10-day Best of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan

Arrive at any time. Standard check-in at the hotel after 14:00.

Starting the sightseeing at the capital city.

• Khast Imam Complex Spiritual heart of Tashkent (16-20centuary)
• Barak Khan madrasah has oldest extant copies of the Quran
• Chorsu bazaar one of the busiest bazaars in Tashkent
• Take a ride at metro soviet and modern designed underground
• Amir Temur Square / Independence square
• Applied Art Museum of Tashkent

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Oybek border.

Border Crossing (Uzbekistan – Tajikistan)
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Meeting at the Uzbek/Tajik border Oybek. Transfer to the Khujand city.

Upon arrival accommodation at hotel. Today we will spend the day in the Khujand city and area, Khujand is second largest city in Tajikistan and not official (North capital). In different ages Khujand has different names.It was Alexandria Eskhata in times of Alexander the great, During Soviet period it was Leninobad ( city of Lenin) and after 1991 new government return old name of the city.

Visits:

• City center
• Sirdaria river
• Mnuments of the Kings of Khujand
• Museum of Antiquity name of Timurmalik
• Khujand Fortress
• Panjshanbe bazar – Biggest centralmarket
• Mosque and mausoleum of Sheikh Moslekhiddin
• Palace of Culture “Arbob” (10km from Khujand)

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Leave Khujand in the morning and drive to Dushanbe along the Anzob and Shakkhristan passes ( tunnels) and along Varzob gorge.

About 80 km after Khujand, we will visit the ancient city of Istaravshan.

• Old Town
• Kok Gumbaz medrese
• Mug teppa fortress (reconstructed fortress, museum and excavation)
• Mug teppa hill (with panorama view of Istaravshan)
• Local central Bazar
• Blacksmith workshops of local craftsmen making daggers and knives

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Today we will spend the day exploring Dushanbe.

Dushanbe (means Monday) is a relatively new city that was formed in 1925 on the site of a small village Dushanbe, place of the large bazaar on Mondays.

During the Soviet period, the city was called Stalinabad (1929-1961) Political, Cultural, Educational and Financial Center of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Visits:

• National museum of Tajikistan
• Flagpole (165m). Palace of nation
• Nawruz palace
• Hissar fortress ( 30 km from Dushanbe)
• Hissar museum
• Central bazar
• City center, Dusti square
• Ismail Somoni monument

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

08:30 In the morning, we leave Dushanbe city and continue our trip to Penjikent city and Jartepo border. Will drive across mountain valleys, ranges and passes.

Along Varzob gorge, Anzob pass (tunnel) and beautiful Zeravshan valley.
We will make photostops in magnificent mountain area.

Continue trip to Penjikent along Zeravshan valley.

Visits:

• Museum of Ancient Penjikent
• Sarazm excavation. (4-2 BC) UNESCO Heritage.
• Museum of Sarazm

Border Crossing (Tajikistan – Uzbekistan)
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Hotel Check-in. Free Time.

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Breakfast at the hotel.

Starting the sightseeing from heart of old city.

Guri Amir Mausoleum of Timurid Dynasty (most iconic place for locals) was built by order of Amir Temur in 1403- 1405

Registan square has three madrasahs

• Ulugbek madrasah (1420) At that time biggest in Asia
• Sherdor madrasah (1636) First madrasah built by locals
• Tilla-Kori madrasah (1646)

Lunch time break

• Bibi Khanum Mosque was the biggest at that time (1399)
• Siab Bazaar oldest keep operating bazaar in Samarkand
• Shahi Zinda Complex

Meals included: breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet our team at 08:50am transfer to railway station.

Take a train to Bukhara at 09:53am.
Estimated arrival time to Bukhara at 11:42am.

• Ismail Samani Mausoleum (9th century) – built as a family crypt after the death of Ismail Samani’s father, symbolizing the transition from the earthly world to the eternal one.
• Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum (12th–16th centuries) – known as the “Spring of Saint Job,” linked to the legend of Prophet Job, who brought forth water in the desert.
• Bolo-Khauz Mosque (1712) – the only monument of Registan Square, featuring a reservoir (khauz), the Friday mosque, and a minaret. The pond is the oldest part of the complex.
• Ark Fortress (4th century BC) – a symbol of state power and the ancient residence of Bukhara’s Khans.
• Poi Kalon Complex
• Magoki-Attori Mosque
• Labi Hauz Complex (16th–17th centuries) – an ancient water supply area consisting of three monumental structures:

Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 09:00, meet our team at the hotel, and set off for Khiva. This journey follows a section of the Great Silk Road, which once connected Khiva and Bukhara, traversing the vast and mysterious Kyzylkum Desert, known as the “Red Sands.”

Along the way, you will experience the beauty of the untouched desert landscape, with its endless dunes and scattered vegetation, while learning fascinating stories about the ancient caravans that passed through this route.

Arrive in Khiva around 16:00, where the city’s enchanting atmosphere immediately transports you to a bygone era of trade, culture, and spirituality.

Check-in at the hotel and enjoy some free time to relax or take a leisurely stroll to soak in the city’s ambiance.

Overnight at the hotel, preparing for the adventures ahead.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your guide at the hotel at 09:00.

• Ichan- Kala Fortress – an open-air museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This old part of the city, surrounded by walls, has been transformed into a state historical and archaeological museum. Covering 26 hectares, Ichan-Kala preserves the exotic image of an Eastern city with around 60 historic buildings.
• Kuhna Ark – a fortified citadel in the heart of Khiva, located next to the western bastions of Ichan-Kala, just north of the western gate.
• Muhammad Rahimkhan Madrasa (1876) – a brilliant example of architecture from its era, named after Muhammad Rahim-khan, a prominent figure of the Kungrat dynasty, which ruled Khiva from 1770.
• Muhammad Aminkhan Madrasa (1851-1854) – the largest madrasa in Khiva and Central Asia. Covering an area of 72×60 meters, it houses 125 cells (khudjra) designed for 260 students.
• Kalta-Minor Minaret (1855) – a symbol of Khiva. With a 15-meter base and 29-meter height, it is only a third of its planned height but captivates visitors with its unique glazed tile decoration.
• Juma Mosque (late 18th century) – a unique building without portals, domes, or courtyards. Measuring 55×46 m, its spacious interior hall is supported by 215 wooden columns.
• Tash-Khovli Palace (19th century) – the summer residence of the Khans of Khiva, showcasing a synthesis of regional monumental architecture and decorative art.
• Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum (1701) – featuring Khiva’s only blue dome, it marks the tomb of Makhmud Pahlavan, a renowned poet and warrior of the 14th century. It is a place of prayer where visitors can drink holy water.
• Islam-Khoja Minaret (20th century) – the tallest minaret in Uzbekistan, standing 56 meters high with a 9.5-meter base diameter.

After the excursion, enjoy some free time, perfect for a stroll around the Ichan Kala fortress and some shopping.

Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel 3*

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out at 12:00. Departure at any time. End of the service.