Silk Road and Aral Sea

Tour itinerary:

Arrive to Tashkent. Meet to national ESG in airport and transfer to the hotel.
Diner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Samarkand by “Afrosiyob” high-speed train at 08:00; Arrive to Samarkand at 10:10; Start FD SS Tour of Samarkand: Afrosiab museum of foundation of Samarkand is a museum, which is dedicated to the developement history of the city. The most valuable exhibits of Afrasiab museum also include unique pieces of wall paintings dating back to the 7-8th centuries, depicting hunting scenes and holiday celebrations of pre-islamic era. Lunch at the local guesthouse* with preparation of main dish of Uzbek cuisine – Plow. Visiting the Samarkand silk paper factory which is situated in Konighil village on Samarkand’s suburbs. This local factory named as “Meros” (Heritage) revived an ancient tradition based on old Samarkand technologies. Interestingly enough but the production is manual and the visitors can watch a papermaking process with their own eyes. Check-in Diner at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
(*this guesthouse situated closely near by the paper factory).

Breakfast at the hotel.
Start FD SS Tour of Samarkand: Visit the tomb of Tamerlane the great – Guri-Amir Mausoleum (1404 y.); Ensemble of Registan: Madrasa of Ulughbek (XV c.) and Sherdor (XVII c.), Tillya-Kari Mosque (XVII c.); Bibi-Khanym Mosque (1399-1404 yy.); Necropolis of Shakhi-Zinda (XIV – XV cc.). Lunch at the local restaurant. Free time. Dinner at famous restaurant of Russian cuisine in Samarkand – “Noviy Arbat” (Borsch). Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Bukhara (6 hours). Stop at the Khatyrchi village to have a lunch in the national guesthouse. Continuation of transferring to Bukhara. After arrival, check in at the hotel. Dinner with Folklore Dance and Fashion Show at Nadir Divan-Beghi Madrasa.
Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Start FD Tour of Bukhara: Begin from the oldest piece of pre-Islamic architecture – Mausoleum of Ismail Samani (X c.). Visit of ARK – the citadel of Bukharian governors from first until XX century. Sightseeing of biggest square of Bukhara – Poi-Kalon Ensemble: Masjid Kalon Mosque (XV c.), Minorai Kalon Minaret (1127 yy.) and Madrasa of Mir Arab (1536 yy.). Lunch at local restaurant. Continuation of SS Tour is from main fountain square of Bukhara – Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble: Madrasa & Knanaka of Nadir Divan-Beghi (1622 yy.). Walking through Domed Bazaar’s: Taki Sarrafon, Taki Teplpak-furushon, Taki Zargaron (XV~XVI c.). Visit of Kosh styled Madrasas: Madrasa of Ulughbek (XV c.) and Madrasa of Abdul Aziz Khan (1590 yy.). Dinner at the local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Long drive to Khiva (above 8 hours) passing through the Kyzylkum dessert. Having a lunch-boxes at the dessert stop (at the chaikhana – teahouse). Arrival to the Khiva. Diner at the local restaurant. Check-in and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Start FD SS Tour of Khiva: Begin from Ata-Darvaza main (western) gates of Ichan-kala the ‘inner city’ of Khiva. Mohammad Amin-khan Madrasa (1855yy.); ‘Kalta-Minor’ Minaret (1851yy.); Citadel of the Inner city – Kunya-Ark fortress (XIXc.). Lunch at the local restaurant. In the continuation of SS tour: Tash-Khauli Palace and Allakuli-khan Madrasa (XIX c.); Djuma Mosque (XVIII c.) with its 212 wooden colognes which is design is never repeated; The tallest minaret of Khiva (43,5m) – Minaret of Islam-Khoja (1908~10yy.); Mausoleum of Paklavan Makmud – famous poet of Khiva, who lived here in 1247 – 1325yy. Diner at Taza Bag Palace – the summer residence of M. Rahim-Khan II, which is situated in two kilometers to South-West of Khiva, on the area of 0.5 hectares built in 1897.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Nukus – the capital of Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan. During the transfer to Nukus, there few stops on Kala’s – ruins of ancient fortresses as Toprak-kala, Ayaz-kala and Chylpyk-kala. Lunch at the nomadic tents calling Yurta – situated in the heart of the dessert. Arrive to Nukus. Diner at the local restaurant. Check-in and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Start FD SS tour from the Karakalpak State Art Museum named after I.V.Savitskiy is acknowledged by experts and world mass-media to contain one of the top art collections in Central Asia. This well-known museum’s collection includes about 90 thousand items as astonishing masterpieces of Russian and Uzbek avant-guard of XXth century. The English newspaper “The Guardian” called the museum “one of the most outstanding museums of the world”; (Amelia Gentleman, “Savitsky’s secret Hoard. “The Guardian”; January 1, 2001). Lunch at the local restaurant. Free time. Diner at the local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Depart hotel towards Aral Sea early in the morning. 9 hours drive will go through following route: Nukus - Kungrad - Plato Ustyurt - Sudochye Lake-Aral Sea. En route stop at Mizdakhan Mausoleum and Gaur-Kala Fortress. Arrival to Aral Sea is a little bit before the dusk. Driver will pitch a camp until you explore the surroundings. Enjoy your open-air dinner. Overnight in Tent.

You can shoot some great photos early in the morning at dawn. After breakfast visit to picturesque canyons of Ustyurt and drive towards Moynaq through the dried bottom of the sea. On arrival in Moynaq visit the graveyard of Ships in ex-shore of the Aral Sea and town museum. After visits drive to Nukus (210 km, 3 hours) and on arrival transfer to hotel for overnight. Overnight in Nukus hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Nukus airport. Departure to the Tashkent/Arrival to Tashkent. Start FD SS Tour of Tashkent: Madrasa of Barakhan (XVIc.) situated in religious center of Tashkent – the square of Khast Imam (XVc). Visit the center of old part of the city – Chor-su area with its functioning theological school Kukeldash Madrasa (XVIc.). Lunch at the local restaurant. Sightseeing on Independence square - “Mustaqillik maydoni” (former Lenin sq.). Take experience of Tashkent metro riding from “Mustaqillik maydoni” station to “Kosmonavtlar Prospekti” stations. Visit of State Museum of Applied Arts famous with is huge collection of National embroidery items called “Suzani” (as option: visit of State Museum of History of Uzbekistan - former bldg. of Branch of Central Museum of V. I. Lenin). Diner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the Intl. Airport. Departure to home.