Uzbek Silks and Cuisines Tour

After your arrival in Tashkent, you will meet the tour guide at the airport gates before transfering to the hotel with an early check-in.

In the afternoon, you will set out on a city tour that includes the Chorsu Bazaar, where you can investigate the colourful textiles and delicious street food. You will also visit the Applied Art Museum and an old part of the town to get a feel for its history.

In the morning, you will transfer to the train station and take the Ozbekiston #060 train to Kokand. Upon arrival, you will visit the famous Khudayar Khan’s Palace and Dahmai Shahon (Grave of Kings).

Afterwards, guests will drive to Rishtan to visit a ceramicist's family and a Kyrgyz family making wool products. From here, you will drive to Margilan, where you can participate in cooking Dolma (stuffed grape leaves) and try it for dinner.

After breakfast, your driver and a local guide will take you to visit the Mausoleum of Khoja Ilgor, before continuing on to Margilan to take in the expert craftsmanship of several artisans. Here, you will visit the Said Akhmad-Khoja Madrasah, which is home to a number of craftsmen producing handmade carpets and silk. Walk to the traditional market and continue to Yodgorlik Silk factory to see the production process of silk with traditional Ikat patterns.

Afterwards, you will drive to the Margilan rail station and train back to Tashkent, where a driver will meet you and take you to the hotel. Overnight at the Hotel.

Overnight Location: Hotel in Tashkent

On day 4 of your adventure you will transfer to Tashkent Domestic airport for a morning flight to Urgench. Upon arrival you will transfer to Khiva, where you can check-in at your accommodation.

The afternoon will see you experience a city tour of Khiva and its many historic/cultural highlights. Participation in the preparation process of a famous Khorezmian dish – “Shivit Oshi” (green noodle), which you can try for dinner at a local family café.

Today you will have an early drive to Bukhara through the Kyzylkum desert, stopping along the way for a photo opportunity at the banks of the Amudaryo River. On arrival, you will transfer to your hotel accommodation. In the evening, a folk show will be presented (if available).

You will spend today exploring Bukhara, which is the centre for local artisans. Here, you will be able to watch artisans work on a variety of handicrafts at the Bukhara Artisan Development Centre. You will also spend some time visiting colorful local markets, where the Karavan Saray (Trade Domes) and former madrassas offer splendid, colorful handmade “Suzani'' products and gold embroidery, as well as other forms of textiles, clothing, jewelry, carpets, and costumes.

Day 7 of the tour will begin with breakfast, followed by a drive to Uhum village. Upon arrival, you will be shown your accommodation in a local guesthouse. This family house has a large orchard with fruit trees where tourists can spend some of their time at leisure on tapchan sofas (traditional outdoor seating).

You will also enjoy lunch in the local guesthouse.

In the afternoon, you will walk about the village to get a feel for the daily life here (how people gather firewood or feed their livestock or chickens, harvest, grind corn etc.). After getting back to the family guesthouse, there will be a masterclass where you have the opportunity to watch or participate in cooking a very popular Uzbek dish – Dimlama.

After breakfast in the guesthouse, you will spend a half day on a guided hiking tour of the Nurata Nature Reserve (4 km each way, a total of 4 hours). While you are hiking, you will witness some ancient irrigation channels, petroglyph sites, and a mausoleum of an Islamic priest. Return to the guesthouse and enjoy lunch before making the drive to Samarkand.

After a delicious breakfast, you will visit a number of highlights in Samarkand, including the Ulugbek Observatory, Shakhi Zinda necropolis, Bibi Khanym mosque, Siyab bazaar (try dried fruits and Samarkand bread which is considered one of the most delicious breads in the world), and Registan Square, which is the centerpiece of the city and the most recognizable landmark for visitors. There are three madrassas framing the square, with Ulughbek madrasah being the oldest.

Later, you will participate in the preparation process of “manti” (dumpling) and samsa (samosa) with meat & greens and try them for lunch in a local family house. In the evening, you will take a fast train to Tashkent, where a driver will pick you up and take you to the hotel. Overnight accommodation in a hotel.

On the final day of the tour, you will wake up early and transfer to the airport for your departure flight back to Istanbul.