which the famous Siab bazaar is located (closed on Mondays). Shakhi-Zinda, the street of mausoleums, is one of the holy sites, where one of Prophet Muhammad’s cousins is buried. The Gur-Emir Mausoleum was originally built for Tamerlane’s favourite grandson, but later became a family crypt, where Tamerlane himself was buried as well. Ulugbek, one of Tamerlane’s grandsons, was a great astronomer in the 15th century and built a famous Observatory, which allowed him to make the most precise calculation of the length of the year at his time. Overnight stay in Samarkand.

The duration of the tour is around 6 to 7 hours.

After check-out continue the tour in Samarkand. You will visit a silk paper workshop, where silk paper is handcrafted according to the old technique, the Afrasiab Museum and the St. Daniel’s Mausoleum, the Saint, who is known in three world religions.
Transfer to train station. Train to Tashkent at 17:00 (2h 12 min). Transfer to your hotel. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

The duration of the tour in Samarkand is about 4 hours.

Transfer early morning to Ugam-Chatkal National Park (2 hours). The park is located in the western part of the Tien Shan Mountains. Your hike will last from 4 to 6 hours, during which the mountain guide will tell you about the flora, fauna and geography of the National Park. You will have a stop for a picnic. Drive back to the hotel. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

Together with our partners, we will choose the most attractive route depending on the season. Please note that the number of mountain guides is limited in this area, so we cannot guarantee you a private guide, however, you can hike in a small group.
Meals: L (picnic)

Today you will travel to the Fergana Valley, the most fertile and greenest part of Uzbekistan. Transfer to Tashkent railway station at 07:05. Train to Kokand at 08:05. Arrive at Kokand at 12:15, where a guide and a driver will meet you. Tour in Kokand, which was the capital of the Kokand Khanate in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Visit the last khan’s palace, known as Khudoyarkhan palace. The Djuma mosque has an unusual design with its minaret standing in the middle of the courtyard. Overnight stay in Kokand.

Continue to explore the Fergana valley by car. Drive to Rishtan (45 km, 50 min) where you will visit a workshop in which the famous Rishtan ceramics are crafted using traditional designs and colours of this region. Drive to Margilan (50 km, 50 min). Visit the local bazaar and the Yodgorlik factory, where you will learn the handwoven process of famous Uzbek silk. Transfer to the Margilan train station. Train to Tashkent at 16:48. Arrive in Tashkent at 21:38. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

Train to Fergana valley can be replaced by vehicle. The way goes through the Kamchik mountain pass. The drive from Tashkent to Kokand takes approx. 4 h, 250 km.

Explore Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent by car. Despite its modern appearance, Tashkent is 2200 years old. Today you will visit the historical part, the complex Khast-Imam, where the famous Koran of Caliph Osman is kept. You will have the chance to experience the local bazaar, Chorsu. In the city’s modern part, you can visit Independence square, the Amir Timur Square and the National Museum of History. Furthermore, a metro ride is included in today’s itinerary. Many stations of Tashkent’s metro have a very unique design and are considered as one of the city’s attractions. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

The duration of the tour is 5 to 6 hours.

Transfer to the international airport.