Tashkent – Rishtan – Margilan – Fergana – Kokand – Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva – Bukhara – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand – Tashkent

The classic tour enriched with the Fergana Valley: the land of the Rishtan potters and the Margilan silk weavers, and Kokand, a former khanate capital. A journey into the Uzbekistan of craftsmen, away from the crowds.

Highlights

• The Kamchik pass and its mountain scenery
• The ceramics workshops of Rishtan and the ikat silk of Margilan
• Kokand and the palace of Khudoyar-Khan
• Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand
• Fast trains and the Afrosiyob

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Tashkent. 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. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 — Tashkent / Fergana Valley. Drive to the Fergana Valley over the Kamchik pass (about 5 h). In Rishtan, visit a ceramics workshop famous for its deep blue glazes. In Margilan, the workshop of ceramist Rustam Usmanov and the Yodgorlik silk factory, where ikat is still woven by hand. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Fergana.

Day 3 — Kokand. Drive to Kokand (100 km, 1 h 30), former capital of the khanate. The palace of Khudoyar-Khan, the Juma mosque and its minaret, the Kamol-Kazy madrasa, the Dakhmai-Shakhon necropolis and the Modari-Khan mausoleum. Lunch. Return to Fergana. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 — Fergana / Tashkent / Urgench / Khiva. Drive to Tashkent (about 5 h) and lunch. In the evening, flight to Urgench (1 h 30), then drive to Khiva (35 km). Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 — 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 6 — 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 7 — 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 8 — 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 9 — 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. Free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 — 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 11 — Tashkent. Breakfast and transfer to the airport for your international flight.

Transport during the tour

Route	Mode	Duration
Tashkent – Fergana	Air-conditioned coach	5 h
Fergana – Kokand – Fergana	Air-conditioned coach	2 × 1 h 30
Fergana – Tashkent	Air-conditioned coach	5 h
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 10 nights in double rooms, category of your choice
• Full board, from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 11
• 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, museums and workshops listed in the itinerary
• The dinner at the Toza-Bag palace 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

• The journey to the Fergana Valley can also be made by train, especially in winter.
• The Rishtan and Margilan workshops let you buy directly from the craftsmen.
• 3*, 4* hotels or charming guesthouses, as you prefer.

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

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