Uzbek life experience

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Country of residence – Tashkent

  During the day, take the night flight. Night on board.

• day 2

  Tashkent

  

  In the morning, arrival at Tashkent airport. Welcome by the driver and the accompanying guide. Transfer to the hotel. Time to rest. Breakfast at the hotel. Tashkent – the city that preserves the atmosphere of the Orient and modernity. Start of visits with the discovery of the capital, with its Oriental charm: Khasti-Imam Square, the Barak Khan complex, the Kaffal Shoshi mausoleum, the Friday mosque, and the Moïe Moubarak madrasa which houses the ancient Quran of Othman. Continue the visits with the covered Chorsu bazaar, unique for its size and its blue dome. Lunch in a local restaurant in the capital. In the afternoon, continuation of the visits with the Museum of Applied Arts, the former palace of the Russian diplomat Alexander Polovtsev. Continue the visits with Independence Square and its Monument of Memory, a gigantic space reserved for official events and major annual celebrations, as well as the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater, designed by architect Shchusev, author of Lenin's tomb in Moscow. Visit of the Tashkent metro, each station of which is decorated like a symbolic work of art of the country. Dinner in a traditional restaurant in the city. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 3

  Tashkent – Kokand – Rishtan (train & 45 km ~ 1 h by road)

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Ferghana Valley – the green part of the country surrounded by the mountain range. In the morning, transfer to Tashkent train station. Departure by train to Kokand. In the morning, you will be transferred to the station. Today, you are heading to the Fergana Valley. On the way, you can enjoy the beautiful nature and mountain landscapes. At noon, arrival in Kokand, city tour including the palace of Khudayar Khan, built in 1871 by the masters of Kokand, the Djuma Mosque – the Friday mosque with its 99 columns, one of the largest and most historic mosques in the city of Kokand. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, drive to the small town of Rishtan, the city of ceramicists in the region. Visit the ceramic workshop in the family of the famous master Rustam Usmanov. The village of Rishtan has been famous for centuries for its resonant ceramics. Spend a friendly moment with the family members. Mr. Usmanov speaks French, so you can contact him directly. Dinner and accommodation in the guesthouse of the master ceramist's family.

• day 4

  Richtan – Marguilan – Tashkent (50 km ~ 1.5 h by road & train)

  Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, departure towards the city of Marguilan. Visit to the "Yodgorlik" silk factory, where you will receive a lot of information about this silk manufacture and the silk production process. This factory is a good example for you to get an idea of the caterpillars, cocoons, silk, patterns, etc. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit to the local square of the city with its bazaar and the central mosque. At 3:30 p.m., transfer to Marguilan station, departure by train to Tashkent. Dinner on the train. In the evening, arrival in Tashkent, transfer and overnight at the hotel.

• day 5

  Tashkent – Samarkand (2 h 13 min train)

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, transfer to Tashkent train station. Departure by train to Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand. Transfer to the hotel to drop off the luggage. Start of the city tour. Samarkand, the legendary city, is known for its rich history and its important commercial role on the Silk Road. We begin our first visit with Registan Square, the true calling card of the country. It was the central square with its bazaar and its ensemble of three madrasas: the Ulugh Beg Madrasa, the Sherdor Madrasa, and the Tilla-Kori Madrasa. Lunch in a local café to taste the city's traditional dish. In the afternoon, continuation of the visits with the "Gur-e-Amir" mausoleum – the mausoleum of Tamerlane, initially built as a madrasa by his grandson, then transformed into a mausoleum after his death. At 18:00, visit to the El Merosi theater with a presentation of the historical costumes of the peoples of Central Asia. Dinner in a local restaurant in the city. Accommodation at the hotel. Discover Samarkand and its illuminated monuments in the evening, in a warm atmosphere where locals gather as couples, with children or friends to enjoy themselves in a beautiful setting. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 6

  Samarkand

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of city sightseeing. In the morning, visit to the Shakhi Zinda necropolis, a group of monuments clustered like the pearls of a complete jewel, demonstrating all the artistic nuances of Islamic architectural decoration. Visit to the mosque and mausoleum named after Khazrat Khizr, with the mausoleum of the first president, Islam Karimov. Lunch at a local restaurant in Samarkand. Continuation of visits with the Afrosiab Museum to discover the fresco from the pre-Islamic period of the region. Proceed with a visit to the first observatory built by Ulugh Beg, the grandson of Tamerlane. Dinner at a local restaurant in the city. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 7

  Samarkand

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of city tours with the Bibi Khanoum Mosque, the largest in Central Asia of its time. Next to the mosque, visit the historic Siyab bazaar to discover the atmosphere and flavors of the Orient. Visit to the silk carpet factory to observe all the stages of carpet making: from cocooning to dyeing the silk threads. Lunch at a local restaurant in Samarkand. In the afternoon, visit a silk paper workshop to discover its production. It is recommended to send a letter to your friends on silk paper to tell your story after your return. Free time for personal discovery. Dinner at a local restaurant in the city. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 8

  Samarkand – Sentob Village (180 km - 4 h by road & 4.5 h walk)

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, departure towards the village of Sentob, which is located in the Djizakh region. The village of Sentob has a long history and is nestled at the foot of the mountains. Arrival around noon, warm welcome by the local family. Lunch with the family. In the afternoon, a 4.5 km hike to visit the Hoji Porso mosque, accessible by 500 steps and dating from the 6th century, as well as the ancient mosque located at the Balandiy Shahidon peak. Towards the end of the day, return to the family. Participation in the preparation of the meal and traditional bread for dinner. Dinner accompanied by music with traditional instruments.

• day 9

  Sentob Village (hiking day)

  

  Breakfast. In the morning, departure on foot to visit Kurgon, an ancient village considered a monument from the 8th or 9th century. We stroll through the village and along the small river. After visiting the village, you can discover old steps as well as ancient petroglyphs. Picnic lunch on the road. At the end of the afternoon, return to the family. Participation in the preparation of dinner. Dinner with the family.

• day 10

  Village Sentob – Lake Aydar – Yurt camp (130 km ~2.5 h by road)

  

  Breakfast. In the morning, departure towards Lake Aydar. Discovery of the lake which is located in the desert. You can rest, swim (depending on the weather). Picnic lunch on the lake beach. At the end of the afternoon, departure for the yurt camp in the village of Yangui Gazgan. Upon arrival, settle into the yurts. Enjoy a camel ride at sunset. In the evening, dinner accompanied by an aperitif and traditional songs of the Akyn (Kazakh troubadour) as well as dances by the camp groups. Night in the yurts. ATTENTION: This yurt camp is for tourists and consists of 15 to 20 yurts. Accommodation is for 4 to 6 people per yurt. The camp has 6 showers, 4 European toilets, and 4 local toilets.

• day 11

  Yurt camp – Guijdouvan – Bukhara (220 km ~ 4-5 h by road)

  Breakfast. In the morning, departure towards Bukhara with stops along the way. The first stop is in the Nurata region. Visit the town of Nurata with the ruins of Alexander the Great's citadel and the sacred spring "Chashma." Continue the journey towards the yurt camp. Continue the trip and, on the way, visit the Sarmish-Soy region, located on the southern slopes of Karatau, 30-40 km northeast of the city of Navoi. The region is known for its petroglyphs. Cones of volcanic rock rise around an oasis, and their surface hosts a gallery of more than 4,000 petroglyphs that offer a panoramic view of life from the 9th millennium BC to the 18th century AD. Lunch at a local café on the road. Continue the journey towards Bukhara. Near Bukhara, visit the small town of Gijduvan, known for its dynasties of ceramists and crafts. Visit the family of master ceramist Abdullo Narzullayev with his pottery workshop. You can discover the preparation of a ceramic object and immerse yourself in the entire process. Furthermore, you can discover the activity of the women in the family: traditional embroidery. In the evening, arrival in Bukhara. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at the restaurant. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 12

  Bukhara (walking tours)

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Bukhara – the center of Islamic religion and a mysterious, caravan city, known for its narrow neighborhoods. Start of the city tour with the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, one of the oldest monuments in the city, then nearby: the Chashma-Ayub mausoleum, the Bolo-Khauz mosque with the twenty pillars of its terrace, and the Ark citadel, fortress of the rulers of Bukhara. Lunch in a restaurant in the heart of the old city. Continuation of the visits with Poi-Kalyan square, which brings together the Miri-Arab madrasa, the Kalon mosque and the Kalon minaret; the Ulugbek and Abdoulaziz Khan madrasas, the Tok-i-Zargaron or the jewelers' domes, the Tim (the covered market) Abdhoulla Khan, where you can find beautiful hand-woven silks; the Magok-i-Attari mosque, one of the oldest in the city, located on the site of an ancient Zoroastrian temple. Visit of the Lyabi-Khauz complex, the center of the city which welcomes all visitors around a large khaouz (pool), the Kukeldash madrasa, the khanagha and the Nodir Devanbeghi madrasa. End of the visits with the Chor Minor madrasa, hidden in the old quarters of the city. Dinner in the open-air restaurant of the Lyabi-Khauz complex. In the evening, visit and discovery of the illuminated view of Poi Kalon square. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 13

  Bukhara

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of visits in Bukhara with the monuments outside the city. First, visit to the necropolis of Bahaouddin Nakchbandi, the mausoleum and the most sacred complex of the person renowned among Muslims. Next, visit to the summer residence of the last emirs of Bukhara, Sitora-i-Mokhi Khossa. Return to the old city for lunch. Afternoon, free time for personal discoveries. Tip: visit the workshop-museum of the traditional puppet maker, the workshop of professional photographer Shavkat Boltaev, or the workshop of the miniaturist Davron Toshev. Visit the merchant domes from the 16th century, where you can find the artisan workshop-boutiques and discover their working process. Dinner in the traditional house of the Bukhara chef. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 14

  Bukhara - Khiva (450 km route, about 7 hours by road)

  Breakfast at the hotel. At 09:00, meet with the driver and depart towards Khiva, crossing the red sands of the Kizil-Kum desert, as well as the rice fields to discover the agriculture of the Khorezmians (depending on the season), and discover the Amu-Daria river, a true blue serpent in the desert. Lunch break in a café on the road. In the afternoon, continue the journey to Khiva and arrive in the late afternoon. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner with tasting of Khiva's traditional dish. In the evening, night walk in the old town. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 15

  Khiva

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Khiva – the "fortress city – Itchan Kala" offers the atmosphere of the tale "One Thousand and One Nights." Being the youngest among the ancient cities of the country, the city remains in good condition and shows you all its beauties. Start of the city tour with the Moukhammad Aminkhan madrasa and the Kalta minaret, near the Ota Darvoza entrance gate. Continuation of the visits with the Koukhna Ark fortress, which includes the Friday mosque, the Throne Hall, and the Chancellery, as well as the Mohammed Rakhim madrasa – the poet khan, known under the pseudonym Ferouz. Lunch in a small restaurant on the terrace. In the afternoon, continuation of the visits with the discovery of the Tach Khaouli palace, or "Stone Palace," and its Harem, the Allakoulikhan madrasa and caravanserai, as well as the Friday mosque with its 218 carved wooden columns. Dinner in a restaurant with a beautiful illuminated view of Ichan Kala. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 16

  Khiva

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of city tours with the Islam Khodja madrasa and its highest minaret in the city, the Pakhlavon Makhmoud mausoleum, the Sayid Alaouddin mausoleum. Visit to the outer palace Dichan Kala, named after the renowned person Nouroullabai. Lunch in a small restaurant on the terrace. Afternoon, free time for personal discoveries. Dinner in a restaurant with a beautiful illuminated view of Ichan Kala. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 17

  Khiva – Urgench – Country of residence (return flight)

  Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, meet with the driver and transfer to Urgench airport. Take the return flight.