Description

Highlights

• Discover the Soviet-style buildings, ancient mosques and classical Russian architecture of Tashkent.
• Watch Uzbek bread baking, taste local food and witness daily life in the traditional Chor-Su Bazaar.
• In spiritual Samarkand stand among the ornate portals, patterned minarets and glistening cupolas of Registan Square.

4 days – Uzbekistan: A Tale of Two Cities

Tour Type

Classic

Tour Overview

Day 01: Tashkent

Welcome to Uzbekistan!

Upon clearing immigration and customs, the representative will be waiting at the airport meeting area for the transfer to the hotel.

Day 02: Tashkent – Samarkand 

Tashkent, a charming mish mash of austere Soviet-style buildings and classical Russian architecture, has a long history of 2,200 years, and has been the capital of Uzbekistan since 1930.

We’ll start by exploring the narrow winding streets of the Old Town. This area is home to Barakkhan Madrasah, Tillya Shaykh Mosque, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the Library of Islamic Literature.

Under a giant dome, we’ll find a delightful slice of city life in the traditional Chor-Su Bazaar. It’s also a great place to buy souvenirs, watch Uzbek bread baking and taste some local food.

In the modern part of the city we’ll visit the Applied Arts Museum and Mustakillik Square. We’ll even take a ride on the vibrant, arty Tashkent Metro. The tour of Tashkent ends at Amir Temur Square established on the intersection of two ancient trade roads in the heart of the city.

Then it’s all aboard the evening train for the two hour journey to Samarkand. Then it’s straight to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

Today’s Highlights: Metro, walk through Chor-Su Bazaar.

Day 03: Samarkand – Tashkent

No name is as evocative of the Silk Road as Samarkand, which lies at the crossroads of the silk trading route through Europe and Asia.

We’ll visit the awe-inspiring restored madrassas standing on three sides of the iconic Registan Square – Ulughbek Madrassah, Sher-Dor Madrassah, and the gold-covered Tillya-Kari Madrassah.

Other highlights include Bibi Khanym Mosque with its ocean-blue domes and exquisite carvings; and Shakhi Zinda Necropolis, which contains monuments dating between 500 and 1000 years old. We’ll also visit Gur Emir Mausoleum and Ulughbek Observatory with its interesting underground passages.

In the evening, we’ll take the train back to Tashkent.

Today’s Highlight: Registan Square with its ornate portals, patterned minarets and glistening cupolas.

Day 04: Departure from Tashkent

Sadly it’s our last day and time to say goodbye. Enjoy a final breakfast before the transfer back to the airport for the onward flight.

Duration

• 4D3N

Inclusions

• All services as mentioned in your itinerary
• Accommodation (DBL/TWN room basis) with breakfast
• Train tickets Tashkent-Samarkand, Samarkand-Tashkent (subject to availability, we reserve the right to change the program and/or substitute trains by other transport)
• Guides services provided in the requested languages, unless otherwise mentioned in the itinerary
• Ground transportation in private, air-conditioned vehicle
• Drinking water during sightseeing.
• Meals as per program.
• Multi-lingual 24-hour customer support hotline in all destinations.
• Welcome pack on arrival.
• Fully licensed and insured to international standard.
• All applicable local taxes.

Exclusions

• Visa fees
• Early check-in / late check-out
• Personal expenses
• Photo/video fees at museums
• Tips and gratuities
• Lunches and dinners

Things you need to know

• Additional airfare, airport taxes and fuel surcharges may apply.
• Additional charges may apply if changes or cancellations are made to flight tickets. We will notify you if ticket issuance deadlines are outside our standard terms and conditions.
• Breakfast box in case of very early morning departures.
• For solo traveller the single supplement is already included in the tour price.
• Where an extra bed is not available, a single supplement charge will be added for additional room.
• Where an extra bed is available, an ‘Extra Bed’ charge will be added.
• Infants under 2 years old are free of charge when travelling with a paying adult.
• Children under 12 years old receive a 30% discount when sharing existing bedding.
• If you have decided to travel on a local holiday or festival, certain rates may be higher. We will let you know right away if this condition applies to you.
• Accommodation is subject to availability until you have confirmed your booking and paid any relevant deposits.
• In the event your chosen hotel is not available, alternatives will be offered.
• Some of our roads can be quite bumpy, especially in remote areas such as Nukus and Termez. As smaller vehicles such as sedan cars or small minivans can only be used in mountain areas, we may need to change the transport several times throughout the tour. For example, we will use smaller vehicles for travelling and larger vehicles for sightseeing. Transfers to the Ferghana Valley may be by train or road, at our discretion.