"In the footsteps of the Sogdians"

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  PARIS-TASHKENT

  Flight to Tashkent by scheduled flight. Overnight on board.

• day 2

  Tashkent

  Arrival in Tashkent in the morning. Welcome by your guide. Breakfast at the hotel. From 10:00 am to 6:00 pm: discovery of the capital of Uzbekistan. Visit of the old city and the Chorsu bazaar. Visit of the Hasti Imam complex with the Barakhan madrasa, the Museum of the History of the Uzbek People, then the unique metro in Central Asia. Lunch during the visit at the Bek restaurant. Dinner at 8:00 pm at the Afsona restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 3

  Tashkent - Urgench / Khiva

  Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Urgench at 7:00 am. Arrival in Urgench at 8:40 am. Transfer to Khiva. 10:00 am-6:00 pm: Excursion in Khiva: visits to the Amin Khan madrasa, the Ark, the Feruz madrasa, visit to the Pakhlavan-Makhmoud mausoleum, the Islam Khoja minaret, the Juma mosque, and the Tachkalouli palace. Lunch during the visits at the Mirzaboshi restaurant. Dinner at 8:00 pm at the Zerafshan restaurant.

• day 4

  KHIVA / BUKHARA

  Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Bukhara via the Kyzyl Kum desert (450 km, 7-8 hours by road). Picnic lunch en route or at a restaurant. Arrival in Bukhara. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at 8:00 pm at the Old City restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 5

  Bukhara

  Breakfast at the hotel. Full-day excursion to Bukhara: the Kalon minaret and mosque, the Miri Arab madrasa, the Ulugbek and Abdullaziz madrasas, the trading domes (Toki Zargaron 16th c., Toki Telpak Furuchon 16th c., Toki Saraffon 16th c.), the Magoki Attori mosque, the Labi Khaouz complex. Lunch during the visits at the Adras restaurant. Folklore dinner-show with a parade of silk costumes in the Nodir Divan Beghi madrasa at 19:00. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 6

  Bukhara

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of visits in Bukhara: the Ark fortress, the Bolo Khaouz mosque, the Ismoil Somoniy and Chashma Ayoub mausoleums. Lunch with a local, at Rahman's house. Visit to the Naqshbandi necropolis and the Sitarai Mokhi Khosa summer palace. Lunch at the Art Suzani restaurant. Dinner at 8:00 pm at the Budreddin restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 7

  BOUKHARA / NOURATO / YANGUIKAZGAN

  Outdoor dinner around a fire, hosted by the Kazakh singer Akyn. Night under the yurts. Breakfast at the hotel. Early departure for Yanguikazagan (210 km, 3.5 h drive). On the way, a stop to visit the pottery workshop in Gijduvan. Lunch during visits in Karmana. Stop in Nourata to visit its historic center with the sacred spring. Arrival at the yurt camp and installation under the yurt. Camel trek in the desert. Outdoor dinner at 8:00 pm. Akyn concert around the fire. Night under the starry sky of the desert.

• day 8

  YURTS / SAMARKAND

  Breakfast. Departure for Lake Aydarkoul: walk and swimming depending on the season. Picnic lunch from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, then departure for Samarkand. On the way, stop to see the rock engravings. Arrival in Samarkand. Dinner at 8:00 pm. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 9

  Samarkand

  Breakfast. Full day visit of Samarkand, capital of Tamerlane: the Registan Square with its three sumptuous madrasas Ulugh Beg, Sherdor, and Tillakori. Lunch at the Old City restaurant, then visit to the Ulugh Beg observatory, the Afrosiab museum, and the necropolis of Shakhi Zinda. Visit to the Romanenko silk workshop. Lunch during the visits at the Samarkand restaurant. Dinner at 8:00 pm at the Arbat restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 10

  SAMARKAND / TASHKENT by AFROSYAB high-speed train

  Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of the discovery of Samarkand: the Gur-Emir mausoleum, visit to the Bibi Khanim mosque and the Siyob bazaar, tasting of Uzbek dried fruits, lunch at the Platan restaurant. Visit to the silk paper workshop in the village of Konigil. Transfer to the station to take the Afrosiyob high-speed train. Arrival in Tashkent. Farewell dinner at 8:00 pm at the Piligrim restaurant, with wine or vodka included. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 11

  Tashkent - Paris

  Breakfast at the hotel at 8:00 am. At 9:00 am, visit to the Museum of Applied Arts. Last shopping. Transfer to the airport. Return flight.