2010 Small Group Tours:

March 15-March 27, 2011

May 03-May 15, 2011

Destination: Uzbekistan
Route: Tashkent -Urgench (Khiva) -Bukhara -Aidarkul Lake (Camel safari) -Samarkand –Tashkent
Duration: 13 days/12 nights

Land Cost: $2999-$3699

Single supplement: $530

Day 01 Tashkent - Uzbekistan Hotel 4-Star
Arrival in Tashkent. There you will be met by our representative and transferred to the hotel. Accommodation. Lunch. Visit to the Applied and Decorative Art Museum of Uzbekistan, Colorful Oriental Bazaar “Chorsu” ( crowded with stalls that sell innumerable products including spices, nuts, flowers , fruits, vegetables, cradles for babies). Independence Square. Ceremonial dinner.

Day 02 Tashkent-Samarkand - Afrasiab Hotel 4-Star
Breakfast. Drive to Samarkand (300 km), the city is more than 2500 years old, Stopping near the "gate" of Amur Temur where two mountain ranges meet. Opportunity to photograph two great mountain ranges of Uzbekistan and see the ancient river stream. Samarkand (then known as Maracanda) was the site of the marriage of Alexander the Great to the local princess Roxana. Accommodation in hotel. Lunch. Sightseeing tour to Registan Square, the main attraction of Samarkand and an impressive place for holding the world’s finest old and modern music festivals and holidays, Ulugbek’s Observatory (he was a scientist, astronomer and architect of the XVth century) whose scientific and astronomic discoveries greatly advanced knowledge in these fields. Dinner at Hotel Afrasiyab.

Day 03 Samarkand
Breakfast. Visit Shahi Zinda Ensemble – ancient necropolis (IX, XIV, XIX c.), Bibi Khanum Complex (the complex was build in honor of the wife of Amur Temur in the fourteenth century), Guri Emir Mausoleum (XIV century). Enjoy free time at Samarkand bazaar and Registan celebrating the independence holiday with local people. Dinner. Laser show in Registan Square.

Day 04 Samarkand - Bukhara - Bukhara Palace 4-Star
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time. Drive to Bukhara (300 km). To be met by the sound of music (from the karnay, a local musical instrument) and the local precious drink chay. Free time.

Day 05 Bukhara
Labi Khaus Complex ("the complex around the pond"), Nadir Divan Begi Khanaka (old hotel for merchants). This pond dates from the XVIIth century when it was the principal source of water (built on the land of a Jewish widow, who then was given the land to built the synagogue and the Jewish Quarter). Visit an ancient Chaykhana, the sculpture of Khodga Nasriddin in bronze. Lunch at the house of Fayzullo Khodjaev with national costume show. The sightseeing continues with trade domes (XVI c) of money changers, hat sellers, silk, carpets, puppets and jewelry, Magoki Attari site which was originally a Zoroastrian temple, Abdulazizkhan Madreseh with its sandali (old version of house heating), Poi-Kalon Ensemble with the greatest minaret of Central Asia. Lunch. Visit the Ark (winter residence of local rulers from the first century) , Bolo Khaus Complex, Ismail Samoniy Mosque. Dinner and Folklore show featuring local dancers, singers and fashion stars.

Day 06 Bukhara
Breakfast. Visit Mohi Khosa Palace (summer residence of local rulers with national traditional dress), Chor Minor Complex built in Indian style. Lunch. Free time. Dinner.

Day 07 Bukhara - Urgench (Khiva) - Khoresm Palace 4-Star
Early breakfast. Departure to Khiva through Kizilkum desert which was the main Silk Road that connected East with West, stop at the yurts full of camels, to have picnic in local Chaykhana (tea-house), stop in Amu Darya (Oxus River), one of the biggest rivers of Central Asia. Dinner.

Day 08 Urgench
Breakfast. Transfer to Khiva, the fairy-tale city of the Silk Road. Excursion to Ichan Kala (old city) surrounded by high walls of air-dried bricks. Ata – Darvaza (West Gate, XVII – XVIII c.), Kalta Minar (small tower). Lunch at the national restaurant. Continue the sightseeing tour: Medreseh Mohammad Aminkhan (XIX c.), Kunya Ark (old fortress), Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum (XVIII – XIX c.), Medreseh Khodja Islam with minaret (tower), Tash Hauli Palace ( with view of the palace's harem-women's quarter), Caravanserai ( traditional inn for travelling merchants), Juma mosque ( XI-XII c.) with 200 wooden pillars. Dinner panoramic view of Khiva in moonlight. Transfer back to the hotel.

Day 09 Urgench – Tashkent - Uzbekistan Hotel 4-Star
Breakfast. Flight to Tashkent. Accommodation at Uzbekistan hotel. Sightseeing tour: Earthquake Memorial, The Square of Friendship and Abul Kasim Handicraft center. Metro Station. Dinner.

Day 10 Tashkent - New York
Early breakfast. Transfer to an international airport of Tashkent. Departure.

This tour program includes:

August 30- September 11, 2010