Along the Great Silk Road

Day 1

Tashkent

Arrival at Tashkent airport. Transfer to the hotel for luggage drop-off and additional breakfast, check-in at 14:00. Start to explore the city, very dynamic and modern, with its own history. Visit to Hast Imam Square, where there are Barakkhan Madrasah, Tillya Sheikh Mosque and Kaffal Ash-Shashi Mausoleum (XVI century), walk through the biggest and most dynamic market of Uzbekistan – Chorsu. Visit to the Museum of Applied Art. Visit to Tashkent City amusement park. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2

Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva

Breakfast. Continuation of the visit to religious sites: Catholic and Orthodox churches, visit to the Minor Mosque. Visit to the most beautiful metro stations. Panoramic tour of Tashkent: Independence Square, Opera and Ballet Theater Square, Amir Temur Square. Visit to Abdulkasym Madrasah (center of craftsmanship). Visit to Magic City amusement park. Transfer to Tashkent airport for departure by domestic flight HY-057 to Urgench (20:25/21:55), arrival in Urgench. Transfer to hotel in Khiva. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3

Khiva

Breakfast. At 09:00 start tour of the ancient complex of Ichan Kala: Kunya Ark, Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, Ichan Kala Minaret and Madrasah, Kalta Minor Minaret, Tash Khovli Palace, Ak Mosque, Anush Khan Baths, Muhammad Rahimkhan Madrassah, Friday Mosque. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4

Khiva – Bukhara

Breakfast at the hotel. Long transfer to Bukhara (450 km, 7-8 hours) through Kizilkum desert (red sands). Arrival and accommodation at the hotel. Free time for a walk through the narrow streets of the old city. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5

Bukhara

Breakfast at the hotel. Start of Bukhara sightseeing: Ismail Samani Mausoleum, built in the X century, a masterpiece of Arab geometry, including a mosque (XVIII century). Chashma Ayub Mausoleum. Bolo House complex, Visit to the majestic Ark Citadel, which was the residence of the Emir until 1920. Visit to the magnificent architectural complex Poi Kalon (XII-XVI centuries.), including the mosque Masjidi Kalon, Miri Arab Madrasah and the highest minaret of its time in the East. Visit to Ulugbek Madrasah, built by Tamerlane’s grandson in 1417, Abdul-Aziz Khan Madrasah (XVII century), Abdullah Khan Tim Madrasah (XVI century), built in 1577 and used by Afghan silk and wool traders, Visit to the 16th century covered market known as “merchant domes”. Gold embroidery, copper, blacksmith and weaving workshops are discovered during the visit. Walk around the old city of Bukhara: tour of Lyabi Hauz complex of XVI-XVII centuries with Nodir Divan-Begi Madrasah, Kukeldash Madrasah and Nodir Devon-Begi Khanaka. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6

Bukhara

Breakfast. Departure on country excursion: Sitorai-Mohi-Khosa Palace is a country residence of Bukhara Emir, built in the late XIX – early XX century. Nowadays it houses a museum of decorative-applied art. Visit to Romitan Varnet greenhouse. Lunch – not included. Visit to the house-museum of Faizulla Khodjaev. Visit to Chor Bakr necropolis. Dinner – not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 7

Bukhara – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand

Breakfast. Departure to Shakhrisabz (250 + 150 km), the birthplace of Tamerlane. Then city tour (about 2-3 hours), including the remains of Tamerlan’s palace Ak-Saray, meaning “white palace”, which was left unfinished after his death. Visit the complex: Friday mosque Kok-Gumbaz, built by Ulugbek in 1432 in honor of his father. Imam Hazrati Mosque with a shady summer terrace; Darus Siadat – the tomb of Timur’s eldest son Jahangir. Dorut Tilovat – memorial complex of the era of Amir Temur and his successors (XIV-XV cc.), tomb of the House of Temurid. Transfer to Samarkand. Arrival and accommodation at the hotel. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8

Samarkand

Breakfast. The Great Silk Road has long passed through this city, and the famous conqueror Tamerlan, a descendant of Genghis Khan, in the XIV century made it the capital of his vast empire and built here many architectural masterpieces, many of which have survived to this day. The tour starts with a visit to the famous Registan Square, where Ulugbek, Tilla Kori and Sherdor madrassahs are located. Visit to Gur-Emir Mausoleum. Lunch is not included. Visit to Konigil Meros paper factory. Visit to Khujum carpet factory. Dinner – not included. In the evening – visit to the historical and ethnographic park “Eternal City”. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9

Samarkand – Tashkent

Breakfast. We will resume our tour of Samarkand with a visit to the Shahi-Zinda necropolis. Visit to Ulugbek Observatory, Afrosiab Archaeological Museum, Bibi Khanim Mosque and Siab Market, the busiest market in the city. In the afternoon we transfer to Tashkent (about 280 km/4-5 hours). Arrival and accommodation. Lunch and dinner are not included. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10

Tashkent

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport.