In this tour you will see the cities that were part of the Great Silk Road chain: Khiva – Bukhara – Samarkand – Tashkent and plunge into an oriental tale called Uzbekistan.
The Silk Road is a system of caravan trade routes connecting from the 2nd century. BC. until the 15th century Eurasian countries – from Western Europe to China. The main routes went through 32 cities in Central Asia. The pearls of the Silk Road are Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and the Ferghana Valley.
Day 1 Tashkent
Arrive to Tashkent’s airport at TBA from TBA, meet and greet service (COMPANY SIGN for meeting), transfer to hotel. After passport and customs controls you will be met by your guide/driver.
Depart airport to hotel. Check in, rest.
Short tour in Tashkent in the afternoon: Museum of Applied Arts, Amir Temur square, city fountains and modern monuments.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 Tashkent to Kokand and Fergana (350km)
Breakfast and check out from the hotel.
Drive to Fergana valley, the ancient area for The Silk route, modern center of Silk industry in Central Asia. The road goes through the parts of Tien Shan Mountains, Kamchik Pass (2200m).
We arrive to Kokand city in the afternoon, once the capital of the Kokand Khanate in the 17th and 19th centuries. City tour includes visit to the Khudayar Khan palace, Mir Mosque, Dahmai Jahon Mausoleum museum, Friday mosque and Norbutabiy madrasah. Continue driving to Fergana city, a green and youngest city of the Fergana valley which was founded by Russians after invasion into Central Asia.
Check in to hotel and overnight.
Day 3 Fergana-Rishtan-Margilan-Fergana (200km)
Breakfast at hotel.
This morning you drive to Margilan-the city where silk production in Central Asia had started. You have a chance to join the old process of silk production and learn from the masters about the unique and natural colors and patterns historically known as Chinese and Uzbek art. After silk factory you drive to Rishtan, the center of Ceramics in Fergana Valley, visit the local ceramics workshop. Afternoon drive back to Fergana, rest at hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 Fergana to Tashkent
After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive back to Tashkent.
Arrival at Tashkent, check in to the hotel, short rest.
City tour around Tashkent, take a walk along the Independence Square, through Pedestrian Street towards Amir Temur Square, Monument of Courage.
Return to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 5 Tashkent to Khiva (1100km)
After early breakfast check out from the hotel.
Transfer to domestic airport for the morning flight to Urgench according to schedule. Arrive Urgench airport and drive to Khiva (35km), start your city tour with UNESCO World Heritage site City tour around Ichan-Kala architectural complex (12-19th c.), the Residence of the last Khan including Ismail Khodja Mausoleum, Mohammed Amin Khan madrassah, Kunya-Ark Castle (16-17th c.), Kalta Minor tower, Tash-Hovli Palace (19th c.), Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum (14-18th cc.), Juma Mosque (10th c.)
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6 Khiva-Toprak Kala – Khiva
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning drive to Karakalpakstan, The Autonomous Republic within Uzbekistan, to visit the remains of the ancient forts: Ayaz Kala, Toprak Kala and Kizil Kala, which were once center of the old civilizations of nomads and settled cultures in Central Asia.
Afternoon return back to Khiva. Overnight at hotel.
Day 7 Khiva to Bukhara (450km)
Breakfast and check out from hotel.
Depart to Bukhara via the Kyzyl-Kum (red sands) desert. En-route stop at panoramic view of The Amu Darya (Ancient Greek Oxus River).
Arrive late afternoon to Bukhara and transfer to the hotel.
Check in to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 8 Bukhara
After breakfast start your city tour.
City tour in Bukhara: Citadel Ark (4th c. BC), Samanid’s Mausoleum (9-10th c.), Chashma Ayub(14th c.), Bolo-Hauz Mosque (beginning of the 20th c.), Covered with dome bazaar, Madrassa Nodir-Divan-Beghi, complex Lyabi-Khauz (14-17th c.), Minaret Kalon (12th c.), Kalon Mosque (12th c.), Madrassa Miri Arab (16th c.). Overnight at the hotel.
Day 9 Bukhara
Breakfast at hotel.
A trip out of the city for a visit to Bahouddin Nakshbandi mausoleum (16-19th c.), to the sepulchers of his mother and his preceptor (14th c.), mausoleum Chor-Bakr (10th c.), visit to summer residence Sitorai-Mokhi-Hossa (19th c.).
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 Bukhara – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane, the part of The Great Silk Road.
Upon arrival start your tour, visit: Ak-Saray (White Palace), once the grandeurs structure in Temur’s Empire, Dorut-Tilovat- the House of Meditation, and Kok-Gumbaz (blue dome) Mosque built by Ulugbek, Dorus-Saodat – the seat of power and might, and the family crypt of the Timurids.
Afternoon continue to Samarkand. Check in to hotel upon arrival.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 11 Samarkand
Breakfast at hotel.
City tour including Registan Square, the center of trade and cultural life in medieval Samarkand, Bibi Khanum Mosque, erected by his wife as a surprise for Temur on behalf of his victorious Indian campaign, Gur Emir Mausoleum, family tomb of Timurid’s, Shakhi Zinda Necropolis; visit a site of pilgrimage since the 11th century, there you can enjoy the finest samples of majolica, mosaic and terracotta tile works, mausoleums are concentrated around the shrine of Qusam Ibn Abbas. Further proceed to Afrosiyab (old Samarkand). Among the sites of Samarkand outstanding one is the Museum of Ulugbek Observatory, with the remains of sextant.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 12 Samarkand – Tashkent
Breakfast at hotel.
Depart Samarkand to Tashkent arriving at noon. After arrival check in to the hotel, afternoon Half day city tour upon arrival in Tashkent: Barak-Khan Madrassah (16th c.), The Kaffal-Shashi mausoleum (15th c.), Kukeldash Madrassah (16th c.), the Jum’a mosque (9th c.), the monument of Courage, Tashkent TV tower view, from outside, and the monument of repression victims.
Day 13 Tashkent
Breakfast at hotel.
Check out from the hotel for the International flight to the next destination.