Secret Uzbekistan


Trip description

If you are well organized and travel by shared taxi rather than by bus or train, this itinerary allows you to cover a large part of the country's sites of interest, alternating major destinations such as the "Silk Road" with excursions into the countryside and visits to the country's most preserved traditional regions.

Day 1: First contact with the capital

Day 2: In the Ferghana Valley

Day 3: Meeting with Uzbek artisans

Day 4: On the border with Kyrgyzstan

Day 5: A typical village of the valley: Choust

Day 6: To the Timurid capital

Day 7: The surroundings of Samarkand

Day 8: Tamerlan's hometown

Day 9: Hiking in the Fanskys

Day 10: En route to the south

Day 11: At the Afghan border

Day 12: Termez

Day 13: Rest around the Pearl of the Pearl basins

Day 14: The great monuments of Bukhara

Day 15: Visit of the surroundings of Bukhara

Day 16: En route to Le

Day 17: In the heart of the desert

Day 18: , and Karakalpakstan

Day 19: Moynaq and the Aral Sea

Day 20: The traditional Tashkent

Day 21: Modern Tashkent

Day 1 : First contact with the capital

©Patrice ALCARAS


Arrival by plane to Tashkent. In the late morning, visit the Koukeldach madrasa and visit the Chorsu bazaar, the largest and most colourful in the Uzbek capital. In the afternoon, a short excursion to the Zenghi Ata mausoleum, about fifteen kilometres away.




Day 2 : In the Ferghana Valley

©Jeff Jones - Iconotec


Departure for the Ferghana Valley early in the morning, arrival in Kokand in the day. Visit of the khan palace and the old town.




Day 3 : Meeting with Uzbek artisans

©Patrice ALCARAS


Morning in Kokand and then departure for the visit of Ceramists ceramists and Des silk workshops. Night at Ferghana.




Day 4 : On the border with Kyrgyzstan



If you are in the area on a Sunday or Thursday, visit the Jakhon market of Andijan in the late morning. Otherwise, day trip to the surroundings of Andijan. Night in Namangan.




Day 5 : A typical village of the valley: Choust

©Jeff Jones - Iconotec


Visit of Namangan then the cutlery shops of Choust. Steel is still forged in the traditional way by a few families who supply almost the whole country with everyday knives as well as ceremonial knives. Return to Tashkent and overnight in the capital.




Day 6 : To the Timurid capital

©Patrice ALCARAS


Travel to Samarkand in the morning. Arrival in the early afternoon in the capital of Tamerlan. Visit the main monuments in the centre of Samarkand: the Gour Emir, Registan, the Bibi Khanum mosque, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis.




Day 7 : The surroundings of Samarkand

©Jeff Jones - Iconotec


Visit of the sites around Samarkand: the observatory of Ouloug Bek, the Afrosyab hill, the mausoleum of Al-Boukhari. Night in Samarkand.




Day 8 : Tamerlan's hometown

©Milosz Maslanka - Shutterstock.com


Departure in the morning for Shahrisabz, quick visit of the historical centre and the ruins of the Ak-Sara palace. Transit to Langar and visit the Langar Ota mausoleum and the Friday mosque. Night in Langar.




Day 9 : Hiking in the Fanskys



Hiking in the Langar mountains or a day of rest. Night in Langar.




Day 10 : En route to the south

©Vladimir Goncharenko / Shutterstock.com


Journey to Boysun, passing through the Derbent Gorge. Visit of Boysun museum and night on site.




Day 11 : At the Afghan border

©Vladimir Goncharenko / Shutterstock.com


Journey to Termez by passing through Omonkhona. Visit of Fayaz Tepe late in the day. Night in Termez.




Day 12 : Termez

©Patrice ALCARAS


Early morning visit of the Archaeological Museum of Termez (provided it reopened) and visit the ancient sites around the city: Stupa de Zurmala, mausoleum of Al-Termezi, cited by Kampir Tepe. Evening flight to Bukhara.




Day 13 : Rest around the Pearl of the Pearl basins

©Jeff Jones - Iconotec


Visit of the city centre from the Liab-i-Khaouz basin to the Samani mausoleum, passing through Poy Kalon and the bazaars. Night on site.




Day 14 : The great monuments of Bukhara

©Patrice ALCARAS


Visit of Bukhara. The Jewish quarter, Tchor Minor. Shopping and strolling for some, excursion to the Naqchbandi mausoleum for others depending on your energy level. Take your time to meet the craftsmen of Bukhara. They still work in the respect of traditions, in many fields: carpets, cutlery, silk, miniatures, cabinet making..




Day 15 : Visit of the surroundings of Bukhara

©Patrice ALCARAS


In the late morning, the summer palace of the Bukhara emirs, Sitori-i-Mokhi Khoza, or "palace of the moon and stars"; in the early afternoon, a few kilometres east of the city centre, Tchor Bakr, the necropolis of the emirs. Night in Bukhara unless you opt for a flight to Khiva. The desert road can be long and difficult, so it is often a recommended alternative to a bus or train.




Day 16 : En route to Le

©Patrice ALCARAS


Most of the interesting monuments of Uzs are located in the centre, in the first wall (Ichan Kala). The day will be devoted to this, with the visit of palaces, mosques and madrasahs. Late afternoon, a small tour in the outside city for visiting Nouroullah Bey Palace.




Day 17 : In the heart of the desert

©Jeff Jones - Iconotec


Visit of the desert citadels between Khiva and Noukous. A day in a taxi will allow you to see four to five of them in total. You can opt for a night at the foot of Ayaz Kala, where there is a yurt camp during the tourist season




Day 18 : , and Karakalpakstan

©Pascal Mannaerts - www.parcheminsdailleurs.com


Visit in the morning of the Savitsky Museum. For the most motivated, excursion to Moynaq. For the most organized, excursion on the Aral Sea. On the way, visit Mizdakhan.




Day 19 : Moynaq and the Aral Sea

©Pascal Mannaerts - www.parcheminsdailleurs.com


The old port on the river mer d'Araloffers the distressing spectacle of the greatest ecological disaster of the 20th century. Apart from the small local museum, you can stroll between the rusty wrecks, gathered at the foot of the cliff where the waves used to break. The sea itself is only accessible by 4x4 after a day of crossing a salt desert. Return to Noukous in the evening and flight to Tashkent.




Day 20 : The traditional Tashkent

©Patrice ALCARAS


In the morning, shopping at the Chorsu bazaar, then visit the capital's monuments, the Sheikh Antaour complex and the Hazrati Imam complex, and the Museum of the History of the Peoples of Uzbekistan. Evening in one of the capital's major attractions, the Navoi opera or the circus.




Day 21 : Modern Tashkent

©Barthélémy COURMONT


Visit of contemporary Tashkent: photo galleries, Quartier district, designer shopping. Take off at night.




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