Included activities: Welcome dinner, Metro tour, City tour incl Amir Timur Square, Moyie Mubarek Library Museum and Chorsu Bazaar

Xush kelibsiz! Welcome to Uzbekistan. The largest city in Central Asia, Tashkent is a mix of Russian and Uzbek style, an indication of the fact that for many years it was a key city of the USSR. Extravagant mosques, both ancient and new, sit alongside modern highways and Soviet monuments. Get involved in the hustle and bustle of Chorsu Bazzar, one of the largest and oldest markets in Central Asia. Wandering through this giant marketplace is a fantastic way to see locals going about their daily lives. Uzbeks are some of the friendliest people in the world and with your leader on hand to bridge any language gaps, you will soon find yourself chatting to many locals who are keen to get to know you.

Another surprising attraction in Tashkent is the metro! Set to be among the most beautiful and ornately designed metro systems in the world, the Tashkent Metro was declassified as a military installation in 2018, so photography is finally allowed in the underground. Not only is the Tashkent Metro a cheap and fast way to zip between the sites on this list, but it’s also a sight to behold all itself.

Intrepid Premium travel tours are all about exceptional experiences, a higher service level and excellent value. That's exactly why Intrepid will organise to forward your luggage to the next destination, allowing you to explore easily with your day pack in comfort and ease.

Included activities: City tour incl Mausoleum, Bibi-Khanym Mosque & Siob Bazaar, Plov cooking demonstration & family visit, Handmade paper workshop and Uzbek Bagizagan winery visit & tasting

Early this morning, take a high speed 'Afrosiyob' train to the ancient Silk Road hub of Samarkand. The city has long been a centre of artisans and traders as well as the prize for many a conquering army, leaving behind a rich and complex history. On arrival enjoy a guided tour of this intriguing city and visit the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, overlooking the busy and colourful Siob Bazaar, full of bustling stalls and friendly local traders. Continue to the holy Shah-i-Zinda complex, the so-called ‘Town of the Dead’ necropolis, with more than 20 beautifully decorated unique buildings.

Included activities: Gijduvan - Ceramics workshop, Shofirkon - Uzbek village and silk suzane making family visit, Bukhara - Folklore & music performance

Travel to the historical city of Bukhara. Stop along the way in Gijduvan, famous for its ceramic pottery, where you will have the chance to visit a pottery workshop. Witness the pottery process from start to finish and visit a small museum to uncover the centuries-old history of ceramics in this area. Continue to Shofirkon and visit a traditional Uzbek village. Enjoy lunch with a lovely local family and learn how to make suzani, a beautiful silk fabric, before continuing to Bukhara.

Included activities: City tour incl Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Ark Fortress, Kalon Minaret & Mosque, Bolo Hauz Complex and Sitorai Mohi Hosa Palace

A UNESCO-listed site, Bukhara is widely regarded as Central Asia’s holiest city. With monuments dating from the 8th to the 18th century AD, you will learn about the vast span of history and architecture during a tour of the city. The meticulous restoration of many of the mosaic and majolica decorations give you a true sense of how these buildings looked in their original glory. Taki Zargaron and the trading domes near here still offer a colourful array of goods including embroideries, jewellery, spices, handicrafts and all manner of Silk Road treasures. This is the place to test your haggling skills and share a joke or two with local craftsman and merchants. Enjoy a free evening here – the twilight hours lend themselves to wandering around the central Lyabi-Hauz Complex and its surrounding areas.

Included activities: City tour incl Islom Hoja Minaret & Medressa, Juma Mosque, Tosh-Hovli Palace, Sunset drinks and Khorezmian cuisine cooking class

Khiva is a beautifully preserved city and perfect for exploring on foot, with impressive walls that mark the boundaries of the old fortress. Your leader will guide you through the city’s ancient monuments, sharing their histories along the way. Visit the Kuhna Ark, which was the main fortress, and look over the city from the hill of the Ak-Sheikh Baba observation platform, once used as a patrol tower of the citadel. Late afternoon, head to one of the city’s delightful roof terraces for a glass of champagne as you watch the sun set over thousands of years of history. This evening, join a cooking class and learn the secrets of Khorezmian cuisine. Make traditional dishes like shivit oshi (green noodles) and tuhum-barak (egg dumplings) then tuck into your creations for dinner.

Arrive back in the Uzbek capital in the morning and spend some more time visiting architectural landmarks such as Navoi Theatre or perhaps take a walk down the buzzing Broadway Alley. Wander the street lined by shady trees and works from local artists before enjoying final dinner and bidding farewell to this spectacular Silk Road country the following day.

Why let the adventure end here? With direct flights to Uzbekistan serviced by Turkish Airlines, Istanbul is the obvious choice to extend your holiday to an amazing city bursting with culture & history. 

Start your day early to get the most of this enchanting city and be sure to visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia first. Opt to take a Bosphorus cruise to admire the panoramic views of numerous palaces, mosques, forts, bridges and towers. Take a well-deserved break sampling an authentic doner kebab in one of the nearby restaurants and try one of the many flavours of Turkish Delight on offer. Later, stop by Topkapi Palace, the symbolic and political home of the Ottoman Empire housing the fifth largest diamond in the world.

One attraction that is an absolute must in Istanbul is the Grand Bazaar. A labyrinth of shops and stalls await, where sounds of intense haggling and aromas of fresh spices fill the air.

With so much to see and do in Istanbul, ask our friendly consultants (often with first-hand travel experience) about creating your perfect holiday to the Orient. 

For more inspiration, take a look at our Central Asia Holidays.