On the Great Silk Road with Moynak and Nukus Extension

Arrival at Tashkent airport, welcome by your guide and driver, then transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, then departure for a panoramic discovery of Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan.
You explore the old town with the Khasti Imam Square, the Barak-Khan Madrasah, the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the Tilla Shaikh Mosque.

You then head to the Tchor Sou market, also called "the Four Roads".

Continue exploring the modern part of Tashkent with Amir Temur Square.

Transfer to Tashkent airport for your flight to Nukus.

Upon arrival, transfer and check-in at the hotel.

After breakfast at the camp, departure towards Moynak, an ancient port located about 200 km away, where you can discover the boat cemetery. To get there, you cross vast expanses once covered by the Aral Sea.

Upon arrival in Moynak, you have free time to observe the abandoned boats.

Return route via Mizdakhkan.
This ancient antique site, now transformed into a cemetery, corresponds to an old fortress of the Khorezm civilization, extending over nearly 200 hectares and having occupied an important place on the Silk Road.

Once considered one of the sacred cities of Zoroastrianism, it houses today several remarkable monuments, including the sunken mausoleum of Mazlumkhan Soulou (14th century) and the ruins of the mausoleum of Khalfa Eradjape (12th century).

According to legend, the end of the world would occur when the last brick of this mausoleum falls.

You can also visit Gavour Kala, an ancient fortress whose excavations were conducted in the 1960s by Tolstow.

Continuation of the journey towards Noukous.

After breakfast, you visit one of the most remarkable museums in the world: the Karakalpak Museum, founded by Igor Savitskiy.
Its collection brings together more than 90,000 pieces, including a significant collection of Russian avant-garde works, visual arts from Ouzbékistan, traditional applied art from Karakalpakstan, objects from ancient Khorezm, as well as numerous exhibition replicas preserved at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

After lunch, drive to the remains of the fortress Toprak Kala, the former capital of the Kingdom of Khorezm between the 1st and 4th centuries AD.

Meaning "earth fortress", Toprak Kala was excavated by Russian archaeologist Tolstow, who conducted several research campaigns in the 1930s and 1950s. The excavations uncovered palaces decorated with murals as well as clay statuettes, now preserved at the Hermitage Museum.

Discovery of the ancient citadel, then continuation of the drive towards Khiva.

Arrival in Khiva in late afternoon.

Hotel breakfast before continuing your discovery of Khiva with a visit to the Tach Khaouli Palace, former residence of the Khan, and its harem, a testament to the refinement of the era.

Free time until 1:00 PM, followed by lunch at a local restaurant of your choice.

You can take this opportunity to stroll through the old town streets, do some handicraft shopping or visit a site of your choice at your own pace.

In the afternoon, transfer to the station to take the train to Bukhara, with departure scheduled for 4:00 PM.

Free picnic dinner on board the train.
Arrival in Bukhara around 10:00 PM, transfer and hotel check-in.

Night in Bukhara.

Departure at 9:00 AM towards Vobkent, located approximately 30 km from Bukhara, to visit its 12th century minaret, a testament to medieval Islamic architecture.

Continuation towards Guijdovan, known for its ceramic tradition. Visit to a family workshop where this ancestral craft is passed down from generation to generation.

Continuation towards Rabat Malik Caravanserai to discover the remains of a royal caravanserai from the 11th century, which was once an important stop on the Silk Road.

Opposite the site, discovery of a sardoba, an ancient water reservoir designed to allow caravaneers to cross these arid areas.

Route to Samarkand, with an expected arrival in the late afternoon.

Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel.

Dinner on your own and overnight in Samarkand.

Early breakfast, then departure at 8:00 AM towards Chakhrisabz, located approximately 90 km from Samarkand. This historic city is the birthplace of Tamerlane, a major figure of the Timurid empire.

To cross the mountain pass at an elevation of 1,700 meters, the journey is made in three small cars, allowing you to enjoy clear views of the surrounding landscapes.

Upon arrival, discover the main sites of Chakhrisabz:

• The ruins of the Ak Palace (14th century), remains of Tamerlane's former residence.

• The Khazrati Imam architectural complex, an important spiritual site in the city.

• The Dorut Tyllawat ensemble, called "Abode of Reflection", a religious complex bringing together several mausoleums.

• The Dorus Saodat, or "Abode of Power", the former burial place of members of Tamerlane's family.

• The Gumbazi Saidon mausoleum (15th century), built for the descendants of the Timurid dynasty.

• The Kok Gumbaz Mosque (15th century), recognizable by its blue dome.

Lunch in town, then return to Samarkand (90 km).
Arrival in late afternoon.

Dinner at a local restaurant of your choice and overnight in Samarkand.

After breakfast, departure for a visit to the Shakhi Zinda necropolis, a major spiritual site that brings together more than twenty mausoleums built in different periods. This architectural complex testifies to the development of ceramic art in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Continuing with discoveries of:

• The Mausoleum of Saint Daniel, an important pilgrimage site.

• The Ulugh Beg Observatory, built in the 15th century by the astronomer prince and grandson of Tamerlane. This observatory, remarkable for its time, made it possible to carry out highly precise measurements and testifies to Samarkand's role in the development of medieval astronomy.

Around 4:00 PM, transfer to the station to board the high-speed train connecting Samarkand to Tashkent.
Arrival in Tashkent at 7:15 PM.

Dinner at your own expense and overnight in Tashkent.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure towards Chimgan Chain, located at the western end of the Tian Shan mountains, approximately 90 km from Tashkent.

Upon arrival, start of a hike through the landscapes of the region. In the morning, ascent towards the Melovoy pass (1,695 m altitude), then continue along the ridge until crossing the red cliff of Kyzyljar (1,845 m altitude).

Picnic lunch outdoors, before continuing the walk on the ridges, with clear viewpoints throughout the route. After several hours of hiking, arrival at the last summit offering a view of Charvak Lake.

Descent to Chorvak Oromgohi Hotel (1,050 m altitude), where your driver awaits you for the return to Tachkent.

Dinner included at one of the city's restaurants, then overnight in Tachkent.