Uzbekistan: An Unforgettable Journey on the Silk Road

We will arrive early in Tashkent, where a transfer will take us to the hotel to rest before starting our adventure. We will have breakfast at the hotel, enjoying freshly baked bread, fresh fruits and Uzbek tea. Check-out of the hotel before 12:00.

Mid-morning, we will visit the Hasti Imam complex, home of Osman's legendary Quran, and explore the Barakhan madrasa and the mausoleum of Kaffal Ash-Shashiy, shrouded in Islamic history and architecture.

Then, we will immerse ourselves in the vibrant Chorsu bazaar, where we will taste a local lunch with Uzbek plov and street specialties. After lunch, we will take the Tashkent metro, famous for its artistic design, and visit Independence Square, the Romanov Palace and the Alisher Navoi Theatre Complex.

At sunset, we will return to the hotel to relax and enjoy a traditional dinner. With the first day full of experiences, we will prepare to continue our journey through Uzbekistan.

We will start the day with breakfast at the hotel, before transferring to the airport to take the flight to Urgench. From there, a short drive will take us to Khiva, a city that seems to be taken from an oriental tale. (check-in at the hotel from 14:00).

After settling into the hotel, we will explore the impressive Ichan-Kala complex, with its majestic minarets and madrasas. We will admire the Kalta-Minor minaret, tour the Kunya-Ark complex and the Juma Mosque, with its carved wooden columns.

We will have lunch at a local restaurant, enjoying traditional shivit oshi or a comforting mastava. Then, we will participate in a tandur bread class, before continuing with the visit to the madrasa of Abdulla-Khan, the minaret of Khodja-islam and the mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud.

At sunset, we will watch the sunset from a rooftop with local champagne and learn how to prepare Khorezm (Tukhumbarak) ravioli. We will end the day with dinner at the hotel, reviewing the wonders experienced before resting for the next adventure.

We will have breakfast at the hotel with non tandoori, kaymak and local honey, accompanied by Uzbek tea. Then, we will depart for Bukhara, crossing the vast Kizil-Kum desert. We will make a short stop at the Amudarya River, where we can take pictures and admire its immensity.

At noon, we will stop at a traditional chaikhana (tea house), where we will taste grilled shashlyk, (to be paid directly on site) freshly baked lepyoshka and achik-chuchuk, accompanied by a refreshing kumis.

We will continue the journey until the domes and minarets of Bukhara appear on the horizon. Upon arrival, we will stay at the hotel and enjoy a traditional dinner, with a comforting mastava and a sweet ending with chak-chak, before resting for the next day.

We will start the day with breakfast at the hotel, enjoying fresh bread, kaymak and Uzbek tea. Then, we will immerse ourselves in the history of Bukhara, visiting the Ismail Samaniy Mausoleum, the Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum, the Bolohauz Mosque and the majestic Ark citadel.

Mid-morning, we will explore the local artisan center and its vibrant markets, where we will find Suzani embroidery, jewelry, traditional clothing and hand-woven carpets, authentic treasures of the region.

For lunch, we will stop at a local restaurant, where we will taste manty and the refreshing dograma.

In the afternoon, we will continue our tour of the Poi Kalyan complex, the Ulugbeg and Abdulazizkhan madrasas and the Labi Hauz complex. Later, we will enjoy a tea of spices and traditional sweets in the Retro lounge. If possible, we will close the day with a folkloric show.

In the evening, we will return to the hotel for a traditional dinner and a well-deserved rest before our next adventure.

We will start the day with breakfast at the hotel, savoring fresh bread, local honey and Uzbek tea before embarking on our journey into the desert.

En route, we will stop in Vabkent, where we will gaze at its elegant minaret, and then visit the Rabat Malik caravansaray, a former Silk Road traveler's refuge, along with the Sardoba water reservoir at Karmana, an impressive medieval work of engineering.

Arriving in Nurata, we will explore the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, the Namozgokh Mosque, and the enigmatic ruins of the Nur Fortress, founded by Alexander the Great, which still retains the essence of its strategic past.

For lunch, we will stop at a local restaurant, where we will taste traditional specialties such as shurpa (lamb soup with vegetables) and kazan kabob (slow-roasted meat in a cauldron).

In the afternoon, we will head to Yangikazgan, where an unforgettable experience awaits us in the middle of the desert: a camel ride among the golden dunes. As the sun sets, we will gather by the fire for a traditional dinner in the yurts, enjoying the music and captivating stories of the "Akyn", the Kazakh troubadours.

Under a starry sky like few others in the world, we will spend the night in yurts, living the true essence of nomadic life.

We will wake up early and enjoy breakfast at the hotel, with freshly baked bread, local honey and hot tea, before saying goodbye to the desert and its endless landscapes.

We will start the morning with a hike through the Kazakh-Karakalpak village of Yangikazgan, where we will learn about the lifestyle of nomadic herders, their customs and their connection with nature.

Then, we will head to Aydarkul Lake, an oasis in the middle of the arid landscape. We will walk along its banks, enjoying the cool breeze and, for those who wish, there will be the opportunity to swim in its crystal clear waters. In this natural setting, we will share a picnic lunch, with local products such as artisanal cheeses, tandoori bread and fresh fruits, accompanied by Uzbek tea.

In the afternoon, we will start our journey to the legendary Samarkand, one of the most fascinating jewels of the Silk Road. As we get closer, its majestic monuments will begin to appear on the horizon, announcing our arrival in this city full of history.

Upon arrival, we will transfer to the hotel, where we will be able to rest after a day of nature and tradition. To close the day, we will enjoy dinner at the hotel, preparing to discover, the next day, the treasures of Samarkand.

We will start the day with breakfast at the hotel, enjoying freshly baked bread, local honey and Uzbek tea, before embarking on our journey to Shahrisabz, Tamerlane's hometown, through the picturesque mountain pass of Takhtakaracha.

Upon arrival, we will find the impressive ruins of the Ak Saray Palace, the grandiose residence of Tamerlane. We will walk among its vestiges, imagining the magnificence of its blue tile walls and its history of conquests.

We will continue to Kok Gumbaz, a majestic blue-domed mosque, and then explore the Dorut-Tilovat complex, where relatives and disciples of the great conqueror rest. We will end the tour at the Dorus-Saodat complex, where his son's tomb is located, a place full of history and emotion.

For lunch, we will enjoy a meal at a local restaurant, where we will taste specialties of the region such as tandir gosht (lamb roasted slowly in a clay oven) and Shahrisabz somsa, crispy patties stuffed with meat and spices.

In the afternoon, we will start our return to Samarkand, contemplating the mountainous landscape that will accompany us on the way.

Upon arrival, we will transfer to the hotel, where we can rest and share the experiences of the day. We will end the day with a delicious dinner at the hotel, preparing to discover, the next day, the treasures of the legendary Samarkand.

We will start the day with breakfast at the hotel, enjoying freshly baked bread, kaymak and local honey, accompanied by aromatic Uzbek tea. With renewed energy, we will prepare for an unforgettable day exploring the treasures of Samarkand.

Our first stop will be the Ulugbek Observatory, where we will immerse ourselves in the brilliant mind of Central Asia's most famous astronomer. Then, we will walk through the majestic Shakhi-Zinda necropolis, a set of mausoleums with dazzling mosaics that look like something out of an oriental tale.

We will continue to the imposing Bibi-Khanum mosque, built in honor of Tamerlane's wife, and then we will get lost in the scents and colors of the Siyab bazaar, where merchants offer spices, nuts and the famous Samarkand bread.

For lunch, we will stop at a local restaurant, where we will taste a traditional osh (Samarkandese plov), made with rice, yellow carrots and lamb, accompanied by a fresh salad and hot tea.

In the afternoon, we will visit the tissue paper manufacturing center in Konigil, where we will see how artisans keep a thousand-year-old tradition alive. Then, we will arrive at the spectacular Registan Square, the heart of Samarkand, surrounded by imposing madrassas decorated with intricate mosaics. Before leaving, we will say goodbye to the city by visiting the Guri-Emir mausoleum, where Tamerlane rests.

In the evening, we will board the Afrosiyob train bound for Tashkent, enjoying a comfortable ride back to the capital. Upon arrival, we will transfer to the hotel, where a delicious dinner awaits us to close the day with a flourish before resting.

Our last day in Uzbekistan will begin with breakfast at the hotel, where we will enjoy traditional flavors one last time, with freshly baked tandoori bread, local honey, and a comforting Uzbek tea.

After breakfast, we will transfer to Tashkent International Airport, saying goodbye to this fascinating country, where history, culture and hospitality have accompanied us at every step. We will take with us indelible memories of legendary cities, exquisite flavors and the warmth of its people, thus closing an unforgettable adventure along the Silk Road.