Day 03: WED Tashkent / Ferghana (Flight)
Morning flight to Ferghana valley and take a full day sightseeing tour of the valley – our first visit will be to the traditional Yodgarlik Silk factory – this will be an interesting experience as we see cocoon to silk fabric making going through various processes turning one of the finest examples of Central Asia silk pattern. We will have chance of interacting with the weavers at the job. Later we shall visit Hoja Ihsan Madrassah where we will meet the masters in silk weaving, carpet makers and cloth stamping. Our next visit will be Rishton to see the local pottery works – Ferghana pottery is famous for its design and coloration. We shall visit master Rustam Usmanov’s workshop where he has a small pottery museum. Later proceed to Kokand to see the residence and fort of Khodoyar Khan the last Khan of Kokand once extending his rule over up to Yarkand in China. We shall see the museum and later visit Nurbatabey Mosque before returning to Ferghana for the night.
Overnight: Hotel Asia, Ferghana (1 night) (B, D)

Day 04: THU Ferghana / Khujend (Drive 255 kms / 158 miles) (TAJIKISTAN)
This morning we depart for Tajikistan follow Syrdarya, the Jaxartes of the classical writers who wrote Alexander the Great history. After passing the border formalities we continue to Kandibadam – famous for almond groves and was a favorite resting place of Babur the Mughal King who hailed from Ferghana valley. We shall make a short visit of a local house en-route to see the Tajik way of life. Late afternoon we shall make a short sightseeing tour of Khujend – the Alexandria eschate, was one the extreme of many Alexandrias’, attributed to Alexander the Great who fought against the Sogdian armies, finally wining their submission with the killing of their general Spitamenes. We shall visit the local museum and Panjshanbe bazaar and the tomb of Shaikh Moslehuddin, a much respected Saint of the region. See the beautiful dome in lapis lazuli stone and the interior décor with gold.
Overnight: Hotel Sugd, Khujend (1 night) (B, Snack, D)

Day 05: FRI Khujend / Samarkand (Drive 300 kms / 186 miles) (UZBEKISTAN)
In the morning we shall re-enter Uzbekistan by continuing to Aibek border point and after the border crossing this will be a countryside drive through miles of cotton plantations on both sides of the road. Often on the roadside near the villages we see local folks selling their produce of different fruits and during the melon season (Sep/Oct) one can see wonderful varieties of melons grown in the region.
Overnight: Hotel Malika Prime, Samarkand (3 nights) (B, D)

Day 06: SAT Samarkand
The Jewel city of the Silk Road – Samarkand has always been praised for its beautiful gardens and richness. Samarkand was admired and prized by the invaders who always wanted this city as part of their empire. The important town of a once prosperous Sogdiana served as the major halting station for caravans of the Great Silk Road whose impacts could be seen in the great archaeological finds – the murals, the statues and other objects. Everyone who passed by the city talks of its greatness – Alexander the Great fought with the last of its ruler and the legend says that he got his beautiful wife ‘Roxane’ from Samarkand. Marco Polo talks of its booming trade and gardens, Tamerlane made Samarkand as his capital and called it as the “capital of the world”. The changed life of Tamerlane found solace in his beautiful gardens in the company of his favorite granddaughter and poetess - Zebunnisa Begum. Our tour of Samarkand ravels the beautiful monuments – The madrassah complex of Registan a fascinating square with three madrassahs. We continue visiting other monuments of Timurid period and should never miss the old site of Afrosiab, which goes back in our historic times. (B, D)

Day 07: SUN Samarkand
Sunday is the market day in the whole of Central Asia but we choose Urgut as one of the few Central Asian Sunday markets still retaining its olden spirit of bazaars. We shall see a culmination of countryside folks thronging into the market with their produce, selling and bargaining the Central Asia way! You may have a best buy of famous suzzanne embroidery from the village folks, wooden carved pieces or local rugs are all here. Afternoon we head for Shakre Sabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. We shall be traveling over the beautiful pass – the route always taken by Tamerlane for his travel between Shakre Sabz and Samarkand. Tamerlane started building his cities and Shakre Sabz being his native town never was forgotten where he built a grand palace, as was recorded by ‘Don Clavijo’ the Spanish minister at the court of Tamerlane. Ak-Saray – the white palace surpassed in Persian architecture, which Tamerlane was keen in employing in his favorite buildings. After seeing some interesting Timurid period monuments we shall return to Samarkand. (B, Snack, D)

Day 08: MON Samarkand / Baimurat (Drive 327 kms / 203 miles)
Morning depart for ‘off the beaten track’ journey to the Kizilkum desert camp of Baimurat. Today we shall have an exotic experience of traveling to a least visited part of Uzbekistan, see the villages all along the route for trip that gives us an insight of the rural communities of Uzbekistan. Our first stop will be a visit of Eski Forish a small shepherds village set in the foothills of Nuratau mountain range. We shall visit the house of Komil Shakirov who looks after the Nuratau Nature Reserve and welcomes us to his traditional hospitality. We shall have snacks at his place and later walk through the village. First two weeks of April is flower season and we can see wild tulips around the fields. Later continue to our Baimurat as we bypass Aidorkol lake a large water reservoir fed by Syrdarya (Syr river).
Overnight: Yurt, Baimurat (1 night) (B, Snack, D)

Day 09: TUE Baimurat / Bukhara (Drive 215 kms / 133 miles)
Morning depart for Bukhara going through the desert (for wild tulip lovers first two weeks of April is a good month to see them in their natural habitat). We shall make our first stop at Nurata for a local visit see the legendary grave of a soldier of Alexander the Great and the wall of an ancient fortress. Later we continue our drive coming out of the desert to a super highway. While nearing Bukhara we shall make a visit to the summer residence of the last ruler of Bukhara – see the early Russian architecture – the palace was a gift from the Czar with imperial Russian interior décor. Sitora-i-Mokhikhosa was the summer palace of the emir of Bukhara but was converted into a hospital during the communist era but it has been converted into a museum of its own. There is an exclusive display of suzzanne embroidery spread out in several rooms. Later proceed to Bukhara.
Overnight: Hotel Zargaron, Bukhara (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 10: WED Bukhara
Today we shall be touring the powerful seat of Bukhara Khanate which swayed her control in all the neighboring states. Bukhara was the first oasis, which caught the eyes of invading Arab armies to explore and expand into the heartland of Central Asia. The ancient town of Bukhara goes back in the history to more than 2500 years and kept exchanging hands from one ruler to another. It was one of the important towns of the caravan countries and was the richest of the Transoxiana countries. It kept changing its seat from the early Persians down to the Turkic heathen tribes and remained as the master of the lands. The last of the powerful Turkic ruler, Bukhara Khudat was killed by the Arab invaders thereby replacing its rulers and converting the locals to Islamic faith. Bukhara continued to flourish as an important trading center before the caravans continued to the Persian empire’s mainland where the rich commodity was sold out. Bukhara remained in the hands of Sheybanid rulers and later into the hands of their splinter groups till the annexation of its territories by the expanding Russian rule. With changing of fortunes in the imperial Russia, Bukhara too was effected and the last ruler had to escape to Afghanistan leaving the state into the hands of Bolsheviks. The last Emir of Bukhara suffered humility at the hands of the Great Game players ho saw these enemies vying for power at his court till the imperial Russians succeeded in reducing the emir to a mere pawn in their hands. Buildings, madrassahs, the mosques and the covered bazaars keep Bukhara as an oldest living city of the caravan days. (B, D)

Day 11: THU Bukhara / Khiva (Drive 460 kms / 286 miles)
Today we shall leave for Khiva and this will be a long drive through the heart of Kizilkum desert (the red sands). This wasteland was the route of the invaders coming form the north as nomadic hordes or armies of the Persians or Alexander the Great marching his troops through the heart of desert to cities of his Persian enemy. Genghiz Khan’s devastating troops crossed these deserts to enter the mainland of his enemy. You will notice the expanse of Amudarya as it spreads its branches to a network of canals serving as a watering base for the huge cotton economy of the whole region our arrival will mark a quiet late afternoon entry into Khiva.
Overnight: Hotel Malika Khivaek, Khiva (1 night) (B, Snack, D)

Day 12: FRI Khiva / Nukus (Drive 165 kms / 102 miles)
The living museum of Central Asia, Khiva is an important World Heritage site – the walled city reminds us of ‘thousand and one night’ feeling while walking through its brick structures. Khiva was the seat of Khiva Khanate that was subdued with great efforts by the Russian army in 1873 after failing in the earlier attempt of 1839. The fortunes and importance of Khiva rose when Amudarya (Amu river) changed its course leaving the capital town of Kunya Urgench in almost oblivion when all the attention was drawn towards Khiva. A walking tour will reveal the mysteries of this legendary town going piece by piece from one corner to another. The time has still not changed the character and culture of this walled city, which still thrives on its past glory. In the late afternoon we shall depart for Nukus the remote corner of Uzbekistan. En-route we shall see the last stages of Amudarya before its final destination to the Aral Sea.
Overnight: Hotel Jipek Joly, Nukus (1 night) (B, D)

Day 13: SAT Nukus / Urgench (Drive) / Tashkent (Flight)
Morning we shall visit Krakalpakstan Regional Museum more known as Savitsky Museum. Here we see rare Russian avant-garde period paintings of known and unknown masters. The collection was hiding in the cellar of the museum for a long time. The first Director of the museum Igor Savitsky hid them in this remote part of the former Soviet Union from the destructive eyes of Stalin era purges. After the political changes these paintings found a more respectable place at his museum. The museum also displays a valuable collection of nomadic gillims, carpets, dresses, horse bridles and Yorta decorations. A small section is dedicated to the display of archaeological finds from the desert sites. Drive to Urgench for our flight to Tashkent, where we are met and transferred to our hotel.
Overnight: Dedeman Silk Road Hotel (1 night) (B, D)

Day 14 SUN: Depart Tashkent
After an interesting journey on the Silk Road we are transferred to the airport for our departure flight. Check out time is 1100 hrs. (B)