The best of Uzbekistan in 12 days

Tashkent

Day 1: Arrival In Tashkent

Welcome to the capital city of Uzbekistan. Your first taste of this wonderful tour is in the beautiful city of Tashkent. Upon arrival at the Tashkent International Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel.  You can rest at the hotel or you can join the city tour and explore beautiful monuments and squares like Amir Temur Monument and Independence Square, or the unusual underground stations of Tashkent.

Tashkent - Urgench - Khiva

Day 2: Discover The Beauty Of Tashkent

Today, you will explore and discover the highlights of the capital. You will visit the complex of Khast-i-Imam and the beautiful madrasa Kukeldash. You will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and get aquainted with the famous Uzbek "Kabobs"! Then, you will visit The Museum of Applied Art of Tashkent and Chorsu Bazaar, the biggest market of the country. You can shop for souvenir items that you can bring home! Afterwards, you will be transferred to the domestic airport for your flight to Urgench. Upon arrival in Urgench, you will be transferred to your hotel in Khiva. Have a good rest for you will explore this city tomorrow!

Khiva

Day 3: Explore The Marvelous Khiva

After a delicious breakfast, you will explore the marvelous city of Khiva - a UNESCO World Heritage site. You will enjoy an excursion in all monuments of Ichan Kala. You will visit Juma Mosque, Kunya Ark, Kalta Minor and the Medresa of Muhammad-Amin-Khan, The Tash-Kauli Palace, and other exceptional monuments situated in Ichan Kala. These beautiful monuments are worth capturing on your camera!

Khiva - Bukhara

Day 4: The Journey Through Bukhara

Enjoy a delicious breakfast early in the morning. As you drive to Bukhara, you will pass by the amazing red sands of the Kizil-Kum desert. You might chance upon herds of sheep of Astrakhan crossing the roads. They are quite an exciting sight! Then, you will pass by the Amu-Darya river and you will stop for a short rest before continuing your journey. Upon arrival at Bakhara, you will be transferred to your hotel to rest. Another exciting day awaits you tomorrow!

Bukhara

Day 5: Uncover The Mysteries Of Bukhara

Rise and Shine! After a good breakfast at the hotel, you will explore of Bukhara and uncover the mysteries of this beautiful city. Bukhara is known as the mysterious city of the Silk Road. You will find magnificent historical monuments. Your sightseeing tour will include visits to the architectural Complex of Poi-Kalyan and architectural ensemble Laybi-Hauz.

Bukhara

Day 6: Discover A Hidden Gem In Bukhara

After breakfast, you will continue with your exploration of Bukhara. Today's highlight of the tour is a visit to the mosque Tchor Minor, situated in the countryside of Bukhara. It is hidden in the alleys of the ancient district of the city. You will also visit Sitora-i-Mokhi Khossa and the memorial complex of Hazrati Bakhouddin Naqshbandi. These beautiful sights will remain in your memory for a lifetime!

Bukhara - Nurata - Yangui Gazgan

Day 7: On The Road To Yangui Gazgan

Today, you will drive to Yangui Gazgan via Nurata. You will make a short stop in Guijduvan. Guijduvan ceramic workshop is known throughout the country and is protected by UNESCO. Alisher Narzullaev will demonstrate with a great pleasure the national ceramics with beautiful oriental patterns! You will also visit the ancient caravanserai Rabat-i-Malik, the medieval water keeper Sardoba, and the ruins an ancient Citadel of Alexander the Great. Upon arrival in Yurt Camp, you will experience riding camels and a nice dinner around a camp fire. You will spend the night in one of the yurts. This is something worth trying in Uzbekistan!

Yangui Gazgan - Miatan Village - Samarkand

Day 8: Getting Acquainted With The Locals

In the morning, you will drive to Samarkand via Mitan Village. Mitan was awarded "World Responsible Tourism Travel Award 'To Do'" at the ITB Berlin 2015. You will meet a local Uzbek family and get acquainted with their culture. You will be able to observe their daily lives and have lunch with them enjoying traditional Uzbek welcome meals "bichaks" and "plov". In the afternoon, you will enjoy a tour in the Mitan village. This is a great cultural experience, away from the hustle and bustle of the city!
Upon arrival at Samarkand, you will be transferred to your hotel to rest.

Samarkand

Day 9: A Night Full Of Costumes

Today, you will explore the must-sees of Samarkand. You will visit The Registan Square, the ensemble of three madrasahs, the Sher Dor Madrasah, and the Tillya Kori Madrasah. These buildings are unique examples of town-building art that showcase remarkable architectural patterns. You will also visit the GurAmir Mausoleum – a world known masterpiece of Central Asian architecture.

In the afternoon you will have the unique opportunity to visit The Pearl of Samarkand – Bibi Khanum Mosque. It was compared on the beauty and shining with the Milky Way!

The highlight of today will be your visit to the Theater of Historical Costume, "El Merosi", in the evening.The theatre shows the traditions of the local people, existing from ancient time to present and national costumes of different epochs. Your eyes will feast on the beautiful costumes all through the night!

Samarkand - Shahrisabz - Samarkand

Day 10: Sightseeing In Shakhrisabz

After breakfast, you will drive to Shakhrisabz. Visit the Mausoleum of Jakhongir in Dor-us Saodat Memorial Complex, the remains of Ak-Saray Palace, the Dor-ut Tilavat Ensemble with Kok-Gumbaz Mosque, and the burial vault of Tamerlane’s father. They are all great pieces of architecture, of course, not so common in the Western world. After the sightseeing in Shakhrisabz, you will return to Samarakand and rest for the night at the hotel.

Samarkand - Tashkent

Day 11: Visiting The Mausoleums In Samarkand

Today, you will be overwhelmed by the beautiful mausoleums in Samarkand. You will visit the Shakhi-Zinda - an ensemble with more than 20 buildings. Each one has its own style of decoration and great fantasy of skillful artisans. Then, you will visit the famous Observatory of Ulugbek, the first observatory in Central Asia, built in XIV c. and the mausoleum of Hodja Daniyar, located near the healing spring which attracts crowds of tourists every day.Afterwards, you will drive back to your hotel in Tashkent. 

Tashkent

Day 12: Goodbye, Uzbekistan!

Your 12-day tour in Uzbekistan has been amazing. You have seen the magnificent highlights of the most important cities, learned the culture of the locals, and stayed in a yurt camp! These are memories that you will cherish for a lifetime. Your journey in Uzbekistan has ended. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home. Share your wonderful experience with your family and friends!