Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva – Ayaz-Kala – Bukhara – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand – Tashkent

To the three cities of the Silk Road, this tour adds the fortresses of ancient Khorezm, standing in the open desert for more than two thousand years, and a night in a yurt at the foot of Ayaz-Kala.

Highlights

• The mud-brick fortresses of ancient Khorezm, in the middle of the desert
• A night in a Karakalpak yurt, a camel ride and a folk concert
• Khiva, a UNESCO-listed museum city
• Bukhara and Samarkand, jewels of the Silk Road
• A full day in Tashkent at the start of the trip

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 / Urgench / Khiva. Morning flight to Urgench (1 h 30), then drive to Khiva (35 km). A full day in Ichan-Kala, a UNESCO World Heritage site: the Kunya-Ark citadel, the Kalta-Minor minaret, the Mohammed Amin-Khan madrasa, the Juma mosque, 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 / Ayaz-Kala. Crossing of the Amu Darya and drive to the fortresses of ancient Khorezm (95 km): Guldursun-Kala, Koy-Krylgan-Kala, Bazar-Kala and Kumbaskan-Kala. Arrival at Ayaz-Kala, the most spectacular of them, perched on its hill. Camel ride to Ayaz-Kala lake. Dinner with a folk concert and overnight in a Karakalpak yurt.

Day 4 — Ayaz-Kala / Bukhara. Drive across the Kyzylkum desert along the old caravan route (about 490 km, 6 to 7 h). Lunch on the way. Arrival in Bukhara, visit of the Ark citadel, then free time in the lanes of the old town. Dinner in a traditional house and overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 — 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 6 — 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 7 — 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 8 — 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 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 – Ayaz-Kala	Air-conditioned vehicle	2 h with visits
Ayaz-Kala – Bukhara	Air-conditioned coach	6 – 7 h
Bukhara – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand	Air-conditioned coach	6 h with stops
Samarkand – Tashkent	Afrosiyob train	2 h 15

Price includes

• Accommodation for 8 nights in double rooms, category of your choice, including 1 night in a yurt
• 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 ticket Samarkand – Tashkent
• Transfers and transport in air-conditioned vehicles
• Entrance fees to the sites listed in the itinerary
• The camel ride and the folk concert at Ayaz-Kala
• 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

• Best time: April to June and September to October; in summer the desert day is very hot.
• Comfort at the yurt camp is simple: bring a small overnight bag.
• 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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