Exploring ancient Uzbekistan

Exploring ancient Uzbekistan, Tours in Uzbekistan

Tour's name: Exploring ancient Uzbekistan

The tour route: Tashkent- Nukus- Ayaz Qala - Tuprak Qala - Khiva- Bukhara - Gijduvan - Samarkand-Chimgan Mountains


Day 1: Tashkent
After arrival you will meet your guide at the airport, after you will depart to capital of Uzbekistan Tashkent. Today you will discover fascinating attractions and learn a lot of history. You will explore Independence square this square is considered one of the most beautiful places for cultural recreation. After you will walk to local Broadway, this is a tourist street along which you can walk and buy souvenirs and see various works of local artists. Then you can take a ride in the Tashkent metro, which has beautiful architectural views and is considered one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world. You can also visit the old part of the city which includes: Chorsu Bazaar the most colorful place, Kukaldash Madrasah and Hast Imam complex that consists of several madrasahs, mosques and mausoleum. You will also see a valuable exhibit the Othman Quran which is the world's oldest Quran copy dating back to 8th c. Youe night will be in the hotel.

Day 2: Tashkent - Nukus
This day you will transfer airport and fly to Nukus. The full day is dedicated to a city tour of Nukus. First you will direct to the Museum of Savitsky.  This Museum is one of the most valuable cultural legacies of Uzbekistan. It houses unique works by banned Soviet avant-gardist artists. Museum stores 20th century Russian avant-garde paintings, works of Sokolov, Komarovskiy and Amaravella group. The famous Russian ethnographer and artist Savitsky became the Director of the Museum, he collected many works in secret and exhibited them in remote rural areas. Then you will direct to outside of Nukus to see Mizdakhan necropolis ancient cemetery, an archaeological complex of structures. In the tour you will explore a 2200 years-old Zoroastrian ancient monument known as Chilpyk. Night is in a hotel.

Day 3: Nukus - Ayaz Qala - Tuprak Qala - Khiva
After breakfast you will lead to Khiva. This city is considered an open-air Museum as it stores a great variety of cultural and historical attractions. Ancient architecture and pristine beauty. The history of Khiva is inextricably linked with the legendary state of Khorezm. The city is very ancient, in the tenth century it was an important trade center of the Great Silk Road, where numerous caravans, loaded camels, going to China stopped. It was one of the most important and largest centers of Islam in the East. Nowadays, you can enjoy the architecture of the city, as the residents of the city have carefully preserved it to this day. In course of the tour you will explore two fortresses: Ayaz Qala and Tuprak Qala. Ayaz-Qala fortress, translated from Turkic - frosty, cold, is located in the Ellikalinsk district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, 70 kilometers from Khiva. Tuprak Qala, an ancient settlement with an area of more than 120 hectares, located on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It is believed that Toprak-Kala was the ancient capital of Khorezm in the era of antiquity. Tuprak-Qala was the capital of Khorezm under the Afrigid dynasty. You will spend the night in the hotel.

Day 4: Khiva - Bukhara
This day you will move to wonderful city Bukhara. Bukhara is a sacred city that has preserved its ancient history in many architectural monuments: mosques, madrasas and palaces. Every year it is visited by a great number of tourists and pilgrims from different countries. After all, here you can feel and see with your own eyes the living history and amazing culture of the ancient East. You are going to lead from Khiva to Bukhara via fascinating Kizilkum desert. En route you will feat your eyes upon Amu Darya river, the largest river in Central Asia. When you will come to Bukhara you will have free time. You will spend your night in the hotel.

Day 5: Bukhara
After breakfast you will have a city tour, where you will experience pristine architectures of the city. You will visit first Citadel Ark which was the oldest monument in Bukhara. According to archaeological excavations, the citadel belongs to the IV-III centuries. Then you will see Samanids mausoleum, well-preserved monument of Bukhara of 9th -10th century. Further you will direct to overlook Chashma Ayub, one of the most mysterious buildings in Bukhara is a traditionally revered place, a well with a spring. After that you will be walking along the shopping domes and marvel one of the most famous madrasahs of Bukhara called Nodir Divan Begi for many decades, it attracts locals and tourists to its walls. The reason is not only in a good location, but also in the stunning acoustics of the Central hall. You will also explore Poi Kalon complex, this is a majestic column that towers over the entire city. There are located three structures built in the 12th - 16th centuries: Kalon minaret, Kalon mosque and Mir Arab Madrasah. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: Bukhara
This day you will fascinate the surrounding area of Bukhara. Yiu will have a highlight tour, where your first destination will be Bahauddin Naqshbandi complex.  Great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Naqshbandi Sufi order. Once there was a pagan temple on the site of the current Naqshbandi tomb. It is known that Naqshbandi was Temur's spiritual mentor and performed the Hajj to Mecca 32 times. He encouraged people to be modest, rejected wealth. You will continue tour with discovering Sitorai Mohi Hosa complex. For a long time, the building served as the summer residence of the emirs of the city. Sitorai Mokhi Hosa was built in the middle of the 19th century and is considered the Palace of the last Emir of Bukhara Said Alimkhan.  After you will be driving to Sumiton village to find Chor Bakr memorial complex, an incomparable architectural ensemble, built in the XVI century. You will end your tour with transferring back to the city. You will spend the night in a hotel.

Day 7: Bukhara - Gijduvan - Samarkand
This day you will drive to Samarkand. Along the way you will break at Gijduvan village to visit famous private pottery workshop. Gijduvan is known for its beautiful ceramic products that have been created here for a long time, and are now created taking into account the customs of their ancestors. Now Gijduvan is the only preserved center of polychrome glazed ceramics in the region. In Gijduvan, tourists have the opportunity to see the production process of ceramic products, visit the ceramics Museum, and buy unique ceramic products made by local craftsmen as a souvenir. Then you will transfer to Samarkand. Your night will be in the hotel.

Day 8: Samarkand - Tashkent (transfer or train)
This day you will have a transfer or train to Tashkent. The entire day you will discover fascinating sights of the city. Your first destination will be Courage Monument which which was erected in memory of those who left during the earthquake. After you will discover Zangi Ota memorial complex. In the mausoleum are buried the Muslim Holy Sheikh AI-Hodge, nicknamed Zangi Ota and his wife Ambar Bibi. The Sheikh was nicknamed Zangi-Ota - "Dark father" for his skin color. In course of the tour you will visit the State Museum of Timurids' history there you will observe 3,000 different items including jewelry, musical instruments, weapons, various coins, paintings, documents, historical manuscripts and clothing of Timurid's period. And in the end of your tour you will discover the State Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, which stores fine examples of glasses and national clothing, hand and machine embroidery, skullcaps and national fabrics, carpets and woodcarving. The night will be in the hotel.

Day 9: Tashkent - Chimgan Mountains - Tashkent
After breakfast you will be transferring to Chimgan Mountains. When you will arrive you will have a cable way the top to see Beldersay peak 30 min one-way. You will have a chance to walk around, breathe fresh air and fascinate pristine nature. When you will return you will stop over Charvak lakeside beach for free time and own water activities (as per season). Local residents call the reservoir the Tashkent Sea or simply Charvak. Beautiful mountain landscapes that can be seen in the photo, crystal clear water and developed resort infrastructure have turned Charvak into the main resort area of Uzbekistan. Then you will drive to Tashkent. Your night is in a hotel.

Day 10: Flight
In the morning is transfer to airport.