The nine-day gastronomic tour in Uzbekistan will introduce you not only to the taste of delicious Uzbek national dishes but show you how to cook them. You will also enjoy the wines of this sunny land and discover the most historical cities – Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva.
Arrive in Tashkent. We will start the gastronomic tour in Uzbekistan welcoming you to the capital city. You will be met by a Creative Tours driver and transferred to the hotel. Check-in at the hotel at 14:00. Your guide will meet at the hotel lobby to start sightseeing in the capital of Uzbekistan, the biggest city in Central Asia.
You will visit:
Then take a ride on Tashkent Metro to the city center with:
Overnight at the hotel.
At 07:00 transfer from your hotel to the railway station. Fast-speed train “Afrosiyob” departs Tashkent at 08:00 and arrives in Samarkand at 10:10 (300 km). Your guide and driver will meet you at the train station. As the part of gastronomic tour, you will start the Samarkand city tour with a visit:
Continue sightseeing: visit
Then drive to Konigil Village to explore the traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. After the sightseeing drive to the wine factory named after Khovrenko for wine degustation. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
In the morning depart Samarkand and drive to Bukhara (280 km, 4 h.*). Stop on the way at:
Continue driving to Bukhara. Arrive in Bukhara, and check in to the hotel. Spend your afternoon in the fascinating Old Bukhara which has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Explore:
In the evening folklore show at Madrasah Nodir Devan Begi. Overnight at the hotel.
Start your second day in Bukhara discovering:
You will have a master class on cooking sherpa (soup with rather big pieces of red meat and vegetables) or mampara (soup with diced red meat, vegetables, and plain dough) after the sightseeing tour. Enjoy free time in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.
Today you will cook “Non”, Uzbek national bread, and “Somsa”, stuffed puff pastry, at the national house. Free time.Overnight at the hotel.
In the morning depart Bukhara and drive to Khiva (480 km, 7-8 h.*). The Great Silk Road once routed through Bukhara and Khiva ran through the Kyzylkum Desert, as the present road does nowadays**. Stop en route to enjoy views of the desert and Amu Darya River. Arrive in Khiva late in the afternoon, and check in to the hotel. Time for rest. Overnight at the hotel.
Today you will visit Itchan-Kala Fortress which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tour features visits to:
Try climbing the Islam-Khoja minaret, the highest minaret in Uzbekistan. Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Old Khiva at Kuyna-Ark. Master class on cooking “tukhumbarak” (unusual Khiva ravioli stuffed with raw eggs) at the national house. Overnight at the hotel.
In the morning transfer to Urgench airport (30 km, 35 min.) for flight to Tashkent (1093 km, 1 h. 40 min.). Upon arrival, you will be met by the driver, who will take you to Chorsu Bazaar – one of the oldest bazaars in Uzbekistan. On the counters of this oriental Bazaar, you can find almost everything: fresh fruits, amber-colored dried fruits, Uzbek bread (Non) with a delicious smell, and many other things. They all are so attractive that one can’t pass by them. Next to the bazaar, there are choykhonas (tea houses), where you can try amber yellow pilaf, tasty shashlik (grilled meat), and hot sherpa (soup). After a very local lunch here you will be transferred to the international airport in the evening.
Accommodation:
| City | Hotel 4* | Hotel 3* | Nights |
| Tashkent | Ramada, City Palace, Wyndham; | Arien Plaza, Uzbekistan, Grand Nur; | 1 |
| Khiva | Erkin Palace, Asia Khiva, Bek Khiva; | Malika Khiva, Old Khiva, Old Town; | 2 |
| Bukhara | Shaxriston, Devon Begi, Omar Khayam; | Lyabi Hauz, Rayhon, Porso; | 3 |
| Samarkand | Grand Samarkand Superior, Diyora, Emir Khan; | Bibikhanum, Malika prime, Gala Osiyo. | 2 |
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