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Ancient Treasures of Uzbekistan

4.6 (13 Reviews)
Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkhand
€1.628
4.6
(13 reviews)

Duration

8 Days

Tour Type

Tailor-made

Group Size

1 - 6 people

Languages

English

About this tour

Uzbekistan is one of the most popular destinations for those who are seeking to learn more about the wonderful history and amazing culture of Central Asia, as it is where the first kinds of civilizations developed. This amazing place used to be located on the Great Silk Road and is now home to many impressive structures showcasing Islamic architecture including mesmerizing mosques, fortresses, mausoleums, and madrasahs. This journey allows you to travel back in time to the days of the Great Silk Road on a 7-day adventure. 

Free Cancellation:

You can easily cancel this tour based on the policies mentioned in the following sections down below. 

Tailor-Made:

You can fully customize your tour and change its duration, route, and included services, all tailored to your needs.

Book with Flexibility:

You can change the date of your trip free of charge, for up to two weeks prior to your original arrival date.

Private Tour:

This tour is private and is only for you and your own travel companions.

Need a piece of professional advice?

Contact Violet, our Uzbekistan travel designer, for planning your personalized trip.

Highlights

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Tashkent

Today you'll arrive in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and your driver transfers you from the airport to the hotel.

Accommodation: Shah Polan 3*

Day 2: Tashkent – Urgench – Khiva

Today, you'll have a morning flight to the ancient city of Khiva (1 h. 45 min.). The closest airport to Khiva is located in Urgench. After arrival, you will drive towards Khiva itself and have a full-day tour of Itchan-Kala Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is famous as an open-air museum. Then we'll stroll in the old neighborhoods and visit some other authentic highlights such as KunyaArk Citadel, Tash-Khovli Palace, Mukhammad Aminkhan Madrasah, Mukhammad Rahimkhan Madrasah, Kalta-Minor, and Juma Mosque Minaret of Islam-Khoja. Afterward, you'll have some free time in the evening to explore the city by yourself and enjoy its local colorful bazaars. At the end of the day, you will have dinner while enjoying folk music.

Accommodation: Zarafshan Boutique Hotel 3*

Day 3: Khiva – Bukhara. (500km/ 7 hrs)

After having breakfast at the hotel, it’s time to leave Khiva toward Bukhara. En route, you’ll stop and spend some time in a small village to feel the authentic vibe of the locals’ lifestyle. Connected with the Silk Road, the Kyzyl-Kum desert is located between Khiva and Bukhara. You’ll stop in the right direction to appreciate the fantastic view of the Amu Darya River, the major river in Central Asia. You’ll also have panoramic views of the Turkmenistan border. You’ll arrive at Bukhara in the afternoon. After check-in, you have leisure time to rest or explore the city.

Accommodation: Ayub Hotel 3*

Day 4: Bukhara

 

Your guide will meet you today after breakfast. You’re going to enjoy a day tour visiting the stunning old neighbors of Bukhara. The visits will start with Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, trade domes,Kalyan Mosque, Minaret, Miri-Arab Madrasah, Ulugbek, and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs. Afterward, you’ll explore Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, Ismail Samani, and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums. You’ll have free time to wander in the city freely and get lost in ancient Bukhara city.
Accommodation: Ayub Hotel 3*

Day 5: Bukhara - Samarkand (240 km / 4 hrs)

Today you’ll leave Bukhara and head to another famous city of Uzbekistan, Samarkand, it takes about 4 hours, but you’ll have some stops en route to visit some superb attractions. One of them will be the Gijduvan ceramic museum. You’ll learn the traditional methods of creating handmade ceramic products, and meet the skillful potters while creating colorful handcrafts, you may even have the chance to experience making a tiny object with ceramics. After arriving at Samarkand, you’ll have a traditional meal and visit the mausoleum of Saint Daniel Mazar. In the evening, you’ll visit a unique Meros paper mill workshop that demonstrates the processes of making paper from Mulberry trees. 

Accommodation: Ideal Hotel 3*

Day 6: Samarkand – Tashkent (300km/2 hrs)

Today, you’ll have a full-day city tour of Samarkand to know more about the ancient times of Uzbekistan. You’ll start with the mausoleum of Gur Emir, the burial place of Taimur Lang. Then we explore the heart of Samarkand city center, Registan Square which is surrounded by historical attractions such as Madrassas of Ulugbek, Sher Dor, and Tillya-Kori. The next visit is to Bibi Khanym Mosque, the largest mosque in entire central Asia. BiBI khanym was Taimur's beloved wife. The Necropolis of Shahi Zinda is another visit of today. This ancient complex belongs to the most famous the Mausoleum of Kussam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. After lunch, you’ll go shopping at the Siyab Grand bazaar for about an hour and then you’ll be transferred to the railway station to take a high-speed train to the capital, Tashkent. You’ll drive to the hotel and rest.

Accommodation: Shah Polan Hotel 3*

Day 7: Tashkent

Today is the day to visit the capital of Uzbekistan's attractions. The first is the Ensemble of Hazret Imam in which you can find the oldest manuscript of Uzbekistan and surrounding mosques and mausoleums. The most important attraction is the Othman Quran, the world’s oldest Quran copy, dating back to the 8th century. The next visit is Kukeldash Madrasah and after that, you’ll have enough time to explore the largest bazaar in Tashkent, Chaarsu Bazaar. You can try traditional sweets and snacks while you choose some of them as souvenirs. After having a local meal for lunch, you’ll visit the museum of Applied Arts and the White Mosque.

Accommodation: Shah Polan Hotel 3*

Day 8: Tashkent – Departure Day

Today is the last day of this amazing journey. You can relax before a private transfer to the airport picks you up for your departure flight back home.

Included/Excluded

  • Accommodation in Double/Twin room
  • Domestic flight ticket Tashkent – Urgench
  • Professional English-speaking guide/driver
  • All Sightseeing entrance fees, based on the itinerary
  • 6 breakfasts
  • All transfers by car /minivan/AC Luxury Coach
  • Train tickets
  • Charges in hotels for additional services
  • International flight tickets
  • Meals not mentioned in the included service
  • Tip to driver and guide

Payment & Cancellation Policy

  • To secure your booking, 30% of the amount needs to be paid as a deposit.
  • The remaining balance needs to be totally paid two weeks prior to your arrival date.
  • If your arrival date is within the next 14 days, the total amount needs to be paid in advance in order to secure the package.
  • Free cancellation for up to two weeks before your arrival date.
  • 30% cancellation penalty if you cancel within 14-5 days before your arrival date.
  • Non-refundable if you cancel when it's less than five days left until your arrival date.

Frequently asked questions

To enter Uzbekistan, visitors should have a visa (except for the 16 countries with a visa-free regime). To receive the visa, you should apply for visa support (letter of invitation) from a tour agency with a license from Uzbektourism. There are 51 countries with a simplified visa application procedure, meaning they do not need visa support to apply for a visa.

It is possible to obtain a visa at the international arrivals lounge of Tashkent International Airport if both of the following conditions are met: There is no Uzbekistan Embassy or Consulate in the country where you are originating your flight to Uzbekistan. Connecting flights to Uzbekistan, where Uzbekistan Embassy or Consulate exists, does not provide enough time to obtain a visa.

Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are generally the most pleasant time to travel. The weather at this time is clear; in April, you will enjoy a colorful yet short spring in the desert. Autumn is harvest time, and the markets are full of fresh fruit. June and August are the best times for those who enjoy hiking because of the dry summer. In winter, the temperature usually varies between -5 and +5 (all temperatures are in Celsius), snow is usual for Uzbekistan, but there are sunnier than cloudy days. Coats, hats, gloves, and sweaters are recommended. In spring, the weather is mild; day temperature fluctuates between +15 and +25, reaching +30 - +35 close to summer. Casual, lightweight clothing for daytime and a light jacket or cardigan for the evening is suggested. If you plan to visit Uzbekistan in the summer, expect +36 - + 42. T-shirts and shorts will work best. It is highly recommended to wear a hat or a cap or to use a parasol. Early autumn is like spring; T-shirts for daytime and a light jacket might be needed occasionally for evening time. Mid-October and November are relatively calm; you will need light jackets during the day and a raincoat sometimes. Weather temperature decreases from 35 to 15 degrees from early to late autumn.

Generally, there are no strict limitations on clothing, especially in Tashkent and other major cities, where particularly young people enjoy full liberty with clothing. You can frequently encounter young ladies wearing traditional Islamic covers, but this is a personal preference rather than a must. In some provinces, however, such as Ferghana Valley, it would be better to avoid wearing shorts. The same rule is applied when visiting religious places, mosques, mausoleums, etc. Also, ladies should cover their shoulders and chest and preferably wear a hat or a headscarf. In the summertime, it would be advisable to follow the above recommendation to protect yourself from the sun. Also, sun protection lotions can be used.

Below we give distances between the main tourist cities. Tashkent-Samarkand: 315 km, Tashkent-Shakhrisabz: 390 km, Tashkent-Fergana: 315 km, Tashkent-Bukhara: 575 km, Tashkent-Khiva: 1015 km, Samarkand-Shakhrisabz: 90km, Samarkand-Bukhara: 265km, Samarkand-Fergana: 560km, Samarkand-Khiva: 710km, Bukhara-Khiva: 445km, Bukhara-Fergana: 825km

Bulk discount (by percent)

Bulk discount adult
# Discount group From adult To adult Value
1 1 Pax 1 1 0
2 2 Pax 2 2 50%
3 3 Pax 3 3 47.59887006%
4 4 Pax 4 4 60.69915254%
5 5 Pax 5 5 53.38983051%
6 6 Pax 6 6 61.15819209%

Reviews

4.6/5
Excellent
(13 reviews)
Excellent
8
Very Good
4
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
13 reviews on this Tour - Showing 1 to 3
Travel & Tours to Emerging Destinations

Rociomaya

Once in a Lifetime Trip!

I have taken some tours with 1stquest, most recently Egypt and Jordan, and have been satisfied once. As soon as I decided to travel to Uzbekistan, I contacted them, and a team member got back to me at the earliest opportunity. Trip itineraries offer plenty of optional activities, the guides are professional, and the price is competitive. 1st Quest is also committed to helping local people and giving back to their communities. I look forward to traveling with them again.
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Travel & Tours to Emerging Destinations

V. Parkes

Excellent 8 days in Uzbekistan

Our tour guide did a great job of creating a real family atmosphere and I know I have made some friends for life.
Everything with the trip went smoothly, transports were on time, and issues were handled with quiet efficiency. We used 1stquest because my son had previously used their service with a similar experience.
I'm not generally a fan of organized groups, as we often prefer something more customized and the helpful 1stquest helped us alot.
Travel & Tours to Emerging Destinations

Clarke Shan

Everything was amazing 🤩

I had 2 weeks trip to Uzbekistan. I enjoyed the trip, except the heat reached 40 degrees. It was well planned, and our guide was excellent and helpful, except that he asked each participant on the 1st day of the trip to pay him to cover tips to hotel staff. When I said this was not mentioned in the trip, he said it is optional but will help the community.

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4.6 (13 Reviews)
Total
€1.628
Per Person
€1.628

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