Jewels of Uzbekistan (small group tour)

Flight to Ourguentch upon simple request.
Night flight.

Arrival in Ourguentch. Welcome at the airport and short transfer to Khiva (30 km).

Discover Khiva, the ancient oasis and last capital of Khorezm. Khiva appears as a perfectly preserved city; 2 km of intact walls enclose the old Kounia Ark fortress, the residence of the Khans until the 20th century.

After a visit, check-in at the hotel and rest.

Dinner in a typical restaurant: enjoy Khiva’s culinary specialty “Shout-Oshi”, dill noodles served with vegetables and small pieces of beef.
Overnight at the hotel. (BF, DN)

Free time to stroll in this fabulous city. Lunch.

In the late afternoon, start your rail journey with a transfer to the station for the local train to Bukhara (7-hour journey in a compartment with 4 sleeping berths).

Arrival around midnight in Bukhara, the oasis known since the 2nd century BC, set on the caravan route. Transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel. (BF, LN)

Meet your guide and discover Bukhara on foot from the Tchor Minor district to Liab-i Haouz. Visit the Koukeldash madrasah, the largest in Central Asia, and the Nadir Divanbegi madrasah with its beautiful mosaic portal. Discover the Magok-i Attari mosque. Visit the miniature painting studio of Davlat Tochev, a descendant of an important dynasty of miniaturist painters, now in its seventh generation.

Discover the magnificent Poi-Kalyan architectural complex. Visit the Ulug Beg Madrasah, built by Ulug Beg, Timur’s grandson, in 1417.

During the visits, lunch is served in a local restaurant.

In the evening, attend a folklore show featuring fashion parades and presentations of silk garments from various regions of Uzbekistan, held in the Nodir Divan Beghi madrasah.

Overnight at the hotel. (BF, LN)

Continue the tour of Bukhara with the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, built in the 10th century, a genuine masterpiece. Continue to the nearby sanctuary of Chashma Ayoub, constructed above a spring in the 12th century. Conclude your visit with the Bolo Khaouz mosque and the citadel (Ark) with its imposing walls.

For lunch, savor plov, a traditional Uzbek dish, in a typical restaurant.

Transfer to the train station for the train to Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand, an ancient city whose many monuments recall the tales of “The Thousand and One Nights”.
Overnight at the hotel. (BF, LN)

Samarkand — heart of ancient Sogdiana, destroyed by the Mongols of Genghis Khan, the old city of Afrosiyob was replaced with its neighbor, Samarkand, by Timur and his grandson Ulugh Beg, turning it into one of the great centers of the Muslim world at its height in the early 15th century.

Meet your guide to discover the stunning Registan Square surrounded by the majestic Ulugh Beg, Sher Dor, and Tilla–Kari madrasahs (15th-17th centuries); Bibi Khanym mosque built by Timur. Stroll through the bazaar bustling with a colorful crowd laden with melons, spices, and decorated breads. Then, visit the Shakhi Zinda necropolis, a sprawling complex of mausoleums covered in refined mosaics.

The day ends with a visit to the small museum and Ulugh Beg’s astronomical observatory.
Enjoy a traditional lunch during which you will discover “manty,” a local specialty made of large, steam-cooked dumplings stuffed with meat and vegetables.

Overnight at the hotel. (BF, LN)

Free day in Samarkand.

Stroll through the city, meet local artisans, and treat yourself to one of their creations.

Optional: set out to discover the 7 turquoise lakes at the foot of the Fan Mountains in Tajikistan. By minibus, begin your visit with the small Lake Nezhigon, whose name in Tajik means “eyelashes”. A picnic lunch with a local family is planned.
Overnight at the hotel. (BF)

Continue your visits in the city with your local guide. Start with the Gur Emir mausoleum, where Timur is buried.

Then, discover the Samarkand-Afrasiyab foundation museum, whose masterpiece is a 7th-century fresco, one of the very few from the region’s pre-Islamic period. This museum is dedicated to the archaeological site of Afrasiyab, the former Samarkand before its destruction by the Mongols in the 13th century, and provides valuable insight into the city’s cultural and historical richness.

End your tour with a visit to a small silk paper factory.

Lunch in a restaurant to sample Uzbek kebabs.

Free afternoon. Wander the streets of Samarkand, visit the Khazrat Khizr complex, located near the Shakhi Zinda necropolis. This sacred site houses a historic mosque from the 8th century. Perched on a hill, it offers a breathtaking view of Samarkand and a peaceful setting for a final stroll.

Evening transfer to the train station for the last train of your program to the Uzbek capital, the city of Tashkent.
On arrival, you will be greeted by the driver and transferred to the hotel.

Overnight at the hotel. (BF, LN)

A day dedicated to touring Tashkent, which, after being an important stop on the caravan route for more than a millennium, is now a partially rebuilt city following the terrible 1966 earthquake.

Meet your guide and set out for a tour of Tashkent. Wander through the various city squares: Independence Square, Amir Timur Square, and the Opera Theatre Square.

Visit the Museum of Applied Arts, located in the former palace of diplomat Polovtsev. Continue your visit to the mosque of Tilla Cheikh, the city’s main Friday mosque with its beautiful library, the mausoleum of Kaffal Chachi, and the Barak-Khan madrasah, a magnificent monument from the 16th century.

Lunch in a city restaurant during the tour.

Continue with a tour of the Tashkent metro whose stations are decorated in different themes.

Overnight at the hotel. (BF, LN)

Depending on your return flight, transfer to the airport. (BF)

Extra night or return flight from Tashkent upon request.