COLOURFUL UZBEKISTAN

1st day. Arrival – Tashkent

You arrive in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on the Uzbek airline Uzbekistan Airways. Flight time about 6 hours.

 

2nd day. Tashkent – Urgentsch – Chiwa (B, D)

Today we visit the historical complex of Chasti Imam in the Old Town. Then we go to the Tschorsu Bazaar. After we will visit Independence Square and the Timur Park. In the afternoon, we fly to Urgentsch. Arrival in Urgentsch, transfer to the hotel – Chiwa.

 

3rd day. Chiwa (B, D)

Visit to Itschan Kala («the inner town citadel» of Chiwa) which can look back on a rich history and today looks just as it did centuries ago. It is one of the few preserved places in Central Asia where one can imagine life as it was in the time of Khan. The famous buildings of Central Asia which have long become a landmark are to be found in Itschan Kala (UNESCO-World Heritage). The summer palace of Nurullabay lies outside Itschan Kala and was built by local master builders and German Mennonites.

 

4th day. Chiwa – Buchara (B, D)

Impressive journey through the vegetated Kisilkum desert («Red Sand» – desert) and the vast steppes to Buchara (480 km). En route we will make a lunch break in a Uzbek «guesthouse» resp. tea-room. We reach Buchara in the late evening when you will have time to explore the Old Town by yourself.

 

5th day. Buchara (B, D)

Excursion to the gravesite of Ismail Samani. Then we visit the Tschaschmai-Ayub mausoleum and then on foot through the Old Town. You will feel transported to the fairy-tales of One Thousand and One Nights. You will admire the «classic» architecture complexes of Lyabi Hauz with trading domes and several mosques, madrasas and the dervish monastery in the town centre, and will understand the title of «noble town».

 

6th day. Buchara – Rabbati Malik – Samarkand (B, D)

We journey on to Samarkand. 

On the way we visit the caravansarai Rabbati Malik and a Sardoba (reservoir).

Then we move on to one of the visiting cards of Uzbekistan, the famous Registan Square. We will also see the palace-like mausoleum Guri-Emir of the ruler Timur.

 

7th day. Samarkand – Tashkent (B, D)

Excursion to the Samarkand. Then we will visit the Ulugbeks-Observatory which was once the largest research centre in Central Asia, and Schachi Zinda, the gravesite «living king», where today Timur’s family members are buried. We will visit the largest mosque in Central Asia: Bibichanum. Then on to the Siyob Bazaar. At 18:00h you take the fast train "Afrosiob" to Tashkent.

 

8th day. Tashkent – flight home (B)

Early return flight with Uzbekistan Airways.