To the Aral Sea via Kyzylkum Desert

Itinerary
Day 1.	Arrival in Tashkent. Meeting at Tashkent airport. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Tashkent is the multifaceted capital of Uzbekistan and the republic’s center of cultural and political life. Tashkent’s architecture is striking in its diversity and variety: archaeological monuments from the Zoroastrianism era that are more than 2200 years old, architectural masterpieces of the Middle Ages, monumental buildings of the late 19th century, the most beautiful underground subway in the world, and of course, the numerous modern buildings. Guided sightseeing tour around Tashkent: Khast-Imam Square, Barak-Khan Madrasah, Kafal-al-Shashi Mausoleum, Chor-Su Bazaar, Kukeldash Madrasah; after lunch: Museum of Applied Arts, Independence Square, Amir Timur Square. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 2.	Tashkent – Samarkand by a high-speed train (2 hours). Early breakfast at the hotel (or breakfast boxes). Transfer to the railway station. Transfer to Samarkand by Afrosiab high-speed train (07:28-09:42). Samarkand is as old as Rome; it is one of the most ancient cities in the world and former capital of the great Tamerlane empire. It is a museum city, a city which was once the heart of the caravan trade in the midst of the Great Silk Road. Samarkand conserved its unique aura of the Oriental medieval age until this very day. Upon arrival in the city, we start our busy day in a jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. Sightseeing in Samarkand: there is the mysterious jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir, the graveyard of Tamerlane. One of the greatest treasures is Registan Square, Temur’s outstanding creation, a huge complex of minarets, mosques and madrassas. Further we move on to Bibi Khanum Mosque, the gorgeous necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda, and the old observatory of Ulugbek, the greatest Muslim astronomer, and the neighboring Ulugbek museum. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 3.	Samarkand. Continuation of the sightseeing tour in Samarkand. Visit Afrosiab museum and settlement, Saint Daniel’s tomb, Khujum carpet factory, Silk paper workshop and Siab Oriental bazaar. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 4.	Samarkand – Nurata – Yurt camp in Kyzylkum desert by road (270 km). Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the yurt camp at Aydarkul Lake via a small town of Nurata. Sightseeing tour in Nurata: visiting Namazgoh Mosque and ruins of fortress of Alexander the Great. Proceed to the yurt camp located near Aydarkul lake. Accommodation and lunch. Walk in the surroundings. Dinner. Overnight at the yurt camp. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Day 5.	Aydarkul Lake – Bukhara by road (300 km). Breakfast in yurt camp. Camel-back ride to lake. Rest, picnic at lake. Transfer to Bukhara. Spare time in Bukhara; strolling around night Bukhara. Night’s rest in hotel. Breakfast at the yurt camp. Camel-back ride to the lake. After a short camel adventure return to the camp and further transfer to Bukhara. Bukhara is another ancient city in Uzbekistan which also used to be part of the Great Silk Road. Medieval Bukhara was one of the main political, cultural, and religious hubs of the Middle East. Over 140 architectural monuments have been preserved here. The historical center of Bukhara is included in the list of World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO. Accommodation at the hotel on arrival. Rest. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 6.	Bukhara. Breakfast at the hotel. Guided sightseeing tour around Bukhara: Chashma-Ayub Masoleum, Po-i-Kalyan Complex, Kalyan Minaret, Ulugbek Madrasah, Lab-i-Hauz Architectural Ensemble, Kukeldash Madrasah, Nadir Divanbegi Madrasah, Ismail Samani Mausoleum, and Ark Fortress. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 7.	Bukhara. Continuation of the city tour in Bukhara. Today we will make a transfer 20 min from the old city center and visit the out-of-town sites: Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, the summer residence of the last emir of Bukhara and Bakhouddin Naqshbandi ensemble – old sufi shrine. Return to Bukhara. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 8.	Bukhara – Khiva (road transfer, 440 km). Transfer to Khiva through the famous Kyzylkum desert along the Amu Darya River. We will pass along the road, where many Silk Road caravans once slowly followed. “Kyzylkum” translates as “Red Sands”, and the local sand really has a reddish tint. We will make several stops and walk along the picturesque dunes, admire the amazing panorama of the Amu Darya River from a viewing point. Lunch en route. Arrival in Khiva. Leisure time. Visiting traditional workshops and souvenir shops is recommended. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 9.	Khiva. After breakfast start of the guided sightseeing tour around Khiva. Visit the sights of Ichan Kala (historical inner city): Pakhlavan Mahmud Complex, Kunya-Ark Fortress, Islam Hoja Madrasah & Minaret. After lunch visit Tash Khauli Palace, Juma Mosque, Muhammad Aminkhan Minaret & Madrasah. In the evening return to the hotel for rest. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 10.	Khiva – Khorezmian fortresses – Nukus by road (200 km). Breakfast at the hotel and further transfer to Nukus. En route we will stop twice to explore the ruins of the anceint Khorezmian fortresses of Ayaz-Kala and Toprak-Kala. On arrival in Nukus – accommodation at the hotel for freshen up. Nukus is the capital of the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan which is part of Uzbekistan. It is a green oasis located amongst three deserts – the sandy Karakum and Kyzylkum and a stone desert Ustyurt Plateau. Another desert joined the list recently and became the fourth one surrounding the city – it is the sandy-saline desert Aralkum (Akkum), which is the bare bottom of the Aral Sea. After lunch time visit famous Savitskiy Art Museum. The museum is famous all around the world for its unique collection of Russian avant-garde paintings of the first half of the twentieth century. In three buildings of the museum with a total area of 7 thousand square meters, there are about 90 000 exhibits, including items of material and artistic culture of ancient Khorezm, a collection of Karakalpak folk arts and crafts, which is the second largest collection of Russian and Turkistan avant-garde paintings in the world, among others. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast.
Day 11.	Nukus – Usturt Plateau – Barsa Kelmes lake – Sudochie lake – Aral Sea by road (400 km). Departure from Nukus at 8 o’clock in the morning to discover the Ustyurt Plateau and the Aral sea life. En route we pass Khojeyli and Kungrad districts, which were the Trading centers during the Silk Road period. Proceed to Barsakelmes Natural Saltpit, which is a huge salt lake. After that we transfer further to the Sudochie lake. Upon arrival at the lake we stop at the ancient Light House hill. Then you can visit the abandoned settlement of the repressed Russian and Polish people in 1900-s. We will see the ruins of the hospital, cane houses and old Fish Factory. Further transfer to Aral sea yurt camp, arrival in the evening. Dinner. Overnight at the yurt camp. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Day 12.	Aral Sea, day trip to Kurgancha-Kala Fortress, Nomads cemetery and Aktumsik Mis. Early wake up to take pictures of sunrise over the sea. After breakfast we will visit the ancient fortress of Kurgancha-Kala of 13th centrury. Drive further along the edge of Ustyurt Plateau, on the way stop at the ancient cemetery of Nomads, walk down to the canyons, slight hiking on Mis Aktumsik, take pictures of the beautiful canyons and collapsed lands. Have a walk on the sea shore and take a swim. The mud is very helpful for the leg and the salty sea water is good for the skin. Free time to look for the Megaladon Shark teeth (2-35 million years old). Dinner at the yurt camp and rest. Overnight at the yurt camp. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Day 13.	Aral Sea – Komsomolsk settlement – Muynak – Mizdakhan – Gaur-Kala Fortress – Nukus by road (400 km). Leave the yurt camp and transfer back to Nukus via Myunak. En route we will make a stop at the cemetery of Nomads, and visit the settlement of Kubla Ustyurt on the Plateau. Meet the local people and taste the camel milk. Then continue our way through the bottom of the dried Aral Sea. Arrival in Myunak town. Lunch at the local guesthouse. Visit the cemetery of Ships, local museum and watch the short documentary film about Myunak life in the times of its florishing. In the 80-s, when the sea started to catastrophically shallow, the moored ships remained standing in the port. And they are still here to this day – Muynak harbor has turned into a "Ships cemetery" in the middle of the bare sea. The former bottom of the Aral Sea has already become overgrown with saxaul and has turned into a full-fledged Aralkum desert (“Akkum” – “White Sands”). Abandoned ships of various sizes, that remained only in the form rusting skeletons, that are partially covered with sand and overgrown with desert vegetation, and shells remind of the sea that once was flowing here. Proceed to Nukus. Stop at the architectural complex of Mizdakhan and Gaur-Kala Fortress ruins. On arrival in Nukus, accommodation at the hotel and rest. Overnight at the hotel. Meals: breakfast, lunch.
Day 14.	Nukus – Tashkent by morning flight. After breakfast transfer to the local airport for further flight back to Tashkent. Meet at the airport on arrival and transfer to the hotel (check-in time at 14:00). Free day. Meals: breakfast.
Day 15.	Departure from Tashkent. Transfer to the international airport. The end of the tour program. Departure. Meals: breakfast.

Cost of the tour in USD:

Group 1 pax 2 pax 4 pax 6 pax 8 pax 10 pax SGL supplement Hotel 3* 2850 USD 1750 USD 1415 USD 1320 USD 1315 USD 1260 USD +230 USD Hotel 4* 3020 USD 1925 USD 1590 USD 1495 USD 1490 USD 1430 USD +255 USD

Fergana Extension Program
Day 1.	Arrival in Tashkent.
Short description Arrival in Tashkent. Meeting at Tashkent airport according to tourist's flight arrival time. Transfer to a hotel and check-in after 14:00 PM. Leisure time. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2.	Tashkent - Kokand - Rishtan - Fergana (340 km, 6-7 hrs).
Short description Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Fergana Valley via Kamchik Pass; beautiful panoramic views en route. Arrival in Kokand. Meeting with a guide. Sightseeing tour around Kokand: Palace of Khudayar Khan, Mausoleum of Modari Khan, Juma Mosque, necropolis Sarymodor. Transfer to Rishtan, visiting pottery workshops (unique hand-made ceramics) Transfer to Fergana. Check-in at a hotel upon arrival in Fergana.
Day 3.	Fergana - Kuva - Margilan. Margilan - Tashkent (train).
Short description Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Kuva. Visit the ancient settlement, and monument to the famous medieval astronomer and the mathematician Al-Fergani. Transfer to Margilan. Visiting “Yodgorlik” silk factory which is famous for handmade silk. Visiting an oriental bazaar and the Said Ahmad Khoja Madrasah, whose cells these days are used as handmade carpet making workshops. Transfer to the railway station. Departure for Tashkent by the train 059Ф (16:03 - 20:53). Meeting at the exit from the building of the railway station. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4.	Tashkent (sightseeing).
Short description Breakfast at the hotel. Joining the group in Tashkent, beginning the main itinerary. See Day 2 of the basic itinerary of the group tour.

The cost of the tour 2019:

Type of accommodation Standard Comfort Twin/double share 250 USD 415 USD SGL supplement +35 USD +135 USD * This tour is guaranteed and will be arranged whatever final number of persons in a group.

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Cost includes: Accommodation at the hotels on twin/double share with breakfast; Sightseeing tour in each city according to the tour program; Local guides in cities / Accompany guide for a group over 8 people; Services of the driver with comfortable transport during the tour, including airport - hotel - airport transfers; Train tickets (economy class) for train (Margilan - Tashkent); A bottle of mineral water on each day of the tour;

Nurata Extension Program
Day 1.	Arrival in Tashkent.
Short description Arrival in Tashkent. Meeting at Tashkent airport according to tourist's flight arrival time. Transfer to a hotel and check-in after 14:00 PM. Leisure time. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2.	Tashkent (sightseeing).
Short description Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing program in Tashkent: Khast-Imam Square, Barak-Khan Madrasah, Kafal-al-Shashi Mausoleum, Kukeldash Madrasah; the oldest bazaar of Tashkent Chorsu. After lunch continuation of sightseeing program in Tashkent: Independence square, Amir Temur square. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3.	Tashkent - Aydar Lake - Khayat village (340 km, 6-7 hrs).
Short description Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to a yurt camp on the Aydar Lake in the heart of the Kyzylkum desert. Camel riding (30 min) soon after arrival. Lunch at the yurt camp. Transfer to the village of Hayat in the Nurata Mountains. Accommodation in guest houses run by local people. Dinner - a master class in pilaf cooking.  Overnight at the guest house.
Day 4.	Khayat village - Samarkand (290 km, 5-6 hrs).
Short description Breakfast at the guest house. A walk to the neighbourhoods of the village of Upper Hayat and along the Hayat River valley; a visit to a nursery for breeding Severtsov’s argali.  Lunch at the guest house. Transfer to Samarkand. Check-in at a hotel upon arrival in Samarkand.
Day 5.	Samarkand (sightseeing).
Short description Breakfast at the hotel. Joining the group in Samarkand, going through the main itinerary. See Day 3 of the basic itinerary of the group tour.

The cost of the tour 2019:

Type of accommodation Standard Comfort Twin/double share 280 USD 325 USD SGL supplement +40 USD +110 USD * This tour is guaranteed and will be arranged whatever final number of persons in a group.

• Flights  search
• Book  tour

Cost includes: Accommodation at the hotels on twin/double share with breakfast; Accommodation in guest house (3-4 people in room) in Nurata mountains village; Sightseeing tour in each city according to the tour program; Local guides in cities / Accompany guide for a group over 8 people; Meals: 2 lunches + 1 dinner on days 3 and 4; Services of the driver with comfortable transport during the tour, including airport - hotel - airport transfers. A bottle of mineral water on each day of the tour;

Information on the hotels

Information on the vehicles