Uzbekistan handicraft tour
Accommodation, guides, transport, a flight and 4 train journeys included.
Uzbekistan handicraft tour Highlights
Meet Uzbekistan's master craftsmen on a 10-day journey through the Fergana Valley, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand. For ages Uzbekistan has been known for its beautiful handmade products, from glazed tiles and fine silks to finely worked jewellery set with precious stones and hand-woven and knotted carpets. In Tashkent you start among the woodcarvers and souvenir makers of the Hazrati Imam complex and the old Chorsu bazaar, then the train takes you into the Fergana Valley. In Margilan you see how silk with traditional ikat patterns is made at the Yodgorlik silk factory, in Rishtan you join a pottery workshop in the house of a master ceramist, and a Kyrgyz family shows you how they make wool carpets.
A flight takes you to Khiva, whose walled inner town Ichan Kala you explore for a full day, before the road crosses the Kyzylkum Desert and the Amu Darya to Bukhara. There the city tour leads from the Samanids Mausoleum and the Ark to the Poi Kalyan complex and the trading domes, with a tea break in a silk-carpet showroom, and a day in the suburbs takes you to the pottery village of Gijduvan and the summer palace of the last emir. The high-speed train brings you to Samarkand with the Registan, the Gur-e Amir and the Shah-i-Zinda, and a day trip to Shahrisabz, the hometown of Amir Temur, with the ruins of the Ak-Sarai Palace, completes the journey before the train back to Tashkent.
Difficulty: Easy Guided city walks on mostly flat ground in Tashkent, the Fergana Valley, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, with early starts; one long road day of about 490 km (5–6 hours) from Khiva to Bukhara, a day trip of about 180 km to Shahrisabz, one domestic flight and four train rides.
Tour Itinerary
On arrival at Tashkent airport you are met and transferred to the hotel to rest and freshen up. In the afternoon a half-day city tour takes you to the Khazret-Imam (Hazrati Imam) architectural complex with the Barak-Khan Madrasah (15th–16th centuries), where many masters work in their small workshops making local souvenirs, wood carvings and other handicrafts. Then visit the old Chorsu (Eski Juva) bazaar, whose history goes back to the 2nd–1st centuries BC, to watch the masters at work in the local shops, and continue to the Abulqosim Madrasah, where craftsmen also work in their workshops. The tour ends at around 17:00 with the transfer to the hotel. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Tashkent.
Hazrati Imam complex, Chorsu Bazaar
- Tashkent International Airport → Tashkent (9 km)
Overnight: Tashkent (Hotel)
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the railway station and take the train (economy class) to Kokand in the Fergana Valley, the former capital of the Kokand Khanate. Sightseeing in Kokand, then drive on to Fergana (about 90 km), check in at the hotel and rest. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Fergana.
Kokand, Fergana
- Tashkent → Kokand (235 km)
- Kokand → Fergana (90 km)
Overnight: Fergana (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After an early breakfast, drive from Fergana to Margilan and visit the Said Akhmad-Khoja Madrasah, today home to a number of craftsmen producing handmade carpets and silk. Walk through the traditional market and continue to the Yodgorlik silk factory to see the production of silk with traditional ikat patterns. If it is a Thursday or Sunday, you also visit the Kumtepa Bazaar, the largest market in the Fergana Valley. Drive on to Rishtan, to the house of a well-known ceramic master whose works are shown at exhibitions around the world. Join a pottery workshop and see the ceramic collection in his small museum, then continue to the house of a craftsman where a traditional Kyrgyz family makes wool carpets. At the end of the tour, transfer to Margilan railway station for the train to Tashkent (scheduled 16:48–21:38). On arrival in Tashkent, transfer to the hotel. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Tashkent.
Margilan, Yodgorlik Silk Factory, Rishton
- Fergana → Margilan (15 km)
- Margilan → Rishton (50 km)
- Rishton → Margilan (50 km)
- Margilan → Tashkent (310 km)
Overnight: Tashkent (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Early breakfast at the hotel and check-out, then transfer to the domestic terminal of Tashkent airport for the morning flight to Urgench. On arrival, transfer to Khiva (a short drive). Full-day city tour of Ichan Kala, the walled inner town of old Khiva: the Ichan Kala gates and walls, the Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasah (1850s), the Kalta Minor minaret, the Kunya Ark, the Mohammed Rakhim Khan Madrasah, the Sayid Alauddin Mausoleum, the Music Museum and the Juma Mosque, famous for the 218 wooden columns supporting its roof – a few finely decorated columns come from the 10th-century mosque. The tour continues to the Arabkhana Madrasah (17th century), the Dost Alyam Madrasah, the Abdulla Khan Madrasah (1855), the Aq Mosque (1657), the Anusha Khan baths, the Allakuli Khan Madrasah (1835), the Kutlimurodinok Madrasah (1809), the caravanserai, the Tosh-Hovli Palace (1832), the Islam Khoja Madrasah (1910), the Pahlavon Mahmoud Mausoleum, the Sherghozi Khan Madrasah and the outer town Dishan Kala. At around 16:00 the tour ends with the transfer to the hotel for check-in and rest. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Khiva.
Khiva, Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah, Kalta Minor Minaret, Kunya-ark fortress, Muhammad Rakhim-Khan Madrasah, Juma mosque, Tach Khaouli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmoud Mausoleum, Islam Khoja Minaret, Madrasahs of Khiva
- Tashkent → Tashkent International Airport (9 km)
- Tashkent International Airport → Urgench (720 km)
- Urgench → Khiva (30 km)
Overnight: Khiva (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, revisit Ichan Kala to see the remaining sights or do some shopping. Check out at around noon and, after lunch, drive to Bukhara (about 490 km, 5–6 hours). On the way you see the Kyzylkum Desert, the Amu Darya river, irrigation canals, camels, villages, towns and the everyday life of the local people. On arrival in Bukhara, transfer to the hotel for check-in and rest. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Bukhara.
Khiva, Kyzylkum Desert, Bukhara
- Khiva → Bukhara (490 km)
Overnight: Bukhara (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, the Bukhara city tour starts at the Samanids Mausoleum (9th–10th centuries), the Chashma-Ayub complex (14th century) and the Bolo Hauz Mosque (1712), then continues to the Ark citadel, the early residence of the emirs of Bukhara. A tea break at a Bukhara silk-carpet showroom gives a short introduction to the history of Bukhara carpets. Continue to the Poi Kalyan complex ("at the foot of the Great") with the Kalyan Minaret (12th century), the Kalyan Mosque and the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah (16th century), the Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century), the Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah (17th century), the Magoki-Attari Mosque (10th–16th centuries), the trading domes Toki Zargaron, Toki Sarrafon and Toki Telpak Furushon (15th–16th centuries), the Chor Minor and the Lyabi-Hauz ensemble with the khanaka and madrasah of Nadir Divan-Begi (1620) and the Kukeldash Madrasah (1568–69). The tour ends at around 16:00 with the transfer to the hotel. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Bukhara.
Samanids Mausoleum, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, Bolo Hauz Complex, Ark of Bukhara, Poi Kalyan, Ulugbeg Madrasah Bukhara, Abdulazizkhan Madrasah, Magoki-Attori Mosque, Trading Domes of Bukhara, Chor Minor, Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble
Overnight: Bukhara (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, check out of the hotel for a half-day tour of the Bukhara suburbs. Visit the pottery village of Gijduvan to see how its pottery is made, then the Chor-Minor Madrasah (1807), Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa (19th–20th centuries), the summer residence of the last emir of Bukhara, and the Mausoleum of Bahauddin Naqshband (16th century). At around 14:00 transfer to the railway station for the Afrosiyob high-speed train to Samarkand (departure 15:50, about 1.5 hours). On arrival in Samarkand at around 17:20, transfer to the hotel for check-in. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Samarkand.
Gijduvon, Chor Minor, Sitori-i Mokhi Khosa palace, Bakhauddin Naqshband Mausoleum
- Bukhara → Gijduvon (45 km)
- Gijduvon → Sitori-i Mokhi Khosa palace (50 km)
- Sitori-i Mokhi Khosa palace → Bakhauddin Naqshband Mausoleum (11 km)
- Bakhauddin Naqshband Mausoleum → Bukhara (13 km)
- Bukhara → Samarkand (255 km)
Overnight: Samarkand (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, a full-day excursion in Samarkand. First visit the Mausoleum of Imam al-Bukhari (810–870), one of the most famous hadith scholars of the Islamic world. Then see the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum (Tamerlane's tomb, 14th–15th centuries), the Rukhobod Mausoleum ("House of the Spirit", 14th century) and the Registan square with the Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century), the Sher-Dor Madrasah ("having tigers", 17th century) and the Tilya-Kori Madrasah ("coated with gold", 17th century). Continue to the Hazrat Khizr Mosque (19th century), the Shah-i-Zinda architectural complex ("the living king", 11th–19th centuries), the Ulugbek Observatory (15th century), the Bibi-Khanym cathedral mosque (14th century) and the Siyob bazaar for shopping. The tour ends at around 18:00 with the transfer to the hotel. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Samarkand.
Memorial Complex Imam Al-Bukhari, Gur-e Amir Mausoleum, Rukhobod Mausoleum, Registan, Shah i Zinda, Ulugbek Observatory, Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Mausoleum, Siyob Bazaar
- Samarkand → Memorial Complex Imam Al-Bukhari (25 km)
- Memorial Complex Imam Al-Bukhari → Samarkand (25 km)
Overnight: Samarkand (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, drive to Shahrisabz by comfortable minivan (about 1.5 hours). The city tour starts at the Ak-Saray Palace (White Palace) and the Amir Temur monument and continues to the Dorussiadat burial complex and the Doruttilavat complex. After lunch, drive back to Samarkand and transfer to the railway station for the Afrosiyob high-speed train to Tashkent (about 2 hours). On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Overnight in Tashkent.
Shahrisabz, Ak-Sarai Palace, Dorus Saodat Complex, Dorut Tillavat Complex
- Samarkand → Shahrisabz (90 km)
- Shahrisabz → Samarkand (90 km)
- Samarkand → Tashkent (344 km)
Overnight: Tashkent (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel. At around 10:30, check out and transfer to Tashkent International Airport for your departure flight.
- Tashkent → Tashkent International Airport (9 km)
Meals: Breakfast
Share this tour privately
Travelling alone or as a couple? Join other travellers who want to take this tour privately, or post your own request. The private price per person drops as the group grows.
No open requests for this tour yet. Post the first one and we'll show it here and on the group requests page.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation in 3* or 4* hotels (as listed, or similar of the same category) in double/twin rooms with daily breakfast – 9 nights: 3 in Tashkent, 1 in Fergana, 1 in Khiva, 2 in Bukhara, 2 in Samarkand
- Train tickets Tashkent – Kokand and Margilan – Tashkent (economy class)
- Domestic flight Tashkent – Urgench (economy class)
- Urgench – Khiva and Khiva – Bukhara by comfortable air-conditioned minivan
- Afrosiyob high-speed train tickets Bukhara – Samarkand and Samarkand – Tashkent (economy class)
- Visits to local workshops of potters, silk weavers and other craftsmen in every city and place on the route
- All sightseeing with entrance fees to the monuments and museums in the itinerary in Tashkent, Kokand, Fergana, Rishtan, Margilan, Khiva, Bukhara, Gijduvan, Samarkand and Shahrisabz
- Services of professional, certified English-speaking guides (other languages on request)
- All transfers, trips and city tours in the itinerary by air-conditioned car, minivan, bus or coach
- All taxes
Not included
- International flights
- Visa support (LOI) and consular visa fees
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Lunches and dinners
- Fees for additional hotel services
- Single room supplement (100 USD per person with 3* hotels, 200 USD with 4* hotels)
- Personal expenses such as souvenirs
- Tips to local staff
- Medical insurance
- Camera and video fees at the sights
Nargiza is the office manager of Central Asia Guide and mostly responsible for multi country "Stan" tours.
Where you'll stay
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Night 1
Tashkent
Uzbekistan Hotel or Ramada Tashkent or similar
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Night 2
Fergana
Club 777 or Asia Fergana Hotel or similar
-
Night 3
Tashkent
Uzbekistan Hotel or Ramada Tashkent or similar
-
Night 4
Khiva
Malika Khiva or Bek Khiva or similar
-
Nights 5–6
Bukhara
Modarixon or Sahid Zarafshon or similar
-
Nights 7–8
Samarkand
Malika Classic or Emir Han Samarkand or similar
-
Night 9
Tashkent
Uzbekistan Hotel or Ramada Tashkent or similar
Good to know
- Hotels: You choose between 3* and 4* hotels (as listed, or similar of the same category). 3*: Uzbekistan Hotel in Tashkent (3 nights), Club 777 in Fergana (1 night), Malika Khiva (1 night), Modarixon in Bukhara (2 nights) and Malika Classic in Samarkand (2 nights). 4*: Ramada Tashkent (3 nights), Asia Fergana (1 night), Bek Khiva (1 night), Sahid Zarafshon in Bukhara (2 nights) and Emir Han Samarkand (2 nights).
- Group size: The prices are per person in a double/twin room for groups of 2 to 10 travelers. For more participants, please send us a group request.
- Trains and flight: The trains Tashkent – Kokand and Margilan – Tashkent, the Afrosiyob high-speed trains Bukhara – Samarkand and Samarkand – Tashkent and the domestic flight Tashkent – Urgench are in economy class.
- Meals: Breakfast is included at the hotels; lunches and dinners are at your own expense.
Uzbekistan travel information
Practical essentials for travelling in Uzbekistan. Open a topic to read more.
Visa policy
Find your country from the list and check possible visa requirements for Uzbekistan before booking.
The local currency is the Uzbek sum. Uzbekistan is still mostly a cash economy, but money is easy to exchange and ATMs are common in the larger cities.
Exchanging money
Banks exchange US dollars, euros, British pounds and Japanese yen. There are exchange offices in major cities such as Bukhara and Khiva and at Tashkent airport; elsewhere you need a bank, which often gives a better rate anyway. Your notes must be in pristine condition. Sum is hard to exchange outside Uzbekistan, but you can change it back to US dollars at a local bank.
Cards and ATMs
Cards are accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants in Tashkent and the main tourist cities, with Visa more widely recognised than Mastercard and a standard 3% commission. ATMs dispense sum and are easy to find in the larger cities; many also offer US dollars.
Uzbekistan is generally a safe destination, with little religious extremism and few crimes against foreigners.
Documents
Always carry your passport: it is a legal requirement, and police carry out routine checks.
Getting around
- Use licensed taxis. Local taxi apps are the easiest way to get a ride at local prices, and Yandex works very well in Tashkent and Samarkand. If you take a taxi on the street or at the airport, agree the price first.
- Many roads outside Tashkent, especially in the Tian Shan and Fan mountains, are in poor condition. Driving standards are generally low, and rural roads are often unlit, so night driving is riskier.
- On night trains, keep valuables safe, do not leave belongings unattended and lock the compartment door from the inside.
- Watch your belongings as you would anywhere, and avoid demonstrations and large gatherings.
Laws and customs
- Possessing narcotics is strictly illegal.
- Same-sex relationships are illegal and still socially condemned. Avoid public displays of affection.
- Drones are in practice banned. Permits can be applied for but are very rarely granted.
Photography
Be discreet near government buildings such as the Palace of Forums in Tashkent, and sometimes at local markets that see few tourists. Restrictions have eased, but check before photographing near airports, border checkpoints, military sites, bridges and police stations.
Earthquakes
Uzbekistan is prone to earthquakes, mostly tremors, though stronger ones occasionally occur.
Entering Uzbekistan is straightforward when your documents are in order. Citizens of many countries can visit visa-free, and for many others a visa is easy to get without an invitation.
Registration
Registration rules are stricter than elsewhere in Central Asia: by law you must be registered within 3 days of arrival. Hotels usually do this for you, but register yourself if you stay longer than 3 days in, for example, a rented apartment. Border officers check the registrations when you leave and may ask for the paper slips, so keep them until you exit the country.
Customs
Exporting handcrafted items older than 50 years is prohibited. At land borders, customs officers may check your phone and photos for explicit or confidential material, though this has become very rare.
The best times to visit Uzbekistan are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), between the summer heat and the winter cold.
Summer
At the height of summer the land dries out, especially in the countryside, and temperatures rise well above 30°C, often up to 40°C.
Winter
From November to March it can get cold, sometimes below zero, but the skies are mostly clear and bright. Snow is occasional and usually melts within a day or two.
Medical services in Uzbekistan have improved in recent years but are still limited, so good travel insurance that includes evacuation is essential.
Food and water
To avoid traveller's diarrhoea, drink only bottled, filtered or boiled water, and do not use tap water for brushing your teeth or for ice. Choose meat and fish that are thoroughly cooked and served hot.
Medical care
Uzbekistan has a state healthcare system and a small private sector. Larger clinics serve the cities and regional hospitals the countryside. Hospitals usually ask for payment in cash up front, even if you are insured, and serious cases may need evacuation home. Contact your insurer straight away if you need urgent care, and check before you leave what your insurance covers in Uzbekistan.
Medicines
Pharmacies are private, and the range of medicines can be limited. Prescriptions generally require a doctor's consultation. If you travel with medication, check the rules with the embassy, a consulate or Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health.
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