Uzbekistan - Along the Silk Road by Rail

Spend a free day in Tashkent before your sleeper service this evening. Perhaps start with a stroll through Chorsu Bazaar, where vibrant stalls overflow with spices, fruits, and traditional crafts. You might also like to explore the Old City and the Khast Imam complex, home to stunning Islamic architecture and ancient manuscripts.

After dinner this evening, board your overnight train bound for Khiva.

Arrive this morning into Khiva and meet your driver for a private transfer to the Erkin Palace Hotel (or similar) where you will be spending the night.

Khiva is an ancient city along the Silk Road, established around the 6th century BC. After lunch, you’ll be taken on a fascinating tour here, taking in some of its wealth of architectural treasures such as Kunya-Ark Fortress, Kurinish Khana, the Mohammed-Amin-Khan Madrassah and the Palvan-Kari complex. After your tour, spend the evening exploring at your own pace,

After breakfast at your hotel, take another sightseeing tour which includes famous monuments like the Juma Mosque, originally built in the 10th century and the stunning Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum, dedicated to Pahlavon Mahmud, a poet, philosopher and champion wrestler who became the patron saint of Khiva.

After lunch, you’ll be transferred back to Khiva station for a journey south east to Buhkara. Arrive around 9pm and meet your driver for your transfer to the AMARAN Boutique Hotel (or similar), where you have a 2-night stay.

Bukhara has been inhabited for at least 2,500 years and was another significant centre on the Silk Route. You’ll exploring its UNESCO World heritage listed core today with a guide, taking in some of its stunning mosques and madrassahs, fortresses and mausoleums. You’ll also see some medieval trading domes such as Toqi Zargaron (jewellers), Toqi Telpak-furushon (cap sellers) and Toqi Sarrafon (money exchangers). Your guide will be likely to have some great recommendations for lunch and dinner here.

After breakfast today, continue your guided exploration of Bukhara with a visit to the Bakhauddin Nakhshbandi Architectural Ensemble which includes the romantically named “Palace of the Moon-Like Stars” (Sitora-i-Mohi Khosa), the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara.

This afternoon, check out of your hotel and transfer back to the station for a rail journey by bullet train, eastwards to Samarkand. Arrive in the early evening and transfer to the Kohinur Plaza & Spa (or similar) where you’ll be staying for the next 2 nights.

After breakfast at your hotel, embark on a guided sightseeing tour of Samarkand, the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. Your tour will include some of the city’s most famous landmarks as well as Siab, Samarkand’s largest bazaar. covering 7 hectares or 2,400 acres.

After lunch, you’ll visit the necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda, dating back to the 14th century and the Ulugh Beg Observatory, built in the 1420s by the Timurid astronomer Ulugh Beg.

Enjoy a day at leisure today, exploring the city at your own pace.

Later on in the afternoon, return to your hotel and pick up your luggage. You’ll meet your driver here who will take you back to Samarkand station for an onward journey back to Tashkent. You’ll arrive mid-evening and be transferred back to the Mir Luxe Plaza (or similar) for an overnight stay.

Your Uzbek adventure ends as you check out of your hotel this morning and meet your transfer driver who will take you to the airport for your flight back to London.