Cultural Treasures Of The Silk Road

Cultural Treasures Of The Silk Road

On this cultural trip, you will not only experience the historical towns of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent, but also visit the fertile Fergana Valley which is famous for the cultivation of fruit and vegetables, silk production and traditional handicrafts. You will watch craftsmen at work, make culinary discoveries and have time to explore on your own. Let yourself be seduced by the world of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’. Experience the noise of Oriental bazaars, architectural masterpieces and the history of the individual regions as well as all sorts of cultures and traditions. We wish you an unforgettable journey to the land of legends….

Itinerary

Day 1: 1st day. Arrival – Tashkent

Stop At: Tashkent TV tower, 109, Amir Temur Str., Tashkent Uzbekistan
Arrival with Uzbekistan Airways (HY) or another airline .Your travel guide will meet you at the airport and accompany you to your hotel. Two overnight stays in Tashkent.


Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at City Palace Hotel

Day 2: 2nd day: Capital of Uzbekistan

Stop At: Tashkent TV tower, 109, Amir Temur Str., Tashkent Uzbekistan
Arrival in Tashkent with another airline is at midnight or early morning. You will be met by your tour guide and taken to the hotel. Rest break at the hotel.
After breakfast, you will make a tour of the capital, Tashkent. You will visit Khast Imam Square with the Barak Khan Madrasa and the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum. This historic complex is in the old town and consists still today of the old clay houses which survived the earthquake of 1966. The complex was built around the grave of one of the first Koran preachers of Central Asia, who was also a famous scientist. On the large square, there is also a library with a collection of original manuscripts, among which is the world-famous Osmar Koran from the 7th century. Then we will go the «Chorsu» Bazaar, which was already known in the Middle Ages and which stood at the crossroads of the caravansaries of the Great Silk Road. This is one of the largest markets of Tashkent, not far from the centre of town. In the afternoon, we will wander through the modern town and on the way visit Independence Square with the building complex of the „Grieving Mother“ and the Alisher Navoi Opera House. We will walk as far as the Amir Timur Park.
Dinner in a local restaurant.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at City Palace Hotel

Day 3: 3rd day: Ceramics, Fergana Valley

Stop At: Fergana International Airport, Улица Аэропорт 16. город Фергана, Фергана 150100, Uzbekistan
Today we drive with private cars over the impressive Kamchik-Pass (2.268 m) to Fergana Valley, and there we discover the splendid Islamic buildings of Kokand - the Palace of Khudoyar-Khan and the imposing
Juma-Mosque. On to Rishtan to visit a Ceramics Studio in which the potter will tell us about making pottery and give us a demonstration. Dinner in the hotel or in a local restaurant. One overnight stay in Fergana.


Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Club 777 Hotel

Day 4: 4th day: Silk from Margilan, train journey to Margilan-Tashkent-Samarkand

Stop At: Hotel Adras, B.Margiloniy 32 a Margilan Fergana UZ, Marg‘ilon 151100, Uzbekistan
Fergana’s way of living is a fascinating combination of Western ways and traditional Uzbek: from modern restaurants and bars to Oriental bazaars. In order to get to know the town better, you will make a town tour through the avenue-like streets of Fergana. On through changing landscapes to Margilan. Here you will visit the most famous Silk Factory “Yodgorlik”, where you can see the individual steps to making silk. In the afternoon you go by train to Samarkand, changing in Tashkent. The train leaves at 12.06h (№-149Ф) and arrives in Tashkent at 17:48h. Our driver will meet you at the station and bring you to a different station from which you will take the fast train „Afrosiyob“ (№ 766Ф) to Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand at 20:58h.
Dinner in a local restaurant. Three overnight stays in Samarkand.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Largamak Hotel

Day 5: 5th day. The Oriental Pearl of Samarkand

Stop At: Samarkand Textile Workship, Griboedova St. 20, Samarkand 140103 Uzbekistan
Samarkand is one of the oldest towns in the world and at the same time the centre of the famous Silk Road. In the „Afrosiyob“ Museum you can get a really good idea of what Samarkand was like. Then you will visit the Shakhi-Sinda Complex, a wonderful group of different mausoleums in Timur style coated with majolica and mosaic tiles. You will note that centuries-old traditions still continue in Samarkand when you visit the Paper manufacturing company. Here you can learn about a traditional process of paper which is produced quite naturally from the fibres of the mulberry tree.
Ulugbek, Amir Timur’s grandson, the world-famous astronomer, will show you his Observatory, and his sextant which was only discovered in 1908.
In the late afternoon, you will see a colourful folklore programme in the Theatre „El-Merosi“ (the inheritance of the people), telling through dance the history of the region. During the show, the actors will show costumes from different historic periods of Uzbekistan, from the Bronze Age to the present. Dinner in a local restaurant.


Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Largamak Hotel

Day 6: 6th day. Face of Samarkand

Stop At: Samarkand Textile Workship, Griboedova St. 20, Samarkand 140103 Uzbekistan
Samarkand was considered in the Middle Ages to be one of the most beautiful and most important towns in the world. You will be impressed by the palace-like mausoleum of the ruler Timur, the Gur-Emir-Mausoleum. Today you can enjoy the highlight of your trip – Registan-Square with its three magnificent, artistically decorated madrasas. Tashkent Street, where in particular the souvenir shops are to be found, brings you to what was once the greatest mosque in Central Asia – the Bibi-Khanum-Mosque. Timur wanted to demonstrate his unlimited technical and financial possibilities by building the most beautiful mosque of the Eastern world. You are encouraged to try the raisins, apricots and nuts on a culinary walk through the bazaar. Today you will cook with the Uzbek family and enjoy a typical local dinner.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Laragamak Hotel

Day 7: 7th day. Timur‘s birth town Shakhrisabz

Stop At: The Palace Complex of Ak-Saray, Shahrisabz Uzbekistan
Along the historical Great Silk Road you drive through the beautiful mountain landscape to Amir Timur’s birth town, Shakhrisabz. He very quickly gained a larger empire than that of Alexander the Great. Admire King Timur’s building exploits and wander through the town and the market. In the late afternoon, we travel on to Bukhara – an oasis town in the Kizil-Kum Desert. Dinner in a local restaurant. Three overnight stays in Bukhara.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Komil Boutique Hotel

Day 8: 8th day. Enchanting Bukhara

Stop At: Ark of Bukhara, Afrosiab St, Bukhara Uzbekistan
We start our tour with the mausoleum of Ismail Samani and then go to the Chachmai Ayub mausoleum. Then we make a tour of the town on foot. Buchoroi sharif (noble Buchara) is a town with impressive market dome buildings, active mosques and madrasas. Bukhara has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One feels transported to the world of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, and it is amazing that active teaching and learning still takes place today in the mosques and madrasas, such as the medrasa Miri Arab and Minaret and the Kalon Mosque. You will also admire the «classic» architectural complex Labi Hauz with its trading domes and several mosques, madrasas and the dervish monastery - Khanaka in the town centre and understand the honorary title «the noble one». On the way you will also visit market dome buildings such as Toqi Zargaron, Toqi Telpak furuschon and Toqi Saraffon.
Dinner today is in an old Jewish house with a Bukhara family. The Susani embroiderer Abdurahman will tell us about Buchara embroidery and we will try the Emir’s Plov.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Komil Boutique Hotel

Day 9: 9th day. „Noble“ Bukhara

Stop At: Ark of Bukhara, Afrosiab St, Bukhara Uzbekistan
Today we will visit the Chor Minor madrasa, which are four minarets (chor – four) and the whole style shows similarities with the Indian style of building. Then we will visit the summer residence of the last Bukhara Emir – Sitorai Mokhi Hossa. «The place where the moon and the stars meet» is the translation from Persian of the name of the palace. As is known, Bukhara is one of the seven holy towns of the Islamic world. There are a large number of orientations in Sufism, and representatives of all the orders were present in various eras on the site of where Uzbekistan is today. Sufi orden Naqshbandiyya had the longest lasting effect and left behind the greatest legacy. Bahauddin Naqshbandi was one of the spiritual mentors of Tamerlan. His philosophy was based on the principle of «God in the heart, work in the hands». The necropolis resp. memorial of Bahauddin Naqshbandi were considered to be the Central Asian Mecca.
In the afternoon, we have time to discover the Jewish quarter of Bukhara and to visit a Synagogue which is over 400 years old. Then we will visit a Doll’s Repair Shop.
Dinner in a local restaurant on the „Labi Hauz“.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Komil Boutique Hotel

Day 10: 10th day. Through the Kizilkum Desert to Khiva (ca. 420km)

Stop At: Itchan Kala, Khiva Uzbekistan
Trip through the half-desert Kizilkum («Red Sand») and steppe to Khiva. Picnic on the way in a Uzbek «Roadhouse» - Tea-Room. Arrival in Khiva, check-in at the hotel. In the evening you can explore by yourselves. Princely dinner in the „Toza Bog“ summer palace. One overnight stay in Khiva.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Shaherezada Hotel

Day 11: 11th day. Khiva – a magical town from 1001 Nights, Flight Urgench-Tashkent

Stop At: Itchan Kala, Khiva Uzbekistan
Today you visit the old town of Khiva “Ichan Kala”, which has maintained its historical, Oriental character. You will stand in front of the massive wall with its four entrances to Ichan Kala and will feel transported to another world: All around the Kalta Minor (short minaret), which was once so tall that you could see far-away Bukhara from the top, the hustle and bustle of life is just as it was in ancient times. On a tour, you can let all the sights sink in: Kuhna Ark – the old residence of the Khiva Khans, the Madrasa of Muhammad Rakhim Khan, Mausoleum of Pakhlavon Makh mud, Madrasa und Minaret Islam Hodja, the Residence Tosh Hovli and the Juma Mosque – Friday mosque, whose wooden beam ceiling is held up by 212 wooden columns decorated with artistic carvings. Dinner in Khiva or Urgench (approx. 35 km from Khiva).
Transfer to Urgench Airport for the flight to Tashkent. Transfer to the hotel. One overnight stay in Tashkent.


Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at City Palace Hotel

Day 12: 12th day. Tashkent – Return flight

Stop At: Tashkent TV tower, 109, Amir Temur Str., Tashkent Uzbekistan
After an early breakfast, drive to the airport and flight back home.


Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.