Uzbekistan Uncovered

The adventure begins at our hotel in Tashkent. In the afternoon, we start our sightseeing of this Central Asian capital. This includes visiting Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City, home to mausoleums and bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to cool the summer heat. There are also very interesting museums and mosques.

Check-in on arrival is included today for those who arrive on flights in the early hours of the morning.

Accommodation: Gabrielle Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

In the early morning, we fly to Urgench, our base to visit Khiva and the desert sites. On arrival, we transfer to Khiva and visit the living museum that is the perfectly restored old city. We see the khan’s old residence, the Kunya-Ark 12^th-century fortress, the tiled base of the never-completed Kalta Minar (which was originally planned to be taller than any minaret in Bukhara) and the beautiful mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud (the patron saint of Khiva). Many wedding parties and pilgrims visit the tomb and drink water from the courtyard well.

Please note: On occasions, it may not be possible to secure seats for the group on the flight to Urgench. In this instance, we will buy flights to Nukus instead, and the activities today and tomorrow will be reversed.

Additionally – select departures of this trip feature extra inclusions to mark Exodus’s 50th year: a visit to the  world’s second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art – the Savitsky Museum in Nukus, a local meal at Ayaz Kala and a special edition Exodus kitbag. On these dates we’ll fly to Nukus rather than Urgench.

Accommodation: Malika Khiva Hotel or Malika Kheivak (or similar)

After breakfast, we head to the arid plains of Khorezm, which were once densely populated marshlands, inhabited by Messagetae Scythians. These nomadic horseback archers fought to retain the land, even defeating Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in 529 CE.

We visit the 2,000-year-old ruined city fortress of Toprak-Qala, dramatically located with the Sultan Vais mountains as a backdrop. The settlement began in the first century BCE under Kushan patronage and was later devastated by Turkish raids that led to the depopulation of the town in the sixth century. Three large round towers and an impressive portion of the citadel remain, but the parchments and paintings found there are now in St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum. We also visit Qizil-Qala, formerly an important oasis with an impressive amount of remaining buildings, and finally Ayaz-Qala, an imposing hilltop fortress from the sixth century. We later return to Khiva to spend the night.

We travel approximately 185 miles (300 km) today, meaning around 6 hours in the vehicle over the course of the day.

Accommodation: Malika Khiva Hotel or Malika Kheivak (or similar)

Today we take a 6 to 8-hour drive on sometimes poor roads to Bukhara, first crossing the fabled Amu-Darya (Oxus) River and then the Kizilkum Desert. If time allows, we may make a first visit to old Bukhara and have a cup of green tea at the fascinating chai-khana (tea house) at Laby Khauz (one of the water-filled stone pools).We break up the journey today with stops en route.

Accomodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel or Kabir Hotel (or similar)

We have two days sightseeing in Bukhara, the next of our great Central Asian cities. Bukhara has more than 900 historic monuments, and we spend time visiting many sites and wandering at leisure among the old city streets. Unlike Samarkand, the district of the old town has remained separate from the rest of Bukhara and has undergone lots of restoration and preservation in recent years. In addition to its importance as a trading centre, it is the perfect setting to sit and watch the world go by much as it has done for hundreds of years. Of particular interest is the Fortress Ark where, in the 19th century, the Emir of Bukhara had the English officers Stoddart and Connolly imprisoned and killed, and the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, a beautiful example of early Islamic architecture dating to the 10th century. We also visit the Emir’s rather kitsch Summer Palace, the old town with its domed bazaars and khauz (stone pools, which used to be the only water supply for the city), and the attractive 12^th-century Char Minar. One of the great landmarks of Bukhara is the Kalyan minaret, known as the death tower, where many an unfaithful wife has met a sticky end.

Accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel or Kabir Hotel (or similar)

From Bukhara we transfer to Gijduvan, which is renowned for its ceramics school. The skills have been passed from generation to generation and today Gijduvan is home to the sixth generation of potters from the Narzullayevs family. There will be a chance to visit the Museum of Ceramics and perhaps you might like to pick a souvenir at the potter’s shop. We’ll be treated to tea and Uzbek sweets here too.

Next, we drive to Rabat-i-Malik (a few kilometres before Navoi city) – medieval ruins of the Karakhanid epoch, where we make a short stop. This site was a portal of the caravanserai but sadly much of the rest of the rabat was destroyed in the 1968 earthquake. We’ll stop for lunch in Navoi and then drive to our Kazakh yurts. These are traditional round felt tents, which are spacious, colourful and comfortable inside. The Kazakh nomads still use them today. Our camp offers a glimpse into what life was like on the Silk Road and with a bit of luck we will watch a wonderful sunset, and then sit around the fire listening to a local musician (akyn).

We’ll drive about 180 miles (300 km) today, taking about five hours in total with stops along the way.

Accommodation: Yurt camp (three to four people per yurt)

Today we walk and there is also the chance to ride camels for a short time towards Aidarkul Lake. The lake stretches through the desert within sight of the Nuratin Mountains; once there, we are free to explore the shoreline or swim.

Later, we transfer to Nurata (approximately 2hours 30 minutes – 3 hours), formerly known as Nur and founded in the third century BCE by Alexander the Great. This ancient town was once regarded as the frontier between the cultivated lands and the steppes, and the ruins of Alexander’s hilltop citadel stand testament to its ancient history. The city was also an important Muslim place of pilgrimage, reaching its peak in the 10th century as devotees flocked to its many significant graves and memorials. We stop at a 10th-century mosque and holy sites that have attracted pilgrims from across Central Asia. After a traditional lunch at a teahouse, we drive to Samarkand, a journey of about 215 miles (350 km), taking around five hours.

Please note, it is not possible for the whole group to ride camels at the same time due to camel numbers.

Accommodation: Dilshoda Hotel or Ideal Hotel (or similar)

Samarkand is a jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. We have a busy full day, taking in all the sights. There is the exquisite jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir, the resting place of Tamerlane, who is now being rapidly reinstated by the Uzbek government as a national hero. Perhaps the greatest treasure is Registan Square, Tamerlane’s outstanding creation, a vast complex of domes and minarets, mosques and medrassas. We also visit the equally beautiful necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda and the old observatory of Ulugh Beg, the greatest Muslim astronomer. Samarkand is still a major centre for textiles, carpets and art and is the perfect city to try your bargaining skills and explore the ancient site of the bazaar.

Accommodation: Dilshoda Hotel or Ideal Hotel (or similar)

This morning is left free for us to enjoy just a little more time in Samarkand. Perhaps visit the local bazaar to sample delicious fresh produce, or maybe return to the many stalls in the Registan Ensemble to find that perfect souvenir. Our adventure in Uzbekistan is almost complete as we leave Samarkand and take a high-speed train back to Tashkent in the late afternoon (please note, the train cannot be guaranteed as occasionally it is booked out by government officials or is unavailable, in which case we will drive instead). Tonight, we have a farewell dinner to mark the end of our travels and reflect on all we have seen.

Accommodation: Gabrielle Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

The trip ends after breakfast. If you’d like a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Tashkent.

Our adventure begins in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. There are no arranged activities today, as many flights arrive very late in the evening or early tomorrow morning. We arrange arrival transfers from the airport to the hotel for all Exodus customers. See the Joining Instructions in the Trip Notes for more details.

Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

Late morning, we start our sightseeing of this Central Asian capital. This includes visiting Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City, home to mausoleums and bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to cool the summer heat. There are also very interesting museums and mosques. This evening we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before returning to our hotel.

Some flights arrive into Tashkent in the early hours of this morning giving a few hours for some rest before the city tour starts late morning.

Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

This morning we travel to Samarkand by high-speed train (approximately 2 hours 15 minutes). Samarkand is a jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. We have a busy day, taking in many of the sights. There is the exquisite jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir, the resting place of Tamerlane, now considered by many to be an Uzbek national hero. Perhaps the greatest treasure is Registan Square, Tamerlane’s outstanding creation, a vast complex of domes and minarets, mosques and madrassas. We visit the grandiose Bibi Khanum mosque, and the magnificent Gur-Emir mausoleum, where Tamerlane, his sons, and his grandson Ulugbek are buried.

Samarkand is still a major centre for textiles, carpets and art and is a great place to try your bargaining skills and explore the bazaar.

Accommodation: Ideal Hotel or Malika Prime (or similar)

We continue our exploration of Samarkand today. We visit the observatory of Ulugbek – the grandson of Tamerlane, the famous ruler and astronomer. Shahi-Zinda – the necropolis of the rulers and nobility of Samarkand, consisting of many magnificently decorated mausoleums, and Siab bazaar. We enjoy a master class on making and painting ceramics, as well as a demonstration on creating silk paper using medieval technology in the village of Konigil.

Accommodation: Ideal Hotel or Malika Prime (or similar)

This morning we have free time in Samarkand for shopping or further exploration.

In the afternoon we drive to the Nurata mountains through the regional center of Jizzakh. We make our way to the ancient mountain village of Sentyab – nestled into a fertile green river valley. We’ll have time for a scenic walk to explore the village, before cooking a traditional dish with our hosts.

Accommodation: Homestay – up to four people per shared room (no single supplement available).

This morning we take an easy hike (3-4 hours) to the ruins of the ancient village, where the houses were originally built of flat stone. We descend to the river to inspect petroglyphs, and visit local craftsmen who weave carpets and embroider suzani. After lunch, we drive west for three hours to the Kyzylkum desert, where we will stay overnight at a simple yurt camp. After arriving, we take a walk in the vicinity of the camp, and get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the desert. After dinner, we sit around a large bonfire while listening to a traditional folk music player who will sing with a dombra (a stringed instrument), and admire the constellations.

Accommodation: Yurt camp with two people per yurt (no single supplement available)

After breakfast, we can take a short ride on two-humped Bactrian camels, before heading to nearby Aydarkul Lake. Aydarkul is a huge lake (more than 125 mi / 200km long) surrounded on all sides by the sands and dunes of the Kyzyl-kum desert. Here we can relax, swim from the sandy beach, and have lunch.

In the afternoon, we drive towards the city of Navoi. On the way, we visit Nur, a holy place of pilgrimage. After a short exploration of the city, we continue to Navoi and take a sleeper train departing around 8.30pm to Kungrad, arriving around 9.30 am tomorrow.

Accommodation: Overnight train in four berth shared sleeper compartments (no single supplement available)

We arrive into Kungrad this morning and the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous (at least in name) republic of Uzbekistan. The Karakalpak people have a culture and language closer to that of the Kazakhs than Uzbeks. Once an area of agricultural importance, Karakalpakstan now suffers greatly from drought. The Amu Darya River (historically known as the Oxus) ran into the Aral Sea but Soviet era irrigation schemes, particularly for the production of cotton mean that the river no longer reaches the sea, causing an environment tragedy and the dramatic shrinking of the sea.

We’ll drive from Kungrad to Moynaq which takes about two hours. Moynaq was formerly an important fishing port on the shores of the Aral Sea. The sea is long gone and all that’s left behind are the rusting remains of the fishing fleet sat on the dry sea bed amidst what is now a bleak, lunar-like landscape. We’ll have time to look around and see the town’s small museum. At times, the area can be dusty, temperatures high and air quality poor, caused in large part by the disappearance of the sea. We leave Moynaq and drive about three hours to Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan for the night.

Accommodation: Pana Hotel or Jipek Joli Hotel (or similar)

This morning we visit the Savitskiy art museum. The museum houses an important collection of Soviet avant-garde art, as well as a collection of historical artifacts of ancient Khorezm and a collection relating to Karakalpak culture. During Soviet times, Igor Savitsky came to Karakalpakstan on an archeaological dig. Being far from Moscow and in a remote city, he was able to acquire a vast collected of banned, dissident avant garde art and set-up the museum which opened in 1966.

Leaving Nukus, we’ll visit the Mizdakhkan necropolis before beginning the drive to Khiva (which takes about six hours). On the way, we visit the Zoroastrian Chalpyk dakhma and the ancient Ayaz-Kala fortress where we enjoy dinner at a yurt camp before the final leg of our journey to Khiva.

Accommodation: Malika Kheivak or Bek Minor (or similar)

We spend today exploring Khiva. We start with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ichan Kala, the inner fortress of Khiva. While exploring the open-air museum city, we see the Kalta Minor minaret decorated with colored tiles, Kunya Ark Fortress (the former residence of Khiva khans), the complex of Pahlavan Mahmud (a national hero and poet), Islam Khoja minaret and madrasah, Juma Mosque, the Tash Khauli and Allakuli Khan palaces. We will also visit local artisan workshops where we see the production of Khiva wool and silk carpets, embroidery, ceramic products, and wood inlays.

Accommodation: Malika Kheivak or Bek Minor (or similar)

Today we travel across the Kyzyl-Kum desert from Khiva to Bukhara by train

Bukhara has more than 900 historic monuments, and we spend time visiting many sites and wandering at leisure among the old city streets. Unlike Samarkand, the district of the old town has remained separate from the rest of Bukhara and has undergone lots of restoration and preservation in recent years. In addition to its importance as a trading centre, it is the perfect setting to sit and watch the world go by much as it has done for hundreds of years.

Accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel, Hotel Fatima, Sultan Hotel (or similar)

We spend the day exploring Bukhara. Of particular interest is the Fortress Ark where, in the 19th century, the Emir of Bukhara had the English officers Stoddart and Connolly imprisoned and killed, and the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, a beautiful example of early Islamic architecture dating to the 10th century. We also visit the Emir’s rather kitsch Summer Palace, the old town with its domed bazaars and khauz (stone pools, which used to be the only water supply for the city), and the attractive 12^th-century Char Minar. One of the great landmarks of Bukhara is the Kalyan minaret, known as the death tower, where many an unfaithful wife has met a sticky end.

Accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel, Hotel Fatima, Sultan Hotel (or similar)

We continuation our tour of Bukhara today before boarding a high-speed train to Tashkent in the afternoon. After arriving in the evening, we transfer to our hotel and have the rest of the evening free to relax.

Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

We have a day trip out of Tashkent today visiting the Ugam-Chatkal National Park in the Chimgan mountains. This includes a visit to the resort of Amirsai and a cable car ascent to an observation point at an altitude of 7,545 ft / 2,300 metres above sea level giving views of the snow-capped peaks of the Tien Shan, Charvak reservoir and hydroelectric dam.

We’ll also visit “The Sun” heliocomplex at Parkent today. This is a gigantic solar furnace built in the 1980s for the Soviet Union’s Institute of Solar Physics. A vast series of mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays creating the furnace which is still in use today.

Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

Our trip ends after breakfast this morning. If you’d like a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Tashkent.