Detailed itinerary

Day 1
Upon arriving in Tashkent, you are met and greeted in the airport and transferred to a hotel. Then, you have a tour of Tashkent city. You go to see the medieval center of Tashkent, Hasti Imam square and visit there the Mausoleum of Kafal Shashi, a mystical poet and interpreter of Koran of the 10th century, who later was worshiped as a Saint. Also, you see the working Barakhan Madrassah, which accommodates the Clerical Board of Central Asian Moslems, and its famous Library, with over 30.000 books, 3500 manuscripts and the precious sample of the Holy Koran, written by the fourth Caliph Osman and bearing stains of his blood on its pages. After a short overview of the present-day Tashkent, you drive out to the Zangiota district to see two mausoleums of Sufi Zangiota and his wife Ambar Bibi, who were followers of the prominent Akhmad Yassawi, a spiritual Islamic leader of all Turkic tribes. Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 2
You drive (289 km, 4 hours) to Samarkand, the famous city lying on the ancient Silk Road and known as "Rome of the Orient". After a short break in a hotel, you go out for sightseeing, visiting the Mausoleum of Qusam Ibn-Abbas in the Shahi Zindah complex, who is considered as the second person in Islam after Muhammed. Also, you visit the tremendous Bibi Khanum Mosque, which was built upon Tamerlane's order to symbolize the power of Allah. In its yard you see the massive stone book-holder, which, as legend goes, was once used for the Holy Book kept in Tashkent. Overnight in Samarkand.

Day 3
You start by attending the Registan Square with its three Madrassah, where for centuries students learned the Law of God and some secular subjects. You observe the sumptuous Tillya Kari Mosque, all covered in gold. Then, you visit the Tomb of Tamerlane, Guri Amir Mausoleum, which also contains the tomb of Mir Seiid Bereke, Tamerlane's spiritual tutor. After lunch you are taken 12 km north from Samarkand to visit the spectacular Complex of Imam Al Bukhoriy, a celebrated personality of Islamic world, which was built with the support of the entire Muslim world. Then, you go to see the Mausoleum of Khodja Daniar or Saint Daniel, a prophet of the Old Testament. This holy place is recognized by Islam, Christianity and Judaism as one of eminent pilgrimage destinations. Overnight in Samarkand.

Day 4
You drive to Bukhara (270 km, 4 hours), then after a break in hotel, you go to see the monuments of ancient Bukhara, which was at all times the religious pivot of Central Asia. You see the Ark fortress, Great Kalyan Minaret, mausoleum of Ismail Samani, Chashma Ayub (a place where Job the Prophet once worked wonders), Lyabi Hauz square and its beautiful Nadir Divan Begi Madrassah. Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 5
Early in the morning you go out of Bukhara to see the mausoleum of one of the most respected sheikhs of Islam, Bahauddin Nakshbandi, the founder of the Sufi movement in Islam. A pilgrimage to his tomb was considered as a sufficient substitution for a Hajj to Mecca. Then, you visit Chor Bakr, a complex of tombstones, one of which belongs to the famous founder of Djuybar Hajjis, Abu Bakr Saad, the grandson of the outstanding Bukhara Sufi Islam Djuybari (16 century AD). After completing your excursions you depart for Tashkent by air. Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 6
Departure home with great memories and experiences of Uzbekistan.


Note: Air fare Bukhara - Tashkent (about US$65) is not included.