12 day Uzbekistan & Kyrgyzstan Group Tour

10:13 Arrival in Urgench. 

Come out of the terminal and meet with our driver.

Transfer to the Khiva (30 km) hotel to drop off the bags. Standard hotel check-in at 14:00.

Meet the guide at the lobby.

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 of:

- 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;

- Pahlavan Mahmud Gates, Mausoleum of Seyd Allaudin,

- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum - one of the best works of Khivian architecture - the mausoleum of Pahlavan Mahmud - done in the tradition of Khorezm architecture of the 18th-19th century and Pahlavan Mahmud Gates,

- Islam-Khoja Madrassah - was built in 1908 by Islam-Khoja, the Prime Minister of Khan. The minaret is a symbol of the country; it is a fine example of the architecture of the 14th century.

-  Mosque and Jami Minaret.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide and driver at the hotel in Khiva. 

Start 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 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,

- 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.

Transfer to the hotel. End of the tour. 

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

Morning at leisure.

11:00 Meet the driver in the lobby at 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 in painting ceramics and lunch at the master's house.

After drying and firing 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. 

Arrival in Samarkand.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening.

Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, Samarkand sightseeing tour. Visit the spectacular Registan Square, Gur Emir Mausoleum – the mausoleum of Amir Timur, the remains of Bibi Khanum Mosque, Siab Bazaar, and Ulugbek Observatory. Free time in the afternoon.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Breakfast at the hotel.

9:00 AM Start of the Samarkand tour (5-6 hours):

Gur Emir Mausoleum – the burial mausoleum of Timur and his descendants, decorated with gilded ornaments and considered one of the city's most important monuments;

Continue to the famous Registan Square, the heart of Samarkand and a true masterpiece of medieval Central Asian architecture, with the grandiose complex of the Ulugbek, Sherdor, and Tilla Kori madrasas;

Bibi Khanim Mosque – one of the largest medieval buildings in the city and one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in the 15th century;

Shahi Zinda Necropolis – a fascinating complex of mausoleums arranged on either side of the cenotaph (symbolic tomb) of the Muslim saint Abbas ibn Kussam;

Ulugbek Observatory – one of the most important astronomical centers of the medieval world, built by Ulugbek, a distinguished scholar and astronomer;

Siyab Bazaar in Samarkand.

4:40 PM Transfer to Samarkand train station.

6:15 PM Departure for Tashkent on the "Afrosiyob" / "Sharq" train.

8:30 PM Arrival in Tashkent.

Exit the terminal and meet your driver.

Transfer to the hotel.

Free time for rest in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

Start a sightseeing tour of Tashkent (5- 6 hrs), visiting old and new parts of it:

– Earthquake Memorial: the composition is devoted to the tragic date of the earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966, and is erected in the approximate place of the earthquake epicenter. Residents still come to the monument to honor those people who took part in the reconstruction of Tashkent - the main square of Uzbekistan reflects the past, present, and future of the country;

– 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. 

– Visit Chorsu marketplace and drive back to the new city by metro. 

Continue the excursion by visiting Independence Square. There are fountains standing for the life energy of the Uzbek people, the “Eternal Flame" in honor of soldiers who died during World War II,  the arch " Good and noble aspiration" crowned with birds of happiness and prosperity, a road "Ok Yul" (“Good Way”) leading to the Independence Monument, and the monument to Happy Mother that symbolizes the hope for a great future.

One can often see the newlyweds who start a family and independent life walking through the arch of “Good and noble aspirations”, laying flowers at the monument of Happy Mother and the Eternal Flame.

– Amir Temur Square

– Theatre Square with the Opera House

Resting time.

Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

07:10 Transfer to the railway station in Tashkent.

08:10 Departure for Kokand by train.

12:29 Arrival in Kokand.

Come out of the terminal and meet the driver and guide, who will wait for you with a tablet "ANUR TOUR".

Start sightseeing tour around Kokand visiting :

- Khudoyar-Khan Palace of 19th century is listed in the world heritage of UNESCO, at present days houses 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 XVIII 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 XVIII 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.

- Transfer to Rishton, short overview visit teh famous ceramic workshop.

Transfer to Fergana.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 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 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 ;

- Continue to Margilan. 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”.

Transfer to Andijan to visit

- Bobur Literary Museum with a unique collection of literary works of Zahiriddin Muhammad Bobur, an outstanding  ruler and the founder of the Mughal Empire,

- Art and Literature Museum,

- Memorial park complex on the Bog-I Shamol named after Zahiriddin Muhammad Bobur is one of the most beautiful places in Andijan, popular among the locals and the visitors of the city.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Transfer to the Uzbek- Kyrgyz border, Dostyk (ETA 09:00)

Border crossing formalities (40 min- 1, 5 hrs depending on the customs formalities and tourist flow). Meet the guide and driver.

Transfer to Osh,

 Start sightseeing tour in Osh, the oldest city in Kyrgyzstan, visiting

- Suleiman Too (Suleiman is the prophet Solomon - Suleyman in the Quran, “Too “is “mountain”). The museum is the only UNESCO site on the whole mountain, with many sacred places in caves and paths. It is quite unusual – the museum with rare artifacts is located in the largest cave of the mountain. Besides, there are several caves, rocks, and niches, each with its own name. The locals and pilgrims believe every spot of the mountain is sacred and come here to follow the rituals and pray for a better life and good health; couples come to pray to be blessed with a child. It is believed that every spot of the mountain is sacred. There is a watching platform with beautiful panoramic views of the city and surroundings.

15:30 Transfer to Osh Airport

16:45 Flight Osh - Bishkek.

17:25 Arrival at Bishkek Airport. 

Meet the driver and transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Transfer to Karakol.

On arrival, start sightseeing in Karakol, visiting:

- The wooden Russian-Orthodox church.

- The Dungan mosque is one of the most famous places in Karakol town. The most interesting thing is that it is built without a single metal nail. More than 100 years ago, there was a Chinese master who lived in this town. Dungans are people from China who practice the Muslim religion. The construction was made of bricks and wood and decorated with various ornaments.

- Museum of N.M. Przhevalski (Russian explorer of the Asian continent).

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Transfer to Jeti Oguz gorge.

- Jeti Oguz gorge is famous for its red rock formations, that have the name Seven Bulls – Jeti Oguz. One can see Broken Heart Mountain there, one of the most popular places among locals and visitors. By request, a light hiking tour to go on a top of a mountain (20 minutes) to see a panoramic view of the gorge.

- Continue to Bokonbaevo village, to stop for a local eagle-hunting show. The eagles are fed to hunt hares and foxes (a traditional way of nomadic hunting). After the excursion, transfer to Bishkek.

Arrival in Bishkek in the afternoon.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Manas International Airport.

Morning departure flight from Bishkek.

End of the tour.