8-Day Private Silk Road Tour of Uzbekistan with Khiva to Samarkand

1

Day 01

Arrival in Tashkent

• Arrive in Tashkent and meet your private driver at the airport.
• Transfer to the hotel and complete check-in procedures.
• Spend the rest of the day at leisure to recover from your journey.

2

Day 02

Explore Tashkent's Cultural and Historical Heart

• Begin the guided city tour at 10:00 AM and discover Tashkent, a city where ancient Silk Road history blends seamlessly with modern life.
• Learn about Tashkent's evolution from a historic trading hub into the cultural, scientific, and spiritual centre of Uzbekistan.
• Visit the Khast Imam Complex, home to the Quran of Uthman, one of the oldest Qurans in the world, along with the Tilla Sheikh Mosque, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, and Barak-Khan Madrasah.
• Admire the Minor Mosque, a striking modern landmark built entirely from white marble.
• Explore Chorsu Bazaar, a vibrant domed market filled with spices, fresh produce, and traditional handicrafts.
• Walk through Independence Square, symbolising modern Uzbekistan with its fountains, monuments, and the Arch of a Bright Future.
• Visit the Courage Monument, dedicated to the 1966 earthquake and the rebuilding of the city.
• Stop at Amir Timur Square, centred around the statue of the great commander and surrounded by notable Soviet-era buildings.
• Explore the Museum of Applied Arts, showcasing fine examples of wood carving, embroidery, and ceramics in a historic palace setting.
• Pass by the Tashkent TV Tower, with the option to visit the panoramic observation deck.
• Stroll along Broadway Street, known for its artists, souvenir stalls, and lively cafes.
• Transfer back to the hotel after the city tour.
• Enjoy free time in the evening to visit Tashkent City Park, a popular spot with musical fountains, recommended for self-exploration.

3

Day 03

Fly to Khiva and Explore the UNESCO Old City

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the airport for the flight from Tashkent to Urgench.
• Upon arrival, meet your driver and continue by road to Khiva.
• Check in at the hotel and prepare for a guided exploration of the historic city.
• Begin the Khiva city tour within Ichan-Kala, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed inner city surrounded by fortress walls.
• Enter through the western gate and walk along narrow streets that preserve the atmosphere of the former Khiva Khanate.
• Visit the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah, the largest madrasah in Khiva.
• Admire Kalta Minor, the iconic unfinished turquoise minaret.
• Explore Kunya Ark, the former residence of the Khiva khans.
• Visit the Muhammad Rahim Khan II Madrasah and learn about the history of the Khiva Khanate.
• Discover the Juma Mosque with its unique forest of wooden columns dating back to the tenth century.
• Visit a traditional woodcarver's home and take part in a local master class.
• Enjoy free time for photography and souvenir shopping within the old city.
• Conclude the tour at the eastern gate of Palvan-Darvaza.

4

Day 04

Journey from Khiva to Bukhara Across the Kyzylkum Desert

• Depart Khiva at 10:00 AM and begin the overland journey toward Bukhara, another historic city of the Great Silk Road.
• Travel through the vast Kyzylkum Desert, one of the largest deserts in Central Asia.
• Cover approximately 450 kilometres over seven to eight hours, with scenic stops along the way.
• Observe changing landscapes ranging from green oases to sand dunes and camel pastures.
• Experience the atmosphere of ancient caravan routes once used to transport silk, spices, and goods.
• Stop midway at a local cafe to enjoy traditional Uzbek food, rest, and take photographs of the desert scenery.
• Arrive in Bukhara by evening and check in at the hotel.
• Spend the remainder of the evening at leisure to rest after the journey.

5

Day 05

Walking Tour of Historic Bukhara

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before beginning the guided city walking tour at 10:00 AM.
• Discover Bukhara, an open-air museum city with more than 2,500 years of history and a former centre of Islamic culture, science, and craftsmanship.
• Walk through the Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble, surrounded by the Kukeldash and Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasahs and shaded by centuries-old trees.
• Visit the Nadir Divan-Begi Khanaka, known for its rare depictions of mythical simurgh birds in Islamic art.
• Explore the historic Jewish Quarter with its synagogues, narrow lanes, and preserved local lifestyle.
• Stroll through the covered trading domes of Toki Sarrafon, Toki Telpakfurushon, and Toki Zargaron, once centres for silk, carpets, spices, and crafts.
• Visit a traditional blacksmith workshop operated by a seventh-generation master.
• Explore the Magoki Attari Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Central Asia with Zoroastrian and Islamic influences.
• Walk through Tim Abdullakhan, a former trading centre for fine fabrics and jewellery.
• Visit the Ulugbek and Abdulaziz Khan Madrasahs, symbolising architectural rivalry across centuries.
• Discover the Poi Kalon Ensemble, including the Kalon Minaret, Kalon Mosque, and Miri-Arab Madrasah.
• Explore the Ark Fortress, the ancient citadel that once served as the residence of Bukhara's emirs.
• Visit the Bolo Hauz Mosque, known for its carved wooden columns and reflecting pool.
• See the Shukhov Tower, a rare example of early engineering by Vladimir Shukhov.
• Spend the remainder of the day at leisure, with optional experiences available on request such as a local bazaar visit, plov cooking class, hammam experience, folklore dinner, or wine tasting.

6

Day 06

Sacred Sites of Bukhara and Journey to Samarkand

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing at 08:00 by comfortable transport.
• Travel to the Mausoleum of Bahauddin Naqshband, a major pilgrimage site and the resting place of the founder of the Naqshbandi Sufi order.
• Experience the peaceful atmosphere of the complex with its marble sarcophagus, minaret, and tree-shaded courtyard.
• Visit the Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace, the former summer residence of the last emirs of Bukhara, blending Eastern architecture with European interior design.
• Explore the palace museum displaying applied arts, jewellery, fabrics, and noble household items.
• Visit the Samanid Mausoleum, one of the oldest Islamic monuments in Central Asia, built in the ninth and tenth centuries using baked brick without mortar.
• Discover Chashma-Ayub, also known as Job's Spring, and learn about its legend and healing waters.
• Depart for Samarkand, covering approximately 280 kilometres.
• Make an optional stop in the artisan town of Gijduvan, renowned for its pottery traditions passed down through generations.
• Participate in a ceramics master class at the Narzullaev family workshop and learn about traditional Gijduvan patterns.
• Enjoy a home-cooked lunch featuring traditional plov, fresh salads, tandoor-baked bread, and Uzbek green tea.
• Continue to Samarkand, arrive at the hotel, check in, and rest.

7

Day 07

Discover the Timurid Heritage of Samarkand

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before beginning the guided city tour at 10:00 AM.
• Explore Samarkand, one of the world's oldest cities and a historic heart of the Great Silk Road with over 2,700 years of history.
• Visit Registan Square, the iconic symbol of Samarkand and Central Asia.
• Explore the Ulugbek Madrasah, built in the fifteenth century by the renowned astronomer and ruler.
• Admire the Sherdor Madrasah, notable for its unique tiger motifs from the seventeenth century.
• Visit the Tilla-Kari Madrasah, famed for its gilded interior and grand scale.
• Discover the Gur-Emir Mausoleum, the resting place of Amir Timur and his descendants, distinguished by its blue dome and celestial decoration.
• Visit the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the East, known for its monumental scale and intricate mosaics.
• Explore the vibrant Siab Bazaar and observe daily local life among stalls of fruits, spices, and traditional goods.
• Walk through the Shah-i-Zinda Complex, a sacred ensemble of fourteenth and fifteenth-century mausoleums adorned with blue tilework.
• Conclude the tour with optional time to visit a silk paper or carpet factory.

8

Day 08

Samarkand to Tashkent and Departure

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before spending free time in Samarkand until 11:00 AM.
• Depart Samarkand and travel to Tashkent by private car, with a journey time of approximately four hours.
• If the departure falls on a weekend, travel by morning high-speed train from 11:00 AM to 01:10 PM.
• Arrive in Tashkent and transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule.
• For guests extending their stay, transfer to the hotel for an additional overnight stay.