8 Days Classic Tour in Uzbekistan

Arrival in Tashkent, you will start your classic tour in Uzbekistan by being met and transferred to the Hotel. Free time in the biggest city of Central Asia.
Overnight at the hotel.

Early breakfast/pick up lunch boxes. Meet your guide at the lobby of the hotel. Transfer to the domestic airport for the morning flight to Urgench. Arrival in Urgench. Meet your driver and transfer to Khiva (30km. 35 min.). Start a sightseeing program in Khiva. You will visit:

• Ichan-Kala Fortress (open-air museum) which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is the old part of the city, surrounded by a wall and turned into the State Historical Archaeological Museum. Here on the vast territory of 26 hectares, the exotic image of the eastern city has been preserved. In Itchan-Kala there are about 60 historic buildings.
• Mukhammad Rahimkhan Madrasah (1876) – is a bright sample of the culture of the architecture of that epoch and takes a special niche in the history of Khoresm. Named after Muhammad Rahim-khan, who was one of the most educated representatives of the Kungrat dynasty ever to rule in Khiva since 1770.
• Mukhammad Aminkhan Madrasah (1851-1854) – is the largest madrasah not only in Khiva but in Central Asia. The two-storied building occupies an area of 72 to 60 meters and has 125 khudjras (cells), intended for 260 students.
• Juma Mosque (XVIII century end) – is an original building without portals and cupolas, without galleries and yards. It is 55×46 m. The interior space is a single hall, the flat ceiling of which is supported by 215 wooden pillars.
• Kalta-Minor (1855) – it has become the real symbol of the city. The foundation of the minaret is 15 meters, the diameter at the foundation is 14,5 meters and the height is 29 meters. But this massive tower has only a third part of the project height. Its unique decoration strikes an imagination: the minaret is completely covered with glazed tile and majolica.
• Tash-Khovli Palace (XIX century) – summer residence of Khiva Khans. The original synthesis of architecture and monumental decorative art in the creative work of the Khorezm masters is vividly represented by this palace.
• Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum (1701) – If blue domes as the symbol of eastern architecture can be often found in Samarkand and Bukhara, there is only one blue dome in Khiva.  It decorates the tomb of Makhmud Pahlavan, a famous poet and warrior of the XIV century. In the mausoleum of Pahlavan Mahmud people pray and drink the holy water.
• Islam-Khoja minaret (XX century) – is the highest minaret in Uzbekistan. The height of the minaret is 6 meters, and the diameter of the fundament is 9.5 at the base.

Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Old Khiva in Kunya-Ark (1686) with our classsic tour in Uzbekistan.
Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. After, depart Khiva and drive to Bukhara through the Kyzyl-Kum desert. Stopping to enjoy the views of the desert and the “Amu-Darya” river. Arrive in Bukhara afternoon. Check-in.  Time for rest and overnight at the hotel.

After Breakfast, enjoying with the excursion in the old Bukhara. Visit:

• Kalyan Minaret (1127) – City symbol of Bukhara.  The minaret was designated to summon Muslims to prayer five times a day. It still dominates the skyline of Bukhara, astonishing all who see it with its magnificent and flawless shape
• Kalyan Mosque (XV century) – The layout of the Djuma Mosque (named the Kalyan Mosque) is traditional: a rectangular courtyard with a tall and large maksura room on the west side.
• Miri-Arab Madrasah (XVI century) – is one of the best Bukhara architectural school monuments. The architecture and décor of Miri-Arab distinguish by the highest culture and taste.
• Magoki-Attori Mosque (XII century) – Islamic mosque dating back to Zoroastrianism. It is an example of an urban mosque in a residential quarter
• Ulugbek madrasah (1417) – the most ancient of three madrasahs, built by Ulugbek
• Abdulazizkhan madrasahs (1651-1652) – luxurious decoration. The building is typical by composition, with a four-ayvans yard, but with an unordinary divergent fan of hudj groups after side ayvans and cupola buildings on the central axis
• Trading domes – Toki-Sarrafon Trading Dome (was the currency exchange center of Central Asia), Telpak Furushon Trading Dome (first was a bookselling place, later selling caps), Timi Abdullakhan Trading Dome (carpets and fabrics were sold), Toki-Zargaron Trading Dome (were selling jewelry)
• Lyabi Hauz Ensemble (XVI-XVII centuries) – the historical source of water supply in Bukhara. It is formed with three large monumental buildings: Kukeldash Madrasah (1568-1569) in the north, khanakah (1619-1620), and Nodir Divan-begi in the west and the east
• Chor-Minor Madrasah (1807) – “Four Minarets” – The towers’ décor elements are believed to reflect the religious-philosophical understanding of the world’s four religions

The afternoon classic tour continues sightseeing in Bukhara outskirts discovering:

• Legendary Ark Fortress (IV century BC) – The symbol of the state power. It was a residence of Bukhara Khans
• Bolo-Khauz Mosque (1712) – it is the only preserved monument on Registan Square. The complex consists of the reservoir, Friday mosque, and minaret. The most ancient part of the complex is the pond (Khauz), which is called as Bolo-Khauz (“Children’s reservoir”).
• Ismail Samani mausoleum (IX century) – It was erected as a family crypt immediately after the death of Ismail Samani’s father. Mausoleum is full of magnificence and the feeling of moving from this world to a world that lasts forever.
• Chashma-Ayub mausoleum (XII-XVI centuries) – “Saint Job’s Source”. A legend has it that the Bible prophet Job, having visited this land, decided to help the people who suffered from water shortage in the desert. He struck the ground with his stick, making a source of crystal clear water sprang at that place.

Drive out of the city outskirts visiting:

• Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa (XIX century mid) – summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir. The Bukhara architects having trained in Russia managed to combine Oriental and Western styles in their creation.
• Mausoleum of Bakhoutdin Naqshbandi (1544) – is one of the most important Muslim shrines. The Mausoleum of Saint Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is considered the Central Asian Mekka.  Believers from different Muslim countries come here to ask for the fulfillment of wishes and healing.

Free time in Bukhara till 10:30, check out the hotel, and drive to Samarkand (280 km.). Stop on the way at:

• Gijduvan pottery masters workshop.
• Caravanserai Rabat Malik (XI century) – summer residence of Karakhanids. There are no analogous monuments that can give us an example of the everyday life of the Karakhanid rulers in the territory of Central Asia.

In the afternoon you are in Samarkand-the garden of the soul. Check-in and have some rest.
Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, meet your guide at the lobby of the hotel. Start sightseeing in the old Samarkand in new contrasts. Visit:

• Gur Emir Mausoleum (XV century)– authentic shrine of Tamerlane. This majestic complex consisted of a khanaka, the madrasah of Muhammad Sultan – grandson of Amir Timur, and, later, tombs of Amir Timur himself and his descendants. Gur Emir was a prototype for famous samples of architecture of the Great Mughal: Humayun Mausoleum in Delhi and the Taj Mahal in Agra, built by Timur descendants, who ruled northern India.
• Registan Square (XV-XVII centuries) – during centuries it was the center of Samarkand. The word Registan means “sand place”. The ensemble consists of three Madrassah: Ulugbek Madrassah (15th century), Sher – Dor Madrassah (17th century), and Tilla-Kari Madrassah (gold-covered) (17th century).
• Bibi Khanum Mosque (1399-1404) – The majestic blue domes of the Bibi-Khanym Mosque are an unusual sight. It takes one’s breath even from understanding the scale of construction of this monument, impressing by its size and beauty. In antiquity, the dome of this mosque was compared with the dome of heaven and the arch of the portal – with the Milky Way.
• Siyob Bazaar (on Mondays it’s closed) – is the largest trading center of Samarkand. Mostly here you can find national bread, fruits, vegetables, sweets, and a lot more
• Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis (XIV-XV centuries) – consists of rows of refined sparkling blue colors tombs. Shakhi Zinda consists of eleven mausoleums, which were built one after another in the XIV-XV centuries. Shakhi Zinda is the burial place of royal persons and nobles. But the main mausoleum from which the necropolis starts seems to be the imaginary grave of Prophet Muhammad’s cousin, Kusama Ibn Abbas. The complex was called “Shakhi Zinda” which means in Persian “The Living King”.
• Ulugbek Observatory (1428-1429) – The astronomical miracle of medieval Uzbekistan. Observatory was unique construction for its time. The basis of the observatory was a giant goniometer vertical circle), the radius of the circle was equal to 40,212 meters, and the length of the arc was 63 meters
• Mausoleum of Saint Daniel (1900, but the grave was long earlier) – There is hardly any place in the world where Muslims, Christians, and Jews come to pray. But this Tomb of the Old Testament Prophet Daniel, also known as Daniel or Doniyar.

Then drive to Konigil village to explore the traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry.

At 17:00 transfer to the railway station of Samarkand. The high-speed train “Afrosiyob” leaves for Tashkent at 18:00. Arrive in Tashkent. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

At 9:00 am meet with your guide at the lobby of the hotel. Start sightseeing Tashkent from the old part of the city with:

• Old City part of Tashkent
• Khast-Imom Complex (XVI-XXI century)where the world-famous Quran (VII century) of Caliph Uthman – Ottoman has been preserved. In Khast-Imom visit the Madrasah of Barak-Khan, Tilla Sheikh Mosque, Mausoleum of the Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi , and the Islamic Institute of Imam al-Bukhari
• Chor-Su Bazaar, the age of which is more than a hundred years
• Tashkent Metro (1977) Ride – is the only currently operating metro in Central Asia
• Amir Temur Square – surrounded by the buildings of the “Uzbekistan” Hotel, University of Law (former Women’s Gymnasium), the Amir Timur Museum, well-known Tashkent Chimes, and the Forums Palace – one of the most grandiose architectural structures in Tashkent
• Independence Square– located in the center of Tashkent city. It is a favorite resting place for the Tashkent residents. The fact that the most beautiful fountains of the city are located in the square contributed considerably to it
• Amir Temur Museum (2006) – has collected more than three thousand exhibits that tell about the ancient history of our region. Among them, there are paintings, historical documents that relate to the life and activity of Amir Timur, unique manuscripts, weapons, old clothes, utensils, and various coins.
  Overnight at the hotel.

Free time until transfer to Tashkent International Airport. Departure. End of Tour.