"Silk and spices" festival

Arrival in Tashkent in the morning. Reception at the airport, transfer to a local restaurant for breakfast.
Visit to the capital of Uzbekistan, located at the crossroads of caravan routes, connecting Europe and India.
Panoramic tour through the Independence Perspective, Place de Théâtre Navoï and Square Amir Timour.
Visit of the most beautiful metro stations, the first metro in Central Asia; each of its stations is different and has been decorated by the country's greatest artists.
The Khast-Imam ensemble in the heart of old Tashkent: the Madrasa Barakhan, a magnificent 16th century monument and seat of the Grand Mufti of Central Asia. Continue to the Moyie Mubarek Library Museum and the Juma Mosque.
Visit of the Tchorsu grand bazaar (except Monday) and the Kukeldach medersa (XVI century).
Visit of the Museum of Applied Arts, the former palace of the tsar's diplomat transformed into a museum in 1938. We will discover a fine collection of embroidery, pottery, ceramics, woodcarvings, musical instruments and traditional jewelry.
Night at the hotel.

Transfer to the station at 06:00 on the Afrosiab train which departs at 07:00 and arrives at 09:14 (300 km). We start the tour in the city.  Samarkand is located in the valley of the river Zerafshan. It is the second largest city in Uzbekistan and is as old as the cities of Babylon or Rome. You will visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory, founded by Ulugh Beg in the 15th century, one of Samarkand’s most famous leaders and scientists. While working at the observatory, Ulugh Beg developed the “Ziji Guragoni” catalog in 1437, which contained information on 1018 celestial bodies. Unfortunately, he was killed at the behest of his own son. Afterwards, you can walk along the local Broadway and discover souvenir shops, tea rooms, sweets, and various workshops. You will also visit the Siab bazaar, where you can buy traditional Uzbek crafts and local sweets. Today you will also see the carpet factory, a unique hand-made carpet factory that employs over 400 women. They weave carpets by hand without using traditional methods.  Overnight at the hotel.

Today you will continue your knowledge of the city of Samarkand. You will visit the most famous sites of this city, such as Registan Square, the necropolis Shakhi Zinda, the mausoleum Gour-Emir and the mosque Bibi Khanoum. Régistan Square is a collection of three medersas that fascinate by their appearance, dating from the 15th-17th centuries. It is the main attraction of Samarkand, whose beauty and grandeur never cease to admire. The architectural complex of Shakhi Zinda is a collection of mausoleums from the 11th-15th centuries, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Bibi Khanoum Mosque was built in honour of Tamerlan’s beloved wife after her successful campaign in India. Then the visit will continue in the city of Bukhara.

Bukhara, one of the oldest cities of Central Asia, made famous by its former carpet market, city museum in the middle of the sands. Bukhara will delight you with the atmosphere of its old streets and its remarkable monuments that take us back to the medieval period and well before: mausoleum Ismail Samani (ninth-tenth centuries), Chashma Ayub mausoleum (XII-XIV century), the famous bazaar of Bukhara, together Bola Hauz (eighteenth century), Citadel Ark (I. -IVème centuries.). Lunch at a local restaurant in the modern city. Following the discovery; all Poi-Kalian (XV-XVI centuries) which consists of the Kalon mosque, Kalon minaret and madrasah Miri Arab. 

Today we have a unique opportunity to participate in the festival «Silk and spices». Within the framework of this festival, there are presentations of folk collectives from all over the country, popular games, different master classes and fashion presentations of young creators from Uzbekistan. Participants of the festival go through a noisy procession from the gates of the Ark fortress to the complex of Lyabi Khaouz, the heart of ancient Bukhara.

Today you will have an excursion around the outskirts of Bukhara. You will first visit the Baghaoddin Naqshbandi complex, located a few kilometres from Bukhara. It is a memorial complex of the famous Sufi chief and philosopher, one of the main centres of Muslim pilgrimage. Sheikh Baghaoddin Naqshbandi was one of Amir Timur’s spiritual masters. Today, the complex includes: Kushbegi and Muzafarokhan mosques; courtyard with swimming pool; madrasa; the tomb of the rulers of Bukhara and a dakhma on the tomb of Saint Baghaoddin Naqshbandi. After the visit, we will take you to Bukhara station, from where you will go to the city of Tashkent.

Transfer to Tashkent International Airport. Depending on your flight schedule, the guide will accompany you to the airport and help you check in for your flight. We hope you enjoyed your trip and invite you back to explore other Central Asian countries with us.