Uzbekistan Silk Road, 10 Days

A full day taking in the Monument of Courage (1969), the Romanov Prince Duke Residence, Amir Temur Square and Independence Square, the exterior of the Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Alisher Navoi, and the Memorial to the Victims of Repression with its traditional ornamentation, plus the exterior of the Tashkent TV Tower. The afternoon continues into the Old City with the Hazrat Imam Complex and the Charsu Bazaar.

Buffet breakfast 8:00 to 10:00, then a 10:00 transfer to the Chimgan Mountains, 80 km from Tashkent at an altitude of 2,000 m. Walk the mountain trails and take the chair lift (802 m long, rising to 1,975 m): 15 minutes up, free time at the peak for photographs, then 15 minutes back down, before driving back to Tashkent.

Breakfast at 7:00, then transfer to the railway station for the 8:04 high-speed train to Samarkand (2 hours). On arrival, visit Registan Square with its three madrassahs, the Shahi-Zinda complex, the Gur-Emir Mausoleum (burial place of Amir Temur and the Timurid dynasty) and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, along with the President’s Tomb, Ulugbek’s Observatory and the Siab Bazaar for shopping among its colourful stalls. Transfer to hotel, with free time at leisure.

Breakfast at 9:00, then a boat ride through the Silk Road Samarkand’s Eternal City, an 11-hectare tribute to Uzbek culture, wandering its artisan shops and mixed architectural styles. Continue to Konigil village for a costume dress-up and tea tasting, and to learn about local crafts: papermaking, pottery and oil making.

A free day in Samarkand to revisit favourite corners of the city at your own pace: Registan Square by a different light, a further browse through Siab Bazaar, or time simply to rest. The El Merosi Show and a Samarkand wine tasting tour (see Optional Experiences) can be arranged for this evening on request.

Breakfast at 7:00, check out, then the 9:53 bullet train to Bukhara (2 hours). On arrival, transfer to your hotel for check-in, then visit the Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleums before driving out of the city to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, the summer residence of Bukhara’s last Emir, followed by further Bukhara sightseeing.

Visit the Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble, the Magoki-Attori Mosque, the historic trade domes, the Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrasahs and the Miri-Arab Madrasah, closing at the Poi Kalyan Complex, an architectural masterpiece of Islamic design.

Breakfast at 9:00, check out, and free time at your own pace before the transfer for your domestic flight to Tashkent (included).

Buffet breakfast 7:00 to 10:00, check out, and a private transfer to Tashkent International Airport for your onward flight home.