Itinerary

1. Day 1: Tashkent

   • Arrive at the airport of Tashkent by flight. The driver welcomes you, transfers you to the hotel, and leaves your luggage. A permanent Uzbekistan tour guide will meet you at the hotel in Tashkent, which is a starting point of the city tour.

   • Visit the Old City part of Tashkent with the Khast-Imam Complex, where the world famous Quran of Caliph Uthman – Ottoman has been preserved.

   • In Khast-Imam, visit Madrasah of Barak-Khan, Tillya-Sheykh Mosque, Mausoleum of the Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi and the Islamic Institute of Imam al-Bukhari.

   • Explore Chorsu Bazaar.

   • Lunch at restaurant.

   • After lunch, take a ride on Tashkent Metro to the city center to walk through Amir Timur Square, Independence Square and visit Applied Arts Museum, the ancient palace of Russian diplomat Alexander Polovtsev that was transformed into the museum in 1938.

   • Have dinner in the restaurant.

   Overnight stay at hotel.

2. Day 2: Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva

   • Breakfast at the hotel. In the early morning, transfer to the Airport to take a domestic flight to Urgench. (1093km, 1h30min)

   • Arrive at the Airport of Urgench, meet the driver at the Airport, transfer to Khiva (33km, 35min) to the hotel, and leave their luggage.

   • Khiva is a magical city, a maze of clay buildings and winding alleys, surrounded by a thick fortress wall. The city's centre is a fortress, called Ichan-Kala, that has housed several thousand people in a medieval town for centuries.

   • Visit Ichan-Qala Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

   • Lunch in Madrasah 'Yusuf Yassovul Boshi' restaurant.

   • After lunch, explore other monuments such as Ichan Kala Abdullakhan Madrasah, Juma Mosque, Allakulikhan Madrasah, built in 1835 in the space near the east gate of the inner town, an outstanding example of harmonious blending into an ancient urban fabric.

   • Visit the Tosh-Khovli Palace, built between 1830-1838 for Alla-Kulli-Khan, (whose name means Slave of God), Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, and Minaret of Islam-Khoja (1908 - 1910), with its elegant minaret, at 45 m the highest in Khiva.

   • At the Ichan-Kala area, you can also see handicraft workshops, mini shops with local handmade productions.

   • Have dinner at 'Mirza Boshi' open-air restaurant.

   Overnight at the hotel.

3. Day 3: Khiva – Bukhara

   • Have breakfast at the hotel. Early in the morning, drive to Bukhara, bypassing the red sands of the desert Kizil-Kum.

   • Stop and explore the river of Amu-Darya, where you can have a nice view and take a photo.

   • Have lunch on the way.

   • Stop en-route near Gazli. Arrive late afternoon, transfer and check-in to the hotel.

   • Dinner at 'Lyabi House' restaurant. 

   Overnight at the hotel.

4. Day 4: Bukhara

   • After breakfast, proceed with a sightseeing tour in Bukhara.

   • Visit the Historic Centre of Bukhara, situated on the Silk Roads, is more than two thousand years old. It is one of the best examples of well-preserved Islamic cities of Central Asia of the 10th to 17th centuries, with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact.

   • Visit Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, (1568–1622) one of the few remaining hauz, or pond, in the city of Bukhara.

   • Head towards the Magok-i-Attori Mosque which was constructed in the 9th century on the remains of what may have been an older Zoroastrian temple;

   • Visit Chor-Minor Madrasah, trade domes, and Kalyan Minaret - the minaret was built in 1127 A.D. and called the Kalyan (Great) Minaret, has survived. It still dominates the skyline of Bukhara, astonishing all who see it with its magnificent and flawless shape.

   • Also, visit Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah, Ulugbek and Abdulaziz Khan Madrasahs.

   • Have lunch in the restaurant Dolon.

   • In the afternoon, continue to explore other monuments of the ancient city such as the Ark Fortress, a massive fortress, the height of the walls varies from 16 to 20 metres; Bolo-Khauz Mosque, Ismail Samani, (9th–10th centuries), is one of the most highly esteemed works of central Asian architecture; Chashma-Ayubmausoleums, its name is said to reflect a legend that states the prophet Job ("Ayub" in the Quran) visited this place and brought forth a spring of water by the blow of his staff on the ground. 

   • Have dinner at the 'Minzifa' restaurant.

5. Day 5: Bukhara – Samarkand

   • Have breakfast at the hotel. Start the second day with a visit to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa– the summer residence of Bukhara's last emir, a unique site combining Oriental and Russian architecture.

   • Continue to the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi complex, including the dahma (gravestone) of Bahoutdin, Khakim Kushbegi mosque, Muzaffarkan mosque, and Abdul-Aziz Khanqah; 

   • Go to Chor-Bakr Necropolis - five kilometres away to the west from Bukhara, where rows of mulberry trees separate the fields.

   • Have lunch in the restaurant.

   • After lunch, proceed to Samarkand (278km, 03:40min) en-route stop at Navoi region to visit the Rabat Malik caravanserai. It was built in the XI century by Karakhanids ruler al-Mulk Nasr ibn Ibrahim. And now, it keeps unique archaeological and historical value.

   • Arrive in the evening, transfer and check-in to the hotel.

   • Dinner at restaurant. 

6. Day 6: Samarkand

   • After breakfast, head out to the Samarkand sightseeing tour.

   • Visit Gur-Emir Mausoleum– the mausoleum of Amir Timur. Spectacular Registan Square, the heart of Samarkand, there are three madrasahs - the Ulugh Beg Madrasah (1417–1420), the Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1646–1660) and the Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636). Madrasah is an Arabic term meaning school.

   • At lunchtime, attend a 'plov' master class and learn the preparation of a traditional Uzbek Plov. Cooking and sharing this delicious one-pot dish is essential in Central Asian culture, and every family has its traditional recipe.

   • Visit Atlas National House and participate with a local family in cooking.

   • Ride to Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis - with more than 20 buildings, built from early XI up to XIV BC. Each mausoleum has its decoration style and excellent work of skilful artisans; The Observatory of Ulugbek, the first observatory in Central Asia, was built in XIV c. 

   • Visit the mausoleum of Hodja Daniyar, located near the healing spring and attracting crowds of tourists every day. Some believe that Daniel was a biblical prophet other – associated with a fellow soldier of Kusam ibn Abbas.

   • Have dinner at the 'Zilol Baht' restaurant. 

7. Day 7: Samarkand – Tashkent

   • Have breakfast at the hotel. Continue the sightseeing tour in Samarkand.

   • Drive to Konigil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry; remains of Bibi Khanum Mosque was one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world; Siab Bazaar - is the largest bazaar in Samarkand, where you can taste and buy delicious fruits, dried fruits, vegetables etc.

   • Enjoy some free time.

   • Have lunch in the restaurant.

   • At 16:30 transfer to the railway station to take the high-speed Afrosiyab train departing at 17:00 arriving in Tashkent at 19:10.

   • Pick-up and transfer to the hotel.

   • Have dinner in a local restaurant. 

8. Day 8: Tashkent

   • Check-out from the hotel till 12:00. Two hours before departure. 

   • Transfer to the International Airport. 

   End of guided tour services.