Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva – Bukhara – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand – Tashkent

The ideal tour for a first discovery of Uzbekistan: the three great cities of the Silk Road, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, plus the modern capital, Tashkent. A balanced pace thanks to fast trains, which replace the long coach journeys.

Highlights

• Khiva, a museum city fully preserved within its mud-brick walls
• Bukhara with its madrasas, trading domes and old-town lanes
• Registan Square in Samarkand, by day and lit up at night
• Shakhrisabz, Tamerlane’s birthplace
• Fast trains and the Afrosiyob: less road, more sightseeing

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Tashkent / Urgench / Khiva. Arrival in Tashkent, meeting at the airport and breakfast in a local home. Tour of the old town: the Khazret-Imam complex, home to one of the oldest Korans in the world, the Kukeldash madrasa and Chorsu bazaar. Lunch. In the afternoon, the modern city: Amir Timur Square, the Museum of Applied Arts and a few stations of the famous metro. In the evening, flight to Urgench (1 h 30), then drive to Khiva (35 km). Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 — Khiva. A full day in Ichan-Kala, a UNESCO World Heritage site: the Kunya-Ark citadel, the Kalta-Minor minaret, the Juma mosque with its forest of carved wooden columns, the Tash-Khauli palace and the Pakhlavan Makhmud mausoleum. Climb the Islam-Khodja minaret for a view over the city. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 — Khiva / Bukhara. Fast train to Bukhara (about 3 h 30 to 4 h 30 depending on the train). Check-in at the hotel. First visits: the Ark citadel, then a walk through the lanes to Lyabi-Khauz, the heart of the old town. Dinner in a traditional house and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 — Bukhara. The Samanid mausoleum, a 10th-century masterpiece of brick architecture, and the Chashma-Ayub mausoleum. The Bolo-Khauz mosque. The Poi-Kalon ensemble: the Kalon minaret, the Kalon mosque and the Mir-i-Arab madrasa. The trading domes, the Ulugh Beg and Abdulaziz-Khan madrasas, the Magoki-Attari mosque and Chor-Minor. Dinner with a folk show and overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 — Bukhara / Shakhrisabz / Samarkand. Drive to Shakhrisabz (about 4 h 30), Tamerlane’s birthplace: the remains of the Ak-Saray palace, the Jahongir mausoleum and the Kok-Gumbaz mosque. Lunch. Continue to Samarkand over the Takhtakaracha pass (1 h 30). Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 — Samarkand. The Gur-Emir mausoleum, Tamerlane’s tomb, then Registan Square and its three madrasas. Lunch. The Bibi-Khanym mosque, Siab bazaar and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis with its blue-tiled facades. Back to the Registan at nightfall to see it lit up. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 7 — Samarkand / Tashkent. In the morning, the Ulugh Beg observatory and the memorial complex of Imam al-Bukhari, just outside the city. Lunch. Afrosiyob fast train to Tashkent (about 2 h 15). Farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 — Tashkent. Breakfast and transfer to the airport for your international flight.

Transport during the tour

Route	Mode	Duration
Tashkent – Urgench	Domestic flight	1 h 30
Khiva – Bukhara	Fast train	3 h 30 – 4 h 30
Bukhara – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand	Air-conditioned coach	6 h with stops
Samarkand – Tashkent	Afrosiyob train	2 h 15

Price includes

• Accommodation for 7 nights in double rooms, category of your choice
• Full board, from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 8
• An English-speaking tour guide throughout the tour
• The domestic flight Tashkent – Urgench and the train tickets
• Transfers and transport in air-conditioned vehicles
• Entrance fees to the sites listed in the itinerary
• The dinner with folk show in Bukhara
• Mineral water in the vehicle

Price does not include

• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Photo and video fees at monuments
• Drinks, tips and personal expenses

Good to know

• Departures all year round; the itinerary can be run in reverse.
• 3*, 4* hotels or charming guesthouses, as you prefer.
• Flexible tour: night in a yurt, extension to the Fergana Valley or Kyrgyzstan.
• Flight and train timetables may change the order of visits.

Prices on request — our prices depend on group size, dates and hotel category.

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