Ancient cities of Uzbekistan

Cities:

Bukhara - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand-Tashkent

Length:

6 days / 5 nights

Description:

The tour “Ancient cities of Uzbekistan” - begins in the old Bukhara, a city where the ancient streets intertwine with each other filled with sunshine and reflected in the pools full of living water. A place where it is impossible to refuse an invitation from a tea-keeper to take a drink of a bowl of green tea, taste pilaf and rest in the shade of a mulberry tree. On the way from Bukhara to Samarkand, we will visit the ancient city Shahrisabz. Once in the distant past, the great commander Amir Timur wanted to perpetuate Shakhrisabz in the memory of his followers and make the city the second capital of his empire. Samarkand will not only allow us to breathe in the fresh mountain air of its surroundings, but also open the gates of the ancient history of its magnificent monuments.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival to Bukhara
Arrival to Bukhara. Accommodation in the hotel.
Overnight in the hotel

Day 2: Bukhara
Today we will spend the whole day in holy Bukhara and enjoy its beauty. The Ark fortress, the Samanid mausoleum, the Lyabi Hauz will open their doors of history to us and allow us to look into the old days. We will go through the old streets of the city, talk to the local people. We will have lunch in the house of the famous embroidery master Rakhmon Toshev, after lunch Nasiba, the daughter of the master, will tell us about the secrets of the national embroidery Suzane. After lunch, we will continue our tour of the city of Bukhara. Trade domes, like sails filled with the wind of the past, are located at the crossroads of old roads. Up today, these architectural complexes play a large role in the life process of the old city, just like a hundred years ago, merchants placed their goods on display in the cozy little cells of shops for passing by buyers, truly a beautiful sight!
Dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in the hotel

Day 3: Bukhara - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand
This morning we will start our journey to the city Samarkand, on the way we visit the city Shakhrisabz. About 5 hours will take the drive to the homeland of Tamerlane, the great commander of Central Asia. Upon arrival in Shakhrisabz, we will have lunch at the local tea house, and after lunch we will visit the ruins of one of the most magnificent creations of the Temurid era, the ruins of the Ak Saray palace. The palace was almost completely destroyed, only the pylons of the entrance portal of the building remained alive. But they are interesting as well, since the height of the pylons today is about 38 meters. Next, we will continue our tour and visit Dorut Tilovat and Dorut Saodat, the place where the mausoleum of Jahongir Tamerlan’s son and his mentor Sheikh Shamsuddin Kulal is located. After the tour we will go to Samarkand. A city with a long history, beautiful monuments of architecture, bazaars and, of course, the people of Samarkand living together in their favorite city.
Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel.
Dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in the hotel.

Day 4: Samarkand
Our day we begin with a visit to the magnificent Registan Square. Three buildings of madrassas, were once special educational institutions in which young people received sacred knowledge. At the beginning of the 15th century, the wise ruler of Samarkand, the grandson of the great Amir Timur, the great astronomer, philosopher and mathematician Mirzo Ulugbek, who dreamed of turning Samarkand into the center of science of the Muslim world, conceived the construction of the first madrassas, and brought his desire to life.
In 200 years at the beginning of the 17th century, Yalantgush Bakhodur builds his first madrassa opposite the madrassa of Mirzo Ulugbek. In 20 years, according to his own order, Tillo Cory madrassa was built, as a final part of the beautiful architectural complex. From Registan Square we will go along the shopping street to the Bibi Khanum Mosque, built in the 15th century, by order of Amir Timur. At the Siab Bazaar which is located next to the mosque, we can find everything your heart desires, vegetables and fruits, souvenirs and shawls, as well as well-known Samarkand flatbreads.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we will continue our tour of Samarkand and go to the memorial complex of Shakhi Zinda. After that we will visit the mausoleum of the great Amir Timur.
Dinner at the national house. Today, a local family of Ilkhom invites us to his house. Ilkhom will not only reveal the secrets of local cuisine, but also give us the opportunity to participate in the preparation of a national dish, and then taste it. Ilkhom is always very happy to see guests and tell his interesting stories.
Overnight in the hotel.

Day 5: Samarkand - Tashkent
Today we will continue sightseeing tour in Samarkand. And after lunch, in the late afternoon, we will take high-speed train Afrosiab to Tashkent.
In the suburbs of Samarkand is a small village of Koni Gil, a very interesting place. Once it was known as the center of manufacture of Samarkand silk paper. And today, in our days, manufacture of antique silk paper has been set up here.
After visiting the paper workshop, we will drive to the Observatory built by Mirzo Ulugbek in the 15th century. After the observatory, we will visit the Daniel Mausoleum and the archeological Museum Afrosiab.
After lunch, at the local tea house, we will go to the local railway station and take a high-speed Afrosiab train to Tashkent.
Arrival to Tashkent. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in the hotel.

Day 6: Tashkent
Sightseeing tour in Tashkent. We will visit the old part of the city, the place where the largest and most ancient bazaar Chorsu is located in Tashkent. Next we will head to Hazrat Imam Square. The old Barakkhan madrassa hides a centuries-old history, when young students learned the secrets of Islam here, today the madrassa is the center of craftsmen of Tashkent, wood carvers, metal embossing, national embroidery and much more. After we visit Hazrat Imam Square, we will see Mustakillik Square (Independence Square). Stroll through the local Broadway to the monument to Amir Timur. Go down to one of the most beautiful metro in the world and explore it. We are already hungry by this time and have dinner at a local Tashkent restaurant.
After dinner transfer to the airport.

End of the tour

The tour includes:

• Meeting and seeing off at the airport
• Booking and accommodation in the hotels;
• Transport;
• Guides throughout the tour;
• Entrance fees to all attractions;
• Water
• Train tickets Samarkand - Tashkent

Tour not includes:

• International flight;
• Medical insurance;
• Optional excursions outside the tour program;
• Tips for guides and drivers.
• Photo and video shooting