Winter Holidays on the Uzbek Silk Road

Arrival in Tashkent early in the morning. Meet the local driver at the International airport and transfer to the hotel.

Accommodation and rest. Breakfast at the hotel.

11:00 Meet the guide and start the city tour in Tashkent. We will visit Khast Imam Square and Chorsu bazaar, after lunch time – Independence Square, Amir Timur Square and Tashkent metro.

Transfer to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Transfer to Samarkand. On arrival – meet the guide and visit the main sights of Samarkand – Registan Square (Ulugbek Madrasah, Sher-Dor Madrasah, Tilla-Qori Madrasah) and Gur-e Amir Mausoleum (Tamerlane’s sepulcher).

Transfer to the hotel and rest. Overnight in Samarkand.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 Meet the guide at the hall of the hotel. Continuation of the guided sightseeing tour around Samarkand: visit Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, Ulugbek Observatory, Siab Oriental bazaar and Konigil village to visit the silk paper workshop.

20:30 Enjoy the lights at Registan Square (without a guide).

Overnight in the hotel in Samarkand.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the driver and transfer to Bukhara. En route we will stop in Gujduvan – one of the ceramic centers of Uzbekistan. Watch the demonstration on ceramics and lunch with the local family of pottery masters. Proceed driving to Bukhara. On arrival – meet the guide and start the city tour. We will visit Lyabi Haus ensemble and the surrounding buildings.

Transfer to the hotel and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Start the sightseeing program in Bukhara. Visit of the following sites: Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, local bazaar, Bolo Khauz Mosque, Ark Citadel with Zindan prison.

13:00 Lunch at the national house of miniature master with a master-class on cooking Uzbek plov.

After lunch continue sightseeing – visit Po-i-Kalyan Complex (Kalyan Minaret and others), Miri Arab madrassa, Magoki Attori mosque and Mosque Ulugbek Madrasah.

17:00 We will visit the Akbar house galley – the local suzani (embroidery) master named Akbar with a very beautiful collection of his works.

Return to the hotel. Rest and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 Bukhara and its surroundings guided tour continuation: Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace – the “Palace of the Moon and Stars”, the summer residence of the Emir of Bukhara, which is an amazing combination of Russian, Eastern, and European architecture.

Nextup, we will visit the “Central Asian Mecca” – the Sufi complex of Bahautdin Nakshbandi. Nakshbandi was the spiritual mentor of Amir Timur and the founder of the Naqshbandi Sufi order, which soon became one of the most famous orders in the East.

14:30 Transfer to the railway station.

15:50-19:45 Transfer back to Tashkent by train. Meet the local driver and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight.

Transfer to the airport.

Departure from Uzbekistan by morning flight.