Highlights of Uzbekistan

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival, Tashkent

  Welcome to Uzbekistan, the shining jewel on the ancient Silk Road!

  Upon arrival at Tashkent International Airport, you will get a warm greet from a local tour guide and then transfer to your hotel for some rest.

  • Tashkent

• Day 2: Tashkent - Urgench - Khiva

  Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, is rich in Soviet-era monuments and modern museums.

  Start your sightseeing from the Khast Imam Square in the heart of old Tashkent. The most striking part here should be the Hazrat Imam Mosque flanked by a pair of 50-meter-high minarets and the small Moyie Mubarek Library Museum where the original of the holy Uthman Quran is on display. Afterward, spend some time exploring the vibrant Chorsu Bazaar under the blue dome. Followed by a visit to the State Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan for a glimpse of the regional decorative styles of Uzbekistan. En route, you can stop for a stroll around the famous Independence Square and Amir Timur Square.

  In the evening, take a flight to Urgench and then transfer to Khiva for the night.

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  • Khiva

• Day 3: Khiva

  The desert town of Khiva, once a popular resting hub for caravans and merchants crossing the desert, seems to be frozen in time. Its walled inner city of Itchan Kala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will introduce you to a typical medieval oriental town.

  Following a local tour guide, you can pick up what you are interested in from over 50 historical sites and get an in-depth understanding of the culture and history behind them. Wander around the enchanting Kuhna Ark Fortress, which showcases the life of the khans back in the day and offers a wonderful view over the old city from its watchtower. Admire the beautiful turquoise-tiled Kalta Minor Minaret unfinished at 29 meters tall. Move down inside, and step into the unique Juma Mosque to see the different woodcarving styles found in Khiva throughout history. In the narrow alleys away from the main street, you will find the quiet Isfandiyar Palace - home to lots of extravagantly decorated rooms showcasing a mixture of Eastern and Western architectural styles, as well as some handicrafts workshops.

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  • Khiva

• Day 4: Khiva - Bukhara

  Depart for Bukhara via Kyzylkum Desert this morning. You can visit one of the ancient Khorezm fortresses dating back 2,000 years ago along the way. The land journey usually takes about 8 hours with a stop for picnic lunch on the way. Alternatively, you can schedule your time to board a train to Bukhara. It leaves Khiva in the morning on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays only, and arrives in Bukhara in about 5 hours. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and rest.

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  • Bukhara

• Day 5: Bukhara

  Bukhara, another popular trading hub situated on the Silk Road for more than 2,000 years, is deeply impressed by Islamic culture. A lot of monuments in the city today can be traced back to the Shaybanid era, including over 100 Islamic schools, 300 mosques, and countless bazaars.

  Today, you will visit the massive Ark of Bukhara, which was used as a fortress and now houses museums covering the history of this city. Right opposite it is Bolo Khauz Mosque, featuring 20 wooden pillars covered with intricate carvings and decorated with colorful muqarnas. At the Samanid Park, you will find Samanid Mausoleum with its façade covered in intricately decorated brickwork, and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum with an uncommon Khwarazm-style conical dome. Later, immerse yourself in the beautiful courtyard and tilework of the Po-i-Kalyan Complex. During the tour, be sure to take some time to browse exotic souvenirs in Trading Domes in the city center.

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  • Bukhara

• Day 6: Bukhara

  Another day in Bukhara will be dedicated to some attractions outside the city center. At the Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, the former summer residence of Bukhara's last Emir, you can admire the unique architecture in both eastern and western styles and appreciate the luxurious details inside the palace. Continue to visit Bakhauddin Nakshbandi Bukhari Mausoleum and then head to the Chor Bakr Necropolis. This memorial complex, known as the "Town of the Dead", is the family tombs of Abu-Bakr-Sai. Walking around the compound, you can see lots of mausoleums richly decorated with polychromatic tiles.

  Return to the city and have the rest of the day free at leisure.

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  • Bukhara

• Day 7: Bukhara - Samarkand

  The morning is yours to explore. Visit the historic center again, take some pictures with the landmarks, shop in the bazaars, or taste traditional tea and sweets at Silk Road Tea House. In the afternoon, take a high-speed train to Samarkand for the night.

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  • Samarkand

• Day 8: Samarkand

  Samarkand is the most precious pearl in the Islamic world, with its time-honored history, eclipses Bukhara and Tashkent. Full-day sightseeing here will give you the chance to peer into its glorious history.

  Admire the Mausoleum of Gur-e-Amir with breathtakingly intricate blue tiles. Followed by the Registan Square framed by three Islamic schools. You can pass through a beautiful courtyard to find the Tilya-Kori Mosque with stunning gold mosaics ceiling, climb to the second floor of Ulugh Beg Madrasah for a spectacular view of this area, and ramble around the souvenir shops on the first floor of the madrasahs.

  Before lunch, stroll through the Siab Bazaar, take in the pleasant aromas of fresh bread, fruits, and vegetables, and glimpse into local life. Later, walk along the avenue of the Shakhi Zinda Memorial Complex to enjoy the richest tilework, many of which date back to the 14th-century Timurid Empire. Round off the day at the Ulugbek's Observatory, which now is a museum that displays a model of the ancient observatory.

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  • Samarkand

• Day 9: Samarkand - Shahrisabz - Samarkand - Tashkent

  Spend half a day discovering Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Amir Timur located approximately 80 km south of Samarkand. You will marvel at the remaining massive walls tower of the Ak Saray Palace, discover the Dorut Tilovat Complex, and visit the Dorus Saodat Mausoleum. In front of the mausoleum is the Hazrat Imam Mosque, which is now the main mosque in the town.

  When the tour ends, transfer to the train station of Samarkand for your high-speed train to Tashkent.

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  • Tashkent

• Day 10: Tashkent, Departure

  After a leisurely morning, bid farewell to Uzbekistan and take a private transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

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