Mirage in the Central Asian Desert

Mirage in the Central Asian Desert

Tour location: Uzbekistan.

Tour duration:  9 days.

Tour type: History, culture, ethnography, gastronomic, architecture, and nature.

Quantity of tour participants: according to the request.

Best time to travel: April May, June, and August, September, October, first half of November

Itinerary: Tashkent – Khiva – Bukhara – Samarkand – Tashkent.

 

Tour description: It is a trip for those who really want to discover the exotic oriental markets, to get closer to the hospitable people, to be immersed in the ancient culture, and of course to cross by 4x4 through off-track to the Kara Kum Desert and Kyzyl Kum Desert. From Khiva to Samarkand you will pass through well-known remains of the Silk Road. Probably every person will be interested to explore and feel the road of caravans as missioners, or even as a pathfinder who once passed here, through the Desert’s warm sand, in the hope of seeing a green oasis, which was barely visible behind the dunes of the vast desert. The diversity of this mysterious land will leave no heart indifferent. You will travel through the beautiful landscapes of Central Asian countries Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan to see the life of the ex-nomads who became sedentary over the centuries and of course, you will discover a very ancient civilization passing through the ruins of Zoroastrian fortresses; Chilpak Kala, Tuprak Kala, and Kyzyl Kala, which flourished and where life was in full bloom. It is here the mythical cities and where the characters of 1001 Night spent nights and for those who are really lucky about choosing this trip will enjoy and experience a few nights as in tales. You will discover Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand - the legendary cities on the Great Silk Road which always attracted by the beauty of their monuments. A pompous and quiet East, a furious rally rolling on ruts of high salinity - such a contrast will be noted by most difficult researchers and for those who like unusual sensations

1

Tashkent

Early arrival to Tashkent.

Meet at Tashkent airport with a meeting board.

Transfer to the hotel. Time to freshen up or rest for some hrs.

Discovery of the capital of Uzbekistan. You will visit the old part and the new part of the city. In the old part, you will explore the Hasti Imam square with Kaffal Shoshi Mausoleum (XVI c), Barak Khan Madrasa (XVI c) and Djuma Mosque « Khazrati Imam ». Then you will explore the Oriental “Chorsu” bazaar.

Time to have lunch.

Continue the sightseeing in the modern part of the capital where you will explore Independence Square, Amir Timur Square, and Applied Art Museum.

Overnight in Tashkent.

 
2

Tashkent -Nukus-Khiva

Transfer to the airport. Flight to Nukus at 7:25 am.

Arrival at 09:05am. Transfer to Karakalpakistan State Art Museum by name of Savitsky - important of Central Asia. Visit. Then drive to Khiva via the remains of Khorezm (Chilpyk Kala, Kyzyl Kala and Toprak-Kala fortresses) Tuprak Kala - the most impressive fortress in the region stretching over a hectare and a half and located in the middle of fields. The construction dates from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD It was the capital of the ancient Khorezm. The civilization at Khorezm emerged around the middle of the 2nd millennium. It later emerged that the birth of Ancient Egypt and Babylon, but in the conditions of a very similar nature.

Arrival in Khiva in the late afternoon. Hotel accommodation.

Free time to walk in the inner city.

Time to have dinner.

 

Overnight in Khiva

3

Khiva

Breakfast at the hotel.

Discovery of Khiva.

Visit to Ichan-Kala begins with the discovery of the battlements and the main gate of Ota Darwaza, then by the madrasa of Mohammed-Amin Khan and its minaret (19th century), the central square of the ancient city, Kunya Ark (17th century), the madrasa of Mohammed-Rahim Khan, the mosque Djuma (X-XVIII th century), the Allakulikhan madrasa, the Harem - Tach Hawlie (XVII-XIX th century). Lunch to have lunch. Following the discovery of Khiva. The Madrasa of Islam Khadija and its minaret (1908), the Pakhlavan Mahmud complex (XIV-XIX century) - a place of worship for the population of the region.

After the sightseeing program, you will have free time to take a picture at sunset.

Time to have dinner.

 

Overnight in Khiva.

4

Khiva-Buhara

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Bukhara (4750 km) via Kyzyl Kum Desert and cross through Amou-Darya river – one of the bigger in Central Asia. Arrival to Bukhara. Time to have lunch. Hotel accommodation. Time to freshen up. Free time to walk in the old part of Bukhara.

 

Overnight in Bukhara.

5

Buhara

Breakfast.

Sightseeing program all day in Bukhara.

Made famous by its old carpet market, city museum in the middle of the sands, Bukhara will enchant you with the atmosphere of its old streets and its remarkable monuments, which bring us back to the medieval period and well before. Visit the monument of Bukhara starts from one of the oldest – Ismail Samani Mausoleum (IX-X c) – a masterpiece of local medieval architecture.

Chashma Ayyub complex (XIV – XVI c).

The oriental market of Bukhara, Bolo House Mosque (XVIII c), Ark – the Citadel, which was built by legendary heroes of Bukhara on IV c BC.

Time to have lunch.

Continue sightseeing. Visit Lab-i-Khauz complex which grouping the madrasas of Kukeldash (1568) and Nadir Divanbegi (1622). You will explore also the Trade domes dating XVI c, visit Madrasa of Ulugbek and Abdul-Aziz Khan (15th-17th centuries), then Poï-Kalian ensemble (XV-XVI centuries) which consists of the Kalon Mosque, Kalon Minaret, and the Miri Arab Madrasa.

After the visit, you will have free time to walk in the old part of the city.

 

Overnight.

6

Buhara -Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel.

Discovery of the monuments of the surroundings of Bukhara.

 Visit of the summer residence of the last emir (19th century),

  From the sacred site of Bakhaudin Naqshbad. And the Chor Minor madrasa cashed the eyes of travelers in one of the old neighborhoods of the city.

 

Return to the city. Transfer to the railway station. Train to Samarkand at 15:50. Arrival and hotel accommodation. Overnight in Samarkand. 

7

Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel.

Explore of Samarkand – one of the ancient cities on the Great Silk Road, the pearl of the Orient. Visit Shakhi – Zinda necropolis. This necropolis consists of more than 14 mausoleums, dreed in blue glazed ceramics, built next to each other like a necklace of Pearls, as amazing jeweler work.

Bibi Khanum mosque, which was once one of the bigger in Central Asia with its beautiful blue domes, « Siyab » Bazaar – traditional market of Samarkand.

Time to have lunch (not included).

Continue the discovery: visit the famous place of Registan – the heard of ancient Samarkand. Which consist of 3 monumental madrasas, it is an example of the Urbanism Art; Ulughbek Madrasa (1417-1420), Sher Dor madrasa (1619-1636 and Tilla Kori madrasa (1646 – 1660). Gur Emir Mausoleum– an architectural masterpiece of Central Asia

After the excursion, you will have free time.

 

Overnight in Samarkand.

8

Samarkand

Breakfast.

Continue the sightseeing program in Samarkand: Visit the remains of the Ulugbek Observatory - the most important astronomical construction of the Middle Ages. The ruins of this Observatory was discovered by the Russian archaeologist Vyatkin in 1908 after his long research. Discovery of the sextant of the observatory and the museum that tells the story and research of Ulugbek.

 

Then visit the museum of "Afrosiab" which tells the story of the ancient city of the VIII-VII century BC. J.C. in XII century AD J.C. Overnight in Samarkand.

9

Samarkand -Panjakent

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the border “Jartepo” between Tajikistan. Seen off: the future road to Tajikistan.

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Price Included 

1. Meeting and seeing off at the local airport. 

2. Service of transport and all transfer ART-HTL-RS-HTL-ARPT and for the excursions where it will be needed

3. Accommodation at hotels in the cities with breakfast 

4. Guided visiting by local guides in each city according to the program 

5.  Entrance fees to the museums and monuments according to the program 

6.  Domestic flight tickets from Tashkent to Nukus. 

7.  Train tickets according to the  program

8.  Meals: Lunch and dinner 

 
Don't include 
  1. International flights to/ from Tashkent

  2. Rights to photo shooting in the monuments and museums

  3. Personal expense

  4.  Travel Insurance 

  5.  Tips