General

Day 1: Arrival Tashkent

Arrival to Tashkent Airport. Transfer is to the hotel. Check in to the hotel. Rest & Overnight is in the hotel.

Day 2: Tashkent – Fergana (domestic flight)

Breakfast at the hotel. Half-day tour in Tashkent: Independence square (Red square in former USSR, Main Square of the country). Square was erected as a symbol of victory over fascism in World War II. Territory of Independence includes several main administrative buildings. Broadway – walking street between independence square and Amir Timur square. The street is so-called show room for local artists and cozy place for tasting European and Uzbek cuisine. Amir Timur square – one of the central squares of Tashkent, erected on behalf of national hero – Amir Timur. The square symbolizes sovereignty and power of Uzbek nation. Old city – old part of Tashkent city, the area, which preserves the traditional Uzbek style: Chorsu Bazaar, Kukaldash Madrasah (16th.c) and Hast Imam complex – the Islamic heart of the country. This architectural complex consists of Barak-Khan Madrasah, Tilla sheikh mosque, Muyi Muborak Madrasah, Kaffal shashi mausoleum, Namazgoh mosque, as well as the new Khazrati Imam mosque and the muftiate building (the muslim board of Uzbekistan) built in 2007. Muyi muborak Madrasah (16th c). Moreover, Madrasah exhibits one of the Islamic relics – the Othman Quran, the world’s oldest Quran copy dating back to 8th c. Quran belonged to Othman Ibn Affan, the Third Caliph (of the four righteous Caliphs who succeeded the prophet Muhammad). Othman was killed by non-muslims in 8th century. His blood spred over the Quran. You still can see blood drops on Quran’s pages. Transfer to domestic airport of Tashkent, regisration and flight for Fergana as per time-table. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel, check in and overnight is at the hotel.

Day 3: Fergana – Tashkent  

Visiting Fergana regional museum – The fund of the museum has a fine collection of items, relating to all periods of history, culture and art of Fergana valley. The museum collection has more than 80 thousand. Visiting national park of Fergana. Transfer to Margilan  and visiting Silk producing factory in Margilan – All parts of the production process are undertaken here, from the feeding of the silk worms with mulberry leaves, through dyeing with natural vegetal and mineral dyes, to the weaving of the final cloth, and it is fascinating to follow it step by step. Transfer to Fergana train station, board the train and departure for Tashkent (approximately departure 16:00). Arriving Tashkent train station at 20:25, transfer to your hotel and overnight is at the hotel.

Day 4: Tashkent – Nukus

Transfer to domestic airport of Tashkent, regisration and flight for Nukus as per time-table. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. Full day tour in Nukus: Museum of Savitsky in Nukus – exhibits the masterpieces of forbidden art. Museum collects 20th century Russian avant-garde paintings, works of Sokolov, Komarovskiy and Amaravella group. The curator of the Karakalpakstan state museum of art collected the artworks in 1960s. He purchased banned works from persecuted soviet artists, sometimes free. He carefully preserved and finally exhibited them in this remote central Asian art-house. Mizdakhan sight outside of Nukus – today Mizdakhan is a necropolis. Centuries-ago, it was ancient city. Scientists note that 1000 years back it was the second largest city in the region. Archaeological findings confirmed that area was continuously captured from 4th century b.c. till about 14th century a.d.. Chilpyk – 2200 years-old Zoroastrian ancient monument – Dakhma Chilpyk (shylpyk, chilpak kala). Returning to the hotel and overnight.

Day 5: Nukus – Muynak – Khiva

You can shoot some great photos early in the morning at dawn. After breakfast visit to picturesque canyons of Ustyurt and drive towards Moynaq through the dried bottom of the sea. On arrival in Moynaq visit the graveyard of Ships in ex-shore of the Aral Sea and town museum. After visits drive to Khiva. Overnight is at the hotel.

Day: 6 Khiva

Breakfast at the hotel. Full day tour in Khiva: Ichan-Qala is the inner city in Khiva rounded with strong walls. Centuries old sound buildings, palaces, mosques, Madrasahs, Mausoleums, Minarets, Caravan-Sarais and Bathhouses transformed Ichan-Qala into unique city-monument. Ichan-Qala consists of over 400 traditional dwelling houses and about 60 architectural monuments. In 1969 Ichan-Qala was designated a historical and architectural conservation area. Muhammad Arang Khan, son of Muhammad Anush Khan in 1686, led Kunya-Ark fortress – foundation to the Kunya Ark citadel. In XVIII century, citadel was separated from the Ichan-Qala and became “city in the city”. Primarily Kunya Ark consisted of Khans’ office, reception hall, harem, closed and outdoor mosque, and mint yard, back office with mews, storehouse and workshop. Citadel served as a military base, but in XIX and XX century embodied many other buildings. Kalta Minor minaret – stands for ‘short minaret’, unfinished tower adjoining to Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah. Legends say that architect in-charge for the construction was executed by the Khan who found out that master got better offer from Bukhara Khan to build higher minaret in Bukhara. After this, no any architect risked to complete the minaret. Tash Khouvli palace – stone palace is located in the eastern part of Ichan-Qala. This is the sample of Khorezm architectural mastership of 1830s. Allakuli-Khan who ordered to build the palace directed a big amount of wealth for the construction of this palace as the period was one of the flourishing of Khorezm Empire. At the end of excursion returning back to the hotel. Overnight is at the hotel.

Day 7: Khiva – Bukhara (440 km, 7 hours’ drive)

Breakfast is at the hotel. Morning departure for Bukhara, the way goes thru Kizilkum desert (around seven hours’ drive thru the desert). Stop en-route to enjoy views of Amu Darya River and the desert. Arrival to Bukhara, check in to the hotel. Free time in Bukhara and overnight is at the hotel.

Day 8: Bukhara

Breakfast at the hotel. Full day tour in Bukhara: Citadel Ark (4th b.c.) – Ark citadel is the most ancient citadel in Bukhara. Ark citadel was erected on the Registan Square and is the symbol of haughtiness, power and greatness. Fortress was the sample of city life. Ark served as a palace of several dynasties of Bukhara Empire. Samanids mausoleum (9-10th c.) – this mausoleum of Ismail Samanids’ dynasty. This masterpiece of architecture was built in 9th -10th century. Mausoleum is the resting-place of Ismail Samani – a powerful and influential Amir of the Samanid dynasty, one of the Persian dynasties that ruled in central Asia in 9th and 10th centuries. Chashma Ayub (14th c.) – means Job’s well. According to legend, Prophet Job (Ayub) while crossing this area found out that the local people were exhausted from dry climate and having no water. He tapped his stick on the land and opened a well of purest and cold water. The water of this well is still pure and healing. Amir Timur ordered to erect mausoleum over this well. Mausoleum has uncommon design of Bukhara architecture. Bolo-Hauz mosque (beginning of the 20th c.) – known also as the mosque of forty columns. The mosque was built in honor of Bukhara governor Abu-Fayud Khan. Ruler personally performed Jumah namaz in this mosque. Shopping domes – Toki Saraffon, Toki Telpak Furushon & Toki Zargaron domes. Madrasah Nodir Divan Begi – Madrasah is one of the most popular Madrasah in Bukhara and part of Lyabi House Ensemble. Today Madrasah is the place of folklore performances and oriental art exhibition. Complex Lyabi-Khauz (14-17th c.) – the central sightseeing place of Bukhara city. Complex was built in 16th-17th century and still main tourist attraction and favorite place of local people. Poi Kalon complex – the unique sample of architectural art of Bukhara. Poi-Kalon, ‘The Foot of the Great’, consists of three structures built in the 12th – 16th centuries: Kalon minaret, Kalon mosque and Mir Arab Madrasah. After the excursion, you will return to the hotel. Free evening and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: Bukhara (Surroundings)

Breakfast at the hotel. Bahauddin Naqshbandi complex – located several km from Bukhara. Memorial complex of the famous Sufi Leader and Philosopher. The complex is one of the Muslim pilgrimage place for all people of Islamic world. Sheikh Bakhauddin Nakshbandi was one of the spiritual masters of Amir Timur.  Today complex consists of mosques of Kushbegi and Muzafarohana, courtyard with pool, madrasah, and burial vault of Bukhara rulers and Dakhma upon the tomb of Saint Bakhauddin Nakshbandi.  Sitorai Mohi Hosa complex – is the countryside residence of Bukhara Emirs, located four km away from the city. The palace is the sample of combination of various architectural styles. Emir named the palace on behalf of his wife who died young “Star – like and moon- like Palace”. Chor Bakr memorial complex – is the town of the dead, located in Sumiton village, five km from Bukhara. Complex symbolizes the four sides of the earth and interprets that all people are equal. Construction of the complex began during the Samanids reign until 16th century. Returning to the city and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10: Bukhara – Yurts camp of Nurata (310 km, 4 hours)

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Nurata city. Upon arrival city tour in Nurata: visit the Khasan- Khuseyn Mosque (XVI-XVII cс.), blacksmith’s and potter’s workshops and a sacred pond with sacred fishes – a place for pilgrimage by Muslim worshipers in Nurata. In addition, to visit are Medressa of Sheihun Hasan Nury, Mamazgokh Mosque (XIVc) and remains of so called “Alexander the Great’s Fortress”. Continue the drive to yurts camp in dessert, arrival, dinner at fire and overnight is at yurts camp.

Day 11: Nurata – Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Samarkand city. Upon arrival city tour in Samarkand. Registan square – the complex of three historical building: Madrasah Ulugbek (15th c.), Madrasah Sher-dor (17th c.), Madrasah Tilla-Kori (17th c.) – the visiting card and the main attraction spot of Samarkand. Architectural complex Shakhi-Zindeh (11-15th c.) – the name Shah-I-Zinda (meaning “the living king”) comes together with the legend about Kusam Ibn Abbas, the cousin of the prophet Muhammad who was buried here. As if, he came to Samarkand with the Arab invasion in the 7th century to preach Islam. Popular legends say that he was beheaded for his faith. However, he took his head and went into the deep well (garden of paradise), where he is still living now. Mausoleum Guri Emir – Tamerlane’s tomb (14-15th c.) – Gur-e Amir means “Tomb of the King”. This architectural complex with grandiose dome contains the tombs of Tamerlane, and his sons Shakhrukh, Miranshakh, grandsons Ulugbek and Muhammad Sultan. The tomb of Timur’s spiritual master Sayyid Baraka. Bibi Khanum Mosque – name of the mosque translated as the “Elder wife” and it was built in honor of favorite Tamerlane’s wife, after his successful campaign in India. Overnight is at the hotel.

Day 12: Samarkand

Breakfast is at the hotel. Full day city tour of Samarkand: Ulughbek observatory – built in 15th century by Ulughbek, one of the most famous Samarkand rulers and scientist. Working in observatory Ulughbek created in 1437 the “Zidji Guragoni” catalog, which had information about 1018 celestial bodies. Unfortunately, he was killed by per order of his own son. Local Broadway surrounded with souvenir shops, teahouses, sweets workshops and etc. Visiting National bazaar Siab – oriental bazaar, where easy to find Uzbek traditional handmade products and local sweets.Carpet factory – the unique handmade carpet factory where over 400 women sewing carpets without any modern technologies. Factory preserves old traditional style in producing carpets. Samarkand paper workshop – Samarkand’s antique paper making workshop. Overnight is at the hotel.

Day 13: Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Shahrisabs – the Birthplace of Amir Timur. Upon arrival meet with your local guide and excursion in Shahrisabs: Ak Saray Palace – The idea of Amir Timur turned into reality. He has built the palace, which had no equal in its grandeur and beauty. On the main portal of the Palace was written: “If you want to know about our power – look at our buildings”. Jahongir mausoleum – was built especially for the eldest son of Amir Timur, who died in battle when he was twenty years old. When the son died, the ruler has mourned for a long time (many say that his grief has lasted for 30 years). Jahongir’s body was moved from Samarkand to Shahrisabs and three years later on his burial place was built mausoleum, named after his. Dorus Siadat and Dorus Tillavat memorial complexes – Memorial complex Dorus Saodat means «The House of power”. It was built like a necropolis for Amir Timur and all his descendants and relatives. Dorut Tillavat – translates as “House of meditation and contemplation.” After excursion drive to Samarkand. Upon arrival, overnight is at the hotel.

Day 14: Samarkand – Tashkent

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Tashkent, en route stop over at Djizakh Mountains to see “Gates of Amit Timur” – huge hole in mountains, opened by order or Amir Timur to let his army cross the mountains. Upon arrival Tashkent, check in to the hotel and time for rest. Half-day city tour in Tashkent. Zangi – Ota memorial complex. According to legend, Zangi-Oota was a shepherd and distinguished for his wisdom and good deeds. In addition, he was considered as a spiritual guide, to resolve conflicts and quarrels, instructed in the faith and healed the sick. Therefore, he is called saint. His life and fate was recorded in history from different sources, and they differ slightly in his narrative. Shopping at national bazaar Chorsu – visiting Chor-Su bazaar you can try national foods, buy fresh fruits and sweets, as well as purchase many souvenirs for your relatives and friends. The State museum of Timurids’ history – in the museum of Amir Timur collected 3,000 different items including historic correspondence that tells us about the activity of Amir Temur, jewelry, musical instruments, weapons, various coins, paintings, documents, historical manuscripts and clothing belong to Timurid’s period. The State Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, consist of collection of glasses and national clothing, hand and machine embroidery, skullcaps and national fabrics, carpets and woodcarving. After the excursion returning to the hotel and overnight.

Day 15: Tashkent-Departure

Check out from the hotel, transfer to the airport, and flight for next destination.

 

Pricing for for the year 2019  

Persons Price per person in USD
Tourist Class hotels Superior Class hotels
2 1670 1840
4 1405 1580
6 1200 1420
8 1200 1420
10 1140 1360
10+1 Foc 1215 1400
15+1 Foc 1130 1300
20+1 Foc 1070 1230
25+1 Foc 1030 1190
30+1 Foc 1025 1180
35+1 Foc 990 1140
40+1 Foc 970 1125
Single Supplement 180 400

 

Cities Nights Tourist Class hotels Superior Class hotels
Tashkent Three Le Grande P *** or similar Ramada **** or similar
Bukhara Three Lyabi Hauze *** or similar Omar Khayyam **** or similar
Samarkand Three Ideal *** or similar Diyora **** or similar
Khiva Two Old Khiva *** or similar Asia Khiva **** or similar
Nukus One Dosliq Dosliq
Fergana One Dangara *** or similar Asia Fergana **** or similar
Nurata One Camps Camps

 

Price includes:

  • Accommodation at mentioned hotels on double share basis
  • Transportation per program in comfortable a/c transport with professional drivers
  • 2 pax – Sedan (Lacetti Chevrolet)
  • 4-6 pax – Minivan (Hyundai Grand Starex)
  • 8-14 pax – Midibus (Toyota Coaster)
  • 16 and more pax – Bus (Higer, Yutong)
  • Breakfasts at the hotels
  • Master classes and show programs for group departures (from 10 pax and more)
  • Daily two bottles of 0.5l water per person
  • Group tour leader in single room free of charge (+1 Foc)
  • Escort English speaking professional guide for entire tour
  • Entrance fees to mentioned sights per program (excluding photo and video charges at sights)
  • Visa support if required

Price does not include:

  • Visa consular fees and processing expenses
  • Photo and video charges at sights
  • Air tickets
  • All dinners per program
  • Domestic flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Extras, not indicated in inclusions

Available departures

Unfortunately, no places are available on this tour at the moment

Tashkent

Tashkent

Sprawling Tashkent is Central Asia’s hub and the place where everything in Uzbekistan happens. It’s one part newly built national capital, thick with the institutions of power, and one part leafy Soviet city, and yet another part sleepy Uzbek town, where traditionally clad farmers cart their wares through a maze of mud-walled houses to the grinding crowds of the bazaar. Tashkent is a fascinating jumble of contradictions that’s well worth exploring over several days.

Like most places that travellers use mainly to get somewhere else, Tashkent always immediately charm visitors and it’s a surprisingly fun and interesting place, with the best restaurants, museums and nightlife in the country. There’s also plenty of opportunity to escape the metropolis for great hiking, rafting and skiing in Ugam-Chatkal National Park, just a 1½-hour drive away.

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Shakhrisabz

ShakhrisabzRead more

Nukus

Nukus

 

The isolated Nukus is definitely one of Uzbekistan’s appealing cities and gets more visitors relative to its attractive Silk Road cousins. However, as the gateway to the fast-disappearing Aral Sea and home to the remarkable Savitsky Museum – one of the best collections of Soviet art in the world – there is actually a reason to come here, other than taking in the general sense of desolation.

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Fergana

Fergana

 

Tree-lined avenues and pastel-plastered tsarist buildings give Fergana the feel of a mini-Tashkent. Throw in the best services and accommodation in the region, plus a central location, and you have the most obvious base from which to explore the rest of the valley.

Fergana is the valley’s least ancient and least Uzbek city. It began in 1877 as Novy Margelan (New Margilon), a colonial annexe to nearby Margilon. It became Fergana in the 1920s. It’s a nice enough place to hang out, and somewhat cosmopolitan with its relatively high proportion of Russian and Korean inhabitants.

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Khiva

Khiva

A visit to Khorezm will have you flying down the time tunnel to an age of desert caravans, slave-driving Khans and lost empires. Get out of the fairly utilitarian capital Urgench and wander among the series of forts that dot the sands north and east of town. When you tire of castles in the sand head for Khiva, where the World heritage listed walled inner town contains many monuments built when this was the notorious Khanate of Khiva.

Khiva’s name, redolent of slave caravans, barbaric cruelty, terrible desert journeys and steppes infested with wild tribesmen, struck fear into all but the boldest 19th-century hearts. Nowadays it’s a friendly and welcoming Silk Road old town that’s very well set up for tourism, and a mere 35km southwest of the major transport hub of Urgench.

The historic heart of Khiva has been so well preserved that it’s often criticised as lifeless – a ‘museum city’. Even if you subscribe to that theory, you’ll have to admit that it’s one helluva museum. To walk through the walls and catch that first glimpse of the fabled Ichon-Qala (inner walled city) in all its monotoned, mud-walled glory is like stepping into another era.

You can see it all in a daytrip from Urgench, but you’ll absorb it better by staying longer. Khiva is at its best at dawn, sunset and by night, when the moonlit silhouettes of the tilting columns and medressas, viewed from twisting alleyways, work their magic.

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Bukhara

Bukhara

 

Central Asia’s holiest city, Bukhara has buildings spanning a thousand years of history, and a thoroughly lived-in old centre that hasn’t changed too much in two centuries. It is one of the best places in Central Asia for a glimpse of pre-Russian Turkestan.

Most of the centre is an architectural preserve, full of medressas, minarets, a massive royal fortress and the remnants of a once-vast market complex. Government restoration efforts have been more subtle and less indiscriminate than in flashier Samarkand, and the city’s accommodation options are by far the best and most atmospheric in the country.

Until a century ago Bukhara was watered by a network of canals and some 200 stone pools where people gathered and gossiped, drank and washed. As the water wasn’t changed often, Bukhara was famous for plagues; the average 19th-century Bukharan is said to have died by the age of 32. The Bolsheviks modernised the system and drained the pools, although it’s most famous, Lyabi-Hauz, remains a cool, mulberry-tree shaded oasis at the heart of the city.

You’ll need at least two days to look around. Try to allow time to lose yourself in the old town; it’s easy to overdose on the 140-odd protected buildings and miss the whole for its many parts

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Samarkand

Samarkand

 

We travel not for trafficking alone,

By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned.

For lust of knowing what should not be known

We take the Golden Road to Samarkand.

These final lines of James Elroy Flecker’s 1913 poem The Golden Journey to Samarkand evoke the romance of Uzbekistan’s most glorious city. No name is so evocative of the Silk Road as Samarkand. For most people it has the mythical resonance of Atlantis, fixed in the Western popular imagination by poets and playwrights of bygone eras, few of whom saw the city in the flesh.

On the ground the sublime, larger-than-life monuments of Timur, the technicolour bazaar and the city’s long, rich history indeed work some kind of magic. Surrounding these islands of majesty, modern Samarkand sprawls across acres of Soviet-built buildings, parks and broad avenues used by buzzing Daewoo taxis.

You can visit most of Samarkand’s high-profile attractions in two or three days. If you’re short on time, at least see the Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Shah-i-Zinda.

Away from the main attractions Samarkand is a modern, well-groomed city, which has smartened itself up enormously in the past decade. This process has involved building walls around some of the less sightly parts of the old town, which many consider to have made the old city rather sterile, blocking off streets that have been linking quarters for centuries. While this ‘disneyfication’ of this once chaotic place is undeniable, it’s also true to say that Samarkand remains a breathtaking place to visit.

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