Discover Uzbekistan

Our adventure begins in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. As many flights arrive very late in the evening or early tomorrow morning, there are no activities scheduled today. Want more time in Tashkent? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Say hi to your tour leader and fellow travellers this morning, when we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Late morning, we explore this Central Asian capital, which includes visiting Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City, home to mausoleums and a bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to cool the summer heat. There are also very interesting museums and mosques. This evening, your tour leader will ensure a big welcome over dinner at a local restaurant before returning to our hotel. Please note: Some flights arrive into Tashkent very early this morning, giving a few hours to rest before the city tour.

Travel to Samarkand by high-speed train (approximately 2hr 15min) this morning. Samarkand is a jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. We have a busy day, taking in many of the sights. There is the exquisite jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir, the resting place of Tamerlane, now considered by many to be an Uzbek national hero. Perhaps the greatest treasure is Registan Square, Tamerlane’s outstanding creation, a vast complex of domes and minarets, mosques and madrassas. We visit the grandiose Bibi Khanum mosque, and the magnificent Gur-Emir mausoleum, where Tamerlane, his sons, and his grandson Ulugbek are buried. Samarkand is still a major hub for textiles, carpets and art and is a great place to try your bargaining skills and explore the bazaar.

We continue our exploration of Samarkand today, visiting: Ulugbek Observatory; Shahi-Zinda, the necropolis of the rulers and nobility of Samarkand, home to magnificently decorated mausoleums; and Siab bazaar. We also enjoy a masterclass on making and painting ceramics, plus a demonstration on creating silk paper using medieval technology in the village of Konigil.

Enjoy free time in Samarkand this morning for shopping or further exploration. In the afternoon, we drive (4hr 30min) to the Nurata Mountains through the central Jizzakh Region. Our destination is the ancient mountain village of Sentyab, nestled into a fertile river valley. We have time for a scenic walk to explore the village, before cooking a traditional dish with our hosts.

This morning, we hike for two to three hours to the ruins of an ancient village, where the houses were originally built of flat stone. After lunch at the homestay, we drive west for three hours to the Kyzylkum desert, where we stay overnight at a simple yurt camp. After arriving, we take a walk in the vicinity of the camp and get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the desert. After dinner, we sit around a large bonfire while listening to traditional folk musician, who sings with a dombra (a stringed instrument).

After breakfast, we can take a short ride (optional) on two-humped Bactrian camels, before heading to nearby Aydarkul, a huge lake (more than 125mi/200km long) surrounded by the sands and dunes of the Kyzyl-kum desert. Here, we can relax and swim from the sandy beach, before returning to the yurt camp for lunch. In the afternoon, we drive towards the city of Navoi. After around one hour, we stop in Nur, a place of pilgrimage, for a short exploration of the city. After, we complete the transfer (two hours) to Navoi and take a sleeper train departing around 8.30pm to Kungrad, arriving around 9.30am tomorrow.