“The Splendors of Uzbekistan: Khiva, Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara in 7 Days”

After breakfast, the tour of Khiva’s historical sites will begin. The day will be dedicated to visiting Khiva: Ichan-Kala, the Muhammad Amin Khan Complex (19th century) with the Amin Khan Madrasa and the Kalta-Minor minaret, Kunya-Ark fortress — the residence of local rulers with the Reception Hall, Royal Mosque, Harem, Old Prisons, etc., and the Juma Mosque (10th century) — the most beautiful Friday mosque in Khiva with 213 carved wooden columns.
Lunch. After lunch, visit the Tash-Khovli Palace, the second residence of the rulers of Khiva with its Harem, the Mausoleum of Pahlavan Mahmud — poet, philosopher, and legendary wrestler, patron of the city, one of the most sacred and beautiful places in Khiva, and the Royal Caravanserai with its fascinating bazaar. Dinner. After dinner, we will go to the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa to watch a folklore show and dances to lively Khorezm music "Lazgi". (optional, $10 per person)
Overnight in Khiva.

Breakfast. After breakfast, you will be transferred to Urgench by special transport. Upon arrival at Urgench International Airport, you will board a flight to Tashkent. The flight takes approximately 1 hour. After arrival in Tashkent, you will be transferred to the hotel. You can rest and then have lunch at the Central Asian restaurant “Beshkozon.” After lunch, a city tour of modern Tashkent: metro, Independence Square, Amir Timur Square, Theatre Square, Tashkent City. Overnight in Tashkent.

After breakfast, transfer to the railway station for boarding the high-speed train “Afrosiyob” in the morning towards Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand and start of the tour. Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in the world and the former capital of the vast Timurid Empire. A city-museum, the heart of caravan trade on the Silk Road, today Samarkand has wonderfully preserved the unique atmosphere of medieval Asia.

10:00-18:00 — Samarkand tour: Gur-Emir Mausoleum — Mausoleum of Timur the Great, the most famous square in Central Asia — Registan (Ulughbek Madrasa, Sher-Dara Madrasa, Tillya-Kori Madrasa). Lunch at the teahouse “Bibi-Khanym.” After lunch, a walk to Bibi-Khanym Mosque and the famous Siyob Bazaar.

19:00 or 20:00 — Visit the light show at Registan Square. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, we will visit the architectural complex Shakhi-Zinda and Ulughbek Observatory. Then we will visit the Afrosiyab Museum, as well as one of the workshops where mulberry paper is made, a craft learned from Chinese slaves in the 8th century (MEROS paper factory in the village of Kongili).

Lunch. Free time after lunch (optional — shopping).

Overnight in Samarkand.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, transfer to the railway station for departure on the high-speed train “Afrosiyob” to Bukhara.

Bukhara — another ancient city of Uzbekistan, through which the Great Silk Road passed. Medieval Bukhara was one of the main political, cultural, and religious centers of the Middle East. More than 140 architectural monuments have been perfectly preserved here, including magnificent madrasas, mosques, the city’s famous symbols — the Kalyan Minaret, Ark Fortress, functioning medieval baths, and trade domes. The historic center of Bukhara is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Lunch. After a short rest at the hotel, a walk through the Old Town of Bukhara.

Overnight in Bukhara.

After breakfast, departure for a tour of other historical sites in Bukhara. Visit Abdul-Azizkhan Madrasa and Ulughbek Madrasa, the Lyabi-Hauz ensemble. After the excursion, transfer by private transport to the Farab border. The journey takes about 4–5 hours. The tour ends at the Farab border crossing.