7 day group tour on May holidays

Tour itinerary: Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara – Khiva – Tashkent

Season:

Days: 7 | Nights: 7

This Spring time group tour in Uzbekistan 2020-2021 is a great opportunity to observe the Great Four - main cities of Uzbekistan, true hearts of ancient Uzbek culture and spirit. We will provide excursion to the most known sights of Samarkand, Khiva and Tashked during this tour. You will discover a whole new world of glittering sky blue mosaics, sandy squares and mausoleums keeping their gloss and greatness. You will try several different dishes, go above and beyond

Welcome to Uzbekistan in May tour! Welcome to Central Asia!

Day 1

Tashkent

Arrival in Tashkent International Airport named after Islam Karimov, first President of Uzbekistan.

Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim.

Come out of the terminal and meet the staff holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” or with your name on it. As Tashkent airport not far from the city center, transfer will not take long time (20 – 40 minutes depend on from the hotel).

Start sightseeing tour of Tashkent (5-6 hrs) visiting new and old parts of the city:

- Amir Timur Square;

- Theatre Square with the Opera House;

- Earthquake Memorial, the composition is devoted to the tragic date of earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966 and is erected in the approximate place of earthquake epicenter. Residents still come to the monument to honor those people who took a part in the reconstruction of Tashkent;

- Independence Square , the main square of Uzbekistan reflects the past, present and future of the country.

After lunch continue city tour visiting

- Abdul Kasim Madrassah;

- Khast Imam Square – a religious center of the city consisting of the Barakkhan madrasah;

- Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the library of Islamic Literature with the Holy Koran Book of the VII century

- Chorsu bazaar;

- Tashkent Metro.

Resting time in the evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2

Tashkent – Samarkand

07:00 Arrival on Tashkent's railway station for departuring to Samarkand

08:00 Transfer to Samarkand via fast train 'Afrosiyob'

10:10 Arrival in Samarkand. Meet up with our guide and driver and start excursion:

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

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

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

– Shahi Zinda Necropolis – unique complex of Mausoleums formed by standing on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) belonging to the Muslim person named Saint Abbas ibn-Kussam;

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

– Samarkand bazaar – Siyab.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time.

Overnight.

Day 3

Samarkand – Gijduvan – Bukhara

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free time in Samarkand, morning at leisure.

Afternoon transfer to Bukhara, en- route visiting famous Gijduvan pottery workshop where visitors are welcome for a tour around the workshop and 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 the ceramic items of Gijduvan and other regions of Uzbekistan.

By request, a master-class of painting ceramics, suzani embroidery and traditional bread baking.

Continue to Bukhara.

Arrival in Bukhara in the afternoon, check in the hotel.

Resting time in the evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4

Bukhara

Breakfast in the hotel.

Meet a guide and start your walking excursion:

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

– Magoki Attari Mosque is one of the oldest mosques survived in Bukhara from the time before the Mongolian invasion;

– Abdullakhan’s Tim with numerous handicraft stores offering you souvenirs, ceramics, national clothes, and carpets;

– Caravanserai Saifuddin (the Center of Handicraft Development of Bukhara);

– There are three trading places or so-called covered bazaars: Toki Sarrofon, Toki Telpak Furushon, and Toki Zargaron preserved from the XVI century. These bazaars were the centers for trade of silk, jewelry and even for money exchange. Today as well, one can enjoy and purchase different souvenirs of a wide range, from small souvenir magnets to the famous Bukhara carpets;

– Visit Ulughbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas or so-called Kosh (pare) madrassas standing in front of each other with a distinctive style of facade ornamental decoration;

– Poi Kalon Square with Kalon Minaret and Mosque, Mir Arab Madrassa – the heart of Bukhara, a monumental complex impressing the imagination of every visitor;

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

Optionally can be added by request: a quick visit to Samanids mausoleum (IX century), a monument of early medieval architecture with a local guide.

Resting time in the evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5

Bukhara – Khiva

Breakfast in the hotel.

Departure to Bukhara(455 km ~ 6.30 hours) by train or by car through the Kyzylkym desert. (depends on the weather condition. Trains schedule is 08:57 - 14:50, Tue, Fri, Sun)

Kyzylkum desert - Kyzylkum (from Turkic means «red sand») – is a sandy desert between the rivers Amudarya and Syrdarya in Central Asia. Its area is 300 thousand sq. km. On the north-west the desert is limited by hollow of Aral Sea, on the north-east by Syrdarya and on the south-west is limited by Amudarya. In ancient time, Great Silk Road passed through the Kyzylkum desert. Thanks to it, such famous cities as Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva prospered. People of different professions worked here: sellers, interpreters, guarder of caravans, tax collectors. It is very strange but there was hectic life in the desert.

Arrival in Bukhara. Transfer to the hotel, check-in.

Resting time.

Overnight.

Day 6

Khiva – Tashkent

Breakfast in the hotel.

Start walking excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Ichan-kala (translated as “Inner town”). Ichan-kala - the largest Museum in the open air in Central Asia consisting from the next monuments:

- Ata-Darvaza,

- Dishan-Kala -Dishan-Kala is the name of historical “outside” city of Khiva. As opposed to Ichan-Kala, Dishan-Kala is kept only ruins of gates of exterior defensive walls.

- Madrassah of Muhammad Rahim Khan,

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

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

- Caravanserai and Tim Allakulihan,

- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum - one of the best works of Khivian architecture - mausoleum of Pahlavan Mahmud - done in the tradition of Khorezm architecture of XVIII-XIX centuries and Pahlavan Mahmud Gates,

- Islam-Khoja Madrassah - was built in 1908 by Islam-Hoja of the Prime Minister of Khan. The minaret is a symbol of the country, is an early example of the architecture of the XIV century.

- Mosque and Jami Minaret.

20:30 Transfer to Urgench airport (~30 km)

22:35 Departure to Tashkent via flight HY58 (~1h. 10 minutes long)

23:55 Arrival in Tashkent. Meet up with the driver and transfer to your hotel. check-in.

Resting time.

Overnight.

Day 7

Tashkent

Breakfast in hotel.

Standard check-out from hotel till 12:00 A.M. Free time

Transfer to the airport.

Departure from Tashkent via morning/day flight.

End of tour.

Tour Price (PER PERSON):

Person in group	Standart
2-3	$725
Single supplement	$175

Book it!

Price included
Not included

- All the transfers as listed in the program.

- Accommodation in standard twin - shared rooms ;

- English-speaking professional licensed local guides (4 standard excursions);

- Entry tickets to the mausoleum and other sights as listed in the program.

- Train tickets (economy class) on the route Tashkent - Samarkand (the 'Afrosiyib' train could be replaced with 'Shark' due to the seasonal loading)

- We attach an English - speaking tour leader for groups of 10 persons or more.

- International air tickets to/from Tashkent.

- Air ticket Urgench - Tashkent.

- Fees for using a professional camera at the mausoleums/museums.

- Personal insurance. (includes medical/life)

- Meals - lunches, suppers.

- Luggage transfer in the airport and hotels.

- A service from our guides and drivers in your free time.

- Other personal costs and spending s.

Cities	Standart	Comfort
Tashkent	Arien Plaza / Uzbekistan / Shodlik / Grand Capital / Praga	Sharq / Daniel Hill / Mirzo Buutique / Navruz / Rakat Plaza / Grand Mir / Navruz / Ichan Qala
Samarkand	Ideal / Jahon Palace / Caravan Serail / Malika Prime / Diyora Classic / Zilol Baxt / City	Bek / Boulevard Palace / Arba / Platan / Asia Samarkand / Arhan Palace / Sultan / Grand Samarkand Superior
Bukhara	Lyabi House / Basilic / Edem Plaza / Sasha&Son / Kukeldash / Amulet / AnNur / AsSalom / Safiya	Rangrez / Sultan / Devon Begi / Varaxsha / Asia Bukhara / Malika Bukhara / Omar Khayam