The Land of Glorious Architectural Monuments
Travel ID: UZB01
Journeying to a destination where beautiful natural beauty meets rich cultural attractions enhances the alluring magic of travel. In Uzbekistan, you experience this feeling. Uzbekistan was once an important part of the Silk Road, making it an interesting destination for interacting with diverse cultures. Uzbekistan is one of the most tourist-friendly and safest countries in Central Asia. A journey to Uzbekistan is a journey through time. Delightful and exhilarating moments await you in Uzbekistan.
Tour Itinerary Duration
10 Days & 9 Nights
ArrivalDay 01Flight to Uzbekistan. Night on board.
URGENCH – KHIVADay 02Arrival in Urgench. Visit Ichan Kala, the architectural complex of the inner city, surrounded by a large fortress wall with four gates. There are more than sixty architectural monuments: palaces, mosques, madrassahs, minarets, and mausoleums inside the inner town: Muhammed Aminkhan Madrassah and its minaret; Kunya Ark and Juma Mosque with 218 pillars (one of the most ancient structures in Central Asia; Tash Khauli palace (the Harem of Khiva Khans); Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud; Islam Khodja complex and other monuments.
KHIVA - BUKHARADay 03Take in the undulating landscape of Central Asia and drive to Bukhara across the Kyzylkum desert (450 km/ app.7-8 hrs). This journey presents an unprecedented opportunity to view this arid landscape and glimpse the sheep farmers or hunters roaming across it.We arrive in Bukhara in the early evening. Perhaps, take a stroll in the old town to stretch your legs.
BUKHARADay 04Start the day with a visit to the central complex Lyabi Hauz. Around Lyabi Hauz, there are many madrasahs, the most important of which are those of Nodir Divan-Begi, Khanaka, and Kukeldash; Magaki Attari Mosque; trading domes consists of three trading centers: Tok-i-Sarrafon – Moneychangers Bazaar, Tok-i-Tilpak Furushon – Cap makers Bazaar, Taqi Zargaron – Jeweler’s Bazaar. Also, visit to puppet workshop.Enjoy tea time to sample different teas. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue city tour: Poi Kalyan complex, one of the highlights of Bukhara. Friday Mosque (XV c.) and the Miri-Arab madrassah, an active Koran teaching center (the visit from outside only).
BUKHARADay 05We begin the day with a countryside excursion to Sitora-i-Mokhi-Khosa, the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara.Continue SS tour: Samanids Mausoleum, the most precious Bukhara monument dating back to the 9th century. Mausoleum is considered a treasure of Islamic architecture in Central Asia. Fortress Ark (citadel), a fortified residence of Emirs of Bukhara; Chashma-Ayub shrine (XIV-XVI cc.) known for its curative source; later on, visit Chor Minor, a colorful madrassah, a former library for students (1807) with four peculiar looking towers.
BUKHARA – SHAKHRISABZ – SAMARKANDDay 06We drive to Shahrisabz (300 km, 4-5 hrs), where the national hero Temur (also known as Tamerlane or “Temur the Lame”) was born. A visit to his summer palace is something not to be missed. This Ak Saray Palace (“White Palace”) construction commenced in 1380. In the afternoon, we take a peek into the Kok Gumbaz Friday Mosque and the Mausoleum of Dorut Tilavat. Temur built the Mausoleum of Dorus Siadat to bury his 22-year-old son after he was killed by a fall from his horse. It is said that Temur never again smiled after the death of his son. Drive to Samarkand (150 km, 2 hrs).
SAMARKANDDay 07Samarkand is world famous for its three splendid madrasahs around Registan Square. In the time of Timur, no fewer than six trade routes intersected on this square.The Ulugbek Madrasah, with its facade entirely in blue tiling, was built in 1434 and is thus the oldest of the three madrasahs. We find the same type of blue tiling in the Sher-Dor madrasah. In 1659, the Tillya-Kari madrasah was finished, and the square was thus harmoniously completed. The last Koran school has a built-in mosque with breathtaking decorations in which more than 1,000 m² of gold leaf are used.
The Bibi Khanym Mosque is a little further on: it was named after one of Timur’s beloved wives. One could almost forget that, in addition to all these splendid historic buildings, a flourishing everyday life continues in Samarkand today. To see this for ourselves, we will take a brief stroll through the Siab bazaar, where men and women try to sell their goods.The necropolis of Shakhi Zinda is one of the holiest pilgrim places in Uzbekistan. A huge gate and a 70-meter-long staircase passing graves and mausoleums lead to the top, where there is the Tomb of the Living King; visit Gur-Emir Mausoleum (graves of Tamerlane and his descendants, 15c).
SAMARKAND – TASHKENTDay 08Continue SS tour of Samarkand: Afrosiab museum of city foundation with the unique wall painting from 7th c.; St. Daniel’s tomb; the Observatory of Ulugbek (constructed in 1429). Lunch at a local restaurant.Excursion to the traditional silk paper workshop mill, where Samarkand Craftsman revives thousand-year-old paper production methods. You can learn the secrets of this ancient process in this unique workshop in Central Asia and take a tea break in the garden.
Transfer to the railway station for train Afrosiab Samarkand/Tashkent.
TASHKENTDay 09We start the exploration of the capital of Uzbekistan: Khast Imam Square with Barak Khan Madrassah, founded in the 16th century by a descendant of Tamerlane who ruled Tashkent for the Shaybanid dynasty, Tillya Sheykh Mosque, the district Friday Mosque and the mausoleum of Kafal Shashi, local doctor, philosopher, and poet; Chorsu Bazaar; Independence Square, Amir Temur Square, and Alisher Navoi Theatre Square; metro.
DepartureDay 10Transfer to the airport for your next destination.
Tours to Iran
Tour highlight
- Ichan Kala
- Central Complex Lyabi Hauz
- Poi Kalyan Complex
- Friday Mosque
- Chor Minor
- Registan Square
- Ulugbek Madrassah
- Bibi Khanym Mosque
- Siab bazaar
- Necropolis of Shakhi Zinda
- Gur-Emir Mausoleum
- St. Daniel’s Tomb
- Observatory of Ulugbek
- Chorsu Bazaar
- Alisher Navoi Theatre Square
Price of Tour Includes:
• Accommodation;
• Meal base: B&B;
• A/C coach for all transfers, drives, and city tours: car for 2 persons, minibus for 3-9 persons, 30-seated bus for 10 persons;
• English-speaking local guides in each city for excursion time;
• All excursions and entrance fees to monuments as indicated in the program;
• Tea pause at Silk Road Spices Tea House in Bukhara;
• Excursion to the traditional silk paper workshop mill in Samarkand
Price of Tour Does Not Include:
• International flight ticket;
• Tourist tax in – 36 USD person/tour (subject to change);
• Supplement for National guide from arrival till departure – 560 USD/group/tour;
• Supplement for 8 lunches – 125 USD/person/tour;
• Supplement for 8 dinners – 158 USD/person/tour;
• Supplement for car drive (3 people in each) Shakhrisabz-Samarkand via mountains Pass – 25 USD/person;
• All personal expenses: payment for photo and video cameras at monuments;
• Luggage overweight;
• Tips for guides & drivers & porters at hotels
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