Presentation
Stages: TASHKENT – FORISHE OXUME – HAYATE – NOURATA – GIJDOUVAN – BOUKHARA – SHAKHRISABZ – SAMARKAND – TASHKENT
Description: Discover Uzbekistan differently with our 11 days / 10 nights tour from 1565 euros.
Day 1: Tashkent
Arrival in Tashkent and welcome at the airport by the French-speaking Uzbek guide. Transfer to the hotel. Breakfast.
Visit the capital, the Hasti-Imam complex, the madrassa of Barak Khan XVI century, the mosque of Tilla Shaykh XVI century, the bazaar of Thorsu, the Koukeldash madrasa (16th century). Dinner in town and night at the hotel .
Day 2: Tashkent-village – Forishe-Oxume – 285 km
Breakfast and departure towards the Oxume village. On the way, discovery of Djizak and Syr Daria, two Uzbek regions which were previously steppes and which the Soviets transformed into cotton fields. We cross the Syr Daria, called “Yaksart” by the Greeks, the second major river in the country. We also cross the village Forishe which is located at the foot of Mount Nourata. According to legend in the 14th century Timur (Tamerlane) wanted to build a city around Samarkand and name it Farishe or Paris. Later the word Paris was transformed into Farishe or Forishe. Lunch at Forishe.
Continuation of the road and arrival at the Oxume village. Settling in a private home. Oulougbek, our host will introduce us to his family and his house. Collective accommodation, 4-5 people per room.
Warm welcome. Walk in the village and meet the locals. Dinner and night at Oulougbek’s.
Day 3: Oxume village the petroglyphs – Hayate village (5-6 hours walk)
Breakfast and departure for hiking in the Nourata mountains. Visit the Nourata petroglyphs which date from the Bronze Age. In these images we can see hunting scenes and different animals that lived in the region. Continuation of the hike towards the village Hayate which is located in the Hayate valley. Arrival and settling in with the locals. Getting to know our hosts. Village Hayate is located near the Nourata Nature Reserve. At the end of the day, walk in the reserve to see the mouflons or the Severtsov sheep (Kyzyl Koum sheep).
Dinner and night at Abdulla’s.
Day 4: Hayate Village – Majroum Village – Yurt Camp (140 km)
Breakfast and departure to the Majroum village which is located in another valley. We cross the village and arrive at the protected reserve to visit the Platycladus tree (Biota orientalis) which is more than 2000 years old. The height of the tree is more than 20 meters and the diameter is 24 meters. According to legend it was planted by the soldiers of Alexander the Great. Lunch in the village and continuation of the road to the yurt camp.
Arrival and installation in the yurt. Collective accommodation, 4-5 people per yurt. One-hour trek (optional) on the back of a Bactrian camel. You can also take a short hike in the Kyzyl Koum desert.
Dinner followed by traditional Kazak singing, Ulan. Evening around the fire. Night under the yurt. An unforgettable experience !
Day 5: Yurt Camp – Nourata – Gijdouvan – Bukhara (240km)
Breakfast and departure for Bukhara. Along the way, visit the town of Nourata. Nourata is a very beautiful oasis fed by a large spring with its sacred fish, the Tchashma.
Visit the ruins of the fortress of Alexander the Great, imitating the shape of the Great Bear Constellation, the Tchil-Ustun mosque dating (with 40 columns) from the 14th century, the Panjvakhta mosque (mosque of the 5 prayers) from the 16th century , the mausoleum of Sheikh Abdoul Hasan Nouri from the 8th century.
Continuation of the route and visit to the Raboti Malik complex, a 12th century caravanserai. and “Sardoba” water tank from the 14th century. Lunch in the town Navoiy. Continuation of the road and visit of Gijduvan, the city of ceramists and visit the ceramist workshop where you can see the manufacture of ceramics in the region.
Arrival late in the afternoon. Installation at the hotel.
First discovery of the city; the Labi Khauze ensemble: Koukaldach 16th century madrassa, Nadir Devan Beghi 17th century madrassa and khanaka. Dinner at the Labi Khause chaykhana. Night at the hotel.
Day 6: Bukhara – the Holy
This city located in the Zerafshan valley still retains its authentic charm. It was one of the important cities of the Silk Road, where all the traders rushed to sell their goods, especially carpets and jewelry. Although Islam originated elsewhere, it was Bukhara that was the center of development of this religion. The city is home to hundreds of Islamic schools, madrasas, and as many mosques and tombs of saints. The historical monuments take us back to the medieval period and even well before: The ark (the citadel) I-IVth century, the whole of Poï-Kalian 15th-16th century, Kosh madrasa of Oulougbek and Abdoulaziz Khan 15th-17th century, the whole of Liabi-Khaouz 16th-17th century.
Dinner in town. Night at the hotel.
Day 7: Bukhara
Breakfast and exterior tour of the city: the “Bahoutdin Naqchbandi” necropolis, a very important place of pilgrimage for Muslims, the summer palace of the last Emir of Bukhara “Sitorai Mohi Hossa” and the “Tchor Bakr” necropolis. Free time in the afternoon. Lunch and dinner in town.
Day 8: Bukhara – Shakhrisabz (260 km)
Breakfast and departure for Shakhrisabz, the hometown of Timur (Tamerlane). Arrival and settling in with the locals. Lunch with the locals. City tour: the remains of the White Palace XIV_XV ss, Dorut Siadat XIV ss ensemble, Khazrati Imam mosque, Darut Tilavat ensemble and Kok Goumbaz XV ss mosque. Dinner with locals.
Day 9: Shakhrisabz – Oksay village – Samarkand (160 km)
Breakfast and departure to Oksay village. Oksay is a pretty village located at the foot of the Zerafshane mountain. Arrival and settling in with the locals. Lunch with the locals. Afternoon hike in the mountain and visit the cave of Hazrati Dovud (Saint David), patron saint of travelers and blacksmiths. It is a sacred place and every year thousands of pilgrims visit this place.
Road to Samarkand. Arrival and installation at the hotel. Lunch in the city.
Capital of Tamerlane, Samarkand was the main city of ancient Sogdiana. It prospered at the crossroads of the great trade routes coming from China, Siberia, Persia and the West, until the surge of the Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan who destroyed the city. Samarkand’s hour of glory came two centuries later, when Timur made it the capital of his empire. The marvelous madrasas of Reghistan Square (15th-17th century), decorated with dazzling earthenware, will allow us to better understand the multiple influences which will mark the evolution of Timurid architecture. Mausoleum of Roukhabad and Gour-Emir, tomb of the great conqueror which preserves the remains of Timur, his sons and his grandsons. Dinner in town.
Day 10: Samarkand
Breakfast and visit to the Samarkand University of Languages. Meeting with University students and professors. Discussion with students learning French.
Continuation of the visit to Samarkand: the Bibi Khanum mosque, the mausoleum of Shakhi-Zinda, the Ulugbek Observatory and the Samarkand history museum “Afrosiab”. Lunch and dinner in town. Night at the hotel.
Lunch and transfer to the station and departure to Tashkent by fast train “Afrosiab”. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Dinner in town and night in hotel.
Day 11: Tashkent – Europe
Breakfast and visit to the Abdoul Kassim XIX ss decorative arts museum and madrassa. Lunch and transfer to the airport for the return flight.
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