HIGHLIGHTS OF UZBEKISTAN TOUR

Day 1: ARRIVAL IN TASHKENT

• Welcome to Tashkent, the vibrant capital of Uzbekistan! Our driver will meet you upon your arrival at the Tashkent International Airport.
• Your guide will welcome you and the group around noon at the hotel before heading out into the ancient city of Tashkent.
• Firstly we’ll take you for a group lunch to the Central Asian Plov Center to taste Uzbekistan’s most famous dish: plov!
• Sightseeing tour in Tashkent: Visit the Old City part of Tashkent with the Khast-Imam Complex where the world-famous and authentic Quran of the 8th century has been preserved. This Complex offers us a visit to the Madrasah of Barak-Khan, Tilla Sheikh Mosque, the Mausoleum of the Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi, and the Islamic Institute of Imam al-Bukhari.
• Next we’ll head to the Chorsu market where you can savor Uzbek spices, fruits and treats. It’s a truly sensory experience jam-packed with sizzling grills, spice scents and the hustle and bustle of nomadic people and residents.
• We’ll also take time to check out the dazzling architecture of the metro stations before exploring Amir Timur Square and enjoy a meal together at an Uzbek restaurant.

Meals included: Dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel
Facilities: wi-fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilets.

DAY 2: TASHKENT – CHIMGAN: HIKE IN TIAN SHAN MOUNTAINS

Hike distance/time: 8km / 4-5 hours  Ascent/descent: +400m/ -500m 

• Today we head out into nature to see some of Uzbekistan’s greatest skylines – the Tian Shan Mountain Range.
  
• After breakfast at the hotel in Tashkent, we drive north for two hours before going on a 8km hike up Mount Kyzyl-Dzhar. Its red cliffs are spectacular and on the ascent we’ll discover the area’s juniper and ancient trees.
• At the base of its summit, we’ll be gifted with views of the magnificent Kungur-Buka mountains and the village of Chimgan. At sunset, the valley’s rocks come alive with pink, ocher and dark red pigments.
• On our descent, we’ll have a delicious picnic in the lush pastures and stop to relax. Then we’ll wander through fruit trees and arrive in Chimgan (it’s also known as ‘Uzbek Switzerland’!), where we’ll stay the night in a chalet.
• You’ll have free time in the early evening to explore this ski resort or rest and marvel at the views.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room at the chalet
Facilities: wi-fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilets.

DAY 3: HIKE IN CHIMGAN – TASHKENT – NIGHT TRAIN TO KHIVA

Hike distance/time: 8km /  4-5 hours  Ascent/descent: +520m/ -600m 

• After a nourishing Uzbek breakfast, we’ll prepare for a 8km hike to the Small Chimgan Peak at 2,100m altitude. From the chalet, we’ll take a short drive to the start point of the trail. It’s a beautiful path, bursting with flowers and wildlife and has sandy terrain, juniper bushes and rocky ridges. We’ll take a short rest at the Pesochny Sand Pass (1830m) and soak in the magnificent views before continuing to the summit. It is a feast for the eyes at the top, with views of Lake Charvak, lush green meadows of Chimgan and snow-dusted peaks of the Tien Shan mountains in neighboring Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. We’ll have a picnic on the mountain top before we make the descend back to Chimgan.
• Our driver will take us back to Tashkent, where we’ll have dinner and board the night train to the desert city of Khiva. Taking the night train in Uzbekistan is a fun adventure and a great way to get a chance to chat with local people.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: bunk bed in train compartment.
Facilities: western-style toilet.

DAY 4: KHIVA

• Arrival in Urgench. Transfer to the hotel in Khiva (30 km, 35 min).
• Khiva – a remarkable destination known for its well-preserved ancient architecture and rich history. Explore narrow winding streets, vibrant markets, and stunning examples of Islamic architecture.
  
• Khiva sightseeing tour: Visit Ichan-Qala Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Fortress offers us a visit to Kunya-Ark, Sayeed Alauddin Mausoleum, Arab-Mukhamadkhan Madrasah, Oq-Masjid Mosque, Madrasah of Hodjan Berdi-biya, Shirgazikhan Madrasah, Abdullakhan Madrasah, Juma Mosque, Allakulikhan Madrasah, Tosh-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, Minaret of Islom-Khoja.
• In the evening, we head out to a restaurant to taste some traditional Khiva dishes. We spend the night in a family-owned hotel in the center of Khiva.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in family-owned hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilet.

DAY 5: KHIVA – BUKHARA

• Breakfast.
• Drive to Bukhara through Kizil Kum desert connecting Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, it’s one of the largest deserts in the world. (475 km, 6-7 hours).
• Note: The transfer can be changed by train and takes the same hours as the car transfer.
• Arrival at Bukhara and hotel accommodation.
• Time to freshen up and enjoy the old parts of Bukhara with your guide.
• Overnight in Bukhara.

Meals included: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilet.

DAY 6: BUKHARA

• Breakfast at hotel
• Bukhara Sightseeing Tour: Visit to Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums. Then visit to Bolo-Khauz Mosque and Ark Fortress.
• Break for lunch.
• Continuation of exploring of Lyabi Khauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, trade domes, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah.
• Free time to enjoy the monuments on your own.
• In the evening, you will enjoy a delicious dinner at the Nadir Divan-Begi madrasah with a national show.
• Overnight in Bukhara

Meals included: Breakfast, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilet.

DAY 7: BUKHARA – CHASMA VILLAGE – CHALDYRAK SPRING: HIKE IN THE NURATAU MOUNTAINS

Hike distance/time: 16km / 6-hours  Ascent/descent: +350m/ -300m 

• An early breakfast at the hotel as a 3-day adventure in nature awaits. We head out to the Nuratau Mountains!
• Drive from Bukhara to Chashma, 3-hours. We stop on the way and explore the ruins of an 11th-century caravanserai and a water well that nourished the Silk Road traders. We then continue on the road, the same route Alexander the Great took before he conquered Samarkand!
• Arrival at Chashma village in the late morning and meet the muleteers who will ready our bags for the 16km hike. The hike starts gently, walking through sandy plains and snaking beneath the hills. We’ll pass magnificent granite mountains and canyons.
• We’ll take lunch and soak in the beautiful Uzbek landscape before hiking to a beautiful gorge where we’ll set up camp. You can refresh yourself by the river and enjoy a simple meal under the stars.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared tent (2 people).
Facilities: None.

DAY 8: CHALDYRAK SPRING – HONAQO: HIKE IN THE NURATAU MOUNTAINS

Hike distance/time: 20km / 7-hours  Ascent/descent: +350m/ -200m 

• After packing our tents and breakfast, we’ll head out for a 20km hike in another picturesque valley. The trail passes beautiful small mountain villages where we catch glimpses of traditional Uzbek life and culture in the mountains. 
• We see a striking mix of arid land and green pastures, thanks to water springs trickling down from the peaks. You’ll truly be immersed in the remote beauty of Uzbekistan and you’ll understand how valuable the mountains are to its people.
• We’ll have a picnic near one of the villages and maybe we’ll meet some shepherds whose Angora goats and Karakul sheep roam the valleys.
• After the last few kilometers, we set up camp near a small spring and tuck into a well-earned dinner.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: shared tent (2 people).
Facilities: None. 

DAY 9: HONAQO – LANGAR VILLAGE (HIKE) – KYZYL KUM DESERT

Hike distance/time: 8km / 4-hours  Ascent/descent: +500m/ -200m 

• Today we hike the last 8 km of the trail over the the Yomon Ketchi Pass standing at 1,500 m. During the ascent, we’ll be humbled by magnificent rock formations and take in dazzling views of mountains, valleys and little villages.
• The trip ends in a small village near the Yomon Ketchi Pass. There we will be picked up by the van and drive to the Kyzyl Kum desert. On the way we have a lunch break at an Uzbek homestay in the oasis town of Nuratau.
• Our last stop is at a yurt camp in the Kyzyl Kum desert where we enjoy the sunset and a hearty supper with the group.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Yurt camp.
Facilities: Electricity (limited – only available after sunset), shower, toilets. 

DAY 10: DAY TRIP TO AYDARKUL LAKE

• How best to glide across Uzbekistan’s arid dunes than by camel? 
• After having breakfast at the yurt camp, we mount the camels and follow the footsteps of the Silk Road merchants to Lake Aydarkul, 2-hours.
• Once we arrive at the lake, you can chill on its shores or even take a refreshing swim before we have lunch. We return to the yurt camp in the afternoon on foot (6 km, 2-hours), and while hiking through the desert, we’ll get close up to desert plants like saxouls and desert acacia.
• Note: if you don’t want to ride, you can always walk.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Yurt camp.
Facilities: Electricity (limited – only available after sunset), shower, toilets.

DAY 11: KYZYL-KUM DESERT – SAMARKAND

• After having breakfast at the yurt camp, we hop in the car and go on a 4-hour drive to Samarkand, a mesmerizing tourist city known for its stunning architecture, rich history, and significance along the ancient Silk Road.
• After lunch and checking into the hotel, we will begin our exploration of this magical city in the early afternoon.
• We’ll start with meandering around the Registan and its three madrasas Ulugh Bek (15th century), Sher Dor and Tilla Kori (17th century), which are adorned with intricate mosaics. These buildings are truly humbling and you’ll learn so much about their presence, then and now, to Uzbek people.
• We’ll then head to Gur-i-Amir, an architectural jewel of Islamic art. The last rays of sun will ignite its azure-adorned dome which stands 32 meters tall.
• We’ll have dinner together and you’ll have free time in the evening to wander around the city.

Meals included: Breakfast, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilet.

DAY 12: SAMARKAND

• There are many more hidden treasures in Samarkand waiting for us to uncover.
• We have an early breakfast before heading out and seeing the spectacle of the morning sun lighting up the azure-glazed roofs of the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis. These breathtaking mausoleums were built in the 14th and 15th century and make up a unique part of Samarkand.
• Next, we’ll head to the 14th century Bibi Khanym mosque which remains as a powerful symbol of Tamerlane The Conqueror. Next to it is a bustling market, brimming with Uzbek foods and souvenirs.
• We then head over to the Registan again and after the guided tour, you’ll have the afternoon free to buy souvenirs and/or explore the city on your own. We meet up again for dinner in the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilet.

DAY 13: SAMARKAND – TASHKENT

• Samarkand is yours to explore before we board a train back to Tashkent in the afternoon.
• It’s a chance to stock up on treats from the market or soak up more culture in the city. There’s bountiful options to choose from including wandering into the Jewish quarter with its synagogue and hammam or visiting a silk carpet factory and witnessing delicate silks unwind from a silkworm cocoon.
• We’ll then travel back to Tashkent where we share a last dinner with our amazing group of new friends!

Meals included: Breakfast, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower, western-style toilet.

DAY 14: DEPARTURE FROM TASHKENT

• After a final breakfast together, this adventure has finished! Our driver will transfer you to the international airport.
• Depending when your flight home is, you could also make some more time to explore Tashkent further.

Meals included: Breakfast.

Note: This itinerary can be modified in case of weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances.

Price for the 14-day Highlights of Uzbekistan Tour (depending on group size)

4 to 6 people: €2200 per person
7 to 10 people: €1900 per person

What’s included in this price?

• Airport transfer to and from the airport (only on day 1 and day 14 on the tour or 1 day before or after the tour).
• All transportation: car with experienced driver, train tickets
• English-speaking tour leader
• All accommodation mentioned in the itinerary (shared rooms and sleeping spaces)
• Camping gear: tents + sleeping pads
• All meals mentioned in the itinerary
• All activities mentioned in the itinerary
• Entrance fees for all sites listed in the itinerary
• English-speaking guides for the city tours
• Mountain guide(s) for the hiking days
• Donkeys and muleteers for 3 days during the 3-day hike in the Aktau mountains
• Cook and rental of kitchen utensils during the trek

What’s not included in this price?

• International airfares to and from Uzbekistan
• Visa fees if applicable
• Medical or travel insurance (mandatory to join this tour).  
• Early check-in and late check-out at the hotel in Tashkent
• Meals not included in the itinerary
• Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
• Personal expenses (such as telephone services, excess baggage charges, laundry, medical services, etc.), and souvenirs
• Tips for the (mountain) guides
• Sleeping bag and hiking poles
• Single supplement in hotels and guesthouses (€110).
• Fees related to a change of program due to your initiative

14-DAY HIGHLIGHTS OF UZBEKISTAN TOUR 2024 Dates