Uzbekistan Caravan Tour from Urgench

Early morning flight arrives from Istanbul, after landing in Urgench airport, your driver will take you to the hotel in Khiva (35 km, 45min), where check-in begins at noon. Your guide will meet you at the hotel to begin your walking tour of Khiva, the “Museum Under the Open Sky”:

• Begin your excursion at Kunya-Ark Fortress, the inner citadel of Ichan Kala (Ichan-Qala);
• Kalta Minor Tower, once destined to be one of the tallest minarets in Central Asia;
• Muhammad Amin-Khan, the biggest medieval madrasah and educational institution in Khiva;
• Muhammad Rahim-Khan Madrasah, a sprawling complex that once stood as one of the largest in all Central Asia;
• Juma Mosque, built with 212 wooden columns and a minaret 32.5 m high;
• Tash-Hauli Palace (Stone Courtyard Palace), which resembles a fortress with high battlements, towers and garrisoned gates;
• Necropolis of Pahlavan Mahmud, the ancient religious center of Ichan Kala;
• Minaret and madrasah of Islam Khodja, the vizier of the last khan. The complex consists of a madrasah and a minaret whose top platform has a height of 45m.

Overnight in Khiva.
Tour duration: 6-7 hours

After breakfast and hotel checkout, begin your drive from Khiva to Bukhara through the Kyzylkum Desert (480 km, 7hrs). Caravans who traversed the Great Silk Road, carrying good of porcelain and spices, used this same route for hundreds of years*. Arrive in Bukhara in late afternoon. Check in to the hotel and enjoy a free evening in the Old City, the picturesque heart of Bukhara. Overnight in Bukhara.
*Since there is only one cafe on the way, you might want to consider preparing a packed lunch before this trip.
Optional Activity: Nodir Devon Begi evening folk-show includes local dances, colorful costumes, a traditional band and even an Uzbek fashion show and dinner. (App. 15 USD)

After a leisurely breakfast, explore Bukhara on a walking tour with your local guide. Enjoy your private tour of the Old City’s most impressive sights:

• Lyabi-Hauz ensemble, holding the largest artificial reservoir of medieval Bukhara (14th-17th centuries). This ensemble includes some of the largest madrasahs in the city: the Khanaka Madrasah, Kukeldash Madrasah and Nadir Divan Beghi Madrasah (all 16th century), Magoki-Attori Mosque, the oldest mosque in Bukhara (12th century);
• Trade Domes (15th-16th centuries), which still house local handicrafts for sale;
• Poi Kalyan Ensemble (12th-16th centuries), consisting of the Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque, Amir-Alimkhan Madrasah and Miri-Arab Madrasah;
• Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century) and Abdulazizkhan Madrasah (17th century), relatively untouched yet impressive religious schools;
• Ark Fortress (4th century), the ancient center of Bukharan statehood and currently home to a small museum;
• Bolo-Khauz Complex, consisting of an artfully decorated 18th century mosque, a minaret and reservoirs that once provided water for the entire city;
• Samanids Mausoleum (9th-10th centuries), believed to be the most ancient brick building in Central Asia.

Overnight in Bukhara.
Tour duration: 6 hours

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy free time until noon. Check out from the hotel and drive to to Gijduvon (50 km, 1hr), a small town whose traditional crafts and ceramics have been sought after in Central Asia for centuries due to their quality and colorful, decorative style. Continue driving to Samarkand (240 km, 3.5 hrs). Along the way, stop by the Rabat-i-Malik Caravanserai ruins and Sardoba, an ancient water reservoir in Navoi. Arrive in Samarkand, the capital of Tamerlane's Empire. Check in to the hotel and have a free evening to rest. Overnight in Samarkand.

Breakfast at the hotel before beginning your private tour of Samarkand to the following sites:

• Gur Emir, the imposing burial site of Tamerlane and Mirzo Ulugbek;
• Registan Square, the commercial center of Samarkand for centuries and Samarkand’s most famous site today. The square includes three madrasahs: Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century), Sher-Dor Madrasah (17th century) and Tilla-Kori Madrasah (17th century);
• Bibi Khanum Mosque, built by Tamerlane for his favorite wife;
• Siab Bazaar, a multi-level complex where you can shop for souvenirs and sample sweets, fruits and Samarkand’s famous bread;
• Shakhi-Zinda, a burial complex built between the 9th-14th centuries. Climb the blue-domed path and explore more than 20 small mausoleums that line the broad alleyway;
• Ulugbek Observatory, where you can see the remains of a 14th-15th century sextant and tour the Ulugbek Museum.

Overnight in Samarkand.
Tour duration: 6 hours

After breakfast, free time to explore Samarkand before checking out of the hotel at noon. Transfer to the train station to take the late afternoon train to Tashkent (330 km, 2.5 hrs). You’ll be met at the Tashkent station and taken to the hotel. Overnight in Tashkent.
Optional Activity: Visit the Samarkand Khovrenko Winery, which is over 150 years old and today continues to produce a range of wines, brandy and vodka. The tour includes a wine museum and a special wine tasting room. (App.25 USD)

Your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to begin your Tashkent city tour. Your private tour will include:

• Excursion to the Old City, including the Khazret-Imam Architectural Complex, which holds the oldest known Quran in the world. Also on site are the Madrasah of Barak-Khan (16th century), Tillya-Sheykh Mosque, Juma Mosque and Mausoleum of Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi (15th century);
• Visit to Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent’s most well-established bazaar that includes a large selection of traditional Uzbek ceramics, jewelry, handbags, garments and more;
• Ride on the Tashkent Metro, an immaculate subway system with each station decorated in colored mosaics and ceramics to depict a specific theme;
• Walk through Amir Timur Square and Independence Square;
• Drive to the Sacred Heart Cathedral, a 20th-century Roman Catholic Church with beautiful stained-glass windows and Gothic-style architecture;
• Tour of the Applied Arts Museum, an informative collection of Uzbekistan’s finest handicrafts housed in an ornately decorated villa.

Overnight in Tashkent.
Tour duration: 5 hours

Breakfast and free morning. Check out of the hotel by noon and transfer to Tashkent International Airport. End of Uzbekistan Caravan Tour from Urgench.