« The Great Journey along Uzbekistan»
Duration: 12 days, 11 nights
Itinerary: Tashkent (1) - Samarkand (2) - Shaxrisabz(0) - Samarkand(1) - Yurt stay in Nurata (The Kyzyl-Kum desert) (2) - Bukhara(2) - Khiva (2)- Urgench - Tashkent(1)
Type of motion : flight and land transport (bus)
Accommodation: Standard single/double rooms in hotels, night yurt stays.
Day 1: Evening arrival to Tashkent - capital of Uzbekistan. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Free time and rest after a long flight.
Day2: Breakfast. Transfer to Samarkand (315 km, 5 hrs) and check-in at the hotel. City tour: Gur-Emir Mausoleum - the tomb of Tamerlane and other Timurids, Rukhabad Mausoleum ("The Spirit Abode") - according to one legend, inside this dome there is a box with seven hairs of Prophet Mukhammed (XIV c.), The Registan Square ("Sandy Place") - the most visiting place of Samarkand, which consists of three magnificent monuments : Ulugbek Madrasa (XV c.), Sherdor Madrasa (XVII c.), Tilla-Kari Madrasa . The Khazrat Khizir Mosque - named after legendary Islamic Saint and eternal traveler (XIX c.), Bibikhanim Mosque, named after the elder wife of Tamerlane (XIV c.). The architectural complex Shakhi-Zinda ("A living King") - The name of the complex is connected with the name of Kusam Ibn Abbas - the cousin of Prophet Mukhammed (XI-XV cc.). Night in the hotel
Day 3: Breakfast. The city tours includes: Morning drive to the memorial complex of the Sunni theologian Imam Mukhammad Al-Bukhari (died in 870) (25km from Samarkand).After lunch visit the eastern market Siab , the excavation site and the museum of the ancient town Afrasiab,The Khodja Doniyor mausoleum - this name is connected with Koran and the Biblical prophet Daniil, , the unique Ulugbek observatory ( XV c). Free time. Night in the hotel.
Day 4: Breakfast. Transfer to Shakhrisabz. (90 km, 1, 5 hrs). City tour around Shakhrisabz: the ruins of Ak-Saray palace ("the White Palace") - Tamerlane's summer residence (XIV-XV cc.), The mausoleum of Mukhammad Jakhangir- the mausoleum of the elder and beloved son of Tamerlane (XIV c.), The Dor-us-Saodat complex: "The Khathrat Imam mosque" -a multi-step mosque with a cupola shaped hall and decorated iwans (XIV c.), Gumbazi-Saidon - the mausoleum of Saids (relatives of Prophet Mukhammad, "The Kuk-Gumbaz mosque" ("Blue cupola") - was built by Ulugbek on behalf of his father Shakhrukh (XV c.). Lunch. After lunch drive back to Samarkand. Arrive in Samarkand. Night in Samarkand.
Day 5: Breakfast. Transfer to Yurt camp through Yangig'azg'an village (260 km, 4 hrs). Check-in at a Kazakh yurt. Lunch. Get to know the sandy landscape, flora and fauna of the Kyzyl-Kum. In the evening ride the camels. Dinner around the open fire with the songs of a Kazakh akin (singer). Night in the Yurts.
Day 6: Breakfast. Transfer to Aydarkul Lake. Fishing. Swimming. Return to the Yurts. Ride the camels. Free time. Night in the Yurts.
Day 7: Breakfast. Transfer to Bukhara (270 km, 4 hrs) through Nurata. On the way stop at Sarmish canyon to see the stone gallery of "The Bronze age Petroglyphs" Nurata city tour: "The Khasan and Khusan Mosque" - the site of pilgrimage of muslims, "Spring" (Chashma) - the holy spring with a number of "mariinka" fish in it. "Namazgokh Mosque" (X c.), "The Sheikh Khusan Nuri Madrasa" (XVI-XVII cc.), the ruins of Alexander the Great's citadel. In the second half of the day arrive in Bukhara and check-in at the hotel. Free time. Dinner in a local guest house. Night in the hotel.
Day 8: Breakfast. City tour: "The Samanids Mausoleum" - the most ancient brickwork building in Central Asia, the masterpiece of world architecture (IX-X cc.), "The Chashmai Ayub mausoleum". "The Bolo Khavuz Mosque" (beginning of the XXth c.), The Ark Citadel - the center of government system of Bukhara (IV c. BC), the silk carpet shops, "The Poi Kalon Complex" ("The foot of the Great"), The Kalon Minaret - the main symbol of holy Bukhara (XII c.). "The Kalon Mosque", The Mir Arab Madrasa - the functioning madrasa, one of the mostly esteemed spiritual Islamic universities (XVI c.), "Toki Zargaron" - The cupola of jewelers. (XV-XVI cc.),The Ulugbek Madrasa - the first of the three madrasa, built by Tamerlane's grandson Ulugbek (XV c.), The Abdulazizkhan Madrasa, The Abdullakhan Madrasa (1588-1590.),
The Magoki Attori Mosque - the most ancient quarter mosque of Bukhara (XII c.), the masterpiece of Bukhara architecture , The Nodir Divan-begi Khanaka and Madrasa , which was used as an accommodation and mediation by Sufis (XVII c.), The Kukaldosh Madrasa (XVI c.) - one of the ancient madrasas of Bukhara, The Labi Khauz ensemble - The biggest artificial water reservoir "Chor Minor"( Four minarets) - a unique madrasa, built by Khalif Niyazqul (XVIII c.). Night in Bukhara. Day 9:Breakfast. Transfer to Khiva through Kyzul-Kum (480 km, 6-8 hrs). Arrive at Khiva - The only "Museum under open sky" in Central Asia. Check-in at he hotel. Night in Khiva.
Day 10: Breakfast. City tour around the architectural complex "Ichan Kala" (XII-XIX cc.): Kunya Ark, The khan's fortress - the internal citadel of the Ichan Kala (XVI-XVII cc.), The Kalta Minor Tower "Short Minaret"), was meant to be the biggest and tallest minaret in Central Asia (XIX c.), The Mukhammad Amin Khan madrasa - the biggest middle age madrasa in Khiva (1845-1855 cc.), The Juma Mosque with 212 wood columns a 32,5 meter tall minaret (X c.), The Tash Khavli ("The Stony Courtyard") (XIX c.), The Ak Mosque ("The white Mosque") - a small quarter mosque at the gates of Palvan-darvaza (1838-1842 cc.), The Pakhlavan Makhmud Memorial - the main cult center of Ichan Kala (1810-1913 cc.), The Islom Khodja Residence (1910) -The residence of the main vizier of the last Khiva khan . Free time. Night in Khiva.
Day 11: Breakfast. Transfer to the airport of Urgench (35 km, 30 min.) for the morning flight HY 1052 Urgench-Tashkent. Arrive in Tashkent. Check-in at the hotel. City tour around Tashkent: visit The Khst Imam complex (16c), the library of Koran and other old manuscripts, Kukeldash Madrasa (16c), The local market "Chorsu", The Museum of Applied Arts. Farewell dinner in a traditional Uzbek restaurant. Night in Tashkent
Day 12: Breakfast. Transfer to the international airport of Tashkent for the morning flight