Uzbekistan
Tour#1: 8 Day Hightlights of Uzbekistan
Tour#2:4 Day Bukhara and Samarqand Hightlight
Tour#3: 6 Day Adventures in the Desertof Karakalpakistan
Tour#1: 8 Day Hightlights of Uzbekistan
Day 1: Tashkent arrival, be met and transferred to hotel in Tashkent. Afternoon city tour of Tashkent, visit the old town and new part of the city. Sightseeing includes: Khasti Imam complex, Barakhan madrasa, Mui Muborak library, Chorsu bazar and Kukeldash madrasah. If you have free time you can visit Tashkent Opera and Ballet theatre Alisher Navoi, performance starts at 1800. Overnight.
Day 2: Tashkent-Samarkand (300 kms, 2 hours by fast train). After breakfast transfer to Tashkent railway station. Arrival in Samarkand mid-morning and transfer to hotel. Free time. Overnight.
Day 3: Samarkand Today you will enjoy a full day tour of the ancient city as well as modern Samarkand. Visit includes: Registan square with Sherdor Madrasa, Ulughbek madrasa, Tilla Sheikh madrasa all built in different periods but looking as one harmonious complex. It is also the main city square where locals celebrate have festivals and holidays and the international world music festival; Gur Emir Mausoleum, the stunning burial place of Temur’s teacher, sons and grandsons.
After lunch visit Bibi Hanum mosque, Bazaar, Shahi Zinda complex, a holy place in Central Asia famed for its tile work; Afrosiab ancient settlement destroyed by Ghengis Khan in the 13th century. The fascinating museum there holds a fresco dating from the 5th century AD. Day city tour ends up with folk show or Light and Sound show at Registan square (optional, available upon request or join booked show)
Day 4: Samarkand-Bukhara via Shahrisabz. (80 km+290 km) After breakfast drive to Bukhara via Shahrisabz , the birthplace of Amir Temur. If you are a small group of 1-3 persons, you can drive over the mountain of Zarafshan pass (1450 m) and arrive Shahrisabz in around one hour; bigger groups will travel by van or bus around the mountain which will take around 2. 5 hours and see remote villages of the province.
Visit in Shahrisabz includes the UNESCO-listed ruins of Ak Saray Palace, Jahangir’s mausoleum and Kok Gumbaz mosque After lunch at a local restaurant you continue driving to Bukhara, another 290 kms through the semi steppe of Kyzikum desert. Arrival in Bukhara at around 1800. Check in and overnight.
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| Golden smile at the bazaar |
Day 5: Bukhara: Today’s full day city tour, all on foot through this ancient, holy city, includes Chashmai Ayub mausoleum, Ismail Samani mausoleum, Bolo Hauz mosque and Ark Fortress. You will see palaces, trade domes, mosques, madrasas, hanaka, Turkish hammam, the bazaar and many souvenir shops.
After lunch at a local restaurants or café. you visit Kalyan minaret, Ulughbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasa, Nadir Divan Begi Madrasa and Khanaka, Magaki Attari mosque, Chor Minor madrasa. You can finish city tour with an optional folk show in Nadir Divan Begi madrasa at 1800.
Day 6: Bukhara-Khiva (500 km, 8 hrs) Today you will have a long journey through the Kyzilkum desert, which covers 1/3 of Uzbekistan's territory, crossing the river Amudarya (Oxus) near Urgench and arrive in Khiva at around 1500. Free time.Overnight.
Day 7: Khiva tour then flight to Tashkent (1,20 hrs flight) Full day walking tour in Khiva. You will visit the whole town with its minarets, mosques, museums, palaces and caravanserai. You will meet also local people living in the old town, celebrating weddings in the city, shopping in the local market. Kunya Ark, Kalta minor, Muhammad Aminkhan madrasa, Muhammad Rahimkhan madrasa, Juma mosque and Minaret, Islam Khodja minaret, Tash Hauli palace are the main but not the full list of attractions located in the town.
Interesting sites are the wood carving and local silk carpet workshops supported and organized by UNESCO. Lunch and local restaurant and in evening at around 1900 transfer to airport of Urgench for flight to Tashkent at 2100. Meet and transfer to hotel in Tashkent.
Transfer to international airport for next destinations. End of services.
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| The baked, ancient walls of Khiva |
Inclusions:
- Transport for all transfers and pick up/drops (sedan car for 1-2 person, 3-7 by van, 8 and more by minibus, more than 16 pax by 45 seater bus)
- Hotel accommodation in twin/double room sharing
- Breakfast
- Local guides in every city
- Sightseeing and entrance fees
- Mineral water 1 litre per person per day
- Domestic air ticket Urgench-Tashkent
- Visa facility service
Exclusions:
- Uzbekistan visa fee (paid at the embassy or at airport)
- Meals except breakfasts Days 2-8
- Tour guide to accompany for the whole trip (available upon request, otherwise a local guide is engaged for each city and included).
- International airfares
- Personal charges in hotels
Cost: Please contact us, advising the number of people in your party.
Tour#2: 4 Day Bukhara and Samarkand Highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Tashkent domestic airport for 0700 flight to Bukhara. Arrive Bukhara 0830 and transfer to hotel, if your room is available for early check-in. Your guide will meet you there are you will spend all day sightseeing in this splendid city. Sites will include the Ark Fortress, Ismail Samani mausoleum, Bolo Hauz mosque, Kalon mosque and minaret, the ancient trade domes now wonderful bazaars, Lyabi Haus complex, Chor Minor and the Jewish synagogue.
Day 2: After breakfast, continue city tour of Bukhara and visit the Khan's summer palace, Sitorai-Mokhikhosa, 15 km from the city. En route to Samarkand by car (270 kms, about 3 hours), stop at the ruins of the 11th century Rabbati Malik caravanserai. Overnight Samarkand.
Day 3: Full-day tour of golden Samarkand, visiting Registan square, Bibi Khanum mosque, Gur Emir mausoleum, Siob bazaar, Shakhi-Zinda complex, Ulugbek observatory, Afrosiab site and museum. Overnight Samarkand.
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| Bukhara's architecture against the clear, blue sky |
Day 4: Depart Samarkand and drive to Tashkent. It takes around 4 hours for the 300 km journey. After arrival transfer to airport for flight or private arrangements. End of tour.
Inclusions:
- Transport for all transfers touring in air-conditioned transport, (1-2 persons in sedan, 3-8 in van, 9-15 by minibus, 16+ by 45 seater tourist bus)
- Double or twin hotel room sharing (3 and 4 star hotel options available)
- Breakfasts on days 2, 3 and 4
- Domestic flight ticket Tashkent to Bukhara
- Entrance fee for museums, sites and galleries mentioned in the program
- Sightseeing with local guide
- Mineral water 1 litre per person per day
- Visa facilitation services
Exclusions:
- International air-ticket
- Meals other than those specified
- Personal charges in hotels
- Personal insurance
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Any extras not mentioned in the program
Cost: Please contact us, advising the number of people in your party.
Tour#3: 6 Day Adventures in the Desert of Karakalpakistan, Western Uzbekistan
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| View from the yurt camp to the ancient fort |
Karakalpakstan, in western Uzbekistan, contains 70% of all the historical sites in ancient Khorezm. The region dates to Zoroastrian times and the extensive archaeological excavations also reveal how important the area was during the heyday of the Great Silk Road.
In collaboration with UNESCO, the local government has created the Golden Ring of Khorezm concept: a cultural zone encompassing the region of the lower Amu Darya from Khiva and Beruniy in the south to Moynak in the north.
This special tour is based at the Ayaz Kala yurt camp, located in a picturesque oasis in Beruniy district. Within this area there are extraordinary desert fortresses, the Sultan Uvais mountains and the 30 km long Ayaz Kala lake.
Day 1: Meet in Khiva and transfer to Ayzkala. Visit local museum and explore Toprak Kala, the centre of Khorezmshahs in 305 BC and Kyzyl kala . Take camel ride near the yurt camp. Dinner and overnight in Yurt.
Day 2: Ayazkala-Badaytugay-Ayazkala (160 kms round trip) In the morning, travel to Badaytugay national reserve. Badaytugay was declared a nature reserve in 1971 to protect the region's biosphere. Located at the lower end of Amudarya river, on the right bank, it is 6497 hectares. The presence of water attracts large numbers of birds to spend the winter in the reserve. And for bird lovers, this place is astonishing.
Occasionally there are muskrat, badger, fox, jungle cat, and hedgehogs. In the waters spread marsh frogs and many species of snakes. The waters of the Amu Darya, surrounding the reserve, and in the tributaries Kokdari there are about 15 species of fish.
Lunch will be served at local house.
In the afternoon, visit Koykirilgan Kala castle, dating from the 4th century BC and UNESCO-registered. It was a burial place of Zoroastrians, a lot of ossuaries were found there, and it was an astrological centre.
Dinner at yurt camp with a local folk show. Overnight at yurt camp.
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| Delicious! Home made flat bread at the yurt camp |
Day 3: In the morning travel to Kavat Kala (double layered fortress), the botanical garden, and enjoy tea in a chaikhana. Return to the yurt for lunch. In the afternoon, take a sailing boat on Ayazkul lake. Dinner and overnight in yurt.
Day 4: Travel from Ayazkala to Nukus, around 170 kms. City sightseeing, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Spend the afternoon at the Savitsky museum, which holds the world's 2nd largest collection of Russian modernist art as well as stunning ancient textiles. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in hotel.
Day 5: Nukus-Moynak-Nukus (200 km one way) Trip to Moynak, the town by the Aral Sea. Visit the ship cemetery and the local museums of Moynak, Mizdakhan and Nazlimhansulu. Lunch will be a picnic and dinner served in a local restaurant. Overnight Nukus in hotel.
Day 6: After breakfast, depart Nukus. We can arrange transfers to the Turkmenistan border, or to Khiva or to the local airport for a Tashkent flight.
Inclusions:
- Land transport
- Local guide to accompany
- Folk show, camel ride, boating excursion
- Accommodation in yurt and hotel in Nukus
- Entrance fees
- Breakfast days 2 -6 (Lunch and dinner - optional, can be included upon request)
Exclusions:
- Air tickets to/from Nukus
- Personal charges in hotels
- Extra activities and sites not mentioned in the program
Cost: Please contact us, advising the number of people in your party.
