Samarkand

Arrival at Samarkand International Airport and transfer to hotel. Ancient Samarkand still shows the splendor of old times! In the Middle Ages, it was considered to be one of the most beautiful and most important towns in the world. The palace-like mausoleum of the ruler Amir Timur, the Gur Emir Mausoleum, will not fail to impress you. Today, you will enjoy the highlight of your trip, Registan-Square, with its three enormous, artistically adorned medrasas. Then you will go to what was once the greatest mosque of Central Asia – the Bibi Khanum Mosque. After the visit, you will go to a colorful oriental Siyab bazaar. Pyramids of nuts, almonds, pistachios, dried apricots, raisins as well as all sorts of fresh fruit and vegetables are piled up on the market stands. All sorts of exotic aromas from spices and herbs will assail your noses. A market which is as colorful and fascinating as life itself. Overnight stay in Samarkand.

Samarkand

In Samarkand, ‚One Thousand and One Nights‘ starts again for you. It is one of the oldest towns in the world and also the center of the famous Silk Road. In the Afrosiyob Museum you will get a good idea of what ancient Samarkand was like. Then you go to the Shakhi Zinda Complex, a wonderful collection of different mausoleums, coated in Timuridic style with majolica and mosaic tiles. When visiting the paper manufacturing factory, you will realize that centuries-old traditions are still alive in Samarkand today. You can watch a traditional paper-producing process using the fibers of the mulberry tree. To finish the day, you go to the Ulugbek Observatory, built in 1428-1429 on a hill of the Chupanata-chain. In the late afternoon you leave Samarkand on “Afrosiyab” fast train at 16:27 to Tashkent. Arrival at 18:48, transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in Tashkent.

Samarkand

After a rest in the hotel, you will go on a sightseeing tour through the old town of Tashkent. We will see the Khast Imam Complex. In the large square, the Barakkhan Medrasa and the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum bear witness to the time when Tashkent was the center of the great development of Islamic culture and religion. The oldest Koran in the world is kept in the madrasa's library. The manuscript dates back to the third Caliph Osman. Then we go to the «Chorsu» Bazaar, which was already known in the Middle Ages that lies at the crossroads of the caravansaries of the Great Silk Road. This is one of the largest markets of Tashkent, not far from the center. In the bazaar, you will see many Uzbek specialties, and all kinds of exotic, spicy smells will tickle your taste buds. In the Museum of Applied Art, which is housed in an impressive, historic community center, there are over 7,000 exhibits of traditional popular art from a past era and a foreign culture.

Tashkent

FREE TIME in Tashkent to walk around on your own. Later in the afternoon at 6PM transfer to Tashkent Domestic Airport for the flight to Nukus at 20-00. Arrival to Nukus and transfer to hotel Jipek Joli. Overnight in Nukus.

Nukus

Mizdahkan complex: a necropolis, city of ancient Khorezm (IV-II centuries B.C.) where important historical mausoleums and archeological monuments are located. Muynak: two-course national cuisine lunch in Karakalpak family, visiting Cemetery of ships and Ecological Museum of Muynak. Usyurt Plateau: canyons and rocks of Ustyurt cliffs, visiting Kubla-Ustyurt village and camel breeder’s family. Aral Sea: while dinner is cooked on open fire travellers may enjoy swimming and hiking, relax in a company at the cmap fire, explore the milky way in the clear sky.

Early breakfast and departure at 8AM. Davletgirey (Kurgancha Kala): an abandoned trading station in the north of Khorezm Kingdom. Ustyurt Plateau: mysterious and inscrutable Ustyurt Plateau remains not only huge deposits of gas and oil but also many secretc and riddles. Sudochie Lake: rich fauna of this lake is famous far beyond from Karakapakstan. Many scientist and fans of fishing and hunting come to this place from all over the world. The lake is a key stop on the long way of migrating birds: pink flamingo, white swans, duck and others. One overnight stay in Nukus.

Nukus

Drive to Khiva, visiting Ayaz Kala on the way – an impressive ancient mud fort. In the Kyzylkum Desert, enormous ruins of one of the greatest forts of the old Khorezm – Ayaz Kala – rise up on the slope of one of the east foothills of the Sultanuvaystag. According to archaeological excavations, the Ayaz Kala fort dates back to the 2nd century BC. It was part of a system of border forts which stretched from East to West and defended the Khiva Oasis from the desert side. Then we visit the other mud fort Toprak Kala (the ancient capital of Khorezm, 2nd century AD). In the afternoon, we arrive in the oasis town – Khiva. Two overnight stays in Khiva.

Khiva

A highlight of your trip! The mud roads and the two-wheeled donkey carts, which are still part of the streetscape today, give you an idea of the unchanged way of living since the Middle Ages. On your trip through the historic center, you can admire the oriental ornaments and turquoise tiles of the richly decorated buildings and can understand that the old town of Khiva is rightly called “Ichan Kala” (open-air museum). Kunya Ark, once the residence of the Khans of Khiva, the Djuma Mosque – a Friday Mosque famous for its very artistically decorated 212 wooden columns, the Pakhlavon Makhmud Mausoleum, the Medrasa and Minaret of Islam Khodja – the wise vizier of Khan Muhammad Rakhim Khan as well as the Tash Khovli Palace. In the evening, you can enjoy sundown over the oasis. Overnight stay in Khiva.

Khiva

You make the most of the cool morning hours and make the long trip to Bukhara through the Kyzylkum Desert. You cross the famous „Amudarya “river and enjoy countless photo stops on the banks of the river and in the desert. In the late afternoon, you reach the next Silk Road metropolis, Bukhara. Three overnight stays in Bukhara.

Bukhara

Today, you will make a tour on foot through the 2500 year-old town Bukhara. Sightseeing in the Citadel Ark, the mosque Bolo Khauz, the Chashma Ayub and the Samanids mausoleum - the oldest buildings of Bukhara. In the afternoon, you will see the enormous architectural complex of Poi Kalyan. You will visit the domed bazaars and trading streets of the Toki Zargaron goldsmiths, the capmakers Toki Telpak Furushon, the architectural complex Kosh Medrasa with the Ulugbek and Abdulaziz Khan medrasas. Then you can relax with a cup of tea at the cooling water basis in the Lyabi Khauz Complex. Overnight stay in Bukhara.

Bukhara

Today we will visit the Chor Minor madrasa, whose four minarets (chor – four) and the whole style shows similarities with the Indian style of building. After that we will take a road to the summer residence of the last Bukhara Emir – Sitorai Mokhi Khosa which in Persian means «The place where the moon and the stars meet». As it is known, Bukhara is one of the seven holy towns of the Islamic world. There are a large number of orientations in Sufism, and the representatives of all orders were present in various eras on the site of where Uzbekistan is today. Sufi orden Naqshbandiya had the longest lasting effect and left behind the greatest legacy. Bahauddin Naqshbandi was one of the spiritual mentors of Tamerlan. His philosophy was based on the principle of «God in the heart, work in the hands». The memorial complex of Bahauddin Naqshbandi was considered to be the Central Asian Mecca. In the afternoon, we discover the Jewish quarter ond a Synagogue which is over 400 years old.

Bukhara

The caravans go on: Journey towards the Nurata Mountains (about 250 km). According to a legend, the name Nurata comes from the Nur Fort which was founded in the time of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. There was then a spring with fresh water here, called Chashma, and this was the main reason for the settlement. We will visit the Nurata mausoleum and the ruins of Alexander the Great’s fort. Then on towards the yurt camp above the Aydarkul Lake. Depending on the season, you can swim in the lake or observe the fauna. Then we arrive at the yurt camp where you can ride on a camel or walk in the dunes. Overnight stay in a yurt.

In the morning after the breakfast, transfer to Samarkand. Free Time in Samarkand (can add anything upon request) Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel Gur Emir Palace in Samarkand Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand 7.30.2024 Today you go to Shakhrisabz (270km), the birthplace of Amir Timur (Tamerlan). Timur was a ruler who conquered Iran and Caucasia in the 14th century and defeated the Golden Horde in South Russia. With unforgettable impressions from visiting the ruins of the Ak Saray Castle, the Kuk Gumbaz Mosque and the “Dorut-Tilovat” Complex with the Shamseddin Kulal and Gumbaz Sayyidon mausoleums, you continue on to Samarkand (170km) through a mountain pass. Return back to Samarkand.

Samarkand

Check our from hotel and transfer to Samarkand International Airport.