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

The great Uzbek classic, with one extra day to take your time: a night in Shakhrisabz, Tamerlane’s birthplace, and Samarkand in two stages, from the Registan at sunset to the Afrasiab museum.

Highlights

• Khiva, a UNESCO-listed museum city
• Bukhara, its madrasas, trading domes and Lyabi-Khauz
• A night in Shakhrisabz, away from rushed itineraries
• Samarkand over a day and a half: Registan, Shah-i-Zinda, Afrasiab museum
• The Tashkent metro and the Zangi-Ata complex

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, Amir Timur Square and the Museum of Applied Arts. 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 at the Toza-Bag palace 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. Drive to Shakhrisabz (about 4 h 30). In the afternoon, Tamerlane’s birthplace: the remains of the Ak-Saray palace, the Jahongir mausoleum, the Dorut-Saodat ensemble and the Kok-Gumbaz mosque. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Shakhrisabz.

Day 6 — Shakhrisabz / Samarkand. Drive to Samarkand over the Takhtakaracha pass (about 1 h 30). Check-in at the hotel. In the afternoon, Registan Square and its three madrasas: Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilla-Kari. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 7 — Samarkand. The Gur-Emir mausoleum, Tamerlane’s tomb, and the Rukhabad mausoleum. The Bibi-Khanym mosque and Siab bazaar. Lunch. The Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, the Afrasiab museum with its 7th-century frescoes, and the Ulugh Beg observatory. Free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 — Samarkand / Tashkent. In the morning, the memorial complex of Imam al-Bukhari. Afrosiyob fast train to Tashkent (about 2 h 15). In the afternoon, a few stations of the Tashkent metro and the Zangi-Ata complex on the edge of the city. Farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 — 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	Air-conditioned coach	4 h 30
Shakhrisabz – Samarkand	Air-conditioned coach	1 h 30
Samarkand – Tashkent	Afrosiyob train	2 h 15

Price includes

• Accommodation for 8 nights in double rooms, category of your choice
• Full board, from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 9
• 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 at the Toza-Bag palace in Khiva and 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.
• Flight and train timetables may change the order of visits.

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

Request this tour