Uzbekistan, in the land of the Silk Road and the celestial horses – 15 days.

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  PARIS / URGENCH

  PARIS / URGENCH Flight to Urgench with assistance for departure formalities. Dinner and overnight on board.

• day 2

  OURGENTCH / KHIVA

  Welcome at the airport by your local French-speaking guide. Coach transfer to Khiva, where you will visit: the Ichan Kala fortress, Kounia-Ark, the Allakouli Khan caravanserai, the Tach Khaouli palace, the Alla-Kouki-Khan madrasa, the Djouma mosque, and the beautiful mausoleum of Pakhlavan-Mahmoud. Finally, the beautiful minarets that rise here and there: the Kalta-Minor and the Islam-Khodja minaret. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 3

  KHIVA / KALAJIK KALA / BUKHARA

  Departure to the Kalajik Kala yurt camp through the Kyzyl-Kum desert. Flight to Bukhara. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 4

  BUKHARA

  Day dedicated to the visit of Bukhara. Numerous ancient architectural groups punctuate the city: the Poï-Kalyan complex with its ancient minaret, the vast Kalyan mosque, the Miri-Arab madrasa, as well as the Ulugh Beg and Abdoulaziz Khan madrasas. Lunch during the visit. Continuation with the Magok Attor mosque, a carpet museum, and the Liabi-Khauz complex including the Koukeldach madrasa, the Khanaka, and the Nadir Divan Beghi madrasa. Traditional dinner around plov, a traditional dish, accompanied by a folk group composed of musicians and dancers. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 5

  BUKHARA

  Continuation of visits in Bukhara with the Ark citadel, the Bolo Khaouz mosque; the Ismail Samani mausoleum, as well as the Tchor Minor madrasa. Lunch. Then, visit to the summer palace, Sitori i Mokhi Khossa. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 6

  Bukhara / Gijduvan / Rabati Malik / Samarkand

  Departure for Guijdouvan. Visit to the museum and the workshop of the Narzoullayev brothers, artisan ceramists. Lunch in a traditional Uzbek house. Continuation towards Navoï, with the discovery of Rabati Malik. Opposite, you will find the Malik Sardoba. Departure for Samarkand. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 7

  SAMARKAND

  Start of the day with the discovery of the Gour Emir complex, the tomb of Emir Tamerlane. Lunch during the visits. Registan Square, the highlight of any trip to Uzbekistan. Sound and light show at Registan Square. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 8

  SAMARKAND

  Visit of Samarkand. You will see the Chakhi Zinda necropolis. Visit of the Bibi Khanym mosque. The Samarkand market is located near the Bibi Khanym mosque. Lunch during the visits. Continuation of the visits in the afternoon: visit of the Ulugh Beg Observatory, then visit of the Afrosiab museum. Presentation of silk costumes at "Valentina Romanenko". Dinner with a local family and overnight at the hotel.

• day 9

  BOUKHARA / CHAKHRISABZ / SAMARKAND

  Departure towards Chakhrisiabz. Lunch in a traditional Uzbek house. Visit of the city of Chakhrisiabz: the Ak Sarai palace, former residence of Tamerlane; the Kok Goumbaz mosque, so called because of its blue dome and which was the Friday mosque of Chakhrisiabz; the "mazar" (chapel) of Chamseddine Koulial; the mausoleum of Goumbazi Seïidon (1438), created by Tamerlane's grandson, Ulugh Beg. Return to Samarkand. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 10

  SAMARKAND / URGUT / TASHKENT

  Departure for the locality of "Urgut", located at the foot of the Zarafshan mountains. Lunch in a tchaïkhana, a "tea room" where you have lunch sitting cross-legged. Road to Tashkent. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Dinner in town. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 11

  Tashkent

  Tashkent, an important locality situated at the crossroads of the famous "Silk Road" and the "Golden Road" coming from Siberia. Panoramic tour of the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan: Tamerlane Square (Amir Timur), the epicenter of the earthquake, the Koukeltach and Barakh-Khan madrasas, the Kaffal Shashi mausoleum, etc. Stop at the Abdul Kassim madrasa. Lunch in the city. Visit to the Museum of Uzbek Applied Arts. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 12

  Tashkent / Fergana

  Departure for Ferghana by car. Nestled in the mountains, the Ferghana Valley was once famous for its great horses, the famous "heavenly horses" of the Chinese. Lunch. Upon arrival, check-in at your hotel. Departure to discover the very picturesque grand market of Ferghana. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 13

  Tashkent / Margilan / Rishtan / Fergana

  Visit of Margilan: visit to the "Yodgorlik" factory where you can watch the process of making khan-atlas silk. Continuation of the journey to Rishtan: visit to the ceramic workshop of master Roustam Ousmanov in Rishtan. Lunch at the master's place. Return to Ferghana and free time for individual exploration of the area. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 14

  FERGHANA / KOKAND / TASHKENT

  Breakfast. Departure for Kokand (about 81 km) on the road to Tashkent. Visit of Kokand, the capital of the khanate, including Ourda, the former residence of the khans, the Friday mosque, the Norbutabay madrasa, as well as the Modari Khan and Dakhma-i-Chakhon mausoleums. Lunch in Kokand. Continuation to Tashkent. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel. Farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel.

• day 15

  TASHKENT / PARIS

  Breakfast. Visit of the metro, the pride of the Uzbeks. Return to the hotel for lunch. Transfer to the airport. Departure of the direct regular Uzbekistan Airlines flight. (Flight duration: approximately 7h25.) Arrival at Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport.