Silk Route Odyssey: Caravan Across Uzbekistan

Itinerary

• Days 1-4: Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Fergana Valley
  

  The trip begins in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital and largest city. Spend a day wandering through its main market, Chorsu Bazaar, and touring the city’s most noteworthy sights, including Independence Square and Kukeldash Madrassah. Then take the train to the Fergana Valley, an oasis of cotton fields and melon plantations that’s the most fertile region in Central Asia. In the towns of Kokand, Fergana, Margilan, and Rishtan, visit a 19th century khan’s palace, a bazaar, a silk-maker’s workshop, a ceramicist’s studio, and dine in the home of a local family.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Tashkent’s park-like Independence Square – formerly Lenin Square, rechristened and adorned with a new monument following Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991
  • The monumental 16th century Islamic architecture of Tashkent, including Kukeldash Madrassah and more
  • Tashkent’s Tillya Sheikh Mosque and library with the Uthman Koran.
  • Khudayar Khan’s Palace in Kokand, known in the 19th century as one of Central Asia’s most luxurious palaces, currently being restored to its former glory
  • Touring a silk master’s workshop in Margilan, a town that’s been a center of silk production since the ninth century
  • A tour and lunch at a ceramics master’s studio in Rishtan, famed for brilliantly colored traditional pottery
  • A dinner of Uzbek specialties in a private home in Fergana
• Days 5-7: Fly to Nukus, Khiva
  

  Fly cross-country, heading to the remote city of Nukus, the unlikely home of the world-class Savitsky Museum of avant-garde Russian art. The next stop is Khiva, your first great oasis as you trace the northern caravan route. Wander through the winding alleys of the UNESCO-listed Old Town, filled with minarets, cobbled alleys, mosques, and the beautifully preserved Kunya Ark, the original residence of the ruling khans.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Savitsky Art Museum in Nukus, the world’s second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art
  • Khiva’s Old Town (Ichon-Qala in Uzbek), a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Tash-Hauli Palace, built in the 19th century for the khan and his four wives
  • Juma Mosque, famous for its carved wooden pillars
  • Kunya Ark, the original residence of the khans
• Days 8-9: Bukhara
  

  Cross through the desert to Bukhara, Central Asia’s most ancient living city. Its UNESCO-listed Old Town encompasses more than 140 protected monuments, including the Lyabi-Hauz Plaza at the heart of the city and the Ark Citadel, Bukhara’s original fortress. On the first evening stroll through the old town by dusk’s light, and tour in earnest the next day. Cool off in the shaded atmosphere of Lyabi-Hauz plaza and enjoy a folk concert at a nearby madrassah.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Bukhara’s evocative Old Town, with its ageless domed bazaars and central Lyabi-Hauz Plaza, adorned with a reflecting pool
  • Ark Citadel, Bukhara’s giant ancient fortress
  • The Ismael Samani Mausoleum with its layers of interlocking brickwork
  • A folk performance at a converted madrassah
  • Ample opportunities to shop, bargain and deal like Silk Road traders of old
• Days 10-13: Samarkand, Katta Langar, Shahrisabz
  

  Travel by train to blue-tiled Samarkand, the conqueror Tamerlane’s ancient capital, hailed by UNESCO as “the crossroad of cultures.” A tour takes you to the massive Bibi Khanum Mosque, Ulug Bek’s incredible observatory, and the gracefully proportioned Registan Square. Make a day trip to the remote and timeless village of Katta Langar, and return to Samarkand via Tamerlane’s hometown, UNESCO-listed Shahrisabz, to see the remains of Ak Saray (White Palace). Back in Samarkand, enjoy a traditional feast and a farewell toast to cap your journey.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • UNESCO-listed Samarkand’s Registan Square, bordered by three beautiful madrassahs
  • The 14th century conqueror Tamerlane’s architectural legacy in Samarkand, including Bibi Khanum Mosque, the largest of its day, and Ulug Bek Observatory
  • Untouched Katta Lanager, with its 16th-century shrine and mosque
  • Shahrisabz’s Ak Saray, a monumental palace complex that was one of Tamerlane’s most ambitious architectural undertakings