Uzbekistan Highlights Explorer

Arrive at Urgench airport and transfer around one hour to Khiva, a UNESCO listed oasis whose mud brick walls once guarded a key Silk Road hub. En route we stop at Ulli Khovli, a fine example of local domestic architecture, then take our early check in to rest after the flight. At about 2pm we meet our tour leader for a welcome briefing – a chance to get to know one another and hear about the journey ahead – before an afternoon walk inside Khiva’s compact old town. We explore the Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasah, the Kunya Ark fortress, the Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum and the slender Islam Khodja Minaret as our leader unpacks the city’s political and religious past. We end with a relaxed welcome dinner at a local restaurant, our first taste of Uzbek cuisine. If you would like extra time in Khiva, you can arrange additional hotel nights with your sales representative.

This morning we continue our discovery of Khiva, focusing on how the city functioned day to day. Inside the Juma Mosque, a forest of wooden columns reveals centuries of reuse and repair, while the Tash Hauli Palace offers insight into court life behind richly decorated walls. We also visit Nurullabay Palace, built in the early 20th century as Khiva responded to shifting political influences. Late morning we join a shivit oshi masterclass to learn how this regional noodle dish gains its distinctive green colour from dill, then sit down to lunch. The afternoon is free – you can wander the old town, revisit favourite sites or simply watch the light change on the city walls as the day cools.

We leave Khiva and drive two hours into the desert to Ayaz Kala, one of the ancient Khorezmian fortresses that rise from the plains. We then continue about 1 hr 30 min to Urgench to board a Soviet era train to Bukhara. Travelling in four berth compartments, we cross the Kyzyl–Kum Desert as daylight fades – a fitting way to sense the distances that once defined Silk Road travel. Boxed snacks are provided for dinner and we arrive late in the evening.

Today is devoted to Bukhara, long celebrated as a centre of learning. Our guided walk leads from the Ismail Samani Mausoleum – a landmark of early Islamic architecture – to the Ark fortress, seat of power for centuries. We continue through the Poi Kalyan ensemble, where the 12th century minaret once guided caravans across the desert, before visiting Ulugbek’s Madrasah and the lively Lyab–i–Hauz area, historically a social and commercial meeting place. After free time for lunch – you choose where to eat – we explore further monuments including the Magok–i–Attari Mosque and the Nadir Divanbegi complex. In the evening we attend a traditional folk performance staged in a historic madrasah courtyard.

This morning we leave the city to visit the Bahauddin Naqshbandi Ensemble, an important pilgrimage site linked to the influential Sufi order. Nearby we are welcomed into Davron Toshev’s miniature workshop, where the artist introduces the techniques and symbolism of this delicate art – lunch is included at the workshop. Mid afternoon we transfer to Bukhara railway station and board the bullet train (1 hr 45 min) to Samarkand, arriving in the early evening.

Samarkand reveals imperial ambition, and today we explore its most celebrated sites. We begin at Gur–e Amir, the mausoleum of Timur, before stepping onto Registan Square, framed by three monumental madrasahs that once formed the city’s intellectual heart. Later we visit the Hudjum Silk Carpet Factory, where master weavers demonstrate time intensive techniques passed down through generations. In the afternoon we continue to the Shah–i–Zinda necropolis – a processional avenue of mausoleums – and Ulugbek’s Observatory, which links the city to major advances in medieval astronomy. This evening we share dinner at Antica B&B, often joined by host Diyora Rafieva, who offers personal insight into heritage protection in Uzbekistan.

A short drive takes us to Konigil village to visit the Meros paper workshop, where mulberry bark is still transformed into paper using techniques recorded over a thousand years ago – and we have time to try the process ourselves. After free time for lunch, we board the afternoon bullet train (2 hr 30 min) to Tashkent, watching the landscape flatten as we approach the capital.

Today we focus on Tashkent’s Soviet and post Soviet identity. Our city tour includes a ride on the metro – each station with its own architectural theme – along with Amir Temur Square and the Monument of Courage, which commemorates the 1966 earthquake that reshaped the city. We then enjoy a guided visit inside the Alisher Navoi Theatre with access rarely available to independent travellers. In the afternoon we travel about one hour into the Tashkent region to visit the Uzumfermer winery – after lunch we tour the vineyard and cellars before a tasting – then return to the city.

We have traced the Silk Road across Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, travelled Uzbekistan by rail and met artisans keeping traditional crafts alive – now it is time to begin the journey home. If you would like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative about the available options.