Uzbekistan – Tajikistan Tour is an 18 day journey to learn the diverse Central Asia culture that rooted in the traditions of hospitality in great Silk Road cities.
The program includes historical sightseeing in ancient Khorezm fortresses, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand UNESCO sights as well as nature watching of Aydarkul lake, Fan mountains and Marguzor lakes, culture activities - visit the performance in El Merosi theatrre and master-classes in Bukhara, Gijduvan, bread-baking in Samarkand.
Book a tour for unforgettable vacation in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan!
18:30 Transfer to Tashkent Airport/ Terminal 3 ( internal airl;ines)
20:00 Departure flight Tashkent - Nukus HY 17.
21:40 Arrival in Nukus Airport.
The driver meets at the exit of the terminal/ meeting zone. Transfer to the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the driver in the lobby.
- Visit Savitsky Museum exhibiting a unique collection of antiques of Khorezm and Karakalpak, Uzbek fine arts, and second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde works after the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg.
The founder of the museum, Igor Savitsky devoted his life to piece-by-piece collecting of the finest works of modern artists of Uzbekistan and Russian avant-gardists. In the 70s it was quite risky to become an anti-Soviet propagandist. During perestroika and first years since Uzbekistan independence, the museum earned world recognition and rightfully deserved the must-see site status in Central Asia.
Transfer to Khiva (180 km, ~ 3,5 hours) en-route photo stops at the ruins of fortresses of ancient Khorezm.
- Ayaz-kala and Toprak-kala, the fortresses of the 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.
Arrival in Khiva. Check in at the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the guide in the lobby.
Start the walking excursion in the historical part of Khiva – Ichan-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 Muhammad 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;
- Minaret and Islam-Khoja Madrassah,
- Mosque and Jami Minaret.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Continue walking sightseeing
in Khiva:
- Pahlavan
Mahmud Mausoleum;
- Nurullabay
palace.
Resting time in the
evening. Overnight at the hotel.
- 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.
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:
- 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 emirs
Master class of golden embroidery Zarduzlik ( about 1 hr)
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning at leisure.
11:00 Transfer to Asraf village, en-route visit
- 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 with a unique collection of various ceramic schools.
Master-class of painting the ceramics and late lunch in master’s house.
Photo time near Aydarkul lake.
Aydarkul is a beautiful lake in the Kyzyl Kum desert which is famous for its breathtaking landscapes, abundance of fish and relaxing atmosphere.
It is possible to take a camel ride at the yurt camp (extra about 20 USD per person).
Traditional /camp-style dinner and overnight in the yurt camp.
Breakfast at the yurt camp
Morning at leisure, photo time.
Transfer to Nurata mountains.
- Nurata mounts, that is a unique place famous for
Uzbekistan largest collection of ancient stone inscriptions – petroglyphs, some
of the earliest ones are dated 9000 BC, while the latest inscriptions of 15
Century were made by sufi darvishes in Arab. Nowadays, the petroglyphs are a
popular sight to visist in the National Park –reserve.
It is possible to
take a horse riding in the surroundings (extra, usually, 15 – 20 USD per person
– the locals offer horse riding at the area).
Lunch at the guesthouse.
Transfer to Samarkand.
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;
– Paper factory "Meros” in Konigil village that produces unique paper that can be preserved for more than 400 years and is used in craftworks.
Bread-baking master class and tea break.
– 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.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Transfer to the border Jartepa. Border crossing ( visa/ passport control usually takes 30 min- 1,5 hr).
Meet the guide and driver at the Tajikistan part of the border.
Take an off-road trip to pristine lakes located in the Fann Mountains; locals call the lakes Haftkul ( Seven Lakes) or Marguzor, after the name of the largest and most beautiful lake.
Every lake has its own name: Nezhigon (or Mizhgon), Soybean, Gushor, Nofin, Hurdak, Marguzor, Hazorchashma. Six of the lakes are of dammed origin, besides Lake Hazorchashma.
The difference in level between the upper and lower lakes is 692 meters
Please note there are some shaky/ bumpy parts of the road; there is a mountainous, narrow track with photo stops.
Lunch at the guesthouse ( traditional meals).
Transfer to Penjikent.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Khujand via Istaravshan town, 78 km southwest of Khujand.
Istaravshan is one of the most ancient cities of Tajikistan (more than 2500 years old). Its ancient name Cyropolis was founded by Cyrus the Great in 544 BC as a border fort of the Achaemenid Empire. Overview of sightseeing in Istaravshan:
- Mazori Sharif mausoleum;
- Kog Gumbaz madrasa (16th century);
- Kuhi Mug, the ruins of the ancient fortress.
Arrival in Khujand; check in at the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Meet the guide. Start sightseeing in Khujand:
- Pushkin Square with Kamoli Khudjandi Square;
- Timur Malik’s fortress and the Sugd Museum of Archaeology and Fortification;
- Muslihiddin memorial complex;
- Panjshanbe bazaar, with its distinctive decoration of the facade, is the central market in Khujand. Panjshanbe is translated as “Thursday” in Persian, meaning the main bazaar days were traditionally on Thursdays.
13:00 Transfer to the Uzbek-Tajik border Patar/ Andarhan ( about 1,5 hr drive)
Border-passing formalities: visa and passport control usually take 30 min - 1 hr.
The driver meets at the exit of check point, Uzbekistan side of the border and transfer to Kokand ( 50 km, about 1 hr drive).
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Kokand (mentioned as Khavakand or Kokan, derived from a tribal name) is an ancient city that, due to its favorable location, was one of the convenient fortified points of caravan routes in the Great Silk Road.
Nowadays, Kokand is a modern town at the crossroads of Tashkent, the Fergana Valley to Andijan, and the other route to Khujand (Tajikistan), and is considered one of the most important pre-border points.
10:00 Start sightseeing tour around Kokand, visiting :
- Khudoyar-Khan Palace of the 19th century is listed in the world heritage of UNESCO and, at present, houses the Kokand Regional History Museum that exhibits a unique collection of more than 3000 artifacts from ancient, khanate, and tsarist periods of the region.
- Norbut-Biy Madrassah, the largest madrassa in Kokand. The madrassa was built in the 18th century by captured architects as well as the famous Bukharian architect Usto Muhammed Salih Kasim, so the design and construction are quite typical of some monuments of the 18th century in Bukhara.
- Modari Khan Mausoleum (Modari-Khan means Mother of Khan) was built in 1825 by order of the widow of Umarkhan, famous poetess Nodira, to honor the tomb of her mother-in-law. Since then, the mausoleum became the family mausoleum where most of the female members of the khan family were buried.
- Rishton (50 km west of Fergana) is famous all over the world for its pottery that is decorated according to the ancient tradition that is more than 800 years old. Masters hand down their trade secrets from father to son. The unique red clay ceramic masterpieces are decorated with naturally made ultramarine, turquoise, and azure ornaments known as blue glaze "Ishkor",
- Ceramic workshop of Said Ahmedov, where visitors are welcome to observe the finest Rishtan ceramics in wonderful handmade and painted tea sets, lagans, and beautifully decorated jugs and vases.
Transfer to Fergana.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight in the hotel.
10:00 Meet the guide in the lobby. Continue sightseeing in the Fergana Valley:
- Fergana is a relatively young city that was founded as a strategic fortified point in Turkestan in 1876 during the tsarist period of the region. The town was initially called New Margilan and later, in the Soviet period, renamed as Fergona in 1924. Nowadays, Fergana is a flourishing, beautiful town, and despite its young history, it has become the central point of the Fergana Valley.
- Visit Ahmad Al-Fargoni monumental complex and the Fergana Regional Museum, which has a fine collection of items relating to all periods of history, culture, and art of the Fergana Valley.
- Continue to Margilan. On the way, it's possible to visit the biggest bazaars of the Fergana Valley - Kumpeta bazaar (Thursday and Sunday).
Margilan (“Marg” from Persian green grass, “lon”- “place“) was an inhabited settlement in the Fergana Valley since the 4th-3rd centuries BC, the town was well known for its crafts and finest silk fabrics from the Great Silk Road period up to now.
- Said-Ahmad Hodji Madrassah, where craftsmen produce original silk carpets,
- Silk factory Yodgorlik , where visitors are welcome to observe the process of silk manufacture with traditional decoration “ikat”.
15:00 Transfer to the railway station in Margilan.
16:03 Departure for Tashkent by evening train.
21:17 Arrival in Tashkent.
The driver meets at the terminal exit with a sign "ANUR TOUR". Transfer to the hotel.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
10:00 Meet
the guide at the hotel. Transfer to Centre of Islamic Civilization.
It is suggested to be at the complex about
20 – 15 min before the start.
- 11:00 Start excursion with audio
guide in Centre of
Islamic Civilization – the unique complex that is listed in the Guinness
World Records as the largest complex devoted to the Islamic civilization.
The Centre presents the historical
connection of pre-islamic history, the cultural value of Islam religion in the
history and science renaissance, and the ways how islam became the uniting
source for weaving traditions into modern tendencies and innovative development
of the region. The complex exhibits precious artefacts, the unique items of
household, historical costumes and applied arts, the wall of history,
informative panels, so-called “time-capsules” and the key sight is the Holy
Koran Book of the VII century (original Quran Othman).
A standard visit to the complex with audio guide takes about 2 hrs, the audio excursions are arranged in Uzbek, Russian and English languages. Please note it is highly recommended to book the entrance tickets in advance.
- Chorsu bazaar –
the ancient bazaar of Tashkent. “Chorsu” means “four waters”, symbolically
meaning the conjunction of four major parts of the old city in the bazaar.
Resting time in the
evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Take-away breakfast/ Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Tashkent International Airport.
Morning departure flight from Tashkent.
End of the tour
Accommodation:
-The tour is published on September 21, 2026 and the rates as per program and conditions specified are actual for 180 days ( 6 month) from the date of publication.
All the rates will be subject to change if the request is after 180 days from date of publication because any changes in the seasonal tariffs for hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may cause the increase of rates.
- By request, the itineraries can be adjusted for solo traveller or family private tours, please note the tariffs for individual/ private tours may be higher than in group offers.
- If the hotels noted in the program are fully booked or not available for the dates in case of stop-sale dates/ temporary reconstruction works, booked for government delegation, etc.. Tour company reserves the right to book the other hotels of the same category and similar service in case of last-minute booking due to restricted time and high season intensity.
- We highly recommend early booking of Central Asia group tours, family tours about 9- 6 months before the tour dates, and not later than 3 months before the tour dates.
Please note, in case of late booking less than 3 month ahead and last-minute booking less than 10 days ahead the trip it is possible that the itineraries can be changed because of restricted time and high season availability of the hotels and train tickets for the date of booking/ for travel dates.
- Yurt camps, guesthouses, and homestays offer traditional meals; there are quite basic toilet and shower conditions. Single accommodation in the guesthouses, yurts and homestays is not guaranteed and will be subject of availability.
- Please note the international flights Tashkent – Bishkek/ Bishkek - Tashkent, Tashkent – Almaty/ Almaty - Tashkent, Almaty - Dushanbe/ Dushanbe – Almaty are regular flights but can be scheduled not every day, the program can be slightly adjusted as per actual flight details.
- Please confirm your return flights and provide full information ( flight details, passport copies and if required, other documents for visa support) to book the tours. We highly recommend acknowledging the necessary documentation before the trip: valid passport with expiration not later than 6-month, visa / e-visa/ LOI.
- Travel/ medical insurance is not included in the tour packages as it is not obligatory, but we highly recommend all tourists buying the travel/medical insurance in the country of residence.
- Please note that during the national holidays, during the big summits, fairs, festivals, major sport and cultural events, some parts of the roads can be temporarily blocked for delegations and events as per government decrees.
- Check-in 14.00, check-out time 11.00. No early check-in/ late check-out is included unless indicated;
- Please note that the drivers do not speak English or can speak only basic English;
- All the changes in the basic itinerary, the timing for transfers depending on the international flight departure/arrival time are to be discussed and pre-agreed;
- Please note that the train trip/s can be replaced for transfer/s by car depending on train tickets availability and trains schedule;
- After the date of publication, any changes in the hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may influence the tour prices;
- Anur Tour is not responsible for the force majeure occasions (weather conditions during the tour, repairing-reconstructing works at some parts of roads, government restrictions).
18 days, from: $3295
Season: March – November
22 days, from: $4765
Season: March - October
21 days, from: $4225
Season: March - October
14 days, from: $3445
Season: March - October
15 days, from: $2690
Season: all year round
1 days, from: $
Season:
