Nukus, Khiva, Bukhara and Tashkent: 10-day sightseeing tour

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1

   Arrival in Nukus — a city that spreads as a green oasis among the deserts. You are met at the airport and taken to the hotel. Then — free time without excursions and transport: you can rest after the journey or simply walk the streets. Overnight at the hotel.

2. Day 2

   The main impression of the day is the Savitsky Museum with a collection of Russian avant-garde, for which people come here from all over the world. Then a drive to the Mizdahkan necropolis: this is an ancient cemetery where burials of different epochs and religions coexist side by side. Among the stops are the mausoleums of Erejep-Khalif, Mazlumkhan-sulu and Shamun Nabi, as well as the Dzhumart kassab hill; it is believed that a wish at the "grave of Adam" comes true. After the excursion — a drive to Khiva and check-in at the hotel.

3. Day 3

   The whole day is given to Khiva: Itchan Kala greets you with lively streets where almost every building is a monument. Among them are the Pakhlavan Mahmud complex, the Kunya-Ark fortress, the Islam Khodja madrasah and minaret, from which a view of the city opens, the Tash Hauli palace and the Juma mosque with carved columns. There is also the Alakuli-khan madrasah with a museum of medicine, and the largest madrasah of Khiva — the Muhammad Amin-khan madrasah. The pace is calm: this is a day of a leisurely walk through a medieval city. Overnight at the hotel.

4. Day 4

   A day of travel: from Khiva to Bukhara through the Kyzylkum desert along the Amu Darya. Along the way — several stops to walk over the dunes and see one of the largest rivers of the region. In Bukhara — check-in at the hotel and free time; you can look into souvenir shops and craft workshops. This is a city with more than a hundred preserved monuments, included in the UNESCO list. Overnight at the hotel.

5. Day 5

   The day is dedicated to Bukhara: the Samanid mausoleum, Chashma Ayub, the Bolo-Khauz complex, the Ark fortress, the Poi-Kalyan ensemble and the Abdulaziz-khan madrasah with the Ulugbek madrasah. A separate impression is Lyabi-Khauz square with a pond, the Kukeldash and Nadir Divanbegi madrasahs, a monument to Khodja Nasreddin and cafes around. The day ends with a visit to the covered bazaars of the 16th century with artisans' workshops. Overnight at the hotel.

6. Day 6

   The morning — a countryside excursion: the summer residence of the last Bukhara emir, the Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa palace. Then a drive to Gijduvon, to the house of the Narzullaev family — hereditary ceramicists: here they show how ceramics are made and painted, and for lunch they serve the famous Gijduvon shashliks. Further — Samarkand, and there already an evening excursion: the artisans' village "Konigil", the silk paper production "Meros" and a walk in the "Eternal City" park with miniatures of sights. Overnight at the hotel.

7. Day 7

   The most packed day in Samarkand: Registan Square with three madrasahs, the Gur-Emir mausoleum, the Bibi-Khanum cathedral mosque, the Siab bazaar and the Shahi-Zinda necropolis. Each site is large and requires time, so the day is dense, but without drives. This is the heart of the trip, for which many come to Uzbekistan. Overnight at the hotel.

8. Day 8

   Continued acquaintance with Samarkand: the "Afrasiab" history museum by the ruins of the ancient settlement and the Ulugbek observatory museum, where in the underground part you can see part of an ancient measuring instrument. Then a drive to Tashkent — a modern metropolis with eastern bazaars and diverse architecture. Check-in at the hotel and free time without excursions. Overnight at the hotel.

9. Day 9

   A day in the Old City of Tashkent: Khast-Imam square with the manuscript of the Uthman Quran, the Barak-khan madrasah and the Kafal-al-Shashi Mazar mausoleum. Then the Chorsu bazaar under a huge dome — spices, products and souvenirs. Lunch — at the pilaf center "Besh Qozon", where pilaf is cooked in kazans. The day ends with a walk through the central part of the city. Overnight at the hotel.

10. Day 10

    Breakfast, transfer to the airport and flight home. The tour program ends. Behind — ten days, seven cities and three deserts.