Journey through the heart of the Silk Road
Visit during this tour you will be introduced to historic Uzbekistan. Behold in modern capital Tashkent the brutal Soviet architecture, immense squares and parks and museums. Then immerse yourself in the romance of the ancient Silk Road cities of Khiva, Buchara and Samarkand. The atmospheric centers of yore are brimming with beautiful Oriental architecture: magnificent minarets, mosques, medressas decorated with turquoise mosaics and lively bazaars. Wander around walled Khiva, where you can visit the palaces of the Khans, dozens of medressas, mosques and mausoleums. Taste the atmosphere of Buchara, one of the most important caravan cities with its many bazaars loaded with fruits, vegetables, spices and beautifully designed round breads. Have tea under the shade of mulberry trees at the Labi Hauz water basin. Experience the wealth of Samarkand, mainly due to warlord Timur, who built his impressive palace in nearby Shachrisabz. Marvel at the world-famous Registan, where three sumptuously decorated Koranic schools stand around the square.
TIPS & TOPS Round-trip historical Uzbekistan:
- Visit to the famous Nukus Art Museum
- Visit the almost vanished Aral Sea, now a salt desert, where numerous shipwrecks stranded on the sand recall more prosperous times
- Some overnight stays in historic hotels
- Discover in the desert drive near Nurata the remains of Alexander the Great's fortress
- In Shachrisabz, the Turkish-Mongol warlord Timur built his impressive palace, the Ak-serai
- Near Samarkand, visit the death city of Shah-i-Zindeh, where many magnificent mausoleums are gathered
- Live it up during a cooking master class
- By high-speed train from Samarkand to Tashkent
