13-Day Uzbekistan Heritage Tour with Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand

• Catch your flight to Tashkent.

• Arrive in Tashkent in the afternoon or evening.

• Come out of the terminal and meet the driver holding a sign with your name in capital letters.

• Transfer to the hotel.

• Meet your tour manager in the lobby and discuss the tour details.

Rest in the evening and stay overnight at the hotel.

• Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel.

• 06:00 - Transfer to the local airport.

• 07:25 - Catch flight HY51 to Urgench.

• 08:55 - Arrive at Urgench Airport.

• Come out of the terminal and meet your driver.

• Transfer to your hotel in Khiva (30 km) to drop off your bags. Standard hotel check-in is at 14:00.

• Meet your Uzbekistan tour guide in the lobby.

• Start the walking excursion in the historical part of Khiva - Ichan-Kala (translated as "Inner Town"), the largest open-air museum in Central Asia.

Free time in the afternoon and evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

• Have breakfast at the hotel.

• Transfer by car, according to the train schedule.

• Get dropped off at your hotel.

Free time in the afternoon and evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

• Start the sightseeing program in the old part of Bukhara:

  • Visit the Ensemble of Lyabi Hauz, including Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa, Khanaka, Kukeldash Madrassa, and the monument of Khodja Nasreddin.

  • See Magoki Attari Mosque, one of the oldest mosques that survived in Bukhara before the Mongolian invasion.

  • Visit Caravanserai Saifuddin, the Center of Handicraft Development.

  • Explore Abdullakhan's Tim with its numerous handicraft shops selling souvenirs, ceramics, national clothes, and carpets. Also see the three trading domes, or covered bazaars, Toki Sarrofon, Toki Telpak Furushon, and Toki Zargaron, preserved from the 16th century. These bazaars were once centres for the trade of silk, jewellery, and even money exchange. Today, you can enjoy and purchase a wide range of souvenirs, from small magnets to famous Bukhara carpets.

  • Visit Ulughbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas, the so-called Kosh (pare) madrassas, standing opposite each other with distinctive facade ornamental decoration.

  • See Poi Kalon Square with Kalon Minaret and Mosque, and Mir Arab Madrassa - the heart of Bukhara, a monumental complex that impresses every visitor.

  • Visit Ark Fortress, the oldest citadel dating back to the 1st century BC, where you can feel the history of this great fortress covered in legends and myths.

Leisure time in the evening.

Overnight.

• Savour breakfast at the hotel.

• 09:00 - Embark on the Ziyara tour of the seven pirs (saints) of Bukhara:

  • Hazrat Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujduwani

  • Hazrat Arif ar-Riwakri

  • Hazrat Mahmud al-Anjir al-Faghnavi

  • Hazrat Abu Ali Ar-Romitani

  • Hazrat Muhammad Baba as-Sammasi

  • Hazrat Syed Amir Kulal

  • Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshband

Overnight in Bukhara.

• Have breakfast at the hotel.

• Enjoy your free day in Bukhara.

• Travel from Bukhara to Samarkand (290 km).

Leisure time in the evening.

Overnight in Samarkand.

• After breakfast at the hotel, start the 6-hour sightseeing program in Samarkand.

• Visit the Gur Emir Mausoleum - the burial vault of Timur the Great and his descendants, decorated with gold ornaments and considered one of the most significant sights in the world.

• Continue to the famous Registan Square - the heart of Samarkand and a real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture, consisting of three grand buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor, and Madrassa Tilla Kori.

• Visit Bibi Khanim Mosque - the biggest medieval building in the city and one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in the 15th century.

• Visit Shahi Zinda Necropolis - a unique complex of mausoleums formed on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) of the Muslim saint Abbas ibn-Kussam.

Leisure time in the evening.

Overnight.

• Continue the sightseeing program in Samarkand:

  • Visit Ulugbek's Observatory - the finest astronomical centre in the medieval world, built by order of Ulugbek, an outstanding scholar and astronomer.

  • Visit Samarkand Bazaar - Siyab.

  • Visit the Ubaydullah Akhrar Vali complex.

Overnight at the hotel.

• After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy some free time in the afternoon.

• 16:00 - Transfer to Samarkand train station.

• 17:00 - Depart for Tashkent by the Afrosiab or Sharq speed train.

• 19:10 - Arrive in Tashkent and come out of the terminal to meet the driver.

• Start a 5-hour sightseeing tour of Tashkent, visiting the old and new parts of the city:

  • Visit the Earthquake Memorial - a composition devoted to the tragic earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966, erected near the approximate epicentre. Residents still come to the monument to honour those who took part in the reconstruction of Tashkent.

  • Visit Khast Imam Square - a religious centre of the city consisting of the Barakkhan Madrasah.

  • See Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the library of Islamic literature with the Holy Koran Book of the 7th century.

  • Visit Independence Square - the main square of Uzbekistan, reflecting the country's past, present, and future.

  • Visit Amir Temur Square.

  • Visit Theatre Square with the Opera House.

Leisure time in the afternoon.

Overnight.

• 10:00 - Meet the guide and driver in the lobby.

• Transfer to the Chimgan mountains, enjoying picturesque views of the beautiful mountains and the life of local people along the way. Chimgan Mounts offer many seasonal outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, climbing, hiking, and mountaineering.

• First, stop near Beldersay Gorge.

• Take a chair lift up the gorge to Kumbel Peak (2400 m), where the longest ski track in Uzbekistan begins.

• Have a walk in the mountain area and enjoy the breathtaking natural sights from the mountain peak.

• Make a photo stop at Charvak Lake, enjoying the fresh air and beautiful panoramic views of the stunning scenery of the Chimgan Mounts.

• Have lunch in mountain restaurants in a place named "bochka" by local people.

• After lunch, transfer to the hotel. (Total 200 km one-way)

Free time in the evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

End of the tour.

• After breakfast at the hotel, complete the standard check-out.

• Transfer to the airport.

• Catch your departing flight from Tashkent.