Tour the Pearls of Uzbekistan

Cities:

Tashkent - Khiva - Bukhara - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand – Tashkent

Length:

8 days / 7 nights.

Description:

Tour "Pearls of Uzbekistan" - begins and ends in Tashkent. Allow us to visit the ancient cities of the Great Silk Road, such as Khiva, Bukhara, Shakhrisabz and Samarkand. We plunge into the atmosphere of the ancient streets of ancient cities, get acquainted with the masters and artists, see the unforgettable atmosphere of the cities, and try the local Uzbek traditional cuisine. We will drive through the Kyzyl Kum desert and visit the city where Amir Timur was born.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival to Tashkent

Upon arrival to Tashkent, we meet you at the airport. After all the necessary formalities transfer to the hotel. Rest after the flight.
Lunch.
Sightseeing tour in Tashkent. We will visit the old part of the city, the place where is located the largest and most ancient bazaar Chorsu 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 go to 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, return to the hotel.
Overnight in the hotel

Day 2: Tashkent - Urgench - Khiva (30 km)

This early morning we will fly to the city of Urgench, which is located 35 kilometers from the city of Khiva. Upon arrival to Urgench, we will drive to Khiva by car. Upon arrival to Khiva, check-in at the hotel.
Sightseeing tour in Khiva. A local guide, a connoisseur of antiquity and history of Khiva, will share its secrets with us. Tell the story and show the most interesting places in the city. Khiva consists of two parts: Ichan Kala - the Inner City and Dishan Kala - the External City. The most interesting place is Ichan Kala, because it is located inside the fortress, where all the ancient monuments are concentrated. Here we will begin our tour. We will also visit Kunya Ark, Rahimkhan Madrasa, Juma 10th century mosque, Tash Hawley Palace and much more. We will have lunch at the local teahouse.
Then we continue the tour. Before dinner, we’ll go back to the hotel, get some rest and go to a concert of local Khorezm music. After the concert, dinner at the local tea house.
Overnight in the hotel

Day 3: Khiva - Bukhara (450 km 7-8 hours)
This morning we will start a journey to the once-capital of the Bukhara Emirate, the beautiful Bukhara, the drive will take about 7-8 hours, but it will not be boring. We will drive through the Kyzyl Kum desert (Red Sand), but the name is quite strange but interesting.
We will stop for lunch at a local tea house, a kind of desert oasis.
Upon arrival to Bukhara, accommodation at the hotel. Discover the sights of Bukhara.
Dinner at a local tea house.
Overnight in the hotel

Day 4: Bukhara

Today we will spend the whole day in beautiful Bukhara and enjoy its wonder. The Ark fortress, the Samanid mausoleum, the old 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 Bukhara. Trade domes, like sails filled with the wind of the past, are located at the crossroads of old roads. Even today, these architectural complexes play a large role in the life process of the old city, up today, 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 5: Bukhara - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand (400 km)

This morning we will drive to the city of Samarkand, on the way we will visit the Shakhrisabz town. About 5 hours will take the drive to the homeland of Tamerlane, the great commander of Central Asia. Upon arrival to 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 no less interesting, 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 6: Samarkand

Our day we begin with a visit to the beautiful Registan Square. Three magnificent 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 madrassa, 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 Kori madrassa was built, as a final part of the 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 visit  the memorial complex of Shahi Zinda. After that we will go to the mausoleum of the great Amir Timur.
Dinner at the national house. Today, a local family invites us to the dinner: Ilkhom Guest house. Ilkhom will not only reveal the secrets of traditional 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 guests and happy tells his interesting stories.
Overnight in the hotel.

Day 7: Samarkand - Tashkent

Today we will continue sightseeing of Samarkand. And after lunch, in the late afternoon we take a high-speed train Afrosiab to Tashkent.
In the suburbs of Samarkand is a small village of Koni Gil. It is very interesting place. Once it was known as a 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 silk paper paper workshop, we will enjoy the remains  of the Observatory built by Mirzo Ulugbek in the 15th century. After the observatory, we will make a pilgrimage to the Daniel’s 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 in Tashkent. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in the hotel.

Day 8: 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