Journey on the caravan route of Uzbekistan.

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Tashkent

  

  Arrival at Tashkent airport. Welcome and transfer to the hotel. Luggage drop-off, check-in is at noon. Excursions in the old city of the capital of Uzbekistan. The city is full of trees, as it is not far from the mountain areas. Visit to Khast Imam Square where the Barakhan madrasa, the Tilla Sheikh mosque, and the mausoleum of Kafal Shashi (16th century) stand. Stroll through the Chorsu market, a meeting place for the inhabitants of the old city. Lunch in a bazaar restaurant. Continuation of visits in the Uzbek capital: Independence Square, Amir Timur square and boulevard, visits to the splendid Tashkent metro stations, whose beauty rivals that of Moscow. Dinner in a city restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 2

  Tashkent - Urgench - Khiva

  

  After the early breakfast, transfer to the airport and flight at 07:00 to Urgench (1h20 flight). Arrival, welcome by your guide and transfer to Khiva (35 km). Check-in at the hotel. Full day dedicated to visiting this open-air museum city, classified by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site and former stop on the Silk Road: Visit of Ichan Kala (inner city), the Kalta Minor minaret (19th century), the Mohammed Amin Khan madrasa, the king's seat and the old Kunya Ark palace. Lunch inside the fortress then continuation of the visits: the Mohammed Rahimkhan madrasa, the Friday mosque with its 218 wooden columns, the mausoleum of Said Alouddin, the mausoleum of Pahlavan Makhmud decorated with extraordinary mosaics, the Islamkhodja minaret, one of the tallest in the Islamic world, the Tochhovli palace and the Khan's Harem, the Ollokoulikhon madrasa. Dinner in a local restaurant with traditional Khiva dishes. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 3

  KHIVA

  

  Breakfast. Visit of the Khiva khans' palaces, outside Ichan-Kala: Nurullabay Palace and Tozabog. Return to Itchan Kala, lunch. Free time. Dinner in a caravanserai. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 4

  KHIVA - BUKHARA

  

  Breakfast. Departure for Bukhara by air-conditioned car. The road passes through the Kizil Kum (Red Sand) desert. The unique beauty of the Central Asian desert evokes the era of brave caravanners who crossed this sea of sand on camelback. Picnic lunch in a café on the road. Arrival in Bukhara in the late afternoon. Check-in at the hotel. Free time for a walk in the alleys of the old town. Dinner in a local restaurant in the city. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 5

  BUKHARA

  

  Breakfast. Day of visits. Bukhara the divine! One of the oldest cities in Central Asia, a pillar of Islam with its 365 mosques. A spiritual and commercial center whose importance has not diminished over the centuries. We begin the visits with the Samanid mausoleum, a Persian dynasty that ruled over the territory of Central Asia. Visit to the mausoleum of the Prophet Job and the well with sacred water. Visit to the Ark citadel, residence of the emirs of Bukhara, and the Bolo Khauz mosque. Visit to the central part of the city - Chakhristan: the Poi-Kalon complex, the great minaret of Bukhara. Here, you will discover why Genghis Khan left this minaret intact and destroyed all the other monuments. The Mir-Arab madrasa (the first Quranic school in Central Asia), the great mosque (unique in Central Asia for its size). Lunch at the tchaikhana (a type of local restaurant). Continuation of the visit of Bukhara. Visit to the Abdulazizkhan madrasa and the Ulugbek madrasa, the grandson of Tamerlane. Walk through the merchant domes. Visit to the Magokki Attori mosque, which was a Zoroastrian temple before the arrival of Islam in Bukhara. The Labi Khauz complex: the Nodir Devonbegi Khanaka (place of residence for dervishes and Sufis), the Nodir Devonbegi madrasa. Ask your guide about the legend regarding the construction of the khanaka and the madrasa. Dinner with a local family. Night at the boutique hotel.

• day 6

  BUKHARA

  

  After breakfast, visits outside the city: the summer residence of the emirs of Bukhara, Sitora-i Mokhi Khossa. You will discover the most venerated monument in Bukhara, the Mausoleum of Bakhaouddin Nakhchbandi, named after a highly respected founding saint of Sufi Islam, to whom this phrase is attributed: "If you sow the seed of good, it will grow in seven years and yield seven hundred good deeds." Lunch in a local tchaikhana. Visit to the necropolis of Chor Bakr: these are the mausoleums of the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed, in the village of Soumitan, 5 kilometers from Bukhara. Return to Bukhara. In the afternoon, visit to the silk embroidery workshop where the famous suzanis of Bukhara are made. Dinner at the Nodir Devonbegui madrasa with a folk show and a parade of silk costumes. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 7

  BOUKHARA - GUIJDUVAN - NURATA - YURT CAMP

  

  Breakfast, then early departure for Nourata. On the way, visit the summer residence of the emirs of Bukhara and stop to visit the Gijduvan Private pottery workshop. Presentation by the ceramist on the types of Uzbek ceramics. Lunch during the visit at the ceramist's. Afternoon, transfer to Nourata. Stop at the Nourata oasis and visits: the ruins of Alexander the Great's fortress, the Tchil Ustun and Panjvakhta mosques. Road to the yurt camp. Arrival at the yurt camp and installation under the yurt. Camel ride in the desert. Outdoor dinner. Akyn concert around the fire. Night under the yurt.

• day 8

  YURT CAMP - AIDARKUL LAKE - HAYAT VILLAGE

  

  Breakfast, hike and picnic by Lake Aydarkul. Then, departure for the village of Hayat. Check-in at a guesthouse. Short hike to admire a herd of mouflons, which are protected by the State. Dinner around the table with locals; the traditional dish may vary depending on the day. If you happen to be there on a Thursday or a Sunday, Uzbek pilaf awaits you. Night in the guesthouse.

• day 9

  Village HAYAT - SAMARKAND

  

  Breakfast. Mountain hike, duration 3-4 hours. Return to the guesthouse. Lunch. Drive to Samarkand (250 km, 4 h). Arrival in Samarkand in the late evening. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner in a city restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 10

  SAMARKAND

  

  Breakfast. Visit of the monuments of Samarkand, capital of Tamerlane. Visit of the Gur Emir mausoleum (Tamerlane's tomb), a true "threshold of Paradise" for artists and dreamers: Registan Square, surrounded by the wonderful madrasas of Ulugh Beg, Shir-Dor, and Tilla-Kari, decorated with dazzling faience, witnesses to the evolution of Timurid architecture. The Bibi Khanum mosque. The Shah-i-Zinda necropolis (built around the tomb of Qussam Ibn Abbas, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w). Lunch during the visits. Visit of Ulugh Beg's observatory, Tamerlane's grandson. Visit of the paper-making workshop. Dance show and parade of historical costumes at the El Merosi theater. Dinner in a city restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 11

  SAMARKAND - SHAKHRISABZ - SAMARKAND

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Chakhrissabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Arrival and visit of Chakhrissabz. Visit the ruins of the White Palace - Ak Saray (14th c.). Behind the walls of the mausoleum is the Khazrati Imam Mosque (Saint Imam), dating from the 19th c., which completes the architectural ensemble named Dorus Saodat (The Abode of Power). Visit of the Dorut Tyllawat ensemble (The Abode of Reflection), which consists of two mausoleums: the mausoleum of Sheikh Shamseddin Kulal (14th c.) and the Gumbazi Saidon mausoleum (15th c.), as well as the Kouk Goumbaz Mosque (15th c.). Lunch in a local restaurant. Return to Samarkand through the mountain areas, encounters with dried fruit sellers by the roadside. Arrival in Samarkand. Dinner with a local family. Return to Registan Square for photos of Samarkand by night. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 12

  SAMARKAND - URGUT - SAMARKAND - TASHKENT

  

  Breakfast. Departure for Urgut, a city located 45 km from Samarkand. Visit to the Urgut bazaar. Traditional clothing for women, men, and children, as well as gold thread embroidery. An unparalleled fascination to admire this bazaar. Return to Samarkand. Lunch in a city restaurant. Visit to the mausoleum of the Prophet Daniel, prophet of three religions. Part of the prophet's body was brought from the Near East by Tamerlane in the 14th century. Transfer to the Samarkand train station for departure to Tashkent by high-speed train. Arrival in Tashkent. Dinner in a restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 13

  TASHKENT - KOKAND - RICHTAN - FERGHANA

  

  Breakfast. The road to the Ferghana valley by car. On the way, crossing the Kamchik pass (2400 m altitude). Arrival in Kokand and visits: the palace of the last khan of Kokand, Khudayrkhan, the Norboutabey madrasa, the Djamyi mosque. Lunch. Road to Rishtan, city of ceramists. Meeting with the potter Usto Saïd (Master Saïd), who helps children from modest families learn French and the pottery trade. Visit to his workshop and meeting with a French teacher. Road to Ferghana. Arrival in Ferghana and check-in at the hotel. Dinner in a local restaurant.

• day 14

  FERGANA - MARGHILAN - TASHKENT

  

  Breakfast. Transfer to Marghilan, visit of the Yodgorlik factory (traditional silk weaving) and presentation by the master craftsman. Visit of the Marghilan bazaar, famous Marghilan breads. Lunch. Drive to Tashkent. On the way, stop in a village of Oltiariq, whose inhabitants only cultivate vineyards. Meeting with the villagers. Continuation of the journey. Arrival in Tashkent and check-in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 15

  TASHKENT - DEPARTURE

  

  Early breakfast. Transfer to the airport and flight according to the return flight schedule. ***END OF OUR SERVICES***