Winter Tale in Uzbekistan (from KL)

Flight to Tashkent.

Afternoon/evening arrival in Tashkent International Airport.

Migration formalities usually take 20 min to 60 min: visa/passport control and baggage claim. Come out of the terminal and meet the staff holding a sign “ANUR TOUR” .

Transfer to the hotel. As Tashkent airport is not far from the city center, the transfer will take about 20 – 40 minutes depending on the hotel location.

Arrival in the hotel. Check-in.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

06:00 Transfer from hotel to Tashkent Airport ( Terminal 3).

07:35 Departure to Bukhara by the morning flight.

08:45 Arrival in Bukhara Airport.

Come out of the terminal, the driver meets with a sign "ANUR TOUR". Transfer to Bukhara historical centre. Meet the guide and start the WALKING sightseeing (5  hours)

- Ensemble Lyabi Hauz (Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa, Khanaka, Kukeldash Madrassa and the monument of Khodja Nasreddin);

- Magoki Attari Mosque is one of the oldest mosques survived in Bukhara from the time before the Mongolian invasion;

- Abdullakhan’s Tim with numerous handicraft shops of souvenirs, ceramics, national clothes;

- Caravanserai Sayfuddin (the Center of Handicraft Development of Bukhara);

- Three trading domes or so-called covered bazaars Toki Sarrofon, Toki Telpak Furushon and Toki Zargaron preserved from the XVI century and these bazaars were centres of silk trade, selling jewelry and even for money exchange. Today as well, one can enjoy and purchase different souvenirs in a wide range, from small souvenir magnets to the famous Bukhara carpets;

- Ulughbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrassas or so called Kosh (pare) madrassas opposite each other with distinctive style of facade ornamental decoration;

- Poi Kalon Square with Kalon Minaret and Mosque, Mir Arab Madrassa – the heart of Bukhara, a monumental complex impresses the imagination of every visitor;

- Ark Fortress – the oldest citadel dating back to I century BC where anyone can feel the history of the great fortress covered in beautiful legends and myths.

20:20 Transfer to Bukhara Airport.

21:05 Departure for Tashkent by evening flight Bukhara - Tashkent.

22:05 Arrival in Tashkent. Meet and transfer to the hotel. End of the tour.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free time in Bukhara, morning at leisure.

Afternoon transfer to Samarkand, en- route visiting famous Gijduvan pottery workshop where visitors are welcome for a tour around the workshop and observe the process of ceramic making and painting.

The owners demonstrate the stages of making ceramics from turning the potter’s wheel to making paints from natural ingredients, decorating the ceramics in a distinctive style, drying and firing.  Take a tour around the museum-hall of ceramic masterpieces with a unique collection of the ceramic items of Gijduvan and other regions of Uzbekistan. 

By request, a master-class of painting ceramics, suzani embroidery and traditional bread baking.

Continue to Samarkand.

Arrival in Samarkand in the afternoon, check in the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide at the hotel lobby.

Start sightseeing tour in Samarkand countryside visiting:

- Mausoleum of Khoji Doniyor known also as Saint Daniel.Khoja Donier is considered as a saint patron of Samarkand, people believe that a visit to the mausoleum can bring health and success; many visitors come here to make wishes near the almond tree. A holy spring is located at the foot of the hill of the mausoleum; people claim the water has healing and miraculous properties.

- Paper factory ”Meros” in Konigil village produces unique paper that can be preserved for more than and is used in craftworks,

- Carpet factory “Hudjum” to observe the process of the finest carpets weaving.

Transfer to the hotel.

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meet the guide and driver at the hotel's lobby. 

Start sightseeing program in Samarkand (6 hours):

– Gur Emir Mausoleum – a burial vault of Timur the Great and his descendants decorated with gold ornaments and considered as one of the most significant places in the world;

– Continue to the famous Registan Square – the heart of Samarkand and a real masterpiece of Central Asian medieval architecture consists of three grandiose buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Madrassa Sherdor, and Madrassa Tilla Kori.

– Bibi Khanim Mosque – the biggest medieval building in the city which was one of the most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in 15th Century;

– Shahi Zinda Necropolis – unique complex of Mausoleums  formed by standing on both sides of the cenotaph (an imaginary grave) belonging to the Muslim person named Saint Abbas ibn-Kussam;

– Samarkand bazaar – Siyab.

16:30 Transfer to the railway station in Samarkand.

17:30 Departure for Tashkent by high-speed train "Afrosiyob".

19:44 Arrival in Tashkent. 

Come out of the terminal and meet the driver.

Transfer to the hotel. 
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Meet with our driver in the lobby or at airport and start the journey.

Transfer to Chimgan Mountains area, 120 km from Tashkent, en-route enjoying the picturesque views of beautiful mountains and the life of local people. Chimgan Mounts offer many seasonal outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, climbing, hiking, and mountaineering.

- Chimgan cable-way ride or Amirsoy complex visit ( the entrance fees in Amirsoy complex and cable-way ride are not included, the visitors can buy the entrance tickets/ cable way ride tickets or ski passes in the ticket offices of Amirsoy)

- Drive to Chimgan and take a photo stop with panoramic view to Charvak Lake enjoying fresh air beautiful nature and stunning scenery of Chimgan Mountains.

- Petroglyphs. Not far from the Ugam River, during archaeological excavations, stone tools and traces of ancient hearths were discovered, on one of the rocks you can see ancient rock paintings.

It's possible to have a lunch in mountain restaurants in the place named "Bochka" by local people.

After lunch, transfer back to Tashkent. The total journey is 200 km one-way long. 

Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

09:00 Meet the guide at the hotel. 

Start sightseeing tour of Tashkent (5-6 hrs) visiting old and new parts of the city:

- Amir Timur Square, founded in 1882 and originally called Konstantinovsky Square, was renamed on August 31, 1994 after of the Amir Timur to honor the cultural and historical contribution of the great conqueror.
Around the Square there is the Museum of History of Timurids, Uzbekistan hotel, Forum Palace, and famous Tashkent striking clock.

- Tashkent striking clock, one of the major symbols of Tashkent.

- Theater Square with the Opera House: State Academic Theater of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi built in 1947 is one of the best opera theater of the world performs both classical and national repertoires. 

- Independence Square, the main square of Uzbekistan reflects the past, present and future of the country. There are fountains standing for the life energy of Uzbek people, the Cabinet and the Senate, the “Eternal flame" in honor of soldiers who died during the Second World War.
- Earthquake Memorial, the composition is devoted to the tragic date of earthquake in Tashkent on April 26, 1966, and is erected in the approximate place of the earthquake epicenter. Residents still come to the monument to honor those people who took a part in the reconstruction of Tashkent;

- Khast Imam Square – a religious center of the city consisting of the Barakkhan madrasah; Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the library of Islamic Literature with the Holy Koran Book of the VII century (original Quran Othman). Khast Imam is one of the most significant spiritual centers in Central Asia and attracts the pilgrims and visitors all over the world.

- Chorsu bazaar – the ancient bazaar of Tashkent. “Chorsu” means “four waters”, symbolically meaning the conjunction of four major parts of the old city in the bazaar where people come for trades. The bazaar beautiful blue dome, built in traditional style after the Tashkent earthquake, is often depicted in postcards and international magazines and became one of the major sights of interest both for locals and guests – one can see oriental tiled bazaar from different souvenir shops with ceramics, handicraft works, carpets and jewelry, the whole pavilion full of delirious fruits to the finest textiles and colorful fabrics.

- Tashkent Metro (the first line was launched in 1977) with beautiful train stations each decorated in thematic style with traditional ornaments and special lightning.

Transfer to Tashkent International Airport.
Evening departure flight from Tashkent.

End of the tour.