Classical Tour to Uzbekistan in 10 days

Arrival at the airport, transfer to the hotel and rest (check in after 14:00).

Today you will enjoy a sightseeing tour around Tashkent – the largest city in Central Asia. Tashkent is known for its combination of Silk Road atmosphere and modern architecture with beautiful green parks, fountains, mosques, lively bazaars, theaters, and art galleries spread throughout the city. With the help of your guide, you will discover the rich history, culture, and hidden stories of this city. Your tour will begin in the old part of the city, where you will visit the famous Khast Imam Complex, home to one of the world’s oldest Korans. You will also explore the colorful Chorsu Bazaar, one of the oldest trading centers in the region, where locals sell fresh products, spices, and traditional sweets. Another highlight is the Madrasah Kukeldash, the largest 16th-century madrasah in Tashkent and an important example of Islamic architecture. After lunch, the excursion will continue to the modern part of Tashkent. You will visit the city’s main landmarks, including Independence Square, the symbol of modern Uzbekistan, as well as the squares of A. Navoi Theater and Amir Temur. Along the way, you will notice the wide boulevards, elegant monuments, and impressive public buildings that give the capital its distinctive character. The tour will end with a visit to the Museum of Applied Art of Uzbekistan, where you can admire more than 7,000 examples of traditional Uzbek craftsmanship. The collection includes handmade embroidery, colorful skull-caps, fine jewelry, carpets, ceramics, wood carvings, and many other works of Uzbek applied art.

After breakfast you will take an Afrosiyob speedy train (07:30-09:43, 344 km, 2hr 13min) and head to Samarkand – one of the oldest cities in the world. According to historical sources, the city was founded in the 7th century BC and for centuries served as one of the most important cultural and trading centers along the Great Silk Road. After arrival you will have a sightseeing tour. Your city tour program will start with the main square of the city – Registan. Here is located the famous architectural ensemble of three madrasahs (Islamic schools) – the Ulugh Beg Madrasah, the Tilya-Kori Madrasah and the Sher-Dor Madrasah. The next place to visit is the architectural masterpiece of Central Asia – the mausoleum of Gur-e-Amir (also known as Tamerlane). The further program includes visits to Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis and Bibi-Khanym.

This day you will take the Afrasiab high-speed train (09:33–11:23 or 10:59–12:42, 256 km, approx. 1 hr 50 min) and head to Bukhara – an ancient Uzbek city along the Great Silk Road. Bukhara is called an open-air museum, as it contains more than a hundred architectural monuments created over the past thousand years. Your sightseeing tour will start with Ark Fortress, Bolo Hauz Mosque, then continue to the nearby Kalon Complex, and conclude at the lively Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble, all visited in a logical walking route based on their locations. The day will end with a dinner and traditional folk show at the historic Nodir Devon Begi Madrasah (subject to availability).

This day you will continue exploring Bukhara. Your tour program will include the Samanid Dynasty Mausoleum and the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum. Then return toward the historical center to visit Magoki Attori Mosque, followed by Ulugbek Madrasah and Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah, all located close to each other and visited in sequence based on their proximity. After completing the city tour, you will have a short trip out of Bukhara to visit the Last Emir’s Summer Palace – Sitorai Mokhi Khosaand the Bahauddin Naqshbandi Memorial Complex. At the end of the day you will return back to the city.

After breakfast, you will leave Bukhara and travel to Khiva (480 km, approximately 7–8 hours) – a city known for a significant number of architectural monuments like khan's palaces, mosques, madrassas, mausoleums, minarets. The journey will take you across the vast Kyzylkum Desert with a historic section of the ancient Silk Road. It was once crossed by merchant caravans transporting silk, spices, and ceramics between East and West. You will arrive in Khiva by late afternoon. The remainder of the evening is free for leisure and independent exploration of the city. *As the cafés and restaurants on the way are basic and offer limited menus, you may wish to take a packed lunch on this trip (your hotel or guide can help you arrange this the day before). **Some parts of the road are not in the best condition.

After breakfast your city tour in Khiva will start. Khiva is a real museum under the sky with the best examples of the Islamic architecture in Central Asia. Your tour will start from Itchan Kala 26-hectare walled city where main attractions are concentrated. You will stroll around its unique streets and feel like in ancient times. Itchan Kala was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1990. Your city tour program will also include the madrasah of Muhammad Amin-khan, KeltaMinar, Kunya Ark, madrasah of Muhammad Rakhimkhan, Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, Islam Khodja Minaret and Madrasah, Djuma Mosque and Minaret, and TashHovli Palace.

In the morning you will have a transfer to Urgench International Airport for the flight to Tashkent by HY 52 (09:30–10:50). Upon arrival in Tashkent, you will head to your hotel for a rest. This day no any sightseeing is planned.

After breakfast you will drive to Chimgan mountains which geographically belongs to the south-western Tien Shan Mountain Range. Here you will take a cable-chair lift in Amirsoy resort to the top of the mountain and enjoy and take photos of beautiful scenery of the snowcapped mountains and river valleys. Then you will return to the valley near Charvak Reservoir and in the late afternoon drive back to Tashkent.

Transfer to the airport, departure.