In the heart, arts… and deserts

Day by day Itinerary

Tashkent- Samarkand- Nurata valley- Bukhara- Tashkent

Tashkent- Samarkand- Nurata valley- Bukhara- Khiva- Nukus- Aral Sea

*How to read this itinerary:

B: breakfast, L: lunch, D: dinner, LG: local guide

Day 1, 16 Mar: arrival in Tashkent

Arrive at the hotel and meet with Alice and the rest of the group before trying some Uzbek cuisine.  Today is a time to get to know each other, the first feeling of the city, adjusting to the weather, first impressions, and rest.

In the evening, we will head out for the first dinner as a group (not included)

Inclusions: private transfer from the airport, overnight stay at the hotel in Tashkent

Day 2, 17 Mar: Tashkent

First full day in Tashkent. We start by exploring the modern and lively capital of the country. Early on, we will walk through the city center and its parks and canals, and we will use the metro, the first Soviet metro of Central Asia. We will explore the biggest bazaar of Central Asia: Chorsu Bazaar, and learn about the food products and inhabitants of the country by getting lost among vegetables, spices, cheese, nuts, etc.

For our first lunch, we celebrate with a glorious portion of Plov, the national dish of the country, at the Plov center, where tons of rice are cooked in an enormous Calderon every day, and the city gathers for lunch.

After lunch, we will head to Madina Kasimbaeva suzani studio and visit her workshop to learn more about one of the most popular arts and crafts of the country, Suzani embroidery.

Inclusions: B, Local Guide all-day, suzani workshop, lunch, transport, and metro tickets, overnight stay at the hotel in Tashkent

Day 3, 18 Mar: Tashkent

A second full day in the capital. Today, you make your own itinerary. The day is yours to explore whatever you feel the most: dive into the many history or art museums, get lost in the soviet looking courtyard blocks, go back for a deeper visit of Chorsu, climb the TV tower, relòax and people-watch from one of the many beautiful parks and gardens.

Inclusions: B, overnight stay at the hotel in Tashkent

Day 4, 19 Mar Tashkent- Samarkand

We catch an early high-speed train to Samarkand and arrive at around 11 am. We will first immerse ourselves in the village atmosphere of Konigil. We will relax in its beautiful, breezy gardens and learn more about the centuries-old traditions of paper-making from mulberry trees.  We will have lunch there and then continue to learn more about another unique and ancient art of this land: carpets! We will visit the Afghan-Uzbek silk factory founded by the 103-year-old Haji Mohammad Ewaz Badghisi, one of the most iconic and well-known enterprises of the country even nowadays. The factory is not only known for its incredible family history and the quality of its silk carpet but also for the treatment given to its workers, the values in which the family believed, and the humanitarian projects that the family is involved in, especially in their second home country, Afghanistan. 

Inclusions: B, LG full-day, visit to the Konigil area and the Afghan-Uzbek carpet factory, transport, overnight stay at the hotel in Samarkand

Day 5, 20 Mar: Samarkand

In the first half of the day, we will follow the Silk Road history through blue domes, dusty alleys, and Soviet, breezy boulevards, visiting the most iconic sites. The rest of the day will be on our own. For those who like, we will learn more about the art of jewellery by visiting a lòocal artisan who gives life back to ancient and forgotten , masterpieces.

Inclusions: B, LG half-day, transport and overnight stay at the hotel in Samarkand

We will drive towards Nurata ( approx 200 km and a 4-hour drive) and then continue to the less discovered and incredibly stunning area of the lush and breathtaking Nurata mountains.  

We will drive through an arid, flat area with the mountains accompanying us on one side and the Aydar Lake in the distance on the other. The road is very bumpy, but probably the most scenic of our tour. 

We arrive just in time to learn how to cook another popular and very loved Uzbek dish: Manti(ravioli filled with meat or vegetables), and get settled in our guesthouse, and get familiar with nature and a very different pace of living.

Time to detox from technology and the crowd in the village of Asrof, only 35 families live there, our guesthouse is located in a small valley where water flows in shallow and crystal-clear streams. The vegetation there abounds in fruit trees, centuries-old gigantic mulberry trees, and flowers, the air is clean, and it will take us very little time to get adjusted to this paradise. 

Inclusions: B, D transport, cooking experience, overnight stay in a local home-stay/guesthouse (private rooms with shared bathroom)

For the evening, we will enjoy a delicious home-cooked dinner by Dildora, a lady who lives close to the Amir Timur mausoleum (Gur Emir) and loves to open her house to small groups of travelers.

Day 6, 21 Mar: Samarkand- Nurata Mountains

Today, we explore the valley of Nurata at the border with the Kyzylkum desert, away from the buzz of the cities. We will hike from Asrof through the remains of a 200-year-old village, walking up towards the spring and through woods of ancient mulberry trees. We have a few different options for hiking today accordingly to our fitness level and the weather.

Inclusions: B,L,D, private transport if needed, overnight stay in a local home-stay/guesthouse (private rooms with shared bathroom)

Day 7, 22 Mar: Nurata mountains

In the morning, depart the Nurata Mountains and drive to Bukhara (330 km, 5-6 h.*). We will arrive at around 14.30.  Bukhara is all to be explored on foot, getting lost through its alleys and spending time in its ancient bazaar and mosques. Today, it could be a good time to experience a local Hammam after the long drive (or ride).
Inclusions: B, transport, overnight stay at the hotel in Bukhara

Day 8, 23 Mar: Nurata mountains- Bukhara

Today we spend the full day in Bukhara, In the morning, we will be exploring the city with our local guide. At lunchtime, we will try the Sofi plov of the world-renowned miniaturist Davlat Toshev. We will spend time and learn about his incredible initiative of opening a school for kids with health and family difficulties, understanding how the project works, and his creative process behind the intriguing Central Asian and Middle Eastern art of miniatures.

Davlot loves cooking and with his wife, he will show us a different version of the national dish.

For those in the mood for more arts and beauty, we will walk almost next door to the Suzanne workshop of Rakhmon Toshev and his family, and be driven away by the bright colors, the ability of its creators, and the stories behind this ancient embroidery technique.

We will enjoy a free afternoon and meet in the evening to learn about another popular art, developed in Bukhara for centuries, puppet making. 

In the evening, we will be heading to our last dinner together as a group!

Inclusions: B, L, LG full day, entrances to Samanid Mausoleum, Ark citadel, Bolohvuz mosque, Kalyan Mosque, overnight stay at the hotel in Bukhara

Day 9, 24 Mar: Bukhara

For those who chose the 10-day itinerary, it's time to return to Tashkent: we'll check out of the hotel at noon and enjoy some additional free time in Bukhara before heading back to Tashkent. At 14:30, we will transfer to the train station to board the fast train to Tashkent (15:50 – 19:43). Upon arrival in Tashkent, we will transfer to the hotel.

Inclusions: B, Private transport, train ticket, overnight stay at the hotel in Tashkent.

Day 10, 25 Mar: Bukhara- Khiva

For those who chose the 16-day itinerary, we will continue our journey onward to Khiva: we'll check out in the morning and start driving along the Kyzylkum desert. The drive will take about 6 hours (without stops). On the way, we will have a lunch stop before continuing driving through the cotton fields before reaching the fertile and green area of Urgench and Khiva.

Upon arrival in Khiva, we will check in

Inclusions: B, Private transport, overnight stay at the hotel in Khiva.

Day 10, 25 Mar: Bukhara- Tashkent- departure

Day 11, 26 Mar: Khiva

Time to say goodbye to our group!

Check out of the hotel at noon. Free time until transfer to Tashkent International Airport. End of the tour. 

Inclusions: B, private transfer to the airport 

Day 12, 27 Mar: Khiva- Nukus

Today we dedicate the day to discovering one of the most beautiful historical towns of Central Asia. Khiva \is a jewel, left intact from history, the city is all to be explored on foot within its iconic city walls.

Inclusions: B, LG full day, entrances to main sites, overnight stay at the hotel in Khiva

Day 13-14, 28-29 Mar: Nukus- Aral lake- Nukus

From the region of Khorazm to the capital of the independent republic of Karakalpakstan. From now on we will travel on less- known areas of the country, leaving the busy cities behind us. We will reach Nukus in only 3/4 hours.

Inclusions: B, private transport to Nukus, entrances to Savitsky museum , overnight stay at the hotel in Nukus

Day 15, 30 Mar: Nukus

The most adventurous part of he trip is about to start! Today, after checking out from the hotel in the morning, we will board on 4x4 car to head towards Moynaq, once a flourishing town on the shore of the Aral Sea. ON the way after leaving Nukus we will stop to visit a few sites of incredible importance, like 2500 years 2500-year-old ancient fortress of Gavir Qala.

In 3 hours, we will be in Monyaq, where we will start to witness what is considered the worst environmental disaster of our history: the drying of the Aral Sea. After visiting the local museum and the rusty ships left on the sand, we will have lunch in a local guesthouse and then continue towards today’s shore of the Sea. On the way, we will experience a landscape of extraordinary beauty.

Tonight accommodation is in the desert in a camp, we will sleep in tents and enjoy the quiet of this unique place.

Inclusions: B,L, D, private transport on 4x4, LG, overnight stay in tents

Day 16, 31 Mar: Nukus- Tashkent- departure

Slowly, we will make our way back to Nukus. Keep on exploring the Aral Sea area. In arrival check.in at the hotel in Nukus.

Inclusions: B, L, private transport on 4x4,, LG, overnight stay at the hotel in Nukus

Day 14, 27 Oct: Nukus- Tashkent

A full day in Nukus, for those interested the visit to the Savitsky art museum, the biggest collection of Soviet avanguard art after the Hermitage museum is a must. For the others a stroll through the quiet and peculiar center of this city would be a great alternative. We will visit the local bazaar and explore the city center.

Transfer to the airport in the evening for the lfight back to Tashkent at (22.30-23.50). At the arrival transfer tot he hotel and check-in-

Inclusions: B, transfer to and from the aiprots flight ticket, LG, overnight stay at the hotel in Tashkent

Day 15, 28 Oct: departure from Tashkent

Transfer to the airport. and time to say bye to beautiful Uzbekistan!

Inclusions: B, private transfer to the airport