Bestseller Uzbekistan Family Tour - 2

Flight to Urgench

Arrival in Urgench International Airport ( ETA 05:00 a.m)

Migration formalities usually take 30 min to 60 min: passport control and baggage claim. Come out of the terminal, the driver meets with a sign “ANUR TOUR” at the exit gates.

Transfer to the hotel in Khiva. Extra night.

Morning at leisure, short time to rest after the flight. 

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00 Meet the guide at the lobby. Transfer to the fortresses of ancient Khorezm.

- Ayaz-kala and Toprak-kala, the fortresses of Kushan period of Ancient Khorezm that used to be mighty border forts protecting the residents from raids of nomadic tribes.  The forts were built in ~4-7th century BCE, during the ages when Khorezm achieved its independence. The fortresses are located on the hills quite close to each other and visitors are welcome to have a short overview tour in the monumental forts that currently are drowning in sands.

Transfer in Khiva.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide at the lobby.

Start the walking excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Itchan-kala (translated as “Inner town”) - the largest Museum in the open air in Central Asia:

- Ata-Darvaza, Kunya - Ark;

- Madrassah of Muhammad Rahim Khan;

- Madrassah of Muhammed Aminhan;

- Kalta Minor, the Palace of the Allakulihan Khan of Khiva;

- Tash Hauli, where the harem of 40 concubines was;

- Caravanserai and Tim Allakulihan;

- Mausoleum of Seyd Allaudin;

- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum;

- Minaret and Islam-Khoja Madrassah, Mosque and Jami Minaret.

Free time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer from Khiva to Bukhara by car (475 km, 7 hrs) via the Kyzylkum Desert, OR transfer by train with extra (depending on the train schedule).

Arrival in Bukhara. Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the afternoon/evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby. Start the walking sightseeing program in Bukhara (5 hrs):

- Ensemble Lyabi Hauz (Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa, Khanaka, Kukeldash Madrassa, and the monument of Khodja Nasreddin);

- Magoki Attari Mosque is one of the oldest mosques to survive in Bukhara from the time before the Mongolian invasion.

- Abdullakhan’s Tim, with numerous handicraft shops of souvenirs, ceramics, national clothes, and carpets;

- Caravanserai Sayfuddin (the Center of Handicraft Development of Bukhara);

- Trading domes, or so-called covered bazaars, Toki Sarrofon, Toki Telpak Furushon, and Toki Zargaron, preserved from the 16th century, and these bazaars were the centers for trade of silk, jewelry, and money exchange. Nowadays, visitors can purchase different souvenirs of a wide range, from small souvenir magnets to the famous Bukhara carpets.

- Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas, or so-called Kosh (pair) madrassas, opposite each other with the distinctive style of facade ornamental decoration;

- Poi Kalon Square with Kalon Minaret and Mosque, Mir Arab Madrassa – the heart of Bukhara, a monumental complex that impresses the imagination;

- Ark Fortress – the oldest citadel, dating back to the 1st century BC, where one can feel the history of the great fortress covered in beautiful legends and myths.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby. Start the Bukhara countryside tour by visiting:

- Samanids Mausoleum (9th century), a monument of early medieval architecture.

- The last Bukhara Emir’s summer residence, "Sitorai-Mokhi-Khossa". Located 4 km away from Bukhara. Once this palace life was in full swing and sealed people's fates. The palace witnessed the triumph and the last days of the Bukhara emir.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning at leisure.

11:00 Meet the driver at the lobby of your hotel in Bukhara.

Transfer to the famous Gijduvan pottery workshop ( about 50 min drive from Bukhara), where visitors are welcome for a tour around the workshop and to observe the process of ceramic making and painting.

The owners demonstrate the stages of making ceramics, from turning the potter’s wheel to making paints from natural ingredients, decorating the ceramics in a distinctive style, drying, and firing.  Take a tour around the museum hall of ceramic masterpieces with a unique collection of ceramic items from Gijduvan and other regions of Uzbekistan. 

Master class of painting ceramics, and lunch at the master's house.

After drying and burning the painted ceramics, the master will send the handmade ceramics to your hotel in Samarkand within the next two days.

Continue to the hotel in Samarkand. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel

10:00 Transfer to Shahrisabz, the native town of Amir Temur.

Start sightseeing in Shahrisabz (2,5 hrs):

- Ak Saray Palace (“White Palace”), the ruins of the summer palace of Tamerlane. The palace was constructed and decorated by deported from conquered Khorezm skillful builders, masters and artisans. Some parts of the gate tower survived to the present day.

- Mausoleum of Dorus-Saodat ("The Place of Power", XIV century) contains the tomb of Eldest and favorite Tamerlane’s son Jahongir.

- Visit Kok Gumbaz, so-called “House of Meditation.

- Mausoleum Gumbazi-Seyidon of the XVI century where the descendants of Ulugbek are buried.

Return to Samarkand. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide and driver. Start Samarkand sightseeing: 

– Gur Emir Mausoleum – a burial vault of Timur the Great and his descendants, decorated with gold ornaments and considered one of the most significant places in the world;

– Continue to Registan Square – the heart of Samarkand and a real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture—which consists of three grandiose buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor, and Madrassa Tilla Kori.

– Bibi Khanum Mosque – the biggest medieval building in the city, which was one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in the 15th century;

– Samarkand Bazaar Siyab.

Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide. Continue sightseeing in Samarkand (5-6 hrs):

– Shahi Zinda Necropolis – a unique complex of mausoleums on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) of Abbas ibn Kussam;

– Ulugbek’s Observatory – one of the finest astronomical centers in the medieval world—was built by order of Ulugbek, an outstanding scholar and astronomer;

– Khoja Doniyor Mausoleum - the mausoleum over the grave of one of the saints. According to legend, back in the 18th century, the ashes of the Old Testament biblical prophet Daniyar (Daniel) were buried in the mausoleum, the remains of which were brought to Samarkand and buried by order of Amir Timur.

– Paper factory "Meros”  in Konigil village that produces unique paper that can be preserved for more than 400 years and is used in craftworks.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Samarkand International Airport.

Morning departure flight from Samarkand ( ETD 05:00 am)

End of the tour.