Search

Articles andpublications

Our Photo gallery

Navrouz is oriental New Year Holiday


Navrouz is a day of vernal equinox, the most cheerful, bright and beautiful holiday not only in Uzbekistan, but in whole Central Asia! Since earliest times all the happiest moments in human life were jointed with spring coming! What doest it mean, Navruz? In translation from Farsi means “new day”, well, in reality Navruz mean spring coming, but spring is exactly new day, new life when it seems that everything is reviving, waking up from the long time winter sleeping and everything is beautiful and fairy-tale! In that trip we are offering you to feel in full measure that cheerful and full of new hopes holiday! You will have unique opportunity to visit not only amazing cities with ancient history but meet with culture of the hospitable people of Uzbekistan! Moreover you will participate in national rituals, for example, national sumalyak or pilaw cooking!
In reality, Navrouz make Uzbekistan especially, just enjoy with spring fragrance of the blossoming Uzbekistan and feel how old traditions are carefully kept in this warm country!

Optimal time for visiting: march - may.


The program of the tour:

Day 1. Arrival to Tashkent. Excursion.
Day 2. Transfer Tashkent - Samarkand. Half day of sightseeing.
Day 3. Samarkand. Full day of excursion.
Day 4. Samarkand - Bukhara.
Day 5. Bukhara. Full day of sightseeing.
Day 6. Bukhara - Khiva.
Day 7. Khiva. Full day of sightseeing.
Day 8. Khiva - Urgench - Tashkent.
Day 9. Tashkent. Departure.

detailed tour description »»


The cost of the tour in USD for 1 person:

Group
2
3-4
5-6
7-9
10-15
SGL supplement
Hotels of 2-3*
1105
975
820
795
765
155
Hotels of 3-4*
1340
1210
1095
1030
999
240

The cost tour includes:

Accommodation at the hotels on twin/double share with breakfast:

City

Hotels 2-3*

Hotels 3-4*

Tashkent
Sairam Hotel 2*+
or similar
Tashkent Palace 4*
or similar
Samarkand
Malika Samarkand Classic 2*
or similar
Asia Samarkand 3*+
or similar
Bukhara
Minzifa Hotel 2*
or similar
Asia Bukhara 3*+
or similar
Khiva
Malika Khiva 3*
or similar
Asia Khiva 3*+
or similar

Services of the driver with comfortable transport during the tour, including airport - hotel - airport transfers;
Sightseeing tour in each city;
Entry fees to the base monuments of each city;
Services of accompany guide for the tour;
Participation in the preparation of a festive sumalak;
The cost of Urgench - Tashkent domestic air flight;
Visa support in Uzbekistan.

The cost tour does not include:

International air fare;
Visa fee;
Medical insurance;
Photo and video shooting at museums and monuments.

Additional service:

Board:
- Half board - 95USD / per person / on all route;
- Full board - 180USD / per person / on all route.

to the top

Detailed tour description in Uzbekistan:


Day 1. Arrival to the Tashkent. Excursions. Celebration of Navrouz, participating in national rituals, festive dinner!
Welcome to sunny Uzbekistan! In airport you will be hospitably met and leaded till the door of the hotel!
The day before such cheerful holiday as Navrouz you will meet with the most modern city of Uzbekistan! And Tashkent will amaze you with her beauty especially before holiday! Because it’s spring! It’s seems that everything is born all over again: little bit sleeping trees gave first leaf buds, which is hurrying up to show their brightly green leafs and air is full of pleasuring warm and fragrance of opened flowers of apricot. Today we will have interesting excursion along the places of interest of Tashkent. You will see many monuments, which still are keeping the “breath” of the past.
Evening you will participate in national ritual – sumalyak, holiday dish, cooked germinated wheat. It’s unbelievable that you will be able to taste it somewhere out of Uzbekistan, just the process of cooking lasts several days and it is cooking only in exactly time of year. There are so many popular beliefs jointed with this dish, which according to Uzbek traditions is considered as sacred! For example, if make a wish before eating sumalyak, your wish will come true!
After saturated day we will have a rest in the cozy hotel. Tomorrow we will have not the less interesting day - we are going to Samarkand.

Day 2. Tashkent-Samarkand transfer. Sightseeing tour in Samarkand.
After breakfast in hotel we are going to the majestic Samarkand!
On arrival in Samarkand we will have a little rest in the hotel after the road and than go for a walk along this beautiful city! It’s worth the effort to cross oceans and seas just to have a look of Samarkand, which amaze with it’s greatness, moreover in spring, when Samarkand is buried in verdure and blue domes are rising above with and pink caps of the blossoming apricots! In reality its beauty is great and attractive! There aren’t so many cities with age of more than 25 centuries, cities, attracting with unique appearance like Samarkand do it! Eden of the ancient Orient”, “Oriental Rome”-this puffy name were given to Samarkand by geographers and poets! And not without reason! Developed in close communications with culture of the China, India, Iran and inhabitants from other countries this city became the real treasure house of the Central Asian inhabitants!
After fascinating excursion along the ancient Samarkand we will go to the hotel to have a rest and replenish our forces to be ready for the new emotions, because next day we will have not the less interesting day in Samarkand.

Day 3. Excursion in Samarkand. Visiting of kishlak (village in Central Asia). Festive dinner.
You will be woken up with soft rays of the spring sun, which insistently strikes to the window, it’s seems that they would like to remind you that it’s spring and fresh wind playing with the curtains of your room will full your room with the fragrance of the spring verdure! Let’s go for the breakfast and than will continue our meeting with Samarkand. Today you will have excursion along the monuments, which are famous all over the world! Firstly, we will go to the most entertainment square of the Central Asia – Registan square (XVII) made with wonderful architectural ensemble and located in the “heart” of Samarkand. The word “Registan” means “sandy place”. Registan appeared as centre of trade and handicraft. It is intersection of 6 roads, leading from the city gates. Square surrounded by majestic buildings from 3 sides: Ulugbek madrassah (1417-1420), Sher Dor madrassah (1619-1636), Tillya-Kory madrassah (1647-1660). The next objects of our view are Rukhabad necropolis (XV), Bibi-Khanum (XV), which was build by the special order of Amir Timur by 500 workers and 95 Indian elephants; Ulugbek’ s observatory (XV) , where you will see unique astronomic facility –sextant; Shokhi-Zindan architectural complex (XII-XV), where lie remains of Amir Temur’ s retainers; Khazrat-Khyzra (XIX), etc.
After fascinating excursion we will go to some kishlak, where we will have national dinner, cooked in the fire, because according to tradition, in days of Navrouz celebration it’s accepted to eat meal touched with fire! We will try pilaw or for example, fried lamb. Oriental music will give us many good impressions and you will remember this festive time spent in Uzbekistan.
After good day we will go to the hotel to have a good rest to be ready for the new adventures! Tomorrow you will have the trip to the Central Asian pearl- Bukhara! Night in hotel.

Day 4. Samarkand - Bukhara. Excursion tour along Bukhara.
Today we are going to Bukhara! We will have a little time resting in hotel and than we are going to Bukhara that the real oriental city! Go.
Blessed Bukhara is the city of poetry and fairy-tale! Legends here are flying under the streets and everywhere here is some of genius and each stone in the lace of the stone masonry is covered with dust of the history! Bukhara won the fame of the museum under open sky and not without a reason! As magnet this city attracts many tourists all over the world! Your trip to Bukhara will be fascinating because Navrouz here is spectacularly celebrated from the old times. Although sacred Navrouz was little bit different in the past. In ancient Sogd and Khorezm it was celebrated till the time of the Samanids! In Bukhara arks and columns of the houses were decorated with flowers and green branches, but it was celebrated only by the court people and shah as it was written by Beruny. During 5 days czars accepted presents from their persons in attendance, those days all streets of the city were full of people. on the 6-th day élite celebrated the holidays just with close people, probably because of this reason the city was calling as Great Navrouz! The day is finished, we have visited many interesting places like Samanid’s mausoleum, Ark fortress etc. After interesting excursion let’s have arrest in the hotel of Bukhara!

Day 5. Bukhara. Sightseeing tour.
The holiday is going on! And we should visit many other interesting places, because we need to know better amazing spring Bukhara!
we will go to Chashma Ayub Mazar (XIV-XIX c) burial vault. The monuments come one after another and next we will see Poi Kalyan (XII-XVI cc) complex, which include famous Kalyan minaret (with height of 49 meters), built in 1127 and remained whole after many wars and invasions by a miracle! At one time it was look-out station and than the place of public execution. Many legends are jointed with this majestic construction! You will find out many of them from our guide. Than we will see Ulugbek’s madrassah. Ulugbek was grandson of the Temur extraordinary commander and also mathematician and astronomer. And this madrassah was built in 1417 by his order. Than we will see Lyabi Hauze (XVI-XVII c) complex, included Kukeldash (1568 year) and Nodir Divan Begi (1622 year) madrassahs.
Just agree that it’s great to be here exactly in spring! In Navrouz holiday! Each person associates the holiday not only with cheerful and celebration but also with festively served table full of many delicious things. And we also won’t lose a chance to try many different national dishes. Each guest of Bukhara should try pilaw, because pilaw in Bukhara is especial and very tasty! You"ll lick your fingers! Probably we will visit some national houses where you will see the process of cooking!
Our trip along Bukhara ended, but don’t be sad, we will have not the less fascinating trip to Khiva – the city of fairy-tale!

Day 6. Bukhara - Khiva. Trip to Khiva.
We are telling good bye to beautiful Bukhara and going to Khiva!
The road to Khiva is going via famous Central Asian desert – Kyzyl-Kum. “Kyzyl” means red and “kum” is a send, so, we will go trough the red sands! You will see endless hot red sands, by which the endless trade camel caravans were going.
Khiva is real Oriental city, whose air steel keeps the spirit of the Middle Ages! There are no high modern buildings, wide highways and it seems that time here has stopped just to keep all that ancient beauty which you can see at this amazing earth! You will see many historical monuments and ancient clay houses! What a surprise - all places of interest are located so compactly not in the big territory, surrounded by the city walls! In spring Khiva seems as more beautiful! Let’s enjoy with each minute spent in that fairy-tale!
Khiva divides into to two parts-internal city , called Ichan-Kala (sometime ago here lived czars and intelligentsia) and external part – “Dashan-kala”, where lived the other people, also surrounded with the wall (Khiva still keeps some remain of it ). About 300 families is living now inside Ichan-Kala, most of them were resettled after the October revolution, the citadel has the territory of 26 hectare and protecting walls with altitude from 8 till 10 meters! It is considered as state culture preserve, were almost all monuments were restored. Also here were built many new hotels, restaurants and handy-crafts stores, squares for the dances and folklore show, 13 museums, shops. The city has 4 gates but the main is “Ota-Darvaza” (which means “the father of the gates” in translation), and many guests and tourist are coming via this gates. Would you like to be in the fairy-tale? Don’t have any doubts! Exactly after you will go trough it you will feel yourself as a hero of the oriental fairy-tale! And holiday atmosphere will give more colors and feeling that traditions are very respected and carefully kept here! After some rest we will go trough the night Khiva.
Night Khiva it’s a the eighth wonder of the world! Walking in the streets of city with raising minarets and sky is full of huge stars you will feel yourself again as in fairy-tale! What amazing silence is here! It’s seems that everything stopped here and everywhere exist some mystery! This mysteries are looking forward to be opened by you!
Night in hotel.

Day 7. Khiva. Sightseeing day.
The wonderful morning in Khiva came and we will have one more amazing day!
Oh! Khiva! You are a realized dream! Today we will look the most famous monuments of the city: Kyunya-Ark fortress (XVII C), Pakhlavan Makhmud Complex (XIV-XIX CC), which has the biggest dome in Khiva, obtected with blue glazed tile with glitter overgilded top. This masoleum was built in honor of the Pakhlavan Makhmud- the famous Khiva’s poet and person well-known by his herculean strength! Muslim ministry included him to the list of Saints after his death!
Islam Khodja madrassah and minaret (1908) - amazing building, skilfully decorated with colorful mosaic. This minared is called as the main symbol of Khiva and his diminished shape go back to the early architectural models (XIV CC). The brick masonry at the minaret is interlaced with stripes of the glazed pattern. The minaret has a height of 56,6 metres and base diameter of 9,5 metres.
The Palace of Tash Khauli Alakuli-Khan (XVIII-XIX CC).
Djuma mosque (X-XVIII CC).
Mukhammadaminkhan minaret and madrassah (1831-1855). Facade of the minaret is decorated with ornament of the glazed brick. At this moment here located a hotel, tourist agency, exchange office, office on air tickets selling, café. Also you can go to Akish-Bobo fortress, where a magnificent view of the whole city is opens up!
Dear friends, don’t forget that we came here to look in Navrouz! You will be amazed with celebration of this holiday! Festively served tables: pilaw, shashlik, obi-non (national Uzbek round brad) and certainly verdure! Because it’s spring! And also tea, according to Uzbek tradition! Because no one Uzbek man could live without it even one day! After tasty dinner we will have a rest in hotel!

Day 8. Khiva - Urgench - Tashkent.
Today we are telling goodbye to the Khiva and coming back to Tashkent!
And Tashkent is giving us its hospitable embraces!
In Tashkent we will have a free day! Let’s walk in Japanese park, located in the centre of the capital. We will remember all spent days, impressed with the beauty and will look in the ducks swimming in little lake and than we can go to the bazaar, where you can buy souvenirs for your close people! Let’s enjoy with the last day spent in Uzbekistan. One more time we will go along streets attracted with its spring freshness!

Day 9. Tashkent. Departure.
Our trip is finishing!
During this trip we tried not to miss anything important! We tried to meet not only with famous cities of Uzbekistan, but such a great holiday as Navrouz!
In reality we found out many interesting facts from the history and culture of that sunny country! And had amazing opportunity to participate in the ancient ritual, try national dishes, meet with hospitable people of Uzbekistan and certainly enjoy with warm spring sunny days in Uzbekistan! In case we had more time we certainly find many other things for interest, but many important thing were also seen and tasted during your trip! Hospitable Uzbekistan will wait for your visit!

© Material presented by «Central Asia Travel».
Copying and using all presented information and material is possible ONLY by authority of the originator.

to the top

Printer-friendly version Send link to your friend

Send link to your friend