12-day Extended Uzbekistan Group Tour

Arrive in Tashkent . Transfer from the airport to the hotel, checking in from 14:00. Free time.

After breakfast, take a guided sightseeing tour of Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, the largest city in Central Asia to begin the 12-day Extended Uzbekistan Group Tour. Begin at the Courage Monument , which commemorates the 1966 earthquake and honours the resilience of the people of Tashkent, before continuing to the historic Old City . Visit the Mausoleum of Kaffal Shashi , walk past the Khast-Imam Complex , view the exterior of the Islamic Civilization Center , and stroll along the newly developed Zarkaynar Street. Next, explore Chorsu Bazaar , then ride the beautifully decorated Tashkent Metro to the modern city centre. Enjoy free time for lunch. Then continue to the State Museum of Applied Arts and admire the elegant facade of the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre , concluding the tour at Amir Timur Square , where you will end Tashkent city tour. Free time. Transfer to the airport to take the evening flight to Nukus at 18:05 (1,255 km, 1 h 40 min). Arrive in Nukus at 19:45 and transfer to the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Breakfast. Visit the Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art named after I.V. Savitsky *. The museum hosts the world’s second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde art and an exhibition of applied art from Karakalpakstan. Take a short drive around the centre of Nukus and see the statue of Berdakh, the Karakalpak poet; the Nukus City Hall; and the Karakalpak Music and Drama Theatre. In the afternoon, drive to Khiva (200 km, 4-5 h.). On the way, visit the archaeological monuments of ancient Khorezm : Chilpyk-Kala (a Zoroastrian dakhma, or Tower of Silence) and Toprak-Kala (the capital of Khorezm in the 3rd century). Arrive in Khiva and check-in to the hotel. *Due to renovations at Savitsky Museum, some of the archaeological and applied arts exhibitions remain closed indefinitely.

After breakfast, take a guided sightseeing tour of the ancient city of Khiva on foot. Visit the Ichan-Kala Fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Mukhammad Aminkhan Madrasah , Mukhammad Rahimkhan Madrasah , Kalta Minor , Juma Mosque , Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum and Islom Khodja minaret , the highest minaret in Uzbekistan. Free time in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 5 hours Tea/coffee break

Breakfast. Drive to Bukhara (480 km, 7-8 h.*) following the route of the Great Silk Road (which passed through the Kyzylkum Desert on the way between Khiva and Bukhara). Stop along the way to enjoy the views of the surrounding desert. Arrive in Bukhara in the late-afternoon and check-in to the hotel. Free time to rest or take a walk among Bukhara’s ancient buildings. Overnight at the hotel. *depending on road condition (some parts of the road are currently being renovated) As the cafés and restaurants on the way are basic and offer limited menus, you may wish to take a packed lunch on this trip (your hotel or guide can help you arrange this the day before).

After breakfast, enjoy a guided walking sightseeing tour of Bukhara’s Old City. Visit the Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble , Magoki-Attori Mosque , trading domes , Kalyan Minaret , Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah , Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Ark Fortress , Bolo-Khauz Mosque , Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub . Overnight at the hotel. Tea/coffee break Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Breakfast. Start the second day with a visit to Chor-Minor Madrasah and Sitorai-Mokhikhosa , the summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir and a unique combination of Oriental and Russian architecture. Enjoy free time in Bukhara in the afternoon. In the evening visit to the National folklore show at Nodir Devan Begi Madrasah . Overnight at the hotel. Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours

After breakfast, depart Bukhara and drive to a yurt camp * in the Kyzylkum Desert (230 km, 4 h.). On the way, stop in Gijduvan to visit a pottery master’s workshop and take a master-class on traditional pottery. After lunch, continue to Nurata town to visit the Chashma Complex of Religious Buildings and its famous holy spring. Stop at the Nurata Pass to see the Zukarnay Petroglyphs, which date from the Bronze Age. Arrive at the yurt camp and enjoy camel riding and free time. In the evening, enjoy dinner around the camp fire accompanied by a performance of Kazakh akin (folk singers). Overnight at the yurt camp. Meals: lunch, dinner *The yurt experience: enjoy authentic desert living in a traditional yurt. Please note that washing and toilet facilities are shared, rustic, and located outdoors. We recommend bringing your own towels and personal toiletries (soap, shampoo, etc.).

After breakfast at the yurt camp visit Aidarkul Lake , which is surrounded by desert. Free time at the lake and picnic lunch. In the afternoon, leave the yurt camp and drive to Samarkand  (270 km, 5 h). Arrive in Samarkand and check-in to the hotel. Time for rest. Meals: picnic lunch

Breakfast. At 9:00 start a sightseeing tour of the fascinating city of Samarkand. Visit the spectacular Registan Square , the Gur Emir (Tamerlane’s Mausoleum), the remains of the Bibi Khanum Mosque , and the Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis . Then drive to Konigil village to explore the traditional way of making Samarkand paper from the bark of the mulberry tree. Free evening. Overnight at the hotel. Tea/coffee break Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Breakfast. Check-out of the hotel by noon. Visit to Siab Bazaar . Free time to explore Samarkand or shop for traditional handicrafts. Farewell lunch in Samarkand. In the evening, transfer to the railway station to take the train to Tashkent (300 km, 2 h 10 min). Pick-up and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: lunch

Breakfast. Check-out of the hotel by noon. Free time until your transfer to Tashkent International Airport . Departure. End of the 12-day Extended Uzbekistan Group Tour.