15 days to discover the Silk Road

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Tashkent

  Arrival at Tashkent airport. Welcome and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the boutique hotel.

• day 2

  Tashkent / Nukus

  Breakfast at the hotel. Visit of Tashkent: capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent is today a modern city of 3 million inhabitants, but it has a certain charm with its wide avenues and parks. Discovery of the capital: Kukeldash Madrasa, Kaffal Chachi Mausoleum, Barakhan Madrasa (16th century). Visit to the Museum of Applied Arts, the former palace of the Russian diplomat Polovtsev. Lunch at leisure. Panoramic tour of Tashkent: Theater Square, Independence Square, Amir Temur Square. In the late afternoon, transfer to Tashkent T3 airport and flight to Nukus. Arrival in Nukus. Welcome and transfer to the hotel. Dinner at leisure.

• day 3

  Nukus / Khougrad / Ustyurt Plateau / Aral Sea

  Breakfast. At 08:00, departure from the hotel to Nukus. Excursion to the Ustyurt plateau and towards the Aral Sea. The road passes through the Kungrad region, which was once one of the major trading centers on the Great Silk Road. Continuation of the journey to the Ustyurt plateau. Stop at Lake Sudochye. Lunch included with the fishermen. After lunch, departure towards the Aral Sea. Camping upon arrival at the Aral Sea. Dinner included and overnight under the stars.

• day 4

  Aral Sea / Moynaq / Gaur Kala / Nukus

  Breakfast. Very early wake-up to observe the birds of the Aral Sea. Transfer to the village of Mouynak (250 km, 4h), famous as "the ship cemetery." The road passes through the dried-up seabed, by gas towers, and arrives at Outchsay. Lunch included. Return to Nukus via the architectural complex of Gaur Kala, which was destroyed by Genghis Khan, and Chilpik Kala, a tower erected for the deceased among the Zoroastrians. Arrival in Nukus. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.

• day 5

  Nukus / Toprak Kala / Ayaz Kala / Khiva

  

  Morning dedicated to visiting the Art Museum, where the incredible collection of more than 80,000 paintings saved by the artist and collector Igor Savitsky from Stalinist arbitrariness is kept, which, from 1936 onwards, tolerated only Soviet realist art. The works on display change frequently, but always have as their central theme the Russian and Soviet Avant-Garde of the early 20th century, to which are added "regional" works themed around Central Asia. Free lunch. Afterwards, departure towards Karakalpakstan where, at the beginning of our era, many fortresses were built to protect the rich cities that developed there. Visit to the Ayaz Kala fortress, certainly founded in the Parthian era and consisting of a lower part, now barely visible, and an upper part that was purely military. Then, continue to the Toprak Kala fortress. Visit this fortress which housed the capital of Khworezm at the beginning of our era, when the region was still green. Continue towards Khiva. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Free dinner. Overnight at the boutique hotel.

• day 6

  Khiva

  

  Visit of Nukus: the last capital of Khorezm, Khiva appears as a city in perfect condition, just as it was between the 18th and the early 20th century, with 2,200 meters of intact walls forming Kounia Ark, "the old citadel," and enclosing the inner city. Khiva was one of the most important slave markets in Central Asia, and it remained active until around 1915-1920. Visit of Itchan-Kala, the inner city, and its houses with rare ornamental details (doors and columns carved in the 19th century), Kounya Ark, the medersa of Khan Moukhammed Amin, the largest in Khiva, the mausoleum of Sayid Alaouddine, Djouma mosque, covered bazaar, medersas. Free lunch. During the visits, tour of the wood carving and silk carpet workshops. Free dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 7

  Khiva – Bukhara

  Breakfast. Early departure for Bukhara through the Kyzil-Kum desert – "the red sand". Stop on the way for included lunch and to admire the panorama of the Amu Darya river. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel.

• day 8

  Bukhara

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Bukhara: considered one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, Bukhara is famous for its 360 mosques (one for each day) and its minarets. The name Bukhara is said to be a deformation of the word "vihara," which means "monastery" in Sanskrit. Full day of sightseeing: Poi Kalon complex from the 12th and 15th centuries, including the minaret nicknamed "minaret of death," the mosque, and the Miri Arab madrasa, an exquisite example of brick architecture. The Ulug Beg madrasa (15th c.) was built by Ulug Beg, the astronomer prince of Samarkand. The Ark fortress (citadel) was the fortified residence of the emirs of Bukhara. Lunch at leisure in the city. The Bolo Khaouz complex includes a mosque (18th c.), a minaret (1914-17), and a pool. The Samanid mausoleum (9th c.), nicknamed "the pearl of the Orient," was built by Ismail Samani for his father Akhmad; this dynastic tomb is the oldest Muslim mausoleum in Central Asia. The Chashma Ayoub mausoleum (the source of Job) dates from the 14th-16th centuries. The spring, reputed for its healing properties, is said to cure skin diseases. 16th-century covered market. Dinner at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 9

  Bukhara

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of visits: visit to the Nodir Divan Begi Madrasa (1622-1623), originally designed as a caravanserai. The madrasa is part of one of the most original architectural ensembles in Bukhara: the Liabi-Khauz ("Riverside Basin"). The oldest element is the Koukeldash Madrasa (1568-1569). The third building of the ensemble is the Khanaka (the caravanserai for dervish pilgrims). Magokki Attari Mosque (12th-16th centuries): its façade is sunk into the ground by nearly 4.5 m, hence its name Maghok – underground. Lunch at leisure in the city. Visit to the Chor Minor (four minarets). Visits in the surroundings of Bukhara: summer palace of the emirs of Bukhara Sitora-i-Mokhi Khossa, memorial necropolis of Chor Bakr. Dinner at leisure in the city. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 10

  Bukhara / Nurata / Asraf

  Departure for Sarmyshsay, known as an open-air museum on black rocks, which houses more than 10 thousand petroglyphs. Stop to see the petroglyphs. Departure for Nourata, an important city on the Silk Road. Upon arrival in Nourata, lunch included at a local's home. Next, visit the fortress of Alexander the Great, then visit the Khassan and Khoussein mosque. Departure to the village of Asraf, a small village located between the villages of Eski Forish and Uhum, in a picturesque mountainous region with fresh air, green orchards, singing birds, a starry sky, and friendly people. It has a long history. The ancient rock paintings in the mountains prove that people have lived here for more than two thousand years. Elements of the Sogdian language can still be found in the Tajik language spoken today by its inhabitants. In the 4th century BC, the inhabitants of Sogdiana, especially from the capital Samarkand, from the Zarafshan and Istrafshan valleys, settled in the Nuratau mountains to escape the troops of Alexander the Great. Many of the habits practiced here are more closely related to those of the Sogdiana region. For many centuries, some of the caravan routes between Bukhara and Choch (Tashkent) passed through the Nuratau region and these routes were frequented until the 19th century. The fortresses and wells located in the valleys of the Nuratau mountains and on the shores of Kyzlkum were used as stopping points by merchants. Arrival at the village. Accommodation at Rakhmatjon's home. Dinner with the family.

• day 11

  Asraf / Samarkand

  

  Breakfast on site. Walk in the village and meeting with the locals, visit to the Nuratau animal reserve, where Marco Polo sheep live. Lunch with a family. Departure for Samarkand and arrival in the early evening. Dinner at leisure in the city and overnight at the hotel.

• day 12

  Samarkand

  Breakfast at the hotel. Samarkand is a city and one of the world's oldest cultural centers. With 25 centuries of history, it is a city of legends. Samarkand was the center of Sogdiana. It survived multiple invasions: from Alexander the Great, who was already captivated by its beauty, to the Arabs, and the Mongols. Timur the Great made it his capital, which he wanted to be the capital of the world. Day of sightseeing: Registan Square, the most beautiful square in Central Asia, surrounded by three madrasahs: Ulugh Beg Madrasah (15th c.), Sher Dor and Tillya Kori Madrasahs (17th c.), Bibi Khanym Mosque (15th c.), bazaar. Lunch at leisure. Then, visit the necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda, composed of more than 11 mausoleums dating from the 11th to 19th centuries. Visit the handmade silk paper center, with a demonstration of the ancient silk paper making process. Dinner at leisure in a restaurant in town. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 13

  Samarkand / Tashkent

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of visits in the capital of Tamerlane's empire: Gur Emir Mausoleum (16th c.). It is said: "If the sky disappears, the dome of Gur Emir will replace it." Ulugh Beg Observatory, built in the 15th century by Ulugh Beg, one of the greatest astronomers of his time. Free lunch. After lunch, visit to the Afrosiab Site Museum. Around 4pm, transfer to Samarkand station and departure for Tashkent on the high-speed train (5:30pm - 7:40pm – 345 km). Arrival in Tashkent and transfer to the hotel. Free dinner in the city. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 14

  Tashkent / Chimgan / Tashkent

  Departure to the Chimghan mountains – western part of the Celestial Mountains, 70 km northeast of Tashkent. Arrival at Lake Charvak, with its turquoise water, and walk around the lake. Lunch at the restaurant. Departure for Bildersay (1,600 m) to take the chairlift to the summit, then descent on foot. Return to Tashkent. Dinner in the city. Overnight at SHARQ 4* hotel or similar.

• day 15

  Tashkent - Return

  Visit of the metro, whose stations are decorated by the country's greatest artists according to a specific theme. Transfer to TASHKENT airport.