Uzbekistan Uncovered

15 Days Starting and ending in Tashkent

Visiting: Uzbekistan

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

AXS

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

4 - 16

Physical rating:

Easy & Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English
From: $3900 $3026 Operator discount: -$780 Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$94 -22%

NB: Prices correct on 05-Dec-2024 but subject to change.

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Who can mention Samarkand, Bukhara or Khiva without conjuring images of newly arrived Silk Road traders, of the romance and intrigue of the Great Game, of skull caps and silk sashes, or of fabulously decorated mosaic domes and minarets? This trip explores Uzbekistan in depth. In addition to the famous Silk Road cities, we travel to the semi-autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, learn about the tragic shrinking of the Aral Sea, and spend a night in a traditional village in the Nurata Mountains.

Highlights

  • Follow ancient traders to the Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Khiva and Bukhara

  • Admire avant garde art once hidden from Soviet authorities at the Savitsky Museum

  • Sleep in a yurt close to Aydarkul lake

  • Experience life in a remote mountain village with a night in a homestay

  • Stroll leafy boulevards and discover Soviet architecture in Tashkent

  • Witness the tragic results of an environmental disaster at the Aral Sea

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Start Tashkent

Our adventure begins in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. There are no arranged activities today, as many flights arrive very late in the evening or early tomorrow morning.



Classic accommodation: Gabrielle International Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

Day 2 : City Tour Of Tashkent

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Late morning, we explore this Central Asian capital, which includes visiting Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City, home to mausoleums and a bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to cool the summer heat. There are also very interesting museums and mosques. This evening, we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before returning to our hotel.



Please note: Some flights arrive into Tashkent very early this morning, giving a few hours to rest before the city tour.



Classic accommodation: Gabrielle International Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

Day 3 : High-Speed Train To Samarkand; City Tour

Meals Included: Breakfast

Travel to Samarkand by high-speed train (approximately 2hr 15min) this morning. Samarkand is a jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. We have a busy day, taking in many of the sights. There is the exquisite jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir, the resting place of Tamerlane, now considered by many to be an Uzbek national hero. Perhaps the greatest treasure is Registan Square, Tamerlane’s outstanding creation, a vast complex of domes and minarets, mosques and madrassas. We visit the grandiose Bibi Khanum mosque, and the magnificent Gur-Emir mausoleum, where Tamerlane, his sons, and his grandson Ulugbek are buried.



Samarkand is still a major hub for textiles, carpets and art and is a great place to try your bargaining skills and explore the bazaar.



Classic accommodation: Ideal Hotel or Malika Prime (or similar)

Day 4 : Explore Samarkand More; Ceramics Painting Masterclass And Paper-Making Demonstration

Meals Included: Breakfast

We continue our exploration of Samarkand today, visiting: Ulugbek Observatory; Shahi-Zinda, the necropolis of the rulers and nobility of Samarkand, home to magnificently decorated mausoleums; and Siab bazaar.



We also enjoy a masterclass on making and painting ceramics, plus a demonstration on creating silk paper using medieval technology in the village of Konigil.



Classic accommodation: Ideal Hotel or Malika Prime (or similar)

Day 5 : Free Morning In Samarkand; Drive To The Nurata Mountains

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy free time in Samarkand this morning for shopping or further exploration. In the afternoon, we drive to the Nurata Mountains through the central Jizzakh Region.



Our destination is the ancient mountain village of Sentyab, nestled into a fertile river valley. We have time for a scenic walk to explore the village, before cooking a traditional dish with our hosts.



Simple accommodation: Homestay

Day 6 : Mountain Village Walk; Drive To Yurt Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we hike (three to four hours) to the ruins of the ancient village, where the houses were originally built of flat stone. We descend to the river to inspect petroglyphs and visit local craftsmen who weave carpets and embroider suzani (a highly decorative textile).



After lunch, we drive west for three hours to the Kyzylkum desert, where we stay overnight at a simple yurt camp. After arriving, we take a walk in the vicinity of the camp and get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the desert. After dinner, we sit around a large bonfire while listening to traditional folk musician, who sings with a dombra (a stringed instrument).



Simple accommodation: Yurt camp

Day 7 : Camel Ride, Lunch Near Aydarkul Lake; Tour Nur; Sleeper Train To Kungrad

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we can take a short ride (optional) on two-humped Bactrian camels, before heading to nearby Aydarkul, a huge lake (more than 125mi/200km long) surrounded by the sands and dunes of the Kyzyl-kum desert. Here we can relax, swim from the sandy beach, and have lunch.



In the afternoon, we drive towards the city of Navoi. En route, we visit Nur, a place of pilgrimage, for a short exploration of the city. After, we continue to Navoi and take a sleeper train departing around 8.30pm to Kungrad, arriving around 9.30am tomorrow.



Simple accommodation: Overnight train

Day 8 : Karakalpakstan: Witness The Human-Made Aral Sea Disaster At Moynaq; Drive To Nukus

Meals Included: Lunch

We arrive into Kungrad and the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous (at least in name) republic of Uzbekistan. The Karakalpak people have a culture and language closer to that of the Kazakhs than Uzbeks. Once an area of agricultural importance, Karakalpakstan now suffers greatly from drought. The Amu Darya River (historically known as the Oxus) ran into the Aral Sea but Soviet-era irrigation schemes, particularly for the production of cotton, mean the river no longer reaches the sea, causing an environmental tragedy and the dramatic shrinking of the sea.



We drive from Kungrad to Moynaq which takes about two hours. Moynaq was formerly an important fishing port on the shores of the Aral Sea. The sea is long gone and all that’s left behind are the rusting remains of the fishing fleet sat on the dry seabed amid what is now a bleak, lunar-like landscape. We have time to look around and see the town’s small museum. At times, the area can be dusty, temperatures high and air quality poor, caused in large part by the disappearance of the sea. We leave Moynaq and drive about three hours to Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan for the night.



Classic accommodation: Pana Hotel or Jipek Joli Hotel (or similar)

Day 9 : Visit Savitsky Art Museum; Explore Ancient Desert Fortresses; Drive To Khiva

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Visit the Savitsky art museum this morning, which houses an important collection of Soviet avant-garde art, plus a collection of historic artifacts of ancient Khorezm and a collection relating to Karakalpak culture.



Leaving Nukus, we visit the Mizdakhkan necropolis before beginning the drive to Khiva (which takes about six hours). On the way, we visit the Zoroastrian Chilpik dakhma and the ancient Ayaz-Kala fortress, where we enjoy dinner at a yurt camp before the final leg of our journey to Khiva.



Classic accommodation: Malika Kheivak or Bek Minor (or similar)

Day 10 : Full Day In Khiva, Walking Tour Of The Walled City

Meals Included: Breakfast

We spend today exploring Khiva, starting with a visit to Ichan Kala, a World Heritage Site, the inner fortress of Khiva. While exploring the open-air museum-city, we see the tile-decorated Kalta Minor minaret, Kunya Ark Fortress (the former residence of Khiva khans), the complex of Pahlavan Mahmud (a national hero and poet), Islam Khoja minaret and madrasah, Juma Mosque, the Tash Khauli and Allakuli Khan palaces. We also visit the workshops of local artisans and see the production of Khiva wool and silk carpets, embroidery, ceramic products and wood inlays.



Classic accommodation: Malika Kheivak or Bek Minor (or similar)

Day 11 : Train Through The Kyzyl-Kum Desert To Bukhara

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we travel across the Kyzyl-Kum desert from Khiva to Bukhara by train. Bukhara has more than 900 historic monuments, and we spend time visiting many sites and wandering at leisure among the old city streets. Unlike Samarkand, the district of the old town has remained separate from the rest of Bukhara and has undergone lots of restoration and preservation in recent years. In addition to its importance as a trading hub, it is the perfect setting to sit and watch the world go by, much as it has done for hundreds of years.



Classic accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel, Hotel Fatima, Sultan Hotel (or similar)

Day 12 : Explore Bukhara

Meals Included: Breakfast

We spend the day exploring Bukhara. Of particular interest is the Fortress Ark where, in the 19th century, the Emir of Bukhara had the English officers Stoddart and Connolly imprisoned and killed, and the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, a beautiful example of early Islamic architecture dating to the 10th century. We also visit the Emir’s rather kitsch Summer Palace, the old town with its domed bazaars and khauz (stone pools, which used to be the only water supply for the city), and the attractive 12th-century Char Minar. One of the great landmarks of Bukhara is the Kalyan minaret, known as the death tower, where many an unfaithful wife has met a sticky end.



Classic accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel, Hotel Fatima, Sultan Hotel (or similar)

Day 13 : Morning In Bukhara, Evening Train To Tashkent

Meals Included: Breakfast

We continue our tour of Bukhara today before boarding a high-speed train to Tashkent in the afternoon. After arriving in the evening, we transfer to our hotel and have the rest of the evening free to relax.



Classic accommodation: Gabrielle International Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

Day 14 : Chimgan Mountains And Solar Furnace

Meals Included: Breakfast

We have a day trip out of Tashkent today visiting Ugam-Chatkal National Park in the Chimgan mountains. This includes a visit to the resort of Amirsai and a cable-car ascent to an observation point at an altitude of 7,545ft/2,300m, providing views of the snow-capped peaks of the Tien Shan, Charvak reservoir and hydroelectric dam.



We also visit The Sun heliocomplex at Parkent, a gigantic solar furnace built in the 1980s for the Soviet Union’s Institute of Solar Physics. A vast series of mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays, creating the furnace, which is still in use today.



Classic accommodation: Gabrielle International Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)

Day 15 : End Tashkent

Meals Included: Breakfast

Our trip ends after breakfast this morning. If you’d like a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Tashkent.

What's Included

  • All accommodation

  • All transport and listed activities

  • Breakfasts (except on sleeper train), four dinners, two lunches

  • Tour leader throughout

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Single accommodation (available on request)

  • Visas or vaccinations

Food

All breakfasts, three lunches and four dinners are included.



Please note, vegetarian food choices may be rather limited. If you are strictly vegetarian, or have any special dietary requirements, please notify us well in advance. In Uzbekistan, the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home.



Drinking water is included and will be provided in large containers for you to refill your bottle – please bring a reusable bottle with you.

Accommodation

We spend 11 nights in hotels, one night in a yurt camp, one night in a homestay and one night on a sleeper train. The hotels are typically small and well located for our adventures, often close to the main sites and attractions. The accommodations we typically use are on the day-to-day itinerary; however, below are a few of the notable places we stay on this trip.



Nurata: Homestay (night 5)







Our night in a homestay takes us into the mountain village of Sentyab, where a traditional lifestyle still thrives. It provides us with an excellent opportunity to witness life in the Uzbek peaks, where cooking is often on an open fire and families typically keep livestock. The homes are very simple with shared rooms (up to four people per room). There are also shared bathrooms and showers (typically two showers and two toilets in total).



Kyzylkum desert: Yurt camp (night 6)







Yurts are not part of Uzbek culture, but the country is a mix of different ethnic groups, including Kazakhs who were nomadic and use yurts. The yurts, which are set up for tourists, have basic shared washing facilities and toilets, plus a dining yurt. You may have to share a yurt with more than one other person (two people to a yurt). The camp is very simple and offers limited comfort; however, it is well positioned to let us visit Aydarkul lake.



Navoi to Kungrad: Overnight train (night 7)



The railway has long been a popular way of travelling around the ex-Soviet Union and this is a great experience and insight into Uzbek life. On the train from Navoi to Kungrad, we use second-class carriages with four-berth cabins.



Worth knowing



If you would like your own room, a limited number of single supplements are available on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis – please request this at the time of booking. The single supplement is not available for three nights of the trip – the homestay, yurt camp and sleeper train.

At the homestay, yurt camp and on the sleeper train, men and women who are not travelling together may have to share though we aim to minimise this.

Check out our Q&As

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice.

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    16+ age people can go on this tour.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes.

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Arrival and departure transfers (for group flights only)

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

A great mix of the old and new in Uzbekistan

A fascinating tour along the Silk Road seeing all the fabulous architecture, mixed with activities which were relaxing and interesting. This is a leisurely tour, a couple of early starts and a few long drives but nothing too onerous. Good to have some free time to explore places. We had an expert guide, helpful and friendly and quietly smoothing our path - perfect!

Uzbekistan Uncovered

A brilliant tour to a wonderful country. The itinerary is very thorough and gives a comprehensive view of the life, landscapes, and culture of Uzbekistan. Recommended to anyone who likes to see a unique country and travel off the beaten track.

Uzbekistan Uncovered

This was a captivating and well-balanced trip to a country with a fascinating sweep of history, both ancient and modern. Our group was friendly, fun and considerate and our guide, Dilshod, excellent.

Uzbekistan uncovered

Well planned and executed trip. A wide range of sights visited. Hotels were reasonable some were good and some were very good. Particularly the room in the madrassa was unusual. Generally the standard was better than expected.

Truly amazing

A fantastic country, with open and welcoming people who are delighted to see European tourists, incredible sights and inspiring interiors

Very well-run tour of a great destination

This was a fascinating insight into a country I knew little about. The pace was good, and both the sites and the sights were interesting and varied. With one exception, the accomodation was better than my expectations. We were 15 people in a full-size coach, a real luxury for the several long drives. It was great to be able to swap sides to see a better view, or join others for a chat. The group were a pleasant assortment of people who got on well with each other and were enjoyable company.

UZBEKISTAN UNCOVERED

Uzbekistan is a real undiscovered gem, if you book this tour your friends, family and work colleagues will look at you as though you have gone mad..."your going where?"...but the last laugh will be on them. The people are truly open and welcoming, the historic sites are mind blowing. This is a great introduction to the famous silk route.

Uzbekistan

This was a well organised trip to a very interesting country.

UZBEKISTAN UNCOVERED

Great trip, my only regret being that I wished I'd taken it a little earlier in the year when it wouldn't have been quite so hot, but wouldn't have missed it for the world!

Uzbekistan Uncovered

A good overview of the country taking in the historic and architectural highlights of Uzbekistan. Transport was Good although it was evident that the train journey was more often than not unavailable. On a personal note, I felt that the group size (16) was too large.

Read all 46 reviews

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1 Select your preferred date

Friday - Friday

Apr 11, 2025 - Apr 25, 2025
$3900 $3026

Operator discount: -$780

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$94

Friday - Friday

Apr 25, 2025 - May 09, 2025
$3900 $3026

Operator discount: -$780

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$94

Friday - Friday

May 23, 2025 - Jun 06, 2025
$3900 $3026

Operator discount: -$780

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$94

Friday - Friday

May 30, 2025 - Jun 13, 2025
$3900 $3026

Operator discount: -$780

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$94

Friday - Friday

Jun 13, 2025 - Jun 27, 2025
$3900 $3026

Operator discount: -$780

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$94

Friday - Friday

Sep 05, 2025 - Sep 19, 2025
$4050 $3143

Operator discount: -$810

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$97

Friday - Friday

Sep 19, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025
$4050 $3143

Operator discount: -$810

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$97

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Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$122

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Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$117

Saturday - Saturday

Mar 28, 2026 - Apr 11, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

Apr 10, 2026 - Apr 24, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

Apr 24, 2026 - May 08, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

May 08, 2026 - May 22, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

May 22, 2026 - Jun 05, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

May 29, 2026 - Jun 12, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

Jun 12, 2026 - Jun 26, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

Sep 04, 2026 - Sep 18, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

Sep 18, 2026 - Oct 02, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

Oct 02, 2026 - Oct 16, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

Friday - Friday

Oct 16, 2026 - Oct 30, 2026
$4350 $4220

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$131

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  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

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