Tracking & Culture

Tour itinerary:

Arrival to Tashkent. Meeting at the airport.
Transfer to the private local house for breakfast.
Visit of Tashkent.
Old part of the city: an architectural complex "Khazret-Imam" incl. necropolis of imam Abu Bakr Muhammad al-Kaffal Shashi who was one of the first Muslim imams and famous divine and poet (16th c), "Barak-khan Medressa" - built by Suyunidj-khan - the first ruler of Uzbek dynasty of Sheibanid's (16th c), "Tellya Sheikh Medressa" also called "Khast Imom Mosque" where Osman Quran VIIc- the world's oldest is kept (19th c), "Juma Mosque" (15-19th cc), Lunch. "Monument of Courage" - the epicenter of Tashkent earthquake of 1966."Abdulkasim Medressa" now is the centre for traditional arts with attractive souvenirs by local artisans (19th c). Dinner
Overnight at Hotel

Morning flight to Nukus (1255 km, 2 h. 45 min.). Arrive in Nukus andVisit the Savitsky Karakalpakstan Art Museum. The museum hosts the world's second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art and exposition of Karakalpak applied arts items. In the afternoon depart to Khiva (200 km, 4-5 h.). On the way visit archaeological monuments of Ancient Khorezm: You are taken to see ancient Khorezmian clay fortresses Tuprak-kala and Ayaz-kala dating back to the 2nd century AD. If lucky, you may still find in the dust archaic debris, such as pieces of ceramics, coins and arrow heads in the gloomy dark of half-buried rooms. You will have lunch in a Yurt (nomadic tent) on the top of a hill right next to the huge clay fortress with a smaller fortification on the slopes of the hill. Drive to Khiva. Arrive in Khiva, check in to the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel.

Spend a day in UNESCO World Heritage site Itchan-Kala Fortress, living museum under the open sky.
Khiva – the most ancient and unique city-museum under open sky.
Monuments here are located close to each other, inside the walls of Ichan Qala internal city: UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will see the following monuments: Allakulikhan Madrassah(XVIII – XIX cc), Muhammad Amin Khan Madrassah (XIX c), Kalta Minor, Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, Islom Khoja Minaret, Juma Mosque, Toshhovli and others.
Overnight at the group hotel in Khiva.

In the morning depart Khiva and drive to Bukhara (480 km, 7-8 h.). The Great Silk Road once routed through Bukhara and Khiva ran through the Kyzyl Kum Desert, Stop en-route to enjoy views of Amu Darya River and the desert. Arrive in Bukhara late in the afternoon, check in to the hotel. Time for rest and overnight at the hotel. N.B. we advise preparing lunch-boxes for this trip.
N.B. some parts of the road are presently being renovated.

After breakfast beginning of the city tour. Bukhara is the real Oriental fairy-tale, city with small romantic streets, which unsurpassed has preserved the beauty and charm of the ancient walls.
Monuments here are located close to each other and that’s why sightseeing tour will be organized without use of vehicle.
Today you will see: Kalon ensemble, Madrassah Miri-Arab, Madrassah Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan, Tim of Abdoullakhan XVIc, Lyabi Hauz complex (XVI-XVII), caravanserai Sarrafon XIXc, Kukeldash Madrassah (1568), photo gallery of Shavkat Baltaev, Chor-Minor Madrassah,
Don’t forget to visit trade domes of ancient Bukhara bazaar-even in case you won’t buy any souvenir or Bukhara ancient adornment (that is highly unlikely)you will get many pleasant impressions and gain extensive insight about Orient and its inhabitants. Overnight at the group hotel in Bukhara.

Start the second day with a visit to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa – summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir, unique site combining Oriental and Russian architecture. Continue to Bakhouddin Naqshbandi Mausoleum and Chor-Bakr Necropolis. Kosh Madrasa complex XVIc, Samanids’ dynasty mausoleum (IX-X cc), Oriental Bazar, Chashma-Ayub burial-vault (XIV-XIX cc), Bolo Khauz mosque XVIIIc, Arc Fortress (VI-VIIcc)…
Enjoy free time in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning depart Bukhara and drive to yurt camp located in Kyzyl Kum desert (230 km, 4 h.*). On the way stop in Gijduvan pottery masters workshop and Nurata town to visit a local mosque with a holy spring water. In the afternoon, continue driving to yurt camp in Kyzyl Kum desert. Stop on Nurata pass to see petroglyphs. Arrive in Aidar Yurt Camp, accommodation in yurt. Camel riding and free time. In the evening dinner near the camp fire with Kazakh akin singing folk songs. Overnight in the yurt.
Meals: dinner

Breakfast at the saloon-tent and then - transfer to Aydarkul Lake. Then you will have a lunch (made of lake fish) in tent located in lakeside of Aydarkul. You can enjoy the rest swimming in water of the unique Aydarkul Lake, become brown laying in chaise longue set closely to the lakeside.
And then transfer to Sentab. Here will stay in the home of local people Supper in guesthouse at 19:00. Overnight in home stay.

Breakfast 7:00 - 7:30.
8:00 departure from the Sentyab village, hike along a good path to the mountain pass (1516 m, 3 hours hike). Spectacular view of Sentyab village, the river canyon, the peaks of Nuratau mountains and Lake Aydar. 2 hours lunch break. Return to Sentyab village (arrival at 16:00). The guests will get introduced to the life and daily activities of local Tajik people. Supper at guesthouse at 19:00.
- For fit hikers, the tour can be prolonged for 1:30 hours to the mountain lake Fazilman (1640 m). At a shepherd's hut a lunch break is planned. A different route will be taken on the way back (3 hours 30 minutes to Sentyab village). Arrival at 17:00 at Sentyab village.

08 AM. Breakfast . transfert to Asraf village. People have been living in Nurata Mountains since the times of Alexander the Great. Villagers keep house and farm as it was done centuries ago. Women cook on the open fire, weave, spin yarn, bake their own bread, milk the cows. Men farm, shepherd, built houses of stone, rocks and clay. Dinner at guesthouse.
O/n at guesthouse.

08 AM. Breakfast at guesthouse. Departure to Samarkand via Djizzak. Upon arrival to Samarkand accommodation at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Start of sightseeing tour in “Eden of the Orient”- that name was given to Samarkand by the philosophers and poets of the past.
Today you will see this famous city in all its beauty : visit Registan square (XVII c) including Ulugbek Madrassah (1417-1420), Sher-Dor Madrassah (1619-1636), Tillya-Kori (1647-1660) Madrassah, Gur-Emir mausoleum , Bibi-Khanum mosque (XVc.), Shokhi-Zinda (XII-XVc) architectural assemble, Ulugbek observatory(XVc.).
Overnight at the group hotel in Samarkand.

Continue sightseeing: visit Afrasiab Museum and the Tomb of Saint Daniel. Then drive to Konigil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. Enjoy free time with car and driver at your disposal after sightseeing tour. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning drive to Shakhrisabz. Have a short city tour in Shakhrisabz 3h. Visit Mausoleum of Jakhongir in Dor-us Siodat Memorial Complex, remains of Ak-Saray Palace, Dor-ut Tilavat Ensemble with Kok-Gumbaz Mosque and burial vault of Tamerlane’s father. After lunch drive back to Samarkand. Diner & overnight at the hotel.

Morning flight to Tashkent. Sightseeing in the capital of Uzbekistan, the biggest city in Central Asia. Explore Chorsu Bazaar. Then take a ride on Tashkent Metro to city center with Amir Timur Square, Independence Square and Applied Arts Museum. Enjoy free time in the afternoon. Transfer to the airport. End of the tour.