Classic 8-day Uzbekistan tour

Highlights

• Ichan-Kala, the walled inner city of Khiva (UNESCO)
• Shivit oshi, Khiva’s green-noodle dish: cooking class and dinner
• Crossing the Kyzylkum ("red sand") desert by road
• Poi Kalyan, the Ark and the trading domes of Bukhara
• Rabat Malik caravanserai on the road to Samarkand
• Registan Square and the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum

By airBy trainBy road

1. 1 TashkentDays 1–2, 7 By air → Khiva
2. 2 KhivaDays 2–4 By road → Bukhara
3. 3 BukharaDays 4–6 By road → Samarkand
4. 4 SamarkandDays 6–7 By train → Tashkent

Positions are exact; lines show the order of the route, not the road.

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
6. 6
7. 7
8. 8

1. Day 1Arrival in Tashkent

   Arrive in Tashkent. Meet your driver and get transferred to the hotel. Overnight in hotel.

2. Day 2Tashkent Tour · From Tashkent to Khiva by domestic flight

   After breakfast, begin a guided tour of Tashkent, starting in the Old City at the Khast-Imam Complex includes Barak-Khan Madrasah, Tillya Sheykh Mosque, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum.Continue to the vibrant Chorsu Bazaar, then take a ride on the Tashkent Metro, renowned as one of the most beautiful metro systems in the world, with its elegant architecture and artistic station designs.Proceed to Mustaqillik -Independence Square, the symbolic heart of the capital, and enjoy a walk past the Navoi Theater, concluding the tour at Amir Timur Square.Following the tour, transfer to the airport for the domestic flight to Urgench, followed by a 35-minute transfer to your hotel in Khiva.

3. Day 3Khiva

   After breakfast, start your guided sightseeing tour of Khiva, one of the most impressive cities along the Silk Road. Visit the UNESCO-listed Ichan-Qala Fortress, the historic inner city of Khiva. Inside the fortress, explore the Kunya-Ark Citadel, Kalta-Minor Minaret, Muhammad Aminkhan Madrasah, Juma Mosque, Allakulikhan Madrasah, Tosh-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, and the Islom-Khoja Minaret. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Khorezm-style dinner with a Shivit Oshi (green noodle) master class. Learn how this unique regional dish is prepared, participate in the cooking process, and experience authentic local hospitality. After dinner, return to the hotel for overnight stay.

4. Day 4Khiva to Bukhara (450km)

   In the morning, depart for Bukhara through the Desert Kizil Kum (red sand) .

   Arrive to Bukhara and accomadation in hotel.

   Begin a guided visit to the Lyabi Hauz Ensemble, the lively historical center of Bukhara, surrounded by centuries-old madrasahs and a scenic pond that has long served as a social gathering place for locals and travelers. Continue to the nearby historical trading domes, once key commercial hubs along the Silk Road where merchants traded silk, spices, and handicrafts. After the tour, enjoy free time to rest and relax at the hotel or take a leisurely stroll around the old city at your own pace. Overnight in Bukhara.

5. Day 5Bukhara

   Begin the day with a visit to the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, one of the finest examples of early Islamic architecture in Central Asia and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleums. Continue exploring Bukhara’s Old Town with the Ark Fortress, the ancient citadel of Bukhara, where you can see its inner courtyards, ceremonial halls, mosque, and former royal residences and the elegant Bolo-Khauz Mosque. Continue to the iconic Poi Kalyan complex, including the Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque, and Miri-Arab Madrasah, followed by visits to the Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrasahs. Visit the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi, an important spiritual site in the region. Return to the hotel for rest and overnight stay in Bukhara.

6. Day 6Bukhara to Samarkand (280 km)

   In the morning, depart Bukhara for Samarkand by comfortable bus . En route, stop to visit the Rabat Malik Caravanserai, an impressive medieval roadside inn that once provided shelter and services to Silk Road travelers. Continue the journey to Samarkand and, upon arrival, begin a guided visit to Registan Square, the architectural masterpiece of Central Asia, surrounded by its magnificent madrasahs. After exploring the square, visit the Gur Emir Mausoleum, the final resting place of Amir Timur (Tamerlane), renowned for its elegant blue dome and refined interior decoration. Check in at the hotel and spend the evening at leisure. Overnight in Samarkand.

7. Day 7Samarkand to Tashkent by train

   Begin the day with a guided sightseeing tour of Samarkand. The Imam Al Bukhari Complex, an important pilgrimage site with the mausoleum of the most prominent hadith scholar of the Muslim world, Imam al-Bukhari. Explore the remains of the grand Bibi Khanum Mosque, once one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world. Stroll through the vibrant Siab Bazaar, where local flavors, fruits, and spices bring daily life to the city. Conclude the tour with a visit to the Ulugbek Observatory, a remarkable 15th-century scientific site reflecting Samarkand’s important role in the history of astronomy. Enjoy a traditional Uzbek meal at a national-style restaurant, then transfer to the train station for an evening train ride back to Tashkent. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel and overnight in Tashkent.

8. Day 8Departure from Uzbekistan

   Check out from your hotel and transfer to the airport.

Hotels, transport & meals

Gallery

Experiences on this tour

• Shivit oshi cooking class in KhivaMake Khiva’s green dill noodles by hand, then sit down to eat them.
• High-speed train across UzbekistanRide the Afrosiyob between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.

Questions about this tour