Uzbekistan: Heart of Central Asia Group Tour

With this 12 day tour you will experience the wonder of Uzbekistan. Set on the Silk Road, Uzbekistan has played host to waves of conquerors and nomads. See the legacy they left behind in the towering fortresses of Khiva and Bukhara, and the Islamic architecture of Samarkand. The remnants of more recent Soviet history are evident in the capital city Tashkent.

Day 1: Fly to Tashkent
Fly overnight from London (regional connections available) to Tashkent with Uzbekistan Airways. (N)

Day 2: Tashkent
Arrive in Tashkent and transfer to the Miran Hotel (or similar) for 1 night. Afternoon tour of the old city stopping at Amir Timur Square and the Kukeldash mosque and madrasa. (D)

Day 3: Fly to Urgench • Khiva
Transfer to the airport and take a 1-hour morning flight to Urgench. Visit the ancient fortresses of Ayaz Kala and Toprak Kala before an afternoon drive to Khiva via Ulli Khovli. Stay 2 nights at the Malika Kheivak Hotel (or similar). (B, L, D)

Day 4: Khiva
Full-day tour of Khiva, including Kunya Ark, Islam Khoja minaret, Tash Havli Palace and a local bakery. (B, D)

Day 5: Bukhara
City tour of Bukhara, including visits to Chor Minor mosque, the Poi-Kaylan complex, the surviving trade domes and Lyab-i-Hauz complex, once the city’s principal source of water. This evening enjoy dinner and a cooking demonstration. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Bukhara
Full-day drive to Bukhara (7-8 hours) through the Kyzylkum desert, stopping at the Amudaryo river for photos. Stay at the Asia Hotel (or similar) for 3 nights. (B, D)

Day 7: Bukhara
After breakfast, continue your tour of Bukhara, including visits to the imposing fortress known as ‘The Ark’, located on the site of a 2,000-year-old fortress; the Summer Palace; and the Samanid mausoleum, built in the early 10th century with a facade incorporating Zoroastrian symbols. (B)

Day 8: Shahrisabz • Samarkand
Drive to Shahrisabz, birthplace of Tamerlane, and visit the summer palace, mosques and mausoleums. Continue to Samarkand for 3 nights at the Registan Plaza Hotel or the Emirkhan Hotel (or similar). (B, L)

Day 9: Samarkand
Full-day tour of Samarkand, including visits to Registan Square, the Ulugbek Observatory, Afrosiab Museum, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, and the Bibi Khanum mosque. (B, D)

Day 10: Samarkand
Continue your tour of Samarkand. Visit Gur Emir mausoleum, which marks the final resting place of several members of the Timurid dynasty, including Timur himself. Other visits include Nodir Divan Begi madrasa, Hazrat Khizr mosque and the Khodja Doniyor mausoleum. After lunch, stop at a silk carpet factory before returning to your hotel. (B, D)

Day 11: Tashkent
Morning at leisure in Samarkand. This afternoon drive to Tashkent with a stop en route to at a small market and Tamerlane Iron Gate. Transfer to the Miran Hotel (or similar) for 1 night. (B, D)

Day 12: Fly to London
Morning at leisure. Afternoon transfer to the airport. Fly from Tashkent to London with Uzbekistan Airways. (B)

Meal basis
As per itinerary – B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meals.

Important information
The tours includes the best available accommodation in Uzbekistan. However, outside Tashkent the standard is relatively simple. This tour involves some long drives and walking over rough terrain.