Wonders of Uzbekistan

Departure on Uzbekistan Airways to Tashkent. Overnight on board.

Arrival at Tashkent International Airport, customs and passport control, and transfer (*) to the hotel (your local guide will be waiting for you outside the airport; you will need to go outside to meet him/her). Arrival at the hotel early in the morning for breakfast. As rooms are not available until 2:00 PM, after breakfast, we will leave our luggage in the hotel's luggage room and set off for our first introduction to the city, beginning our panoramic tour of the old town: Khasti Imam Architectural Complex (16th-17th centuries), Barak Khan Madrasa, Kafal Shohi Madrasa, Tilla Sheykh Mosque, and Chorsu Bazaar. Free time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, the panoramic tour will take us to the modern part of the city: Independence Square (formerly called Lenin Square), with an area of twelve hectares, consists of the Monument of Independence and Humanitarianism inaugurated in 1991; Romanov Palace (exterior visit), designed by architects Geyntselman and Benois, and built in 1891, also called the Palace of Grand Duke Nikolai Romanov, where he was exiled in 1874 because he had been accused of stealing several jewels from the Russian royal family; Opera and Ballet Square where the Navoi Opera Theater is located, designed by the Soviet architect Alexei Shchusev and built between 1942 and 1947, with a capacity for 1,400 spectators; and finally we will arrive at Amir Temur Square where the tour ends. Accommodation.

(*) The transfer is only included for arrivals on flight HY242. Arriving on a different flight will have an extra cost.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Samarkand. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Free time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, panoramic tour of this legendary city, with the most emblematic square in the country, Registan Square, with its three great madrasas: Ulugbek Madrasa (15th century), Shir-Dor Madrasa (17th century), Tilla-Kori Madrasa (17th century); Guri Emir Mausoleum (Tomb of Tamerlane, 14th-15th centuries) which means "Tomb of the King" in Persian, contains the tomb of Tamerlane and his family. Amir Timur or Tamerlane (14th century), one of the great conquerors of the world, who played an important role in the history of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Creator of the great empire with its capital in Samarkand, founder of the Timurid dynasty. After the visit, return to the hotel. Overnight.

Samarkand - the birthplace of Tamerlane. For over two thousand years, the city was a key point on the Great Silk Road between China and Europe, as well as one of the main centers of science in the medieval East. In the 14th century, it became the capital of Timur's empire and the Timurid dynasty. Samarkand is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its enormous material and spiritual value: magnificent monuments of ancient architecture, the legacy of scientific and artistic schools, and national craft centers have all glorified the city worldwide.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to complete our visit to Samarkand with the Shakhi-Zinda Architectural Complex (9th-15th centuries). Initially built in the 9th century, it houses the tomb of Qusam ibn Abbas, Muhammad's cousin, who was responsible for bringing Islam to the lands of present-day Central Asia. It is a famous pilgrimage site for the Uzbek people, which is why it is perfectly preserved despite the thousands of faithful who visit it every day. Next, visit the Bibi-Khanum Mosque (15th century). It was built by order of Tamerlane's favorite wife, Bibi Khanum, to surprise him when he returned from a long military campaign in India. She hired the best experts in Central Asia to make it the largest and most beautiful temple in the Islamic world. Afterwards, we will take a walk through the famous oriental bazaar, the Siab Bazaar. Free time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, depart by road for Bukhara. Arrival at the hotel and overnight stay.

Noble Bukhara, the sacred pillar of Asia. The legendary city of the Great Silk Road. The origin of the name Bukhara has many versions, but the most interesting is "bujarak," which means Place of Fortune. The only city in Central Asia that has almost 2,000 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and you can still feel the ancient atmosphere wandering through the old town.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for a visit to the Lyabi Hauz Architectural Complex (16th-17th centuries), the heart of the city. This includes the Kukeldash Madrasa (exterior visit) and the Nodir Devon Begi Madrasa, built around the largest pond in the city. We then visit the oldest mosque in Bukhara, the Magoki Attory Mosque (12th century, exterior visit). This "Three Markets" complex of 16th-century domes, known as the First (Toki-Sarrafon), Second (Toki-Telpakfurushon), and Third (Toki-Zargaron) Domes, are vaulted enclosures with numerous galleries for trade and artisan workshops. The Ulugbek Madrasa (15th century, exterior visit) and the Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa (17th century, exterior visit). Free time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, continue your sightseeing tour with the Poi-Kalon Architectural Complex, the city's most iconic complex, which includes the Kalon Minaret, erected in 1127 and depicting the history of Bukhara from the 11th to the 12th centuries; the Poi Kalon Mosque (12th century), one of the largest in Central Asia; and the Miri Arab Madrasa (15th century, exterior visit), which is still in operation as a Koranic school; the Ark Citadel (5th-19th century, exterior visit), the residence of the emirs (kings) of Bukhara, a fortress of power and strength; and the Bolo-Hauz Mosque (19th century, exterior visit). Return to the hotel and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure by road to Khiva. Stop en route for a rest and lunch (not included). Arrival at the hotel in Khiva and the rest of the afternoon free to rest after the long journey. Overnight stay.

Khiva, an oasis city lost in the Kizil-Kum Desert. It has 2,500 years of history and has witnessed cruel battles and splendid rebirths. Although the entire city is made of mud, it captivates with its simplicity and harmonious colors. The most majestic part of the old city is the walled city of Ichan Qala, an open-air museum, which was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Soviet times (12th-19th centuries).

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for a panoramic tour of the city of the Arabian Nights. We will visit the Kalta Minor Minaret, a minaret that was supposed to have been the tallest in the Islamic world at the time, but Khan Mohamed Amin Khan died before finishing it, leaving it unfinished as we can see today; the Mokhamed Amin Khan Madrasa, next to the Kalta Minor Minaret, is this madrasa, built between 1845 and 1855, by order of Mohamed Amin Khan, is the largest madrasa in Khiva and came to house more than 250 students, currently has been converted into the local hotel; the Mohammed Rakhim Khan Madrasa and Kunya Ark Castle, Juma Mosque, which means Friday Mosque, is documented that its construction dates back to the 10th century, although it was rebuilt in 1788, being one of the oldest in Khiva. Free time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, continue our tour of the city with a visit to the Madrasa and the Minaret of Islom Khodja (the tallest minaret in Khiva, exterior visit); the Madrasa and Caravanserai of Allakuli Khan; the Tash Hovli Architectural Complex (harem), a second palace in Khiva, built by order of Allakuli Khan, where you can visit the courtyards, the concubines' rooms and the Khan's room. Return to the hotel and overnight stay.