Highlights of Uzbekistan

Day 1  Tashkent          
Arrive in Tashkent and transfer to your hotel. Meet your tour leader and fellow travellers in the evening.          

Day 2  Tashkent to Samarkand    
Travel on to Samarkand, known for beautiful intricate mosques and mausoleums, situated on the Silk Road. Take an orientation walk and opt to visit the Amir Timur Mausoleum, dedicated to the famous conqueror who once hoped to rebuild the empire of Genghis Khan.    

Day 3  Samarkand    
Embark on a city tour, visiting Ulugbek Observatory, Shaki Zinda complex, the bazaar, Bibi Khanum, and Registan Square. With a free afternoon, continue exploring the Samarkand sights, have a cuppa in a local tea house, or wander around the bazaar. Opt to explore the Tomb of Prophet Daniel, famous for the Biblical story of Daniel and the lions.    

Day 4  Samarkand to Aydar Kŭl Camp    
Travel out into the desert to visit Chashma Complex, a pilgrimage site in the territory of Nurata, dominated by ruins of Alexander the Great's fortress, Juma mosque, a bathhouse, and the ancient Panjvakta mosque. All of this, hiding a holy spring believed to heal diseases. After exploring the complex, head to Aidarkul Lake and opt for a swim before continuing for an overnight stay in a local yurt camp. Enjoy an authentic Uzbekistan dinner and an evening Kazakh singing show.    

Day 5  Aydar Kŭl Camp to Bukhara    
Travel to Bukhara, known as one of the most charming cities in the country, and get your bearings on an orientation walk. Opt to visit the old city bazaars, enjoy a traditional dinner cooked by a local family, visit a hammam (bathhouse), or just relax in the pleasant atmosphere of this Silk Road city.  

Day 6  Bukhara    
Explore Bukhara on a half-day guided walking tour around the beautifully restored mosques, madrassas, and covered markets, or trading domes, that make up the Old City. A centre for pottery, cloth, and carpets, Bukhara is centered around Lyabi-Hauz, a delightful pool of water surrounded by ancient mulberry trees. Wander the artisan shops and narrow twisting streets and alleyways or sit at a café table and let the evening drift by. Opt to watch a local puppet show held in an old caravanserai or indulge in a rejuvenating hammam bathhouse.    

Day 7  Bukhara to Khiva  
Enjoy a scenic drive through the desert on a full day's journey to reach UNESCO-listed Khiva, well worth the arduous drive. Get to know this peaceful, picturesque city on a late afternoon orientation walk, and pick your favourite spots to explore more in-depth tomorrow.    

Day 8  Khiva    
Before exploring this historic town on your own, enjoy a guided tour to learn about local life here. Wander through the narrow labyrinth mudbrick alleyways of old town, bargain with locals at the bazaar, admire the madrassas, mosques, and blue mosaic domes, climb up towering minarets, and venture into the dark dungeons Khiva was infamous for back in the 10th Century. Explore the inner walls of Ichon-Qala and enjoy spectacular sunset views on the sand-coloured buildings.  

Day 9  Khiva to Tashkent  
Take a short flight back to Tashkent and enjoy a city tour, then explore on your own with some free time.

Day 10  Tashkent          
Your tour comes to an end after breakfast.