Itinerary
- Day 1
International Flights to Tashkent
Your journey to Central Asia starts today with international flights heading to Tashkent. You'll want to book Turkish Airlines for this leg if you're arranging it yourself. Pack comfortable clothing and bring any travel documents you need for the flight ahead.
- Start point
- Tashkent, Uzbekistan (Tashkent Airport Arrivals, 01:00 - 01:30)
- Day 2
Tashkent
You'll arrive in Tashkent at 00:40 and head straight to your hotel for some rest after the long flight. After breakfast, a car takes you through the city to explore Soviet-era architecture and modern development. The metro ride gives you a feel for daily life here, then you stop at Chorsu Bazaar to try the local plov. The State Museum of Applied Art comes next, and by evening you'll have a welcome dinner featuring different regional Uzbek dishes.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Heartfelt breakfast), Lunch (Legendary plov (pilaf) at Chorsu Bazaar), Dinner (Welcome dinner exploring the diversity of Uzbek cuisine)
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- City Tour by car and Metro
- Visit Chorsu Bazaar
- Lunch with legendary plov (pilaf)
- State Museum of Applied Art
- Welcome dinner
Landmarks Chorsu Bazaar State Museum of Applied Art - Day 3
Tashkent to Samarkand
Following breakfast at the hotel, you head to the train station for a speed train to Samarkand, which sits at the crossroads of Central Asia. Once there, a guide takes you through Registan Square and the Gur-i Amir Complex, both filled with intricate tile work and history. You'll finish the day at dinner on a terrace with views across the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner on a terrace with an unforgettable view)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Speed train to Samarkand
- Guided tour of Registan Square
- Guided tour of Gur-i Amir Complex
- Dinner on terrace
Landmarks Registan Square Gur-i Amir Complex - Day 4
Samarkand
More of Samarkand unfolds today starting with the Ulugh Beg Observatory and the Architectural Complex Shakh-i-Zinda. At a national guesthouse, you'll have manti for lunch, a traditional dumpling dish. Then you walk through the Bibi Khanum Mosque and browse Afrosyab Bazaar before grabbing dinner. Later, you return to Registan Square when the evening lights transform how it looks.
- Meals
- Lunch (Culinary Experience: Manti at a National Guesthouse), Dinner
Included Activities
- Ulugh Beg Observatory
- Architectural Complex Shakh-i-Zinda
- Culinary Experience: Manti for Lunch at National Guesthouse
- Bibi Khanum Mosque
- Afrosyab Bazaar
- Evening view of Registan Square
Landmarks Ulugh Beg Observatory Shakh-i-Zinda Bibi Khanum Mosque Afrosyab Bazaar Registan Square - Day 5
Samarkand to Bukhara
After breakfast and checking out, you transfer to the train station for the speed train to Bukhara. A heritage tour begins once you arrive, including a visit to the Summer Palace. You have lunch and free time to rest and recover from travel. Later, a folk show gives you an evening of music and dance, followed by a stroll through the old city streets and dinner at a terrace restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner on the terrace of Old Bukhara restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Latifa Begim Boutique Hotel)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Speed train to Bukhara
- Heritage tour of Bukhara: Summer Palace
- Folk Show
- Walk through Old City
- Dinner on terrace of Old Bukhara restaurant
Landmarks Summer Palace - Day 6
Bukhara
Your heritage tour of Bukhara continues with the Ismael Samani Mausoleum and Citadel Ark. For lunch, you try green pilaf called 'Bakhsh', a local specialty. The Kosh-Madrassah Ensemble and Poi Kalon Ensemble come next on the tour. You'll have time to shop at the Bukhara Dome Bazaars, and dinner takes place in a restaurant set inside an old madrassa building.
- Meals
- Lunch (Culinary Experience - Bukhara green pilaf 'Bakhsh'), Dinner (Dinner in a restaurant located in old madrassa)
Included Activities
- Ismael Samani Mausoleum
- Citadel Ark
- Culinary Experience: Bukhara green pilaf 'Bakhsh' for Lunch
- Kosh-Madrassah Ensemble
- Poi Kalon Ensemble
- Shopping time at Bukhara Dome Bazaars
- Dinner in restaurant located in old madrassa
Landmarks Ismael Samani Mausoleum Citadel Ark Kosh-Madrassah Ensemble Poi Kalon Ensemble Bukhara Dome Bazaars - Day 7
Bukhara to Khiva
You'll check out and climb into a private transfer heading toward Khiva across the Kyzylkum desert. The drive runs about 6.5 hours with drinking water, WiFi, and comfort stops included along the way. The vehicle stops for lunch during the journey. When you reach Khiva, you have dinner inside the walled fortress known as Itchan Kala, an incredible setting for your first evening there.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner inside the walled fortress of Khiva - Itchan Kala)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Kamil Palace boutique hotel or similar)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Private transfer through Kyzylkum desert
- Lunch stop during drive
- Dinner inside walled fortress of Khiva - Itchan Kala
Landmarks Itchan Kala - Day 8
Khiva
A walking tour through Khiva's heritage sites takes up your morning, and you break for tea and a nice lunch during the tour. Later in the afternoon, you climb Ak Sheikh Baba Tower on the city walls to watch the sun set over Khiva. Your last evening concludes with a farewell dinner at Zarafshan restaurant, which sits by the minaret and offers views of the old city.
- Meals
- Lunch (Delicious lunch with tea break), Dinner (Farewell dinner at Zarafshan restaurant by the Minaret)
Included Activities
- Heritage of Khiva walking tour
- Tea break and lunch
- Sunset on city walls - Ak Sheikh Baba Tower
- Farewell dinner at Zarafshan restaurant by the Minaret
Landmarks Ak Sheikh Baba Tower - Day 9
Khiva to International Flights
An early airport transfer gets you to the airport for your 08:30 departure from Khiva (Urgench). You'll fly to Istanbul and then onward with Turkish Airlines to your final destination. A takeaway breakfast is provided before you head out, so you won't need to worry about finding food before the flight.
- End point
- Урганч, Xorazm, Uzbekistan (Khiva (urgench) Airport Departures, 06:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Takeaway breakfast)
Included Activities
- Early morning airport transfer
- Takeaway breakfast
