Along the Great Silk Road by Bike
Uzbekistan cycling. Biking tour in Uzbekistan

Duration: 19 days, 18 nights
Type of route: air, motor coach, biking and hiking tour
Group size: 2 - 20
Season: May - October
Accommodation: Double in tents and hotel

Description: Travel by bike in Uzbekistan. Tour package consists of a combination of cycling, natural, historical and cultural components. Tour is 100% vehicle and guide supported.

A fascinating historical discovery and adventure tour passes along the southeastern part of one of the greatest Asian desert - the Kyzyl-Kum (Red Sand). You will see the most ancient cities and world renowned architectural monuments of Samarkand, become acquainted with the original way of life and traditions of the local people. The wild nature of the deserts and mountains will be waiting for you. You will pass places where the Great Silk Road ran in ancient times, and visit places which are connected with the name of Tamerlane the Great and his cave among the foothills of the Gissar range. According to ancient legend, the cave was an asylum for Tamerlane and his small army. Bicycle tour is full of exotic adventures, legends and oriental hospitality. The length of the active part of the route is 500 km.

Travel itinerary: Tashkent - Jizzak - Yangikishlak village - Majrumsay gorge - Sentyabsay gorge - Aydarkul Lake - Nurata - Sarmish National Reserve - Kalkan-Karman village - Navoi - Bukhara - Shakhrisabz - Yangykyshlar village - Tashkurgan settlement - Tatar village - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand - Tashkent

Day 1: Arrival in Tashkent airport. Transfer to hotel. Accommodation in hotel. Dinner. Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 2: Breakfast. Transfer to Jizzak city - Yangikishlak village (290 km, 5 hrs). Camp. Lunch. Here begins the active part of the cycle trek. There is a good asphalt road from Yangikishlak village to the foot of the Nurata ridge and Majrumsay gorge and across the Kizil-Kum desert. Here grows a unique thousand-year archa tree, whose trunk is more than 5 meters around. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 3: Breakfast. Passage from Majrumsay gorge to Sentyabsay gorge (60 km, 5 hrs) - by cycle. Camp. Lunch. Along the way, visit to the ruins of an ancient settlement where in the 6^th - 8^th cc. gold mining took place. Acquaintance with the way of life of the ancient people. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 4: Breakfast. Travel from Sentyabsay gorge to the shores of Aydarkul Lake (80 km, 6 hrs) - by cycle. Lunch. Camp. Free time. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 5: Breakfast. Ride from Aydarkul Lake to yurt camp (30 km, 3 hrs) - by cycle. Lunch. Camel riding. Dinner around an open fire with the songs of a local Akin. Overnight in yurts.

Days 6: Breakfast. Ride from yurt camp to Nurata city (100 km, 7 hrs) - by cycle. Lunch. Camp. Along the way, visit to view ancient irrigation systems - kerizes (from the time of Alexander the Great). Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 7: Breakfast. Sightseeing in Nurata city and its surroundings, mosque of brothers Khasan and Khuseyn (16^th - 17^th cc.), smith's and potter's workshops, a visit to a holy spring of Muslim pilgrimage. Ride to Sarmish National Reserve (40 km, 3 hrs) by cycle. Lunch. Camp. Lunch in an Uzbek house. Viewing of petroglyphs and hike up gorge. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 8: Breakfast. Ride from Sarmish to Kalkan-Karman village (36 km, 4 hrs) by cycle. Then transfer Navoi - Bukhara by bus (150 km, 3 hrs). Accommodation in hotel. Lunch. Free time. Dinner. Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 9: Breakfast. City tour: Citadel Ark (4^th c. BC), Samanids Mausoleum (9^th - 10^th c.), Chashma Ayub(14^th c.), Bolo-Hauz Mosque (early 20^th c.), Coumpol bazaar, Medreseh Nodir-Divan-Beghi, complex Lyabi-Khauz (14^th - 17^th cc.), Minaret Kalon (12^th c.), Kalyan Mosque (12^th c.), Medreseh Miri Arab (16^th c.). Lunch. Continuation of tour out of town: summer residence Sitorai-Mokhi-Hossa (19^th c.). Dinner. Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 10: Breakfast. Transfer from Bukhara to Shakhrisabz by bus (200 km, 3 hrs). Then cycling (100 km, 4 h). On the way you can see jeyrans (desert goats). Lunch. Accommodation in hotel. Dinner. Overnight in Shakhrisabz.

Day 11: Breakfast. Drive from Shakhrisabz via Kyzyltepa Village through the Langar Valley to Yangykyshlar Village (60 km, 2 hrs). Lunch. Ride up the valley (50 km, 8 hrs). Camp. On the way, visiting several villages and exploring local lifestyle. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 12: Breakfast. Strenuous day. Ride over Kyzylgaza pass (2600 m) to a plateau and descend to Tashkurgan settlement (20 km, 6 - 7 hrs). Lunch. Camp. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 13: Breakfast. Hike up to the Tamerlane cave (8 km, 7 hrs). Camp. A good path runs along the Kolasay River. Lunch. On the way exploring dinosaur footprints in limestone from the Jurassic period. There is a great cleft with an internal lake in the Tamerlane cave. They say the water of the lake has healing powers and the lake is "sacred". It is a place of pilgrimage for many local people. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 14: Breakfast. Ride to a Tatar village (20 km, 6 hrs). Lunch. Camp. En-route we will see the Watch-tower (14^th c.) and get to know the handicrafts of local people, whose work is famous for making suspended roads (ovrings). Possible visit to local house. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 15: Breakfast. Rendezvous with bus. Drive to Shakhrisabz (30 km, 1 hr). Lunch. Ride to Samarkand (75 km, 7 hrs). Accommodation in hotel. The route runs through the picturesque spurs of the Turkestan range and Takhtakaracha pass from where we will receive a view of the entire Kashkandarya Valley. Dinner. Overnight in Samarkand.

Day 16: Breakfast. City tour program: Medreseh Ulughbek (15^th c.), Medreseh Shir-Dor (17^th c.), Medreseh Tilla-Kori (17^th c.), Ulughbek Observatory. Lunch. After lunch continuation of the program: Mausoleum Guri Emir - Tamerlane's Tomb (14^th - 15^th cc.), architectural complex Shakhi-Zindeh (11^th - 15^th cc.), Bibi-Khonum Mosque, Bazaar. Dinner. Overnight in Samarkand.

Day 17: Breakfast. Transfer Samarkand - Tashkent (315 km, 4.5 hrs) by bus. Lunch. Accommodation in hotel. Free time. Dinner. Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 18: Breakfast. City tour around Tashkent: Independence Square, Navoi Theater square, Barak-Khan Madrasah, Kaffal-Shashi mausoleum (15^th c.), Kukeldash Madrasah (16^th c.), the Djuma mosque (9^th c.). Dinner. Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 19: Breakfast. Transfer to Tashkent airport for flight to next destination (according to timetable).

We hope you like the program and assure you that we are absolutely open to any suggestions to increase the range of our services for the complete satisfaction of our clients and are happy to meet your special requirements.

Our tour operator will work closely with you or your travel agent to carefully prepare an itinerary based on your stated interests.