Gorgeous Colors of Uzbekistan

Gorgeous Colors of Uzbekistan

Discover the fabulous story of this beautiful country, admiring its wonders in the cities and remote villages.

Tour location: Uzbekistan.

Tour duration: 15 days.

Tour type: Сultural discovery

Number of participants: According to the request

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

Itinerary: Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva – Bukhara – Kyzyl Kum desert – Mountain village – Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Tashkent

This unforgettable journey passes through the "Red Sand" - desert Kizil Kum, a great desert of Asia to the world-famous cities on the Great Silk Road with its historical monuments which are will fascinate you with its gorgeous colors.

Uzbekistan - this is the crossroads of the Silk Road, which has many well-known treasures, so beautiful literary imagination revives dreams and reveries of days gone by Fergana valley, Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. The Silk Road passed through these lands and major trade flows between East and West. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane left their footprints here, the scene saw the birth of the greatest scholars. And cities which flourished madrasas, mosques, and domes fabulous always attract the visitor. Making this trip you can discover the wonders of the cities of the Silk Road; Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Shakhrisabz with the culture of Uzbekistan. You will meet the lifestyles of people living in different regions of Uzbekistan and keep their traditions for centuries.
So for your trip to Central Asia, let yourself be carried away for a journey in time, see with your own eyes the hospitality of the people and discover this fabulous country.

 

1

TASHKENT

 

Flight to the way of Uzbekistan. Arrival in Tashkent.

Collect at the airport with a meeting board. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Overnight.

2

TASHKENT

Breakfast.

 

Start to the discovery of Tashkent – the capital of Uzbekistan.

Ø  Visit to the Khasti Imam Square: where you will visit Djuma Mosque, Barak Khan Madrasa dating of XVI c, Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad Kaffal Shoshiy Mausoleum (XVI c),

Ø  Visit to the « Chorsu Bazaar » - which was once a crossroads on the Silk Road.

Ø  The Metro of Tashkent,

Ø  Explore the Applied Arts Museum

Ø  Panoramic tour through the Modern part of the city.

 

Overnight in Tashkent.

3

TASHKENT – URGENCH – KHIVA

Breakfast at Hotel.

One-day trip to the North of Tashkent, to the Tian Shan Mountains area, was to have any kind of level of hiking’s through beautiful mountain gorges or to the top by chairlift to have an amazing view to the surrounding valley and summits. Picnic on the top of one of the summits or on the shore of the mountain river.

Return to Tashkent. Transfer to the airport of domestic flight.

Fly to Urgench.

Arrive at the airport and transfer to Khiva (30 km) Hotel accommodation upon your arrival. Overnight in Khiva.

4

KHIVA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Start of the visit to the marvelous monuments of Khiva – city museum on the open air.

The visit of Ichan-Kala begins with the discovery of the ramparts and the main portal of the inner city "Ota Darwaza" and by order towards the right direction and the light:

Ø  The madrasah of Mohammed-Amin Khan and his minaret "Kalta Minor" (XIX the century),

Ø  The central square of the ancient city - Kunya Ark (VII-XVIII the century),

Ø  The madrasa of Mohammed-Rakhim Khan,

Ø  The Djuma mosque (X- XVIII the century),

The time for lunch.

Ø  Allakulikhan madrasa, the Harem - Tash Havli (XVIII-XIX th century).

Ø  The Madrasah of Islam Khodja and its minaret (1908),

Ø  Pakhlavan Mahmud complex (XIV-XIX century) - a place of worship for the people of the region.

 

After the visit, you will have free time to stroll through the old streets of the inner and outer city of Khiva.

 

Overnight in Khiva.

 
5

KHIVA – KHWAREZMIAN FORTRESS – KHIVA

Breakfast at the hotel.

One-day trip to discovery the Zoroastrian remains. Road to Zoroastrian citadels Ayaz-Kala (90 km one way) which was one of the ancient capital of Khwarezem located in the old river bank of Amu Darya.

 

Ø  Ayaz Kala: this fortress, including the ruins of 3 brick constructions dating from the III rd - 1st centuries B.C. 45-minute walk to the main fortress located on a rocky and sandy hill (+130 m elevation). Civilization in Khorezm emerged around the middle of the second millennium. It appeared later than the birth of ancient Egypt and Babylon, but under the conditions of nature very similar.

Ø  Kizil Kala: discovery of the garrison of the ancient capital of Khwarezm - Kyzyl Kala,

Ø  Touprak Kala - another ancient capital of Khzarezm, one of the important citadels of the region dating back to the III rd century. BC. J.C. and IV c AD.

 

Back in the direction of Khiva and we go to Lake Kara Kul for lunch: grilled fish or according to your choice, there are traditional dishes. Walk along the lake to discover the landscapes, fauna, and flora of the area. On the horizon, behind the desert dunes Kara Kum - black sand the territory of Turkmenistan - the neighboring country. Back to Khiva when the light for the photos will be beautiful. Free time in Khiva city to discover independently.  At sunset, you will take a beautiful picture.

 

 

Overnight in Khiva.

6

KHIVA – BUKHARA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Bukhara via Kyzyl Kum desert (475 km, 7 hr of drive).

 

On the way some stop to take beautiful pictures and to have lunch at one of the oasis road cafes.

Arrive at the end of the afternoon. Hotel accommodation.

 

There will be a large time to enter the authentic atmosphere of the ancient Bukhara on walking through the torturous streets of the old city.

 

Time to have dinner.

 

Overnight in Bukhara.

 
7

BUKHARA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Sightseeing program of the city. The rich trading city reached its height in the X the century when, as the capital of the first independent Muslim state in Central Asia, its population was larger than its today and its power extended as far afield as Iran and Afghanistan. Relatively little is known about the ruling Samanid dynasty. However, their exquisite mausoleum survives from that era, buried in the desert sand and it was saved from the wholesale destruction wreaked by Genghis Khan.

During your exploration of the city you can also visit:

Ø  Ark Fortress, an entire town containing the residences of the Emir.

Ø  The decoratively banded Kalyan tower – in its time the tallest minaret.

Ø  The Kalyan Mosque,

Ø  Miri Arab Madrasa,

Time to have lunch.

Ø  Trade domes; Toki Zargaron, Toki Telpakfrushon and Toki Sarrafon,

Ø  Ulughbek Madrasa and Abdulazizkhan Madrasa,

Ø  Magoki Attori Mosque,

Ø  Lyab-i-Khauz complex with a perfect peaceful pool flanked with lovely buildings.

 

After the sightseeing programme, you will have also free time to walk in the old city.  Dinner. Overnight. 

8

BUKHARA

Breakfast in the hotel.

Half-day tour to discover the monuments around Bukhara. It is highly recommended to visit the place of worship of Baha Uddin Naqshbandi in the morning when there will be only local pilgrims. This place is considered as Mecca of Central Asia where you can see the faces of all the people of Central Asia.  This is a real paradise for the photographer.  Continuing the path to the summer residence of the Bukhara emirs "Sitora-i-Mohi Khosa". The architecture of the octagonal palace harmoniously combines eastern and western styles. The palace consists of a "White Room" - a common reception and reception of the Emir, rooms for negotiations, and a harem. Return to the city. Visit the Madrasah with 4 minarets «Tchor Minor».

 

Lunch in the local cafe (not included).  Free time after lunch to cruise around and to enjoy your shopping. Night in Bukhara.

9

BUKHARA – KYZYL KUM DESERT

Breakfast at the hotel.

 

Drive to the desert Kyzyl Kum – one of the bigger in Central Asia, to the Yurt Camp near Aydarkul Lake (260 km). En the way explores the ancient Caravanserai « Rabat Malik» dating on XI c and water reservoir Sardoba – which was used once by travelers of the Silk Road

Nurato city explores the holy springs Chashma, Djuma Mosque (XVII c), Kanako (XVI c), and the ruins of the fortress of Alexandre the Great.

 

Lunch at a local family in Nurato city.

 

Continue the road to the Yurt camp in the desert.

Accommodation in a Yurt upon arrival.

Free time to walking in the surrounding through sandy dunes to explores flora and fauna.

There will be a possibility according to your desire a camel safari for half-hour op more time.

 

Dinner. Campfire accompanied by local Kazakh music.

 

 

Overnight in Yurt.

10

KYZYL KUM – MOUNTAIN VILLAGE

Breakfast.

 

Drive to the Mountain village Khayat or Ashraf (110 km, app 2h30.).

Arrive at the beginning of the village which is situated in the beautiful mountain gorge and hiking till the homestay through the village (about 40 min). Accommodation at a local family’s homestay.

Rest.

Time to have lunch.

Hiking to discover the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the village for about 1 or 2 hrs. You will have a meeting with the local people.

According to your physic level, you can ascend to the altitude (+/- 250 m) to have a beautiful panorama to the mountain summit, amazing gorges, and to the Kyzyl Kum desert.

 

Dinner with family.

 

 

Overnight.

11

MOUNTAIN VILLAGE – SAMARKAND

Breakfast.

Drive to Samarkand (230 km) through amazing views. Some stops will be welcome to have a beautiful picture. Arrival to Samarkand at noon. Lunch in the city and hotel accommodation. Rest.

Discover of Samarkand – one of the ancient cities on the Great Silk Road, the Pearle of the Orient. Visits:

Ø  The famous place of Reguistan – the heard of ancient Samarkand. This consists of 3 monumental madrasas, it is an example of the Urbanism Art; Madrasa Ulughbek (1417-1420 ), madrasa Saher Dor (1619-1636 and madrasa Tilla Kori (1646 – 1660).

Ø  Gur Emir Mausoleum– Architectural Master peace of Central Asia.

 

Overnight.

12

SAMARKAND

Breakfast at the hotel.

Continue the discovery of Samarkand.  It will be very advisable to visit the Shakhi Zinda necropolis with a good morning light, where you will take your best pictures.

Ø  Shakhi – Zinda : –  this necropolis is composed of 14 mausoleums, dressed in missed blue ceramics, built next to each other like a jewel.

Ø  Bibi Khanym Mosque, the largest mosque in Central Asia, with its huge blue dome,

Ø  "Siyab" bazaar of Samarkand that allows everyone to find happiness among multicolored stalls (you will discover the market without an interpreter to be able to contact the population with gestures and to become familiar with them closer).

Time to have lunch. Then visit:

Ø  Visit remains of the Ulugbek Observatory - the most important astronomical construction of the Middle Ages. The ruins of this Observatory were 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.

Ø  The museum of "Afrosiab" tells the story of the ancient city of the VIII-VII century BC. J.C. in XII century AD J.C. the most important of the museum is the frescoes found during the excavations of the palace of the governor "Varukhman" in the VI-VII century AD. J.C. representing the hunting scene, reception of ambassadors, and the ritual scene of the visit of the tombs of the ancestors.

 

 

Overnight in Samarkand

13

SAMARKAND – SHAKHRISABZ

Breakfast.

Road to the discovery of the hometown of Tamerlane via the Takhtakaracha pass (1760 m) through beautiful landscapes.

Chakhrisabz discover the ancient monuments dating from the XIV-XV century.

Ø  The palace "Ak Saray",

Ø  "Dorut Tilovat" monument complex including the blue cupola mosque, the Shamsuddin Koulol, and Saidon mausoleums,

Ø  "Dorus Siyodat" complex of monuments including the crypt planned for Tamerlane, the Jahongir mausoleum, the ruins of the old Academy and the Hazrat Khizir mosque,

Ø  The caravanserai Koba transformed to the restaurant.

Time to have lunch.

Free time to explore the city at your own pace or go shopping.

 

Overnight in Shakhrisabz.

14

SAMARKAND – TASHKENT

Breakfast at the hotel.

 

Return to Samarkand and free time till the departure of the train. Train to Tashkent. Arrival and hotel accommodation. Overnight in Tashkent.

 
15

TASHKENT

Transfer to the airport. Departure. End of the tour

0 review for Gorgeous Colors of Uzbekistan

City

Proposed hotels

Tashkent

Hotel « Grand Art » or similar – 3 nights

Khiva

Hotel « Old Khiva » or similar – 3 nights

Bukhara

Hotel « Lyabi House » or similar – 3 nights

Kizil Kum desert

Under Yurt – 1 night

Mountain village

In a local family house – 1 night

Samarkand

Hotel « Jahongir » or similar – 2 nights

Shakhrisabz

Hotel « Ak Saray » or similar – 1 night

 

    The price includes

        1.  Meeting and seeing off at Tashkent airport.

         2. All need transfers according to the program. 

         3. Accommodational in the hotels in a double / twin sharing room with breakfast.

         4.  A night  under the yurt in the desert  Kizil- Koum and homestay in the mountain village 

         5. Guided tours with local guides in the cities according to the program 

         6.   Entrances fees to monuments and museums according to the program

        7.   Flight tickets between Tashkent and Urgench

        8.  Train ticket between Samarkand and Tashkent

        9.   Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner  


The price doesn’t include

     1.    International flights to/from Tashkent

     2.  Uzbek visa fees (if it is needed).

     3.   Rights to take pictures in monuments and museums.

     4.    Personal expenses and not mentioned services

    5.   Travel Insurance 

    6.    Tips