Day 1: Tashkent Flight to the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. Arrival in Tashkent, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: Tashkent Tashkent has a history spanning over 2,200 years. Tchach (the city’s former name) was an important commercial and cultural center in Central Asia and welcomed the caravans of the Silk Road. Under the Khaybanid dynasty, large madrasas and mosques were built in the 16th century; this was the city’s golden age: the Hazrat Imam complex, including the madrasa of Barak Khan (16th century), the ancient Jami Mosque (Friday Mosque), which is still active today, and the mausoleum of Kaffal Chachi – the pilgrimage site with the tomb of a great philosopher, poet, and doctor of Islam who lived in the 10th century; and the Grand Bazaar, Tcharsu, very beautiful and very typical. Tashkent Metro, the first in Central Asia, is distinguished by the fact that each of its stations is decorated by the country’s greatest artists according to a specific theme: cotton, the Uzbek poet Alikher Navoi, etc. Panoramic tour: Amir Temur Square, Independence Square, Theater Square, etc. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3: Tashkent – Khujand (Tajikistan) Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Tajik-Uzbek border. Customs formalities. Transfer to Khujand. Arrival and sightseeing in Khujand. Khujand is located not far from the Fergana Valley on the Syr Darya River. It is another ancient city with a history dating back to Cyrus the Great of Persia and Alexander the Great. Today, it is the second largest city in Tajikistan and home to the largest market in Tajikistan – Panjshanbe Bazaar. The city tour of Khujand includes the bazaar and the adjacent Maslihaddin Mosque, the Khujand History Museum, and the Arbob Palace. In the evening, we will take a walk in Kmaoli Khujand Park and see the Lenin Statue. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: Khujand — Istaravshan — Penjikent. From Khujand, we first travel to Istarafshan and then to Penjikent. Istarafshan was founded in the 6th century BC by Cyrus the Great and recently celebrated its 2,500th anniversary. The Timurids of the 14th century then called themselves Istaravshan Ura-Tube, and the city’s artisans were highly respected in Central Asia. Today, Istarafshan is known in Tajikistan for its blacksmiths, who produce, among other things, high-quality knives. We will visit the blacksmiths’ workshops near the market entrance. We continue to Penjikent. The road from Istaravshan to Penjikent is very scenic and crosses the Shakhriston Pass. Arrival in Penjikent. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5: Penjikent – Seven Lakes – Penjikent Breakfast and visit to the remains of ancient Sarazm (5,500 years of history). Archaeological excavations have uncovered traces of the ancient irrigation system. In the fourth millennium BC, Sarazm became a major metallurgical center, processing gold, silver, copper, and other metals. About half an hour from Penjikent, we drive towards Dushanbe and turn right, following a mountain road that leads us through the Shing Gorge with its famous Seven Pearls of Tajikistan – seven mountain lakes, each with its own unique color, microclimate, and flora. We will certainly make a photo stop at each of the lakes. The roads are very poor and steep, but we are fortunate to have experienced drivers. After a picnic lunch, we continue to the sixth lake, stopping for a short
walk in the village of Podrud along the way. From the sixth lake, we hike in less than an hour to the seventh and final lake, Hazorchashma. We’ll rest, enjoy the scenery, and meet some shepherds who stay there with their sheep during the summer months. After a short while, we hike down to the car at the sixth lake and drive back to Penjikent. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6: Penjikent – Samarkand Breakfast and drive towards the Tajik-Uzbek border. Customs formalities at the border and onward journey to Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand. Dinner with an Uzbek family. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 7: Samarkand Samarkand is the second largest city in Uzbekistan, the center of the Samarkand region. Today, Samarkand is primarily known for its many mosques and mausoleums. Currently, the city has approximately 520,000 inhabitants, mainly Tajiks, Uzbeks, Russians, Jews, and Iranians. Sightseeing in Samarkand The Gur Emir Mausoleum (15th century), translated as «Tomb of the Lord,» was built between the late 14th and mid-15th centuries as a burial site of the Timurids. Registan Square is the most famous symbol of Uzbekistan. The three Koranic schools – Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century), Tilla Kori Madrasah (17th century), and Sher Dor Madrasah (17th century) – still characterize the Registan today. The Bibi Khanym Mosque was built by Tamerlane in the 15th century as the largest Friday mosque in Central Asia for his favorite wife.
Day 8: Samarkand – Bukhara Today we travel 300 km along the ancient Silk Road to Bukhara. Upon arrival, we visit the summer residence of the last Bukhara emir, Sitora-i Mokhi-Khosa, and the Nakshbandi Mausoleum. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 9: Bukhara. Bukhara – in this 2,500-year-old oasis city, we experience the full fascination of the Orient: mosques with luminous domes, Koranic schools, and caravanserais. The intact old town resembles an open-air stage, transporting us to the adventures of 1001 Nights. We visit the Samanid Mausoleum, arguably the oldest magnificent tomb in the Islamic-Oriental world. The ruler Ismail Ibn Ahmad presumably rests beneath the masterful dome from the 9th century. The Chashmai Ayyub Mausoleum was built where the prophet Job is said to have carved a spring from the rock. The tour continues to the Ark Fortress high on the mountain, the small Bola Xaus Mosque, and the Kalon Mosque. The Labi Xaus complex is grouped around a large pool. A special attraction are the domed bazaars, bustling with activity: beneath the artisan vaults, you can hear the hammers of shoemakers and scissors makers, and the jewelers’ shops, perfume, fabric, and hat sellers, overflow with wares.
Day 10: Bukhara – Khiva After breakfast, we travel along the ancient Silk Road through the Kyzylkum Desert, one of the largest desert landscapes in Central Asia. Along the way, we take a break near the Amu Darya River, which once flowed into the Aral Sea. At the edge of the desert, we see vast cotton and vegetable fields. Our destination is Khiva, once one of the richest trading cities on the Silk Road (a UNIVERSAL World Heritage Site).
Day 11: Khiva Khiva – Capital of the Turkic World. Khiva is the most beautiful oasis city in Uzbekistan, with ancient museums, minarets, and unique mud buildings. At the 11th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Baku, Khiva was declared the tourism capital of the Islamic world in 2024. Sightseeing in Khiva: The Juma Mosque (1788/89) has a tall minaret topped by a narrow belt of blue glaze. Originally, there were 212 columns supporting the ceiling. The Pakhlavon Mahmud Mausoleum. Pakhlavon Mahmud (1247-1325), as his surname suggests, was a furrier. A domed mausoleum was built over his grave. The Islam Khodja Minaret and Madrasa, both built at the beginning of the 20th century, is the ensemble, the last major project to be built in the Central Asian khanates. The Kalta Minor and the Madrasa of Muhammad Amin Khan, both built in the mid-19th century. Further city tours.
Day 12: Khiva – Urgench – Tashkent. Further sightseeing in Khiva: Kohna Ark Citadel, Tash-Hauli Palace, Allakuli-Khan Madrasa and Caravanserai, and Nurullabay Palace. In the evening, transfer to the airport and flight to Tashkent.
Day 13: Tashkent – Germany. Transfer to the airport. Return flight to Germany.