Upon arrival at Tashkent airport, we are welcomed and transferred to our hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax after our journey or begin exploring the leafy streets of Uzbekistan’s capital. Hotel check-in time is 2:00 PM.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency, Tashkent (1 night)

This morning, we begin with a half-day tour of Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital and largest city. The city offers an interesting contrast to the Silk Road centres we will visit later, with broad avenues, Soviet-era urban planning, modern public spaces and older quarters that still reflect its long history as a trading and cultural centre. Later, we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Nukus, the gateway to the Aral Sea region. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel.

Nukus is the capital of the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, a region with its own language, culture and history. It also introduces us to the wider story of Khorezm, Karakalpak culture and the environmental legacy of the Aral Sea.

Overnight: Jipek Joli Hotel, Nukus (1 night) (B, D)

This morning, we visit the Nukus Museum of Art, officially the State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky. Founded in 1966, the museum is closely tied to the life’s work of Igor Savitsky, an artist, ethnographer and collector who helped preserve Karakalpak applied arts, archaeological finds from ancient Khorezm and works of the Russian and Soviet avant-garde. The museum’s avant-garde holdings are often described as among the most important outside Russia, particularly because many of these works had been suppressed during the Soviet period.

Savitsky’s collection gives the museum its unusual character: regional textiles, jewellery, carpets and archaeological material are shown alongside paintings that might otherwise have disappeared from public view. The result is one of Central Asia’s most distinctive museums, and an important introduction to the cultural history of Karakalpakstan.

Afterwards, we continue toward Khiva, whose walled inner city, Ichan Kala, was once a final resting place for caravans before crossing the desert toward Iran. En route, we visit Shylpyk Kala, also known as Chilpik, a Tower of Silence associated with ancient Zoroastrian funerary traditions, and Toprak Kala, a mud-brick fortress and former residence linked to ancient Khorezm. Upon arrival in Khiva, we check in to our hotel.

Overnight: Zarafshon Boutique Hotel, Khiva (2 nights) (B, D)

Today, we step into the historic heart of Khiva as we explore Ichan Kala*, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the walled inner town of the old Khiva oasis. UNESCO describes Ichan Kala as a coherent and well-preserved example of the Muslim architecture of Central Asia, and its enclosed streets, madrasahs, mosques and palaces preserve the atmosphere of an important Silk Road caravan city.

We explore the old city on foot, beginning with Kalta Minor, the unfinished minaret, Madrassah Rakhimkhon and Kunya Ark, which offers a panoramic view over Khiva’s monuments. We continue to the Hunarmand workshops, the Mausoleum of Pakhalavan Makhmud, known for its tilework, the Islam Khodja Minaret and Museum, the Friday Mosque with its carved wooden pillars, and the Tashauli harem quarters of the last Khan of Khiva.

We then continue to the Summer Residence of the last Khan of Khiva before returning to the old city for some free time to explore independently. Later, we visit a Khivan family at home, offering a more personal glimpse of local life. (B, D)  

Today’s journey takes us across the Kyzylkum Desert, the vast arid landscape between Khiva and Bukhara that once formed part of the wider world of Silk Road travel. Along the way, we stop in villages for a chance to meet local people and sample freshly baked breads. By late afternoon, we arrive in Bukhara, one of the great Silk Road cities of Central Asia.

Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Historic Centre of Bukhara* is more than 2,000 years old and remains one of the most complete examples of a medieval city in Central Asia, with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact. Long an important centre of trade, crafts, learning and Islamic culture, Bukhara preserves the layered history of a city shaped by commerce, scholarship and faith. We check in to our hotel, with the evening at leisure.

Overnight: Mercure Old Town, Bukhara (2 nights) (B, D)

Today, we explore the Historic Centre of Bukhara*, whose winding streets, courtyards and ancient monuments evoke the world of the Arabian Nights while preserving one of the most complete examples of a medieval urban centre in Central Asia. Our full-day sightseeing begins on foot, with visits to the Poi-Kalyan ensemble, including the Kalyan Minaret and Mosque, as well as the Abdulaziz Khan and Ulugh Beg madrasas.

We continue through Bukhara’s historic trading and religious quarters, visiting Tim Abdullah Khan, the Taki-Tilpak-Furushan covered market, Maghoki-Attar Mosque, Lyab-i Hauz, Madrassah Nadir Divan-Beghi and Chor Minor. In the afternoon, we visit some of the city’s other important monuments, including the Ark Fortress, Zindan prison, Bolo Hauz Mosque, Ismail Samani Mausoleum and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum.

In the evening, we walk through the narrow lanes of Bukhara’s old Jewish quarter to the home of miniature master Davlat Toshev, a Sufi painter known for his fine miniature work. Here, we visit his workshop and enjoy dinner with his family. (B, D)

We depart for Samarkand, stopping en route at the Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz*, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and known as the birthplace of Tamerlane. Here, we visit the remains of Ak-Saray Palace, one of the great monuments of the Timurid period. Construction began in 1380, and UNESCO notes that its immense gateway, bold design and surviving decorative work still convey the scale of Tamerlane’s ambition.

We also see a centuries-old sycamore tree before learning about Shakhrisyabz’s embroidery and textile traditions, with an opportunity to meet local artisans. We then continue to Samarkand, one of Central Asia’s most celebrated Silk Road cities.

In the evening, there is an optional visit to Registan Square for the Sound and Light Show, available only at certain times of the year. Framed on three sides by grand madrasas, the Registan is one of the defining architectural ensembles of Samarkand and part of the city’s UNESCO-listed historic centre. Registan Square also hosted the 1992 Aga Khan Award for Architecture ceremony, reflecting its importance in the architectural heritage of the Islamic world.

Overnight: Kosh Havuz Boutique Hotel, Samarkand (2 nights) (B, D)

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures* reflects the city’s long role as a meeting place of cultures along the Silk Road. Founded in the 7th century B.C. as ancient Afrasiab, Samarkand later developed as a major centre of the Timurid period from the 14th to the 15th centuries. Its monuments, madrasas, mausoleums and markets reveal the city’s importance in trade, scholarship, architecture and Islamic art.

We begin at Registan Square, one of Central Asia’s great public spaces, before visiting Bibi-Khanum Mosque and Siyob Bazaar, where the atmosphere still recalls Samarkand’s trading heritage. We then continue to Shakhi-Zinda, the royal necropolis, followed by Ulugh Beg Observatory, built in the 15th century by the Timurid ruler and astronomer Ulugh Beg. The observatory was rediscovered in 1908, and remains an important reminder of Samarkand’s scientific history.

We also visit a traditional paper mill in Konigil, where paper is made from mulberry bark, before continuing to Gur-Emir, the mausoleum of Tamerlane, Ulugh Beg and members of the Timurid court. In the evening, there is the option to attend the El Merosi historical costume theatre, a staged cultural performance presenting the region’s history through traditional costume, music, dance and theatrical scenes. (B, D)

We have some free time in Samarkand for independent exploration before transferring to the railway station for our deluxe train journey back to Tashkent, a ride of approximately 2.5 hours. The rest of the day is at leisure. This evening, we enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency, Tashkent (1 night) (B, D)

After tracing Uzbekistan’s Silk Road cities, monuments and traditions, we are transferred to the airport for our departure flight. Extensions may also be arranged to the Ferghana Valley, known for its silk, ceramics and traditional crafts, or onward to neighbouring Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan. (B)