Tailor Made Tour: A Silk Road Fairytale

Arrive, met by our local representative and transfer to the hotel and accommodation (check-in after 14:00).

Early arrivals can commence city tour today if they wish.

City tour in old part of the city: the architectural complex “Khazrati-Imam”: Barak-Khan Madrasah (16th c.), the Kaffal-Shashi mausoleum (15th c.), Kukeldash Madrasah (16th c.), the Juma mosque (9th c.), Chorsu gigantesque oriental bazaar on the right of Chorsu Square.

Following your lunch in a local restaurant, continue the city tour in a modern part of the city: Museum of Art, Amir Temur Square.

Breakfast in hotel. Drive to Margilan through a mountain pass – Kamchik (1700 m). Make a short stop for a breathtaking view and photos.

Visit Margilan city and Yodgorlik silk factory. You will be able to see the process of handmade silk production and buy original silk products of superb quality.

Later this afternoon arrive in Fergana where you’ll have a short city tour

Transfer to Oltiarik (35km), visiting villages surrounded by a rich agricultural tradition with extensive gardens of fruits, vegetables and grapes. Photographic opportunities to take pictures of rural life including the cotton plantation workers.

Visit Richtan which is known for its traditions of ceramics. You’ll visit a studio and have lunch with the ceramic maker’s family. Afterwards, continue to Kokand. Visit he famous Khan Khoudayar Palace. The construction of this palace took eight years (1863-1871). Afterwards visit the Juma Mosque, which was one of the largest mosques Royal Kokad and can host 10,000 worshippers at a time. Also see Dakhmai Jahon – ‘Tombs of Governors’. Return to Tashkent again over the Kamchik Pass (1700 m).

Breakfast in the hotel. Morning Transfer to airport. Departure to Urgench with HY flight. Arrival in Urgench – the administrative centre of the Khorezm region. Transfer to Khiva – the most well preserved ‘Museum-city under the open sky’ in Central Asia (35 km, 30 min).

City tour around the architectural complex Ichan-Qala – the historical center of Khiva, which has been inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List: Kunya-Ark khan’s castle – the inner citadel of Ichan-Qala (16-17th cc), Kalta Minor Tower (short minaret) that would have become the biggest and tallest minaret in Central Asia (19th c.), Muhammad Amin-Khan – the biggest medieval medressa in Khiva (1845-1855 yy.), Djuma Mosque with 213 wooden columns and a minaret 32,5 m height (10th c.).

After lunch at a local restaurant continue.ollowing tour

View the Tash-Hauli (Stone courtyard) palace – a fortress with a high battlements, towers and fortified gates (19th c.), Ak-Mosque (White Mosque) – a small quarter mosque by the gates of Palvan-Darvaza (1838-1842), necropolis of Pahlavan Mahmud – the cultic center of Ichan-Qala (1810-1913 yy.), residence of Islam Khodja (1910 y.) – the Vizier (Minister) of the last khan. Ensemble consists of the smallest medressa in Khiva and a minaret whose top platform has a height of 45 m and is the highest observation point in town.

Dinner with be in an authentic open air restaurant, and you will have free time to walk around the streets afterwards, to see all the historic buildings beautifully lit up.

Today you’ll take a 450km, 6-7-hour tour through the Kyzylkum Desert – Red Desert. Enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the Amudarya on the road and a picnic lunch in the desert.

Option: Khiva-Bukhara by train instead

Since 2018 a new station was built in Khiva and it is now possible to travel from Khiva to Bukhara by train as well. Bukhara-Khiva fast train is one of the main types of trains in Uzbekistan, with a speed of up to 140 km/h. The train has carriage with seats and 1 bistro carriage.

Visit the Jewish Quarter with Sinagogue. SS of Bukhara: Poikalon (XII—XVI c) architectural ensemble of “Masjidi Kalon”, “Miri Arab” madrasah and minaret Kalon (46 m). Ulugbek Madrassah 1417 was the earliest of three commissioned by theenlightened Timurid ruler. Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah (1652).

See the trading Domes including Togi Zargaron, Togi Telpak furushon and Togi Saraffon Afghan trades. Tim Abdullakhan and one of the most elegant trade halls. Magoki Attori mosque, Labi-Hauz (XVI—XVII c) — a complex with Nodir — Devon Begi madrasa.

Free lunch.

ARK Fortress (VI — XIX c) — in middle ages it was a whole town with the emirs house, with wives, mosques mint place, government institutes, store rooms, a prison and a square for public executions, Bolo Khous Ensemble, Samanid mausoleum (IXc) 1st brick building shaped as cube covered by dome with unrepeatable geometrical brickwork design, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum.

Journey out of the city for a visit to the summer residence Sitorai-Mokhi- Hossa (19th c.), Fayzullah Khodjaev House (Merchant house) (XIX c) — House of a Bukhara merchant 150 years old. Visit Shavkat Boltaev’s photo gallery in Caravansary.

After lunch you’ll have some free time.

You could visit the bazzar, hammam, or see a traditional puppet show.

Take a walk at sunset to get some wonderful views of the city in the last golden rays.

Today depart early for Shakhrisabz (270 km, 4, 5 hours).

On arrival, lunch and a city tour around Shakhrisabz: ruins of Ak-Saray Palace (14-15th c.), Dor-ut Tillavatcomplex: Gumbazi-Sayidon, Kok Gumbaz Mosque (15th c.), Dor-ut Saodat complex, Khazrati Imam Mosque (14th c.), Jahongir mausoleum (14th c.).

You’ll also walk through the oriental bazaar.

Later on this afternoon drive to Samarkand (145 km, 3 hours). There will be a few stops made at for photogenic landscape shots.

Sightseeing trip to Ulughbek Observatory, Saint Daniel mausoleum, and visit the workshop of artisans – potters, located near the Siob River, near to the Afrosiyob, a famous museum dedicated ancient city of Afrosiab, Architectural complex Shakhi-Zindeh (11—15th c.).

Enjoy a special home-cooked lunch of plov, in a traditional Uzbek house, accompanied with the local red dry wine.

Your host family will give you a plov cookery course, and you’ll be able to get acquainted with them and hear about their way of life.

After your delicious Uzbek lunch visit Mausoleum Guri Emir – Tamerlane’s Tomb (14—15th c.). And then a real silk factory”Aiesha” – a small oriental costume & textile workshop of Valentina Romanenko.

The workshop will also put on a small fashion show.

Morning touir of Samarkand: Registan square: Medreseh Ulughbek (15th c.), Medreseh Shir-Dor (17th c.), Medreseh Tilla-Kori (17th c.). Bibi-Khonum Mosque, market place

After lunch at a local restaurant you’ll have a free afternoon before dinner and a ‘Samarkand by Night’ Tour.

Drive to Tashkent this morning where you’ll have a city tour: Broadway, Tashkent Metro (famous for it’s artistic designs and themes), Independence Square.

This evening have a a farewell dinner at a local restaurant and a ‘Tashkent by Night’ Tour.

Alternatively ask us about booking tickets for the Opera or Ballet at the famous Opera House – one of the cheapest places in the world to see fabulous Opera and Ballet!

Option: Samarkand-Tashkent by train.

By fast train, with a speed of up to 250 km/h. The train has carriage with seats and 1 bistro carriage.

After breakfast transfer to the airport according to your international flight schedule.