Uzbekistan: Heart of Central Asia (Solo Travellers Tour)
Overview
Itinerary
Arrive in Tashkent and check in to the Mercure Tashkent (or similar) for 1 night. Afternoon tour of Uzbekistan's capital, stopping at the Kukeldash mosque and madrasa. A visit to the city's resplendent metro is also included. Our travel specialists will be delighted to assist with flight arrangements if required..
Transfer to the airport and take a one-hour morning flight to Urgench. Visit the ancient fortresses of Ayaz-Kala and Toprak-Kala before an afternoon drive to Khiva via Ulli Khovli. Stay 2 nights at the Bankir Hotel (or similar).
Full-day tour of Khiva, including Kunya Ark, Islam Khoja minaret, Tash Hauli palace and a local bakery.
Full-day drive to Bukhara (7-8 hours) through the Kyzylkum Desert, stopping at the Amu Darya River for photos. Stay at the Paradise Plaza (or similar) for 3 nights.
City tour of Bukhara, including visits to Chor Minor mosque, the Poi-Kalyan complex, the surviving trading domes, and Lyab-i-Hauz – once the city's principal source of water. This evening, enjoy dinner and a cooking demonstration.
After breakfast, continue your tour of Bukhara, including visits to The Ark, a vast fortress whose foundations date back 2,000 years; the summer palace of the city's final emir; and the Samanid mausoleum, built in the early 10th century with a facade incorporating Zoroastrian symbols.
Drive to Shahrisabz, birthplace of Timur, and visit the summer palace, mosques and mausoleums. Continue to Samarkand for 3 nights at the Movenpick Samarkand (or similar).
Full-day tour of Samarkand, including visits to Registan Square, the Ulugbek observatory, Afrosiab Museum, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, and the Bibi Khanum mosque.
Continue your tour of Samarkand. Visit GurEmir mausoleum, which marks the final resting place of several members of the Timurid dynasty, including Timur himself. Other visits include Nodir Divan Begi madrasa, Hazrat Khizr mosque and the Khodja Doniyor mausoleum. After lunch, stop at a silk carpet factory before returning to your hotel.
Morning at leisure in Samarkand. This afternoon visit one of Samarkand's renowned silk paper workshops before travelling by rail to Tashkent. Transfer to the Mercure Tashkent (or similar) for 1 night.
Tour ends in Tashkent.
Trip Inclusions
- Sample local wines in the cellars of a Tsarist-era producer in Samarkand
- Taste traditional plov at a historic merchant's house in Bukhara
- Travel on Uzbekistan's renowned Afrosiyob train from Samarkand to Tashkent
- Tour a restored silk paper mill in Samarkand
- Transfers in air-conditioned vehicles
- Experienced local tour manager
- 10 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 8 dinners
- Guided sightseeing & entrance fees
- Porterage at all hotels
- High-speed rail between Samarkand and Tashkent
- Small group size - max 14
- 4 & 5 star accommodation
- Flexible - extensions available
- Internal flights as specified
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
Operator
Cox & Kings groups rarely exceed 18 guests, and ninety percent of journeys have at least one guaranteed departure date, letting you plan with peace of mind.
Cox & Kings tours feature deep, authentic local experiences that reveal hidden truths and cultural secrets about each destination.
Cox & Kings partners with charming hotels that are comfortable and capture the essence of their surroundings, whether it’s a historic, characterful building, or an ideally placed location.
All Cox & Kings tours are guided and supported by experienced locals, who use their knowledge and on-the-ground relationships to improve and deepen the travel experience.
Dates & Pricing
AUD
Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Cox & Kings. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
