Central Asia

Itinerary

• Days 1-4: Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Fergana Valley

  The trip begins in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital and largest city. Spend a day wandering through its main market, Chorsu Bazaar, and touring the city’s most noteworthy sights, including Independence Square and Kukeldash Madrassah. Then take the train to the Fergana Valley, an oasis of cotton fields and melon plantations that’s the most fertile region in Central Asia. In the towns of Kokand, Fergana, Margilan, and Rishtan, visit a 19th century khan’s palace, a bazaar, a silk-maker’s workshop, a ceramicist’s studio, and dine in the home of a local family.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Tashkent’s park-like Independence Square – formerly Lenin Square, rechristened and adorned with a new monument following Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991
  • The monumental 16th century Islamic architecture of Tashkent, including Kukeldash Madrassah, Kaffal-Shashi Mausoleum, and Barak-Khan Madrassah
  • Khudayar Khan’s Palace in Kokand, known in the 19th century as one of Central Asia’s most luxurious palaces, currently being restored to its former glory
  • Touring a silk master’s workshop in Margilan, a town that’s been a center of silk production since the ninth century
  • A tour and lunch at a ceramics master’s studio in Rishtan, famed for brilliantly colored traditional pottery
  • A dinner of Uzbek specialties in a private home in Fergana
• Days 5-7: Samarkand, Shahrisabz

  Travel by train to blue-tiled Samarkand, the conqueror Tamerlane’s ancient capital, hailed by UNESCO as “the crossroad of cultures.” A tour takes you to the massive Bibi Khanum Mosque, Ulug Bek’s incredible observatory, and the gracefully proportioned Registan Square. Make a day trip to Tamerlane’s hometown, UNESCO-listed Shahrisabz, to see the remains of Ak Saray (White Palace).

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • UNESCO-listed Samarkand’s Registan Square, bordered by three beautiful madrassahs
  • The 14th century conqueror Tamerlane’s architectural legacy in Samarkand, including Bibi Khanum Mosque, the largest of its day, and Ulug Nek Observatory
  • Lunch with a family in their Samarkand home
  • Shahrisabz’s Ak Saray, a monumental palace complex that was one of Tamerlane’s most ambitious architectural undertakings
• Days 8-9: Kyzyl Kum Desert

  Enter the vast Kyzyl Kum (Red Sand) Desert, where caravans and conquerors have traveled for thousands of years. Visit the 16th century Hassan and Hussein Mosque, and explore an ancient well system built during the reign of Alexander the Great. Spend the night in a yurt camp, eating dinner under a dome of stars. The next morning, get a taste of caravan life by taking a ride on a camel.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Kyzyl Kum Desert, where Silk Road caravans once crossed
  • Hassan and Hussein Mosque, where two grandsons of Mohammed are entombed
  • The ancient well system in the town of Nurata
  • A night in a desert yurt camp, followed by a camel ride the next morning
• Days 10-11: Bukhara

  Arrive at Bukhara, Central Asia’s most ancient living city. Its UNESCO-listed Old Town encompasses more than 140 protected monuments, including the Lyabi-Hauz Plaza at the heart of the city and the Ark Citadel, Bukhara’s original fortress. On the first evening have dinner in the teahouse of a madrassah, accompanied by a costume show. The following night dine with a local architect and get behind-the-scenes insights into how Bukhara’s architectural treasures are preserved and renovated.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Bukhara’s evocative Old Town, with its ageless domed bazaars and central Lyab-i-Hauz Plaza, adorned with a reflecting pool
  • Ark Citadel, Bukhara’s giant ancient fortress
  • Dinners at a madrassah teahouse and with a local architect
• Days 12-15: Khiva, Nukus, Tashkent

  Head northwest through the Kyzyl Kum Desert to Khiva, the last great oasis on the northern caravan route. Wander through the winding alleys of the UNESCO-listed Old Town, filled with minarets, cobbled alleys, mosques, and the beautifully preserved Kunya Ark, the original residence of the ruling khans. Make a day trip to the remote city of Nukus, the unlikely home of the world-class Savitsky Museum of avant-garde Russian art. Fly back to Tashkent for a traditional feast and a farewell toast to cap your journey.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Khiva’s Old Town (Ichon-Qala in Uzbek), a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Tash-Hauli Palace, built in the 19th century for the khan and his four wives
  • Dzhuma Mosque, famous for its carved wooden pillars
  • Kunya Ark, the original residence of the khans
  • Savitsky Art Museum, the world’s second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art