Flexible
12 days
Uzbekistan
"Uzbekistan – Culture and Nature in 12 Days"
- In summary, Uzbekistan provides numerous opportunities for hikers to explore breathtaking landscapes, towering mountains, mysterious deserts, and hidden oases, all while discovering a part of the world rich in history and culture. It is an adventure where nature and culture meet in a truly unique setting.
Here is the translation of the first four days of your "Culture and Nature" itinerary into English:
Day 1: Friday | Paris – Urgench
Direct flight to Uzbekistan.
Day 2: Saturday | Urgench – Khiva (35 km)
Day 1: Friday | Paris – Urgench
Direct flight to Uzbekistan.
Day 2: Saturday | Urgench – Khiva (35 km)
- Morning: Arrival in Urgench early in the morning (typical schedule). You will be met by your French-speaking guide and transferred to your hotel in Khiva (35 km). Time for rest.
- Breakfast.
- The Tour: Discovery of Khiva, one of the wonders of the ancient Silk Road. Khiva has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990. The city consists of two parts: "Itchan Qala" (inner city) and "Dichan Qala" (outer city), serving as a true open-air museum.
- The visit begins at the main gate, Ota Darvoza. Highlights include the Kalta Minor truncated minaret, the Mohamed Aminkhan Madrasah, the Mennonite Museum, the King’s seat and the Kunya Ark ancient palace, the Mohamed Rahimkhan Madrasah, the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, and the Islam Khodja Minaret.
- Lunch in the city.
- Afternoon: Continue exploring with the Juma Mosque, the Caravan Saray (the modern-day market), the Tosh Khavli Palace, and the Khan’s Harem.
- Dinner in the city. Night at the hotel.
- Breakfast.
- Morning: Visit the outer city (Dichan Qala) to see the Nurullabay Palace. Afterward, you can enjoy a walk along the ancient city walls (ramparts) of Ichan Qala.
- Lunch in the city.
- Afternoon: Free time to enjoy the city at your own pace and soak in its unique atmosphere.
- Dinner in the city. Night at the hotel.
- Breakfast.
- Today is a travel day across the landscape toward Bukhara. In the morning, you will cross the Amu Darya, Central Asia's largest river, which largely dries up before reaching the Aral Sea.
- You will then immerse yourself in the Kyzyl Kum Desert ("Red Sand"), featuring local flora, desert flowers (depending on the season), and rolling sand dunes. The 450 km journey takes approximately 7 hours.
- Lunch organized along the way.
- Arrival in Bukhara and transfer to the hotel for a rest before dinner.
- Dinner in the city. Night at the hotel.
(Urgench – Khiva – Bukhara – Yurt Camp – Homestay – Samarkand – Tashkent)
Uzbekistan is a true open-air museum, offering a unique blend of culture, history, and diverse natural landscapes. A journey through Uzbekistan allows you to discover both the architectural treasures of the ancient Silk Road and the natural beauty of the region.
Uzbekistan is a true open-air museum, offering a unique blend of culture, history, and diverse natural landscapes. A journey through Uzbekistan allows you to discover both the architectural treasures of the ancient Silk Road and the natural beauty of the region.
Uzbekistan – Culture and Nature in 12 Days (12 Days / 10 Nights)
About this tour
Day 5: Tuesday | Bukhara
- Breakfast.
- Today is dedicated to discovering Bukhara, one of the most remarkable cities of the Great Silk Road, located in the south-central part of the country. This city earned titles such as "Holy Land" and "City of Knowledge." It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.
- Morning: Visit the most beautiful monuments: the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, and the Ark Citadel, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Old Bukhara. Visit the Bolo Khauz Mosque. Depending on the timing, you will also visit the Kolkhoz Bozor (farmers' market).
- Lunch in the city.
- Afternoon: Continue the tour with the Po-i-Kalyan Complex, composed of three monuments: the Kalyan Minaret, the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah, and the Great Mosque. Visit the Twin Madrasahs of Ulugbek and Abdul Aziz Khan. Stroll through the Tims (medieval trading domes) such as Toqi Zargaron, Toqi Telpakfurushon, and Toqi Sarrafon.
- Dinner in the city. Night at the hotel.
- Breakfast.
- Today, explore the outskirts of Bukhara, starting with the 19th-century Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Summer Palace (the Palace of the Moon and Stars).
- Morning: A short drive to visit the Bahoutdin Naqshbandi Mausoleum, the burial site of a great Sufi master, featuring a necropolis of the Kings of Bukhara from the 16th to 19th centuries. Today, it is a very calm and peaceful place of pilgrimage. Before lunch, visit the charming Chor Minor Madrasah from the early 19th century.
- Lunch in the city.
- Afternoon (Optional): Visit various artisan workshops: carpets, "Suzani" embroidery, and traditional puppet making. Here, you witness the true beauty of the Silk Road through the ancestral methods of master craftsmen.
- Miniature Masterclass: Visit the school of a master miniaturist, observe the students, and paint your own miniature under the master's guidance.
- Dinner at the miniaturist's house. Night at the hotel.
- Breakfast.
- Depart toward the north-central region for a night in a Yurt, in the middle of the Kyzyl Kum Desert.
- Morning: After 40 km, stop at the Gijduvan ceramics workshop. Continue for another 130 km to Nurata, an ancient desert passage for caravans. Visit the historical center, including the mosques and the Sacred Spring, famous for its healing mineral-rich water.
- Lunch in Nurata.
- Afternoon: Head to the Yurt Camp, arriving late in the afternoon. You can explore the vegetation-covered dunes on foot or by camel. After dinner, enjoy a desert concert featuring a Kazakh singer, with dancing around the campfire.
- Dinner and night at the Yurt Camp.
- Breakfast.
- On the way to the village of Uxum, take a detour to Lake Aydarkul, the largest man-made lake in Central Asia, created by an ecological accident in 1969. Enjoy a pleasant moment by the shore; weather permitting, you can even take a swim.
- Afternoon: Continue to Uxum, a typical village in the Nurata Mountains, and settle into your homestay.
- Lunch with the host family.
- Hike: A light trek toward the Nature Reserve to see the Mouflons (wild sheep). This is a gentle round-trip hike of approximately 4 hours.
- Dinner and night with the host family.
Day 9: Saturday | Uxum – Samarkand (200 km)
- Breakfast.
- Finally, the highlight of the trip! The drive to Samarkand will take up the morning. Upon arrival, settle into your hotel.
- Lunch in the city.
- Afternoon: Samarkand—"The Face of the Earth," "Pearl of the World," "Rome of the East"—the titles are endless. The city has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001. You will discover two remarkable monuments: the 14th-century Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum and the legendary Registan Square with its three madrasahs: Ulugbek Madrasah, Sher-Dor Madrasah, and Tillya-Kori Madrasah. These fascinating monuments testify to the grandeur of legendary Samarkand, the capital of the Timurid Empire.
- Dinner. Night at the hotel.
- Breakfast.
- Morning: Your second day in Samarkand begins with a visit to the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis (dating from the 11th century, it houses the mausoleum of Kusam ibn Abbas, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad), the 14th-century Bibi-Khanym Mosque, and the vibrant Siyob Bazaar.
- Lunch in the city.
- Afternoon: Visit the Mirzo Ulugbek Observatory (15th century), the Afrosiyab Museum, and the Samarkand Silk Paper Factory, which dates back to the 8th century and where craftsmen still use ancestral methods.
- Evening: Transfer to the railway station to take the train to Tashkent at 18:46. Arrival in Tashkent at 21:06.
- Dinner. Night at the hotel.
- Breakfast.
- Today, you visit the dynamic capital of the country, a metropolis of over 3 million inhabitants and one of the ancient Silk Road cities with 2,200 years of history.
- Morning: Visit Chorsu Bazaar and the Khast Imam Complex, a large park bringing together Tashkent's historical monuments preserved after the earthquake.
- Lunch in the city.
- Afternoon: Continue your discovery with Independence Square, Amir Timur Square, and a tour of the famous Tashkent Metro.
- Dinner in the city. Night at the hotel.
- Breakfast.
- Free morning for last-minute discoveries or relaxation.
- 11:00 AM: Transfer to the airport for your 2:00 PM (14:00) flight.
