Tours in Uzbekistan

CAPITALS OF ANCIENT KINGDOMS

Duration: 11 days, 10 nights

Customizable? Yes Day 1 Tashkent, sighseeing Day 2 Half day Tashkent, drive to Turkestan, Kazakhstan Day 3 Drive back to Tashkent Day 4 Drive to Samarkand Day 5 Full day in Samarkand Day 6 Drive to Shakhrisabz and back to Samarkand Day 7 Drive to Bukhara via Gijduvan Day 8 Full day of Bukhara Day 9 Drive to Khiva Day 10 Drive to Kunya Urgench, Turkmenistan Day 11 Sightseeing Khiva, flight to Tashkent, departure

Tour Summary: An ambitious journey through the Central Asian countries Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. You will explore three different cultures, their grandiose monuments of the past, ancient rock inscriptions (petroglyphs), burial places of great rulers who reigned and left here impressive tracks of their might and glory. You see Tashkent, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Bukhara, Khiva, Kunya-Urgench, Turkestan, Otrar, Shimkent.

Budget Package Standard Package Luxury Package 01. Accommodation in Tashkent, Turkestan, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva (2-3* hotels); 02. Meals on bed and breakfast arrangement; 03. All excursions/transfers; 04. Entrance fees; 05. Transport (a/c sedan or minivan); 06. Uzbek visa support; 01. Accommodation in Tashkent, Turkestan, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva (2-3* hotels); 02. Meals on bed and breakfast arrangement; 03. All excursions/transfers; 04. Entrance fees; 05. Transport (a/c sedan); 06. Uzbek visa support; 07. Accompanying English speaking guide; 01. Accommodation in Tashkent, Turkestan, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva (2-3* and 4-5* hotels); 02. Meals on bed and breakfast arrangement; 03. All excursions/transfers; 04. Portages at airport/hotels; 05. Accompanying English speaking guide; 06. Entrance fees; 07. Transport (a/c sedan or minivan); 09. Uzbek visa support; 10. 50 digital photos of the tour; 11. Free mineral water on the tour; Accommodation/Hotels: Malika Tashkent Otrar, Turkestan Mukhandis, Samarkand Murod-Zarina, Bukhara Arkonchi, Khiva Malika Tashkent Otrar, Turkestan Malika Samarkand Siyavush, Bukhara Arkonchi, Khiva Le Meridien Tashkent Otrar, Turkestan Afrosiyob Palace, Samarkand Bukhara Palace, Bukhara Khorezm Palace, Urgench

Tour price, US$*: Persons 1 2 3 4 5 6 Budget package 1440 1028 830 755 684 643 Standard package 1790 1218 965 867 782 732 Luxury package 2310 1597 1325 1218 1127 1073 (*) The prices shown above are calculated per person. They are valid for special departure dates and subject to availability of tours and rooms in hotels. Please contact us for details. Note: Air fare Urgench - Tashkent (about US$75) is not included.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1
You are met and greeted at Tashkent Airport, and transferred to a hotel. After some rest, you will be offered an excursion in Tashkent. You will see the monuments and religious centers at the Hasti Imam Square (Barak-khan Madrassah, Mausoleum of Kafal Shashi and Friday Mosque featuring a Holy Quran of 8th century written by Khalif Osman) in the ancient heart of Tashkent. You will also visit the modern downtown, Amir Temur square, Abul Kosim Madrassah and Alisher Navoi Park. Upon completion of the excursions you will be invited to the Opera and Ballet Theater to watch the evening performance (pending availability). Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 2
After early breakfast, you drive to Uzbek-Kazakh border and after immigration formalities, proceed to Turkestan, an important pilgrimage destination in Central Asia. On the way, you see Sairam, White City, the great medieval military fortress. In Turkestan, dinner and overnight at local hotel.

Day 3
After breakfast, you see the famous mausoleum of Akhmad Yassawi, a leader of Turk Moslems. Lunch in Turkestan. Drive back to Tashkent, visiting ruins of Otrar, a city where Great Timur died, and Arstan-Baba Mausoleum, where, as story goes, a teacher of Yassawi was buried. After crossing Uzbek-Kazakh border, you have free time. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at hotel in Tashkent.

Day 4
After breakfast in the hotel, you head to Samarkand (289 km, 4 hours driving). In Samarkand, accommodation is arranged in a hotel just next to the city's ancient monuments. After lunch in a local restaurant, you have a half-day tour of Samarkand, visiting the famous Ulugbek Observatory, Afrosiab museum and the site of ancient settlement Afrosiyab. Dinner and overnight at a Samarkand hotel.

Day 5
You have a full day tour of Samarkand and observe the mausoleum of Tamerlane - Guri Amir, followed by Registan Square, Bibi Khanum Mosque and the local colorful bazaar. Then you see Shahi Zindah (Complex of Mausoleums) and have lunch in a private Uzbek house (national cuisine). After lunch we take you to the mausoleum of Imam Al-Bukhoriy - a 24 km drive north of Samarkand. Dinner and overnight in Samarkand.

Day 6
After breakfast, you drive westward to Shakhrisabz (1.5 hours driving.) During the excursion in Shakhrisabz, you explore the remnants of the great White Palace built by Tamerlane, as well as Kok Gumbaz and Doru Saodat, where relatives and close friends of the Emperor were buried. Lunch at local restaurant. Drive back to Samarkand for dinner and overnight.

Day 7
After breakfast, you drive to Bukhara. On the way, you visit Gijduvan near Bukhara where a famous pottery and ceramics workhop and museum are located. Check in a local hotel, then dinner and overnight in Bukhara.

Day 8
Breakfast and full day tour of Bukhara, the city of 1001 Nights. You attend the Ark Fortress, Bolo Hauz mosque, mausoleum of Ismail Samani, Chashma Ayub. Lunch at local restaurant. Kalyan minaret and mosque, Attory Maggoki, Lyabi Hauz square with the spectacular Nadir Divan Begi madrassahs. Also, you will see the Sitoran Mokhi-Khosa Palace situated a little north of Bukhara, a fanciful blend of oriental and modern architecture. Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 9
You take a long drive (480 km, 6-8 hours) through the desert along the course of the Amudarya River to the capital of ancient Khorezm, Urgench (Khiva). Box lunch en route or lunch in a local tea house. The rest of the day is devoted to checking in a hotel in Khiva, located in the ancient historical environment. Dinner and overnight in Khiva.

Day 10
After breakfast, drive to Turkmen border and after visa formalities, drive to Kunya Urgench (Turkmenistan, 180km, 2.5 hours). Kunya Urgench is the ancient capital of Khorezm Empire. You see Mausoleum of Hakhriddin Razi, Tekesh mausoleum, minaret of Kutung Timur, Najmetdin Kubram and Turabek Khanum. Lunch at local restaurant. Drive back to Khiva, dinner and overnight in Khiva.

Day 11
After early breakfast, you enjoy a full day tour of Khiva, the city of a thousand and one domes. Ichan Kala, the inner fortress, is a museum in the open. You will visit Muhammad Aminkhan Madrassah and its minaret, Kunya Ark and Juma mosque with 218 wooden pillars, the Harem of Khiva Khans. Visit of mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud, a famous ancient wrestler and poet, who patronized Khiva. Islam Khodja complex will provide you with a breathtaking view of Khiva from the top of its minaret. In the evening you take a flight to Tashkent to catch your flight home.