Uzbekistan Tour

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  DAY 1 - DEPARTURE

  

  Flight to Tashkent on regular Turkish Airlines flights. Dinner and overnight on board.

• day 2

  DAY 2 - TASHKENT

  

  Theme: The city of contrast between oriental and modern life Arrival at Tashkent airport, welcome by the French-speaking guide, transfer and luggage drop-off at the hotel. (Rooms available upon arrival.) Breakfast at the hotel. First discovery of the Uzbek capital with Khast-i-Imam Square, the religious center of Tashkent: • the Barak Khan madrasa and mausoleum, • the mausoleum of al-Kaffal Shashi, • the Friday mosque and the Moyie Mubarek madrasa which houses its ancient Quran of Othman; • the very beautiful Kukeldash medersa; • the Chorsu bazaar, the largest market in Uzbekistan. Lunch break In the afternoon, visit the splendid Tashkent metro through its most beautiful stations, each decorated with ceramics, mosaics, and glass. Each station is unique, a true work of art! Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Not to be missed: Visit Independence Square and its Monument to the Dead, a gigantic space reserved for official events and major annual celebrations.

• day 3

  DAY 3 - Tashkent - Urgench - Khiva

  

  Theme: Travel through time behind the walls of the fortress: tranquility and peace, sunset and romance! Breakfast at the hotel Transfer to Tashkent airport, flight to Urgench. Arrival in Urgench and transfer to the hotel in Khiva to drop off your luggage. Rooms are available from 2:00 pm. Discover the walled city of Khiva, or Itchan-Kala, with: • the Muhammad Amin Khan madrasah, • the Kalta minaret, • the Kukhna Ark fortress which includes the Juma mosque, the Throne Hall, and the Chancellery, • the Mohammed Rakhim madrasah, the poet khan, known under the pseudonym Ferouz. Lunch break In the afternoon, continue visiting Khiva: • the discovery of Tash Khauli, or the "Stone Palace" and its Harem, • the Allakouli Khan madrasah and caravanserai, • the Friday mosque with its 218 carved wooden columns, • the Islam Khodja madrasah and its tallest minaret in the city, • the Pakhlavon Makhmoud mausoleum, • the Sayid Alaouddin mausoleum. Return to the hotel, rest Dinner time. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Do not miss: Watch the sunset above the ancient citadel Itchan-Kala, on the fortress wall, fortified by half-towers, on the two-story terrace - aïvan, known as "Akshah Bobo".

• day 4

  DAY 4 - Khiva - Bukhara

  

  (450 km ~8-9h by road) Theme: The Route of the Great Desert Caravans Breakfast at the hotel Early in the morning, depart towards Bukhara, crossing the red sands of the Kizil-Kum desert. On the way, stop near the rice field to discover this agriculture of the Khorezmians. Continue the journey crossing the arid steppe with its flocks of astrakhan sheep, then discover the Amu Darya river, a true blue serpent in the desert. Stop near the Amu Darya river. Lunch break In the afternoon, continue the journey to Bukhara, arrive at the end of the afternoon, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Dinner time In the evening, free walk in the old town of Bukhara. Accommodation at the hotel Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• day 5

  Day 5: Bukhara

  

  Theme: The city, masterpiece of Muslim architecture Breakfast at the hotel Discovery of the old city of Bukhara, the most secret of the caravan cities, with its narrow alleys and monuments that will capture the hearts of visitors. Full day dedicated to visiting the old city of Bukhara: the Poi-Kalyan complex, which includes the Mir-i-Arab madrasa, the domes of the money changers and the hatters, • the Ulugh Beg and Abdoulaziz Khan madrasas, • the Tok-i-Zargaron or the domes of the jewelers, • the Tim Abdhoulla Khan, or the covered market, where you can find beautiful hand-woven ikat silks, • the Magok-i-Attari mosque, one of the oldest in the city, on the site of an ancient Zoroastrian temple. Inside, a carpet museum will allow you to recognize the patterns of the nomadic tribes who sold these items in the city's markets. Lunch break Afternoon, continuation of the visits: • the Liabi-Khaouz complex, particularly harmonious and pleasant, including the Koukeldach madrasa, the khanagha and the Nodir-Devan Beghi madrasa with, in the center, a large khaouz, • the Ark citadel, fortress of the rulers, • the Bolo-Khaouz mosque with its twenty pillars, • the Ismail Samani mausoleum, • the Chashma Ayyub mausoleum. Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Good idea: Evening visit to the Poi-Kalyan square to capture the illuminated view of the tall minaret between the madrasa and the mosque.

• day 6

  DAY 6 - Bukhara

  

  Breakfast at the hotel You can continue visiting the monuments outside Bukhara: • The Tchor Minor madrasa, or "four minarets", hidden in the alleys of the old quarters of the city. • The Bahaouddin Nakchbandi necropolis, the most sacred site in the city. • The summer residence of the emirs of Bukhara, Sitora-i-Mokhi Khossa, which was the secondary residence of the last emirs of Bukhara. Lunch break Free afternoon dedicated to your personal discoveries in the city. Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Not to be missed: A walk in the Jewish quarter with the discovery of old houses, sometimes abandoned, sometimes transformed into restaurants, a pleasant stop to see the interior of one of these houses. The visit to the synagogue where you will meet rare representatives of this ethnic group.

• day 7

  DAY 7 - Bukhara - Guijdouvan - Yurt camp

  

  (280 km ~ 4h by road) Theme: Dive into the melody of Akyn in the evening around the fire Breakfast at the hotel. Departure towards Nourata, on the way, stop at Guijdouvan to visit the workshop of the master ceramist Abdullo NURULLAEV. Tour of the Ceramics Museum and the pottery workshop, then discovery of traditional silk thread embroidery practiced by the women of the family. Traditional lunch in a guest house of the NURULLAYEV family. In the afternoon, continue the road towards the yurt camp. On the way, visit the town with the Tchachma complex and the sacred spring, then the ruins of an ancient citadel of Alexander the Great. Upon arrival, short trip (8 km) by minivan to the yurt camp. Relaxation break (tea, dried fruits), installation under the yurts. At sunset, ride Bactrian camels in the sand dunes around the camp. Continue in the evening with meditative dances in nature. In the evening, aperitif under the stars followed by a festive dinner around the campfire, with music and traditional songs of the Kazakh troubadour Akyn. Accommodation in yurts (4 to 6 people/yurt). Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner GOOD TO KNOW Your yurt camp is made up of about twenty yurts (Kazakh felt tents), where you will be accommodated. There are no individual yurts, you will be between 3 and 5 people per yurt. From a sanitary point of view, the camp has 8 showers, 4 European toilets and 4 "Uzbek" toilets. Bedding is provided (beds, mattresses, sheets, blankets). Meals are based on local food (generally beef or mutton, accompanied by rice, pasta and vegetables).

• day 8

  DAY 8: Yurt camp - Mitan village - Samarkand

  

  (300 km ~ 4 h drive) Theme: The secrets of Hadji Bobo's family Breakfast at dawn, under the desert sun. In the morning, drive towards Samarkand via the village of Mitan to spend unique moments and "live on Uzbek time". Upon arrival in the village, a warm welcome from the local people. Authentic activity 1: You will learn how to prepare "bitchaks", square and crunchy, stuffed with pumpkin or fine herbs (depending on the season) and baked in a large clay oven. You will also watch the preparation of pilaf rice, the traditional specialty, with the villagers to learn the cooking secrets of a real Uzbek plov. Traditional lunch with an Uzbek family, convivial moments to share... In the afternoon, you can take a short tour of the village and visit Uzbek families to discover their traditional way of life and the culture of the Uzbek family. Arrival in Samarkand, transfer to the hotel. Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Good idea: Prepare a small French-Uzbek vocabulary list before you leave. Google Translator will help you with this. The locals will be pleasantly surprised if you say a few words in Uzbek to them. GOOD TO KNOW The idea of responsible travel to the village of Mitan won the international competition "TO DO 2014", the most prestigious Responsible and Solidarity Tourism award.

• day 9

  DAY 9 - Samarkand

  

  Theme: The contrast of the grandeur and the richness of the colors of the monuments Breakfast at the hotel Full day dedicated to discovering the city: • The famous Registan Square, a unique ensemble of three madrasas: Tilia-Kari, Shirdor, Ulugh Beg. • Visit to the Gur Emir mausoleum. Lunch break In the afternoon, continuation of the visits with: • The Ulugh Beg observatory, the first observatory in the East. • The Afrosiab museum. • The silk paper workshop, where you will have the opportunity to participate in an introduction to the production of mulberry paper or even "marbled paper". Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Good idea Try sending a letter to your friends on silk paper to tell the story of its making after your return.

• day 10

  DAY 10 - Samarkand - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand

  

  (180 km round trip) Theme: The birthplace of Tamerlane Breakfast at the hotel Departure to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane, located 85 km south of Samarkand. Lunch break Visit of Shakhrisabz with: • the majestic ruins of the ancient Ak-Saray palace, • the Dorus-Tilovat architectural complex and its Kok Goumbaz mosque, • the Dorus-Siadat complex, • the mausoleum of Djekhanguir. Return to Samarkand Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Do not miss: Discover Samarkand "by night" when all the monuments are illuminated. Locals go there as couples, with children or friends to enjoy themselves in a beautiful atmosphere.

• day 11

  DAY 11 - Samarkand - Tashkent

  

  (train journey) Breakfast at the hotel. Continuation of the discoveries of Samarkand with: • the Shakh-i-Zinda necropolis, a true gem of Samarkand's architecture, • the Bibi Khanoum mosque, the largest mosque in Central Asia, • the picturesque Siab bazaar: sounds, colors, and scents... Lunch break Afternoon, free time for personal visits. Transfer to the station and departure by train for Tashkent. Arrival in Tashkent. Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Do not miss: visit to the silk carpet factory, which offers the chance to observe all the stages of carpet making: from cocooning and dyeing the silk threads (always from plant-based materials) to hand weaving.

• day 12

  DAY 12 - Tashkent - Paris (flight)

  

  Breakfast Transfer to Tashkent airport (2h in advance), flight to Paris on a Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot or Uzbekistan Airways flight. Meals included: breakfast