Stop at the crossroads on the Silk Road

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, upon your arrival, you will be welcomed by the French-speaking guide and the driver at the airport exit. Transfer to the hotel to rest and drop off your luggage. Breakfast at the hotel. Tashkent – the city that preserves the atmosphere of the East and modernity. Start of the 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 preserves 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 Tashkent metro, each station of which is decorated like a symbolic work of art of the country. Visit to Independence Square and its Memorial Monument to the victims of the Second World War. Dinner in a traditional restaurant in the city. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 3

  Tashkent – Bukhara (train and walking tours)

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, welcome by the driver and transfer to Tashkent station. At 08:23, departure by train for Bukhara. At 12:29, arrival in Bukhara and luggage drop-off at the hotel. Bukhara – the center of Islamic religion and a mysterious, caravan city, known for its narrow neighborhoods. Lunch in a restaurant in the heart of the old city. Start of the city tour at 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) Abdoulla 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 ensemble, the city center that welcomes all visitors in its circle around a large khauz (pool), the Kukeldash madrasa, the khanagha and the Nodir Devanbeghi madrasa. End of visits with the Chor Minor madrasa, hidden in the old quarters of the city. Dinner at the Nodir Devon Begui madrasa in Bukhara, accompanied by a show of traditional Uzbek dances and a costume parade in the madrasa courtyard. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 4

  Bukhara

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Start the day by discovering 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. Continue visiting Bukhara with the monuments located outside the city. Lunch in the old town. In the afternoon, visit the outskirts of the city with the necropolis of Bahaouddin Naqshbandi, the mausoleum and the most sacred complex of a renowned personality among Muslims. Then, visit the summer residence of the last emirs of Bukhara, Sitora-i-Mokhi Khossa. At the end of the day, free time for personal discoveries. Dinner in the traditional house of the chef of Bukhara. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 5

  Bukhara – Guijduvan – Samarkand (300 km route ~ 5 h)

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, departure towards Samarkand. Not far from Bukhara, visit the village of Vobkent with its 12th-century minaret, a monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Continue the road towards the small town of Guijdouvan, known for its dynasties of ceramists and its crafts. Visit the family of master ceramist Abdullo Narzullayev and his pottery workshop. You will be able to discover the preparation of a ceramic object and immerse yourself in the entire process. Furthermore, you will be able to discover the activity of the women of the family: traditional embroidery. Preparation of lunch with the family members. Lunch with the family. Continue the road towards Samarkand and, on the way, stop to visit the remains of the ancient caravanserai Rabat-i Malik and the Sardoba water reservoir. At the end of the afternoon, arrival in Samarkand. Rest time at the hotel. Dinner in a local restaurant in the city. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 6

  Samarkand

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Samarkand – the legendary city, known for its rich history and its important commercial role on the Silk Road. We therefore begin our first visit with Registan Square, the true calling card of the country. It was the central square, with its bazaar and a group of three madrasas: the Ulugh Beg Madrasa, the Sherdor Madrasa, and the Tilla-Kori Madrasa. Visit to the “Gur-e-Amir” mausoleum – the mausoleum of Tamerlane, initially built as a madrasa by his grandson, but transformed into a mausoleum after his death. Lunch in a local café to taste the city’s traditional dish. In the afternoon, continuation of the city visits. Visit to the Afrosiab Museum to discover the fresco from the pre-Islamic period of the region. Continue the visits with the mausoleum of the Prophet Daniel, located in the old city of Afrosiab. Continue with a visit to the first observatory built by Ulugh Beg, the grandson of Tamerlane. Dinner with a local family in Samarkand. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 7

  Samarkand

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of city sightseeing. In the morning, visit to the Shakhi Zinda necropolis, a group of monuments clustered like pearls in a complete jewel, demonstrating all the artistic nuances of Islamic architectural decoration. Visit to 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. Lunch at a local restaurant in Samarkand. In the afternoon, visit to 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. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant in the city. Accommodation at the hotel.

• day 8

  Samarkand – Country of residence (return flight)

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