Uzbekistan: Jewel of the Silk Road - Solo Tour

Uzbekistan: Jewel of the Silk Road - Solo Tour

Samarkand. Bukhara. Khiva. The names conjure up images of ‘Arabian Nights’, Eastern exoticism and caravans crossing the Red Desert to bring silks, spices and jewels to the bazaars of the Near East. Our Uzbekistan tours follow the Silk Road route, exploring the mosques, palaces, museums and madrasahs of these crossroad cities. Our adventure also takes us through the dramatic desert scenery of remote Karakalpakstan and reveals the grand tombs of the Biblical prophet Daniel and medieval warrior-emperor Tamerlane.

What's Included:

• 9 nights in hotel and 1 in flight (accommodation as specified or similar)
• 22 meals: 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 8 dinners
• Titan’s nationwide return chauffeur service
• Services of a Titan tour manager and local guide
• Porterage

Included Excursions:

• Full-day guided tour of Tashkent (including the Khast-Imam Complex and the Museum of History of Uzbekistan)
• Visit to State Museum of Arts in Nukus
• Visit to Toprak-Kala Fortress with lunch at Akchakul Tourist Complex; and Bahouddin Nakshbandi Mausoleum
• City tours of Khiva, Bukhara, Shakhrisabz and Samarkand
• 2 folklore shows
• Traditional Bukharian cooking master class
• Afrosiyab Museum and the Mausoleum of Daniel, Samarkand

Day 1: UK - In flight

Our nationwide return chauffeur service collects you from home for your overnight flight to Tashkent.

Day 2: Tashkent

After arriving this morning we’ll transfer to the hotel, before heading out for an extended afternoon guided tour of the city. We’ll visit Independence Square, marvel at the remarkable Khast-Imam Complex and amble around the exhibits at the Museum of Applied Art.

Guided city tour of Tashkent, including the Khast-Imam Complex (afternoon)

Day 3: Tashkent - Nukus

This morning we have a very early start due to our airport transfer. We have an included breakfast box from the hotel. Upon arrival into Nukus, we'll drive directly to the city for a visit to the State Museum of Arts. Later, we'll transfer to Toprak-Kala Fortress in the desert, the capital of Khorezm in the 3rd century. Then we move onto Akchakul Tourist Complex, on the shores of Akchakul Lake, where we will stop for lunch and some free time. After lunch, we'll continue on to Khiva where we'll check in upon arrival, ahead of dinner at the hotel this evening.

Visit to State Museum of Arts in Nukus (morning) Visit to Toprak-Kala Fortress with lunch at Akchakul Tourist Complex (afternoon)

Day 4: Nukus - Khiva

This morning we enjoy a guided tour of Khiva, a Silk Road city famed for its elegant architecture. Within the medieval Itchan Kala, the walled ‘inner town’, we’ll find the 18th-century Djuma Mosque, the Tosh-Hovli Palace, the vast Kuhna Ark fortress and the beautiful Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum. Tonight’s dinner will be accompanied by a live folk show.

Guided city tour of Khiva (morning) Folklore show (evening)

Day 5: Bukhara

We leave Khiva, crossing the dramatic landscapes of the Kyzyl Kum, or Red Sand Desert, along the route once taken by the Silk Road caravan traders. We stop along the way, arriving in Bukhara this afternoon.

Day 6: Bukhara

A guided city tour showcases the old town of Bukhara, an ancient Silk Road trading hub and important cultural centre, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amongst other highlights we visit the 16th-century Kalyan Mosque, the multi-coloured Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah and the turquoise-domed Mir-i-Arab Madrasah, looking like an image from the ‘Arabian Nights’. You’re then free to explore - perhaps browse through the souvenirs in the bazaars or relax in one of the city’s tea houses. This evening we’ll enjoy a traditional Bukharian cooking class and learn about the delicious regional cuisine, a fusion of Jewish and Central Asian flavours and traditions.

City tour of Bukhara (all day) Traditional Bukharian cooking master class (evening)

Day 7: Bukhara

We head out of the city this morning to tour the Bahouddin Nakshbandi Mausoleum, an elegant memorial to a 14th-century Sufi scholar. We’ll also visit Sitorai-Mokhi-Hossa Palace, once the summer residence of the local emirs. Early this evening we’ll stroll to the Nadir Divan Begi madrasah for a folklore show.

Visit Bahouddin Nakshbandi Mausoleum (morning) Attend a folklore show (evening)

Day 8: Shakhrisabz - Samarkand

We’ll journey to Shakhrisabz where we’ll take a city tour, including the ruins of Aqsaray Palace, Khazrati Imam Mosque, Jahangir Mausoleum and the Dorut Tilavat Complex, home to Kok Gumbaz Mosque. Continuing on, we’ll head for Samarkand, founded in the 7th-century BC. It was once the capital of a great empire ruled by the legendary warlord Tamerlane, and one of the most important cities along the Silk Road. Today, this ‘Crossroad of Cultures’ is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

City tour of Shakhrisabz (morning)

Day 9: Samarkand

A full-day sightseeing tour introduces us to Samarkand, ticking off the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the mosaic-covered Ulugh Beg Madrasah and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, as well as the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, an imposing complex of 11 medieval mausolea. We sample some traditional Samarkand cuisine at local restaurants.

City tour of Samarkand (all day)

Day 10: Samarkand - Tashkent

Another guided tour takes us to the fascinating 15th-century Ulugh Beg Observatory, the Afrosiyab Museum and the Mausoleum of Daniel, said to be the tomb of the Old Testament prophet. Later, we’ll take the train back to Tashkent.

Visit the Afrosiyab Museum and the Mausoleum of Daniel (morning)

Day 11: Tashkent - UK

We transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. Upon arrival, your vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.