La Route caravanière de l'Ouzbékistan

Arrival at Tashkent airport. Welcome and transfer to the hotel.  Luggage drop off, check in at noon. Excursions to the old town of the capital of Uzbekistan. The city is full of trees as it is not far from the mountainous areas.  Visit of the Khast Imam square where the Barakhan medersa, the Tilla Sheikh mosque, and the mausoleum of Kafal Shashi (16th century) are located. Walk through the Chorsu market, a meeting place for the inhabitants of the old city. Lunch in a restaurant in the bazaar. Continuation of the visits of the Uzbek capital: Independence Square, Amir Timur Square and Boulevard, visits of the stations of the splendid Tashkent metro, its beauty does not succeed at all to that of Moscow. Dinner in a restaurant of the city. Overnight at the hotel.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport and flight at 07:00 to Urengench (1h20 flight). Arrival, welcome by your guide and transfer to Khiva (35km). Installation in the hotel. Full day tour of this open-air museum city, classified by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage and a former stopover on the Silk Road: Visit of Ichan Kala (inner city), the Kalta Minor minaret (19th century), the Mohamed Aminkhan medersa, the king's seat and the ancient Kounya Ark palace. Lunch inside the fortress and then continuation of the visits: the medersa of Mohamed Rahimkhan, the Friday mosque with its 218 wooden columns, the mausoleum of Said Aluddin, the mausoleum of Pahlavan Makhmud decorated with extraordinary mosaics, the minaret of Islamkhodja, one of the highest in the world of Islam, the palace of Tochhovli and the Harem of the Khan, the medersa of Ollokulikhon. Dinner in a local restaurant with traditional Khiva dishes. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Visit of Khiva Khans' palaces inside Ichan-Kala. Nurullabay and Tozabog palaces. Return to Itchan Kala, lunch. Free time. Dinner in a caravanserai. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Bukhara by car with air conditioning. The road passes through the Kizil Koum (Red Sand) desert. The particular beauty of the Central Asian desert reminds of the times of the brave caravaneers who crossed this sea of sand by camel. Picnic lunch in a café on the way. Arrival in Bukhara in the late afternoon.  Settling in. Free time for a stroll through the streets of the old city.  Dinner in a local restaurant in the city. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Day of sightseeing. Bukhara the divine! One of the oldest cities in Central Asia, a pillar of Islam with 365 mosques. A spiritual and commercial centre whose importance has not diminished over the centuries. We start the tour with the Mausoleum of the Samanids, the Persian dynasty that ruled the territory of Central Asia. Visit of Mausoleum Prophet Job and the well with holy water. Visit of Ark citadel, residence of Bukhara emirs and Bolo Khauz mosque. Visit the central part of the city - Shakhristan: Poi-Kalon complex, the Great Minaret of Bukhara, here you will know why Genghis-khan left this minaret and destroyed all other monuments. The Mir-Arab Medersa (first Koranic school in Central Asia), the Great Mosque (unique in Central Asia by its size). Lunch at the chaikhana (type of local restaurant). Continuation of Bukhara city tour. Visit of medersa of Abdulazizkhan and medersa of Ulugbeg, the grandson of Tamerlane. Walk through the merchant domes. Visit the Magokki Attori Mosque which was a Zaroastrian temple before the arrival of Islam in Bukhara. Labi Khauz complex: Khanaka Nodir devonbegi (dwelling place of dervishes and Sufis), Medersa Nodir devonbegi, ask your guide about the legend about building khanaka and medersa.  Dinner at a local's house. Overnight at the charming hotel.

After breakfast, visits outside the city: the summer residence of the Bukhara emirs, Sitora i Mokhi Khossa, you will discover the most revered monument of Bukhara, the Mausoleum of Bakhaouddin Nakhchbandi named after a highly respected founder saint of Sufi Islam to whom is attributed this sentence: "If you sow the seed of goodness, it will grow in seven years and give seven hundred good deeds". Lunch at a local chaikhana. Visit of the necropolis of Chor Bakr, the mausoleums of the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed, in the village of Soumitan, 5 km from Bukhara. Return to Bukhara. Afternoon visit to the silk embroidery workshop where the famous Bukhara suzanis are made.  Dinner in Nodir devonbegui medersa with folkhore show and silk costume parade. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast, then early departure for Nurata. On the way, visit the Summer Residence of Bukhara Amirs and stop to visit the Gijduvan Private pottery workshop. Lecture by the ceramist on the types of Uzbek ceramics. Lunch at the ceramist's house. Afternoon transfer to Nourata. Stop at Nurata oasis and visit the ruins of Alexander the Great fortress, Chil Ustun and Panjvakhta mosques.  Drive to the yurt camp. Arrival at the yurt camp and installation in the yurt. Camel ride in the desert. Dinner in the open air. Concert by Akyn around the fire. Night in the yurt.

Breakfast, hike and picnic by the Aydarkul Lake. Then departure for Hayat Village. Settle in the guesthouse. Short hike to see a herd of mouflons which are protected by the state. Dinner with local people, the traditional dish can be varied according to the day. If you fall on Thursday or Sunday, Uzbek pilaf is waiting for you.

Night in the hotel house.

Breakfast. Trekking on the mountains. Duration 3-4 hours. Return to the guesthouse. Lunch. Drive to Samarkand (250 km, 4 h)

Arrival in Samarkand in the late evening. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner in a restaurant of the city. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Sightseeing in Samarkand, capital of Tamerlane. Visit of the Mausoleum Gur Emir (Tamerlane's Tomb), a true "threshold of Paradise" for artists and dreamers: the Reghistan Square surrounded by the marvellous Medersas of Ulugh Beg, Shir-Dor and Tilla-Kari, decorated with dazzling faience, witnesses of the evolution of Timurid architecture. The Bibi Khanoum mosque. The Shakhi-Zinda necropolis (built around the tomb of Koussam Ibn Abbas, cousin of the Prophet Mahomed s.a.w). Lunch during the visits. Visit to the Observatory of Ulugbek, the grandson of Tamarlan. Visit to the paper making workshop. Dance performance and parade of historical costumes at the El Merosi theatre. Dinner in a restaurant in the city. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Shakhrissabz, birthplace of Tamerlane. Arrival and visit of Shakhrissabz. Visit of the ruins of the White Palace - Ak Saray (14th century) Behind the walls of the mausoleum is the mosque of Khazrati Imam (Holy Imam) dated 19th century, which completes the architectural complex called Dorus Saodat (The Abode of Power). Visit of the Dorut Tyllawat complex (The Abode of Reflection), which consists of two mausoleums: the mausoleum of Sheikh Chamseddin Kulal (14th century) and the Gumbazi Saidon mausoleum (15th century) and the Kouk Goumbaz mosque (15th century). Lunch in a local restaurant. Return to Samarkand through the mountainous areas, meeting with dry fruits sellers on the roadside. Arrival in Samarkand. Dinner at a local's house. Return to Reghistan Square for photos of Samarkand by night.

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Departure to Urgut, a city located 45 km from Samarkand. Visit of Urgut bazaar. Traditional clothes of women and men as well as children, embroidery in golden thread. An unparalleled fascination to admire this bazaar.

Return to Samarkand. Lunch in a restaurant in the city. Visit of the mausoleum of Prophet Daniel, prophet of three religions, a part of the body of the prophet was taken from the Near East by Tamarlan in the XIV century.

Transfer to Samarkand railway station for departure to Tashkent by TGV.

Arrival in Tashkent. Dinner in a restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Drive to the Ferghana Valley. On the way cross the Kamchik pass (2400 m altitude). Arrival in Kokand and visits: the palace of the last khan of Kokand Khudayrkhan, the medersa of Norboutabey, the Djamyi mosque. Lunch. Road to Rishtan, city of ceramists. Meeting with the potter Usto Saïd (Master Saïd), who helps children from modest families to learn French and the potter's trade. Visit of his workshop and meeting with a French teacher. Drive to Ferghana. Arrival in Ferghana and installation in the hotel. Dinner in a local restaurant.

Breakfast. Transfer to Marghilan, visit of the Yodgorlik factory (traditional silk weaving) and presentation of the master manufacturer, visit of the Marghilan bazaar, famous Marghilan bread. Lunch. Road to Tashkent. On the way stop in a village of Oltiariq whose inhabitants only cultivate vines. Meeting with the villagers. Continuation of the road. Arrival in Tashkent and accommodation in a hotel. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Early breakfast. Transfer to the airport and fly home according to the flight schedule.

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