Enjoy this in-depth tour throughout Uzbekistan, famous for its ancient cities, beautiful mosques and mausoleums, as you travel the ancient trade route - the Silk Road. Following in the footsteps of conquerors, merchants and adventurers, this magical journey winds alongside rushing rivers tranquil lakes, mighty mountains and starkly beautiful deserts.
Our Ultimate Uzbekistan tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.
Heart of the ancient city of Samarkand, famous for its architecture and a popular stop along the Silk Road
Explore the historic walls of the Ark Fortress
See the architecture of Itchan Kala, Khiva’s walled inner city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Wander the bustling Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent, alive with colorful stalls and local traders
Visit the workshop of a famous family known for their ceramics – Akbar and Alisher Rakhimov. You will learn about the history of ceramics and get to see the unique collection of their exclusive works. Enjoy the tea ceremony with local sweets baked especially for you.
Lunch will be held at the local house of Rakhmon Toshev, one of the best suzani (tapestries) makers in the country. You will try your hand at making “plov” the main national Uzbek dish, usually cooked with mutton and rice, adding large quantities of carrots and onions with spices.
Experience a wine tasting at Khovrenko Winery in Samarkand. You will be taken on a tour of the wine museum, familiarising yourselves with the history of wine making in the region. This winery also produces vodka and brandy.
Fly overnight to Tashkent. After checking in to your hotel, you have the rest of the day at leisure to relax or explore your surroundings.
Explore the historic old town, visiting Barak Khan Madrassah and Tila Shaikh Mosque, home to precious Islamic archives. Wander the vibrant Chorsu Bazaar, then visit the Rakhimov family ceramics workshop. Finish the day in modern Tashkent at Amir Temur Square and the strikingly decorated Tashkent Metro.
Rise early for your flight to Nukus. Begin your day at the Igor Savitskiy Museum—often called the 'Louvre of the Desert', home to Russian avant‑garde art, Soviet-era masterpieces, and fascinating Karakalpak treasures. Then, drive 200 km to Khiva, stopping at Chalpik Kala, an ancient Zoroastrian funerary site, and Toprak Kala, the historic fortress town of Khorezm.
Step inside Ichan Kala, Uzbekistan’s first UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore Kukhna Ark Fortress, the turquoise Islom-Khodja Minaret, and Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum. Visit Madrassah Rakhimkhon, the striking Kalta Minor Minaret, and the 19th-century Tash Hauli Palace. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Khoresmian folklore performance.
Travel across the iconic Kyzyl Kum Desert, the 'Red Sands,' along the ancient Silk Road. Enjoy photo stops of the desert landscapes and a visit to the Amudarya River, the legendary Oxus. Arrive in Bukhara in the late afternoon, ready to explore this historic city.
Spend a full day exploring Bukhara’s historic centre on foot. Begin at the Lab-i-Khauz ensemble and continue to the city’s landmarks and hidden gems, including Nadir Khon Madrassah, Poi Kalon Minaret and Mosque, and the Ulugbek and Aziz Khan Madrassahs. Enjoy lunch at the home of master suzani maker and explore his workshop. In the afternoon, visit the Ark Fortress, Bala Hauz Mosque, Ismail Samani Mausoleum, and Chashma-Ayub. Conclude at the Hunarmand workshops near Lyabikhauz, witnessing traditional crafts such as block printing, metal chasing, embroidery, carving, miniature painting, and goldwork.
This morning, explore Sitora-i-Mokhikhosa, the former summer residence of the emir, a stunning blend of Russian and local architectural styles. Later, travel by train to Samarkand, arriving in the late afternoon and ready to begin your next adventure.
Explore the highlights of Samarkand, starting at the iconic Registan Square with its three stunning madrassahs: Ulug-Bek, Tillya-Kori, and Sher-Dor. Visit Gur Emir, the mausoleum of conqueror Tamerlane, and the grand Bibi-Khanum Mosque. Wander the Silk Road bazaar, admire the Shahi Zinda necropolis, and end the day with a tour and tasting at Bagizagan winery.
Travel 90 km south of Samarkand to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of conqueror Amir Timur. Explore the city’s highlights, including the ruins of Ak-Sarai Palace, Dorus-Tilavat cemetery, and Kok-Gumbas Mosque, before returning to Samarkand in the afternoon.
Explore Ulugbek’s 15th-century Observatory and the ancient settlement of Afrosiab. Enjoy some free time to shop in Samarkand before continuing by train to Tashkent, taking in the changing landscapes along the way.
Check out after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight home to New Zealand, arriving home the following day.
All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected
We have a selection of dedicated departures for solo travellers. These departures feature a maximum group size of 18 and exclusive benefits including a single room throughout your tour, complimentary return airport transfers (within 50km radius of major Australian airports) and a cocktail on arrival at your destination. Travellers from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne also receive a complimentary Australian airport lounge pass for use prior to departure.
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All of our tours offer a single room supplement, which means you’ll have a room to yourself throughout your chosen tour. Continue the check-out process for the applicable supplement.
On most tours, you can choose our 'Happy to Share' option, which may enable you to share a twin room with other solo customers of the same gender who also request Happy to Share. If a share partner is found, the Single Supplement will be removed from your booking. If a share partner is not found, the Single Supplement will remain and is payable with your final balance.
If you are booking on a Dedicated Solo departure, a single room is already included in the price and there are no additional single supplements to pay.
With our flight inclusive option, we'll do the planning for you and meet you on arrival.
We include airport pickup upon arrival at your destination and drop off at the end of your tour (on the scheduled tour arrival and departure days) and when booking pre or post tour accommodation with us.
We partner with established and reputable airlines for your international flights.
We can assist with upgrading your seat to premium or business class for an additional cost.
Our team will work with you to choose your ideal routing and if we make changes to your tour itinerary that impact flights, we’ll rebook them for you.
Our On-Tour Support Team is available to provide advice about how to handle flight changes.
