Day 1 Departure to Uzbekistan
We fly to Uzbekistan with Aeroflot, from Helsinki to Moscow at 12.25 – 15.05, with a connecting flight to Tashkent at 20.20.
Day 2 Arrival in Tashkent, the only metro city in Central Asia (A,I)
At 02.30 we land at Tashkent airport. After border formalities and obtaining our group visa, we will be met by a driver who will take us to our hotel. Early check-in. The capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, has a long history and many interesting things to see.
The Tashkent sightseeing tour starts at 11.00 with a visit to the charming Old Town. Sightseeing attractions include medieval monuments, the famous Barak-Khan Qur’anic school, home to the oldest handwritten Qur’an (Uthman Qu’ran) and the park-like square of Amir Timur, better known as Independence Square. We will visit the interesting Chorsu Bazaar and take a metro ride. The bazaar offers delicacies from the bazaar for the hungry and charming tea rooms for the thirsty.
At the end of the day, dinner will be enjoyed in one of the restaurants to discover Uzbek delicacies.
Day 3 Tashkent – Early Bukhara (A,I)
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the train station at 06.30. At 07.30 we board the Afrosiyab express train and at 11.17 we arrive in the exciting caravan town of Bukhara. A local guide will meet you. Guided tour until 14.00. Check-in at the hotel, free time.
Bukhara, in the middle of the Kyzylkum desert, has thousands of architectural monuments that reflect the golden years of the Silk Road. Exotic spices, furs and especially silk were preserved and traded in the city’s caravanserais. In the old town of Bukhara (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) we see the almost 50-metre-long Kalyan mineral and the Lyab-I Hauz complex on the pond. In the courtyard of Madrasa, we will watch a performance by local dancers and a display of national costumes accompanied by music.
Dinner will be enjoyed in one of the restaurants and we will discover Uzbek delicacies.
Day 4 Bukhara – Legendary Samarkand (A, I)
After breakfast, free time. At 14.30 transfer to the train station. At 15.50 we board the Afrosiyab express train and at 17.20 we arrive in fabled Samarkand. A local guide will meet you, transfer to the hotel. At around 19.00 we arrive at the hotel.
Dinner will be enjoyed in one of the Uzbek restaurants.
Day 5 Samarkand 4.11. (A, I)
After breakfast at 09.00 we start the tour. There is much to see in Samarkand, and few cities have a more colourful history than Samarkand. The most famous attraction is the Registan Square, located in the heart of Samarkand. The square is flanked on three sides by buildings, minarets and madrasas in perfect architectural harmony. The Ulugh Beg Madrasa dates from around 1417-1420, the Tillya-Kari Madrasa and the Shir Dor Madrasa are all architectural masterpieces protected by UNESCO.
After lunch (self-catering) we will visit the rural village of Konigil, about 20 km from Samarkand. The village has been producing very fine handmade paper for centuries. One of the masters will show us how the bark of a mulberry tree is transformed into fine paper. Back to Samarkand. Free time before dinner together.
Day 6 Samarkand (A)
Free time in Samarkand.
Day 7 Return home (A)
After an early breakfast, transfer to Samarkand Airport at 07.30. Flight with Aeroflot Samarkand – Moscow at 10.00 – 11.15. Onward connection to Helsinki at 19.30 – 20.20.
