Basic Tour 2

Khiva, Uzbekistan

Basic Tour 2 — Uzbekistan is а pearl of Central Asia
12 days/10 nights
Starting from 447 €

Tour itinerary:    TASHKENT - URGENCH  – KHIVA – BUKHARA - SHAKHRISABZ -  SAMARKAND  – Village TERSAK -  TASHKENT
Tour description:
Day 1: International flight to Tashkent
Day 2: Tashkent
Arrival  to Tashkent - the capital of Uzbekistan. Transfer to the hotel and accommodation. Breakfast in the hotel. Rest after a long flight. Lunch in  the city. Afternoon city tour with local guide: Old part of the city: the architectural complex "Khazret-Imam" City tour: Barak-Khan Madrasah (16th c.), The Kaffal-Shashi mausoleum (15th c.), Kukeldash Madrasah (16th c.), the Juma mosque (9th c.), Chorsu gigantesque oriental bazaar on the right of the square Chorsu. O/n at hotel.

Day 3: Tashkent - Urgench - Khiva
Early breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to airport. Departure to Urgench on flight HY1051 at 07:00. 08:40 arrival in Urgench, the administrative centre of the Khorezm region. Transfer to Khiva - the only "Museum under the open sky" in Central Asia that has been completely preserved up to the present day (35 km, 30 min). Accommodation in a hotel, located inside or nearby Ichan-Qala - the historical center of Khiva which has been inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List. City tour around the architectural complex "Ichan-Qala": Kunya-Ark khan's castle - the inner citadel of Ichan-Qala (16-17th cc.), Kalta Minor Tower (Short minaret) that would have become the biggest and tallest minaret in Central Asia (19th c.), Muhammad Amin-Khan - the biggest  medieval medressa in Khiva (1845-1855 yy.), Djuma Mosque with 220 wooden columns and a minaret 32,5 m height (10th c.).
Lunch at local restaurant. Following tour of Khiva :Tash-Hauli (Stone courtyard) palace looking like a fortress with a high battlements, towers and fortified gates (19th c.), Ak-Mosque (White Mosque) - a small quarter mosque by the  gates of Palvan-Darvaza (1838-1842), necropolis of Pahlavan Mahmud - the cultic center of Ichan-Qala (1810-1913 yy.), residence of Islam Khodja (1910 y.) - the vizier of the last khan. Ensemble consists of the smallest medressa in Khiva and a minaret whose top platform has a height of 45 m and is the highest observation point in town. O/n at hotel.

Day 4: Khiva – Citadels of ancient Khorezm –Khiva (110+110 km)
Trip to Karakalpakistan to visit the ruins of ancient Khorezmian forts Tuprokala, Kizil Kala, Ayazkala around 2000 years old. Transfer to Khiva. Free time. O/n at hotel.

Day 5: Khiva - Bukhara
Breakfast. Starting drive to Bukhara (480 km, 8 hrs) through the desert along the course of the Amudarya River to Khiva. You’ll make a short stop at the sight of Amudarya (Oxus River) for a picnic. (We do recommend purchasing a lunch box in one of the Khiva cafes to feel comfortable on the way from Khiva to Bukhara). We arrive in Bukhara Arrival late this afternoon  in Sacred Bukhara - one of the most esteemed cities of Islamic civilization. Hotel accommodation.  Free time. First discovery of Bukhara: promenade along the lanes of ancient Bukhara. O/n at hotel.

Day 6: Bukhara
Breakfast. SS of Bukhara: Poikalon (XII—XVI c) architectural ensemble of “Masjidi Kalon”, “Miri Arab” madrasah & a minaret (46 m). Ulugbek Madrassah 1417 was the earliest of three commissioned by the enlightened Timurid ruler. Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah (1652). Trading Domes including Togi Zargaron, Togi Telpak furushon and Togi Saraffon Afghan trades. Tim Abdullakhan 1577 and one of the most elegant trade halls. Faizallah Khodjaev House (Merchant house) (XIX c) — House of a Bukhara merchant 150 years old. Magoki Attori mosque, Labi-Hauz (XVI—XVII c) — a complex with Nodir — Devon Begi madrasa. Lunch at local restaurant ARK Fortress (VI — XIX c) — in middle ages it was a whole town with the emirs house, with wives, mosques mint place, government institutes, store rooms, a prison and a square for public executions, Bolo Khous Ensemble, Samanid mausoleum (IXc) 1st brick bui  lding shaped as cube covered by dome with unrepeatable geometrical brickwork design, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum. O/n at hotel.

Day 7:  Bukhara
The country excursion: Sitora-i-Mohi Hosa (located 4 km from Bukhara) - a summer palace of the last emir of Bukhara (19 century).    Madrassah Chor Minor (19 c.) - is a tiny madrasah with four different minarets. Visit  to the national house-museum named after merchant F. Khodjaev (XIXc) including tea-drinking and demonstration of national clothes XIXc – beginning of XXc. PM you spend for shops and relax at some tea house. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8:  Bukhara – Guijduvan  - Samarkand
After breakfast drive to Samarkand. On road stop in Guijduvan (45 km) visit famous ceramist workshop of Abdullo Narzullaev. To continue  drive to Samarkand. Arrive and hotel accommodation. After lunch in a local restaurant, you have a half-day tour of Samarkand visiting the mausoleum of Tamerlane - Guri Emir. O/n at hotel.

Day 9: Samarkand
Meet your guide and driver at hotel lobby to start city tour. Visit spectacular Registan Square, remains of Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Siob Bazaar.
Lunch at national house offered by us in Samarkand.Continue sightseeing:   Ulugbek Observatory, Afrosiyob museum, Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10:  Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Tersak village – Samarkand (D=90 =110 km.)
Drive to Shakhrisabz - home town of Tamerlane the Great over picturesque Takhtakaracha mountain pass (90 km). On arrival sightseeing tour around the town of  Shakhrisabz for 2 hrs. including visits to Ak-Saray Palace (CCXIV-XV). Lunch and go on excursion programme to Darus Saodat Complex (CCXIV-XIX), Darus Tillavat Complex (CCXV), Orient Saunas (CCXIV-XVII). On return to Samarkand pass to village Tersak. Panoramic view on Zarafshan mountain ridge and bottom of mountains village. Hiking in the village to get acquainted local people daily lifestyles. Transfer  to Samarkand. Overnight in Samarkand.

Day 11:  Samarkand – Tashkent
Check-out from the hotel till noon. Continue sightseeing:  drive to Konigil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. Enjoy free time with car and driver at your disposal after sightseeing tour. At 16:00 transfer to railway station to take the fast-speed Afrosiyob train departing to Tashkent at 17:00 (300 km). Scheduled arrival time is 19:10. Pick-up and transfer to hotel in Tashkent. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12: Tashkent-departure
Check-out from the hotel. Transfer to the airport. Departure according to the schedule of the international flight.
NOTE: The program of tours will be specified in accordance with the schedule of the international flights of arrival and departure.

Tour rate in Euro per person:

Note 1: (15-20 +1 free *) - The leader of the group who can benefit from this trip. If you are organizing a group trip of 15-20 people, a gratuity will be offered for the group leader in double room accommodation.

The price of the tour includes:
•    Accommodation in double room at the hotels  3-4, breakfasts included
•    Train ticket  Samarkand - Tashkent in economy class
•    All airport-hotel-railway station transfers, transportation during visits.
•    Lunch at national house offered by us in Samarkand Day 9
•    Visa support for Uzbekistan

The price of the tour excludes:
•    Meals (lunch, dinner);
•    International and local flight;
•    Entrance tickets to the museums, mausoleums and other sights;
•    Additional services in the hotels;
•    Video/ Camera fees of museums, monuments;
•    Special cultural programs including concerts, performances, etc;
•    Insurance;

Recommended additional options for an extra fee in:
•    Lunches and dinners - 8 Euro per meal;
•    Local guide in each city - 50 Euro per day visits

Payment: The cost of the tour can be paid via bank transfer or using other options which can be discussed through communication with us.

Cancellation fees:
•    Cancellation prior 30 days – no charges apply
•    Cancellation prior 15 days – 50% charge of the tour price
•    Cancellation prior 7 days – 100% charge of the tour price

Transport
AC sedan “CHEVROLET COBALT, LACETTI” (Air-conditioned, 1-3 pax)
Minibus “HYUNDAY STAREX” (Air-conditioned, 3-5 pax)
Minibus “TOYOTA HIACE” (Air-conditioned, 6-8 pax)
Media bus “Yutong” (Air-conditioned, 9-20 pax)

Tashkent optional treats:
•    Travelling on the excellent Tashkent metro stopping off at several stations to admire the beautiful platform decorations.
•    The opera, music and ballet program of the Alisher Navoi theatre is usually available. If there is a performance, for those interested, tickets are around US$10.  Performances start at 6:00 p.m.
•    Polish Catholic Church. There is the main hall on the second floor where festive and weekend Masses are held. The cathedral is opened for visit where the church services in English, Russian and Korean languages are held.
Samarkand optional treats
•    Visit the papermaking workshop in Konigil. Thanks to a UNESCO project, the ancient papermaking art using a water mill and traditional techniques has been revived.
•    Diner one evening in the restored wing of an old, private residence and listen to the remarkable tale of how this house was saved from demolition and restored by Samarkand's finest artisans. (About US$10).
•    Light show on Registan square - a unique opportunity to get more about history of Samarkand for several centuries with modern effects.
•    Uzbek traditional music concert, dinner and fashion show at art boutique. (About US$15)
Bukhara optional treats
•    Enjoy a delicious, traditional dinner, cooked in tandoor clay ovens, in the courtyard of a restored merchant’s house. (About US$10)
•    Be scrubbed and massaged at a 16th century hammam. There are separate hammams for men and women. (About US$25)
•    Traditional Bukharian puppet theatre performance (about US$8)
Khiva optional treats
On request of the clients, a traditional folklore show could be organized  in Tosh-hovli Palace.
NOTE: The program of tours will be specified in accordance with the schedule of the international flights of arrival and departure.