Uzbekistan's Silk Road

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Tashkent

Arrive at an international airport for your connecting flight. Upon landing in Tashkent, transfer straight to your hotel where rooms will be ready for you to get some sleep and adjust to the local time zone.

Day 3: Tashkent

Today explore the city during sightseeing with a local guide. Start with a visit to the Hazrati Imam Complex, home to the revered Uthman Quran, one of the oldest Quran manuscripts in the world. Then see the Alisher Navoi Theatre, a grand Soviet-era structure that celebrates the famous poet and statesman. Time permitting, wander through Chorsu Bazaar, a bustling market where history and modern life blend. You’ll also discover the Tashkent Metro, where stations like Alisher Navoi and Kosmonavtlar Metro Station act as living museums, featuring Soviet architecture with stunning mosaics, marble columns, and intricate tile work.

Day 4: Khiva

A short early morning flight takes you to Nukus, followed by a drive to the Kyzylkum Desert where you will visit Ayaz-Kala and Toprak-Kala, two of the ancient Silk Road fortresses that protected this important trade route. Continue to Khiva, a city steeped in history. Stroll through Itchan Kala—the walled inner town that is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site—to get your first look at what was a crucial caravan stop from the Silk Road era.

Day 5: Khiva

Today’s sightseeing tour shows you more of Khiva’s Itchan Kala, a showcase of Islamic architecture and a blend of Persian and Central Asian styles. Visit Toshhovli Palace, or “Stone Palace,” a beautiful example of Khiva’s royal design from the mid-1800s, and the Kunya-Ark Citadel where the Khans lived and ruled from after its completion in the late 17th century. As the day continues, absorb sights such as the impressive Kalta Minor Minaret, often photographed for its striking design, and the old city’s Islamic schools, mosques, narrow streets and medieval charm.

Day 6: Bukhara

This morning drive to Bukhara, a noted center of Persian civilization, scholarship, culture, religion, and trade, as it was a key Silk Road hub. After arrival, you’ll enjoy an orientation stroll through the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site brimming with some of the best-preserved Islamic architecture in the world.

Day 7: Bukhara

Today discover more of the old city of Bukhara with a sightseeing tour that includes visits to the ancient Ark Fortress, the city’s oldest structure; the Bolo Hauz Mosque, built in the 18th century as the Emir’s official place of worship; and the Po-i-Kalyan Complex, including the Kalyan Mosque and towering Kalyan Minaret. After an authentic lunch included at a local restaurant, visit the architecturally stunning Ulugbek Madrasah from the Timurid dynasty, as well as the Chor Minor Madrasah, known for its four distinctive turquoise-domed towers.

Day 8: Samarkand

Bukhara is famous for its traditional artisans, and this morning you will learn the art of painting miniatures during a lesson with a local artist. This exquisitely detailed and precise style of painting, featuring rich colors and often rooted in poetry and literature, is especially prominent in Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage. After time for lunch, board the high-speed Afrosiyob train to Samarkand, one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities. Your first visit is to dazzling Registan Square, an iconic ensemble showing the grandeur of the Timurid dynasty. It is framed by three madrasahs of distinctive Islamic architecture—Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor, and Tilya-Kori.

Day 9: Samarkand

In the morning discover the highlights of this jewel of the Silk Road, first with a visit to Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the final resting place of the legendary Timur, or Tamerlane, and a symbol of the power and culture of the Timurid Empire that he founded. Continue to the beautifully tiled Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, a sacred and exceptional complex of mausoleums, followed by the restored ruins of Bibi-Khanym Mosque, considered a masterpiece of the Timurid Renaissance. End the day at Siyob Bazaar, the city’s vibrant, traditional market where you can purchase local crafts, spices, or treats and experience a slice of daily life for the locals.

Day 10: Departure

Depart for the USA.