Tour Duration: 12 Days
Prices From: $1870 AUD
Tour Code: PAJU
Countries Visited: Uzbekistan


Day 1: Tashkent

Arrive in Tashkent and transfer to hotel. Our pre-departure meeting takes place this evening.

Day 2: Tashkent

With most of its historic buildings flattened in an earthquake in 1966, the Tashkent we see today is a fine a example of Soviet-era architecture and city planning. As the capital of Uzbekistan, this surprisingly green city contains many interesting examples of 1960s architectural styles and enjoys a cosmopolitan mix of cuisines and influences. The ancient heart of the city still beats in the shady squares and vibrant markets of the old town. Families still live in communities of courtyards and imams from small medrassas and mosques still call the faithful to prayer. We explore this charming city with a tour that includes the Museum of History, Amir Timur Square, Barak Khan Madrassah, Kukeldash Madrassah and the Chorsu Bazaar.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

Day 3: Khiva

An early start as we transfer to the airport for our flight to Urgench (please note that flight schedules are subject to change at short notice). From there we travelled on to the northwest of the country to visit the museum-city of Khiva. As legend has it, this place has a history that dates back to the time of Shem, son of Noah. A settlement was certainly established here by the 8th Century AD and began to flourish in the early 16th Century. A colourful procession of conquering Khans, Silk Road traders, Great Game spies and Russian invaders has long captured the imagination of writers and poets. It is also a photographer's delight, particularly in the evenings when the sun begins to set. This beautifully preserved town is perfect for exploring on foot, with impressive walls that mark the boundaries of the old city. Upon entering through its gates we are greeted by towering minarets and numerous medressas. Our guide takes us through these many monuments, including the Kunya Ark (fortress), the Pakhlavan Makhmud complex, the Djuma Mosque and Muhammed Amin Khan Madrassah. At night we enjoy a special meal in the Bikajon-Bika Madrassah.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

Day 4: Ayaz Qala

Khiva is enchanting at dawn, with its empty streets and sense of thousands of years of history making an early-morning stroll well worthwhile. After breakfast we embark on an 80km journey to Ayaz Kala, northeast of Khiva on the fringes of the Kyzyl-Kum Desert. Ayaz Qala and its sister ruins of Toprak Qala and Qavat Qala are relics of the Khorezm towns that existed here in the Amu-Darya Delta some 2000 years ago. The most impressive of the sites is Toprak Qala, which was settled in the 1st Century BC and later flourished in the 3rd Century AD, as capital of the region. Qavat Qala was a substantial oasis that fell to the brutal treatment of Genghis Khan's marauding troops. To its east lies Ayaz Qala, an impressive mud-walled hilltop fortress from the 6th-7th Centuries. We also visit Qoy Qyrylghan Qala, a temple mausoleum of Khorezm Khans dating from the 4th Century BC and home of Uzbekistan's oldest known inscriptions. Our desert adventure continues this evening as we stay in traditional Central Asian yurts and swap our own tales under the stars.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 5: Kyzyl-Kum - Bukhara

Ample opportunity to relax with free time this morning. With the impressive sights of Bukhara and Samarkand ahead of us, this is an ideal opportunity to catch up on some reading, or simply sit back and imagine you are a trader - relieved to have made it safely through the desert! Our own journey continues this afternoon as we drive the 450km to Bukhara through the Kyzyl-Kum (meaning 'red sands') desert. Along the way we meet the Amu Darya River – once known as the Oxus. This river bubbles up far to the south-east in the Pamirs and then runs west through the area now bordering modern Afghanistan - once famous throughout the ancient world for its lapis-lazuli mines. Curling slowly northward the river bisects the Kyzyl-Kum and Kara-Kum (‘black sands’) deserts, before stretching toward the southern tip of the shrinking Aral Sea. It was the Greeks who named this part of Central Asia ‘Transoxiana’ – literally ‘beyond the river’ – a name that echoes through the ages in literature and poetry - and the imagination of travellers.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Days 6-7: Bukhara

A UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, Bukhara is widely regarded as Central Asia’s holiest city. With more than one hundred officially preserved monuments, there is a lot to see and we have an extensive sightseeing program here to make the most of our time. On our explorations over two days we visit, amongst many other sites, the imposing Poikalon complex (comprising the Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Madrassah), Samanid Mausoleum, Chor Minor and, of course, the Ark Fortress, the ancient heart of the city and the scene of several gruesome events! With its many monuments dating from the 8th to the 18th Century AD, Bukhara has a vast span of history and architecture to uncover and the meticulous restoration of many of the mosaic and majolica decorations give us a true sense of how these buildings looked in their original glory. The twilight hours lend themselves to wandering the areas around the Lyab-i-House Pool, a central gathering place where we enjoy a traditional chaikhana (tea-house) style dinner one evening. Trading domes near here still offer an intriguing and 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, as well as share a joke or two with friendly local merchants. This is truly a magical place and it is sure to cast its spell on us too!
Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Days 8-9: Nurata - Aidarkul Lake

With regret, we leave captivating Bukhara and continue east towards Samarkand, stopping en route to visit Bronze Age petroglyphs at Sarmysh Gorge. Our next destination is Nurata, formerly known as Nur and founded in the 3rd Century BC by Alexander the Great. This ancient town was once regarded as the frontier between the cultivated lands and the steppes, and the ruins of Alexander’s hilltop citadel stand testament to its ancient history. The city was also an important Muslim place of pilgrimage, reaching its peak in the 10th Century AD as devotees flocked to its many significant graves and memorials. We visit the Chashma, a complex of religious constructions that serves as the central point for such pilgrimages. After lunching in a local teahouse we continue onto Aidarkul Lake, where we again camp in yurts. The evening has a festive feel as we gather together for a traditional barbecue with our local hosts. We may be grateful for the free time the following morning as the celebrations are likely to run late into the evening! For those who are feeling active, optional camel trekking may be available. After lunch we depart for Samarkand.
Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunchs, 2 dinners

Day 10: Samarkand

We have a full day of sightseeing and exploration in Samarkand, a city that evokes the romance of the Silk Road perhaps more than any other. From its founding in the 5th Century BC, this crossroads of cultures, religions, peoples and languages has been a centre of artisans and traders, as well as the prize for many a conquering army. Alexander the Great stormed its walls in 329 BC and many other rulers chose to make it their capital in the centuries that followed. Even the Soviet occupiers declared it the original capital of the Uzbek SSR in 1924, although it only kept that honour for four years! One highlight of our visit will be standing in the iconic Registan Square, with the three medrassas (Ulugbek, Sher Dor and Tillya Kari) towering over us. Close by stands Bibi Khanum Mosque built by the 14th Century ruler Timur and often compared to the Taj Mahal, as it was built as a grand and timeless symbol of a man's love for his wife. This mosque overlooks a busy and colourful bazaar, where photographers will delight in taking photos of the many bustling stalls and huge array of produce, as well as encounter friendly greetings from the local traders. Our sightseeing also includes several more key sites including the Shah-i-Zinda Mausoleum complex, Gur Amir Mausoleum and Ulugbek Observatory.
Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

Days 11-12: Chimgan - Tashkent

Our adventure in Uzbekistan is almost complete as we leave Samarkand and return to Tashkent for a final night. We still have a little more exploration to do though, and we continue past Tashkent to Chimgan, the winter sports area. Although we are definitely in the wrong season for any snow, this is still a lovely spot to pass the afternoon, and we relax with a picnic lunch and enjoy the views. Tonight we have a farewell dinner to mark the end of our travels together, and reflect on all we have seen. The trip ends in Tashkent after breakfast on the morning of Day 12.
Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Tour Grade:

Start Date	End Date	Price
31 Jul 2008	11 Aug 2008	$1870
07 Aug 2008	18 Aug 2008	$1870
17 Aug 2008	28 Aug 2008	$1870
04 Sep 2008	15 Sep 2008	$1870
14 Sep 2008	25 Sep 2008	$1870
25 Sep 2008	06 Oct 2008	$1870
02 Oct 2008	13 Oct 2008	$1870
12 Oct 2008	23 Oct 2008	$1870
05 Apr 2009	16 Apr 2009	$1870
07 May 2009	18 May 2009	$1870
17 May 2009	28 May 2009	$1870
28 May 2009	08 Jun 2009	$1870
18 Jun 2009	29 Jun 2009	$1870
25 Jun 2009	06 Jul 2009	$1870
16 Jul 2009	27 Jul 2009	$1870
30 Jul 2009	10 Aug 2009	$1870
06 Aug 2009	17 Aug 2009	$1870
16 Aug 2009	27 Aug 2009	$1870
24 Aug 2009	04 Sep 2009	$1870
03 Sep 2009	14 Sep 2009	$1870
13 Sep 2009	24 Sep 2009	$1870
01 Oct 2009	12 Oct 2009	$1870
11 Oct 2009	22 Oct 2009	$1870

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