Are you looking for an original adventure? Experience a country that is still unexplored by tourists? Come with us to Uzbekistan. You will experience local life, which still has a touch of the Soviet era, Islamic culture and unique wildlife from the back of a camel with an overnight stay in the desert. Last but not least, you'll sample local specialties and authentic Uzbek vodka 🕌🐫
The tour includes:
- Return flight Prague - Tashkent
- Accommodation ( hotels, yurts, apartments)
- Breakfast and lunch
- Ambassador
- All inputs and activities within the program
- All transportation within the program
Travel not included:
Accommodation:
In the big cities - Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara we will sleep in comfortable 3* - 4* hotels with air conditioning, in the Kyzylkum desert we will spend two nights in an authentic yurt (however, the camp has electricity and common washrooms), and in the Nurat Mountains and Zaamin National Park we will stay in cozy family guesthouses always in double rooms with private bathrooms and hot water. The accommodation usually has wi-fi access, except in remote areas.
Diet:
Uzbek cuisine is by far the best in all of Central Asia and prides itself on generous portions of meat. The national dish is plov, tender beef or mutton with rice, garlic, carrots, chickpeas, many kinds of spices and properly covered with broth. There are also shashliks everywhere, i.e. various types of meat skewered on a spit and grilled over coals. In specialised restaurants we can taste tandyr kabob, i.e. lamb straight from the oven. Among soups, shurpa made from mutton and fresh vegetables is popular, as is mastava (soup made from meat and rice). Among the street food, samsa (a puff pastry pocket filled with minced meat) can be found on every corner. You won't find much fresh juice here, but you can get tea and the excellent yoghurt drink ajran everywhere. Uzbek beer is not bad, also because the Czechs help in the production 🙂
Transport:
We will visit Uzbekistan by air, of course. We will fly from Prague to Tashkent.
We will also travel between cities by taxis or private minibuses.
Travel Buddy - Ambassador Tomas
Traveller and adventurer, lover of waterfalls and exotic food. He started traveling in high school and in his rich travel history he has visited Romania, Ukraine, Morocco, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, where his greatest love was born - his love for Latin America. Tomas is inquisitive and communicative, he likes to joke around, exchange travel tips and knowledge.
Safety
Uzbekistan is a very safe country and the people here are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners. At the moment te need to avoid the remote region of Karakalpakstan, where there are riots going on, but we won't be going there during the tour anyway. Uzbekistan is a conservative country and certain rules need to be followed, especially when it comes to dress (it is, for example, inappropriate to enter a mosque in shorts). Everything will be thoroughly explained to you by your guide at the start of the tour.
Solo travellers do not expose themselves to any danger - as already mentioned, the country is completely safe. However, it can be difficult to get along with locals - you can't speak English almost anywhere here (except perhaps at the absolute most touristy stands in central Bukhara and Samarkand). As the country was part of the USSR for a long time, you can usually speak Russian in the big cities (best in Tashkent), but in the countryside the vast majority of people speak only Uzbek. This is also why we will have our own interpreter in some places. Another problem is classically with transport - there is no public transport to a lot of places on our program and private taxis or car rental becomes quite expensive. However, hitchhiking works quite well here.
Further information
Unlike conventional tour companies, we don't go to Chiva - we feel that visiting four historic cities is more than enough and would rather spend our time in other ways (e.g. staying in a desert yurt camp, where other tour companies don't go yet) instead of 13 additional hours on the train. Our program is also unique in terms of visiting the Nurata Mountains - where we will spend two days, other tour companies will only come for a few hours (if at all). Thanks to this, we will get to know a very authentic region, still almost untouched by mass tourism.
Day 1 - Day 2
Evening departure from Prague, arrival to Tashkent in the morning. Transfer to hotel and check in after a long flight. By noon we are off to lunch at Khorsu market - the largest market in the whole country. We sample local shashlik, spicy soups, ayran yogurt drink and other delicacies. One whole sector of the market is dedicated to dried fruits and sweets. Well fed, we head out to explore the capital's first landmark - the Khazrat Imam Complex. This vast complex houses several mosques, the mausoleum of one of the first imams, a madrasa and a library containing fragments of the world's first Koran from the 7th century. We continue with a tour of the Juma Mosque with its three azure-coloured domes and the Madrasah of Sheikh Abdulkasim. For dinner, we sample more of Tashkent's specialties and toast the success of the expedition with authentic Uzbek vodka 🍾👌
.
After a thorough tour of the old city, today we will visit its modern part.Tashkent is a beautiful, spectacular city with wide boulevards and a large number of parks. Today's program will start in Timur the Great Park (known as Tamerlane here) in the heart of the city. Here, the giant Uzbekistan Hotel looms like a fist overhead - a slowly decaying oddity from Soviet times, but still functional. We stroll along Sajilgo Boulevard - a popular pedestrian thoroughfare with plenty of street stalls and designer shops - to Independence Square with its majestic fountains. From here, we walk through the park along the banks of the Anhor River to the Minor Mosque, the country's recently completed largest mosque. If we have time left, we'll explore other attractions in the afternoon and in the evening depart by high-speed train for Bukhara 🕌🚉
.
Bukhara is considered the most interesting city in Uzbekistan thanks to its many monuments, rich history, great food and unmistakable atmosphere, so we set aside two full days to explore it. We start in the very centre, where we visit the Kukeldash madrasa, inside which we find workshops of artisans handcrafting everything from carpets and chandeliers to knives and massive metal food platters. Here we will have the opportunity to learn about the production process and, if interested, start haggling over the price. We continue our tour of the city - passing through various markets, gates and walls and countless mosques, we arrive at the city's landmark, the 48 metre high Kaljan minaret from the early 12th century. Even Genghis Khan himself is said to have been so impressed on seeing it that he ordered it to be preserved, while the surrounding city was razed to the ground during his conquest in the 13th century. For lunch, we'll sample the famous Bukhara plov with raisins, and in the afternoon, we'll explore the city's other landmark - the vast citadel, which dates back to the 5th century ✅💯
Today, we are going to see some sights in the countryside around Bukhara. We will start at the necropolis of Chor Bakr, where the tomb of the scholar and Mohammed's successor, Abu Bakr Said, is located. We then head to the palace of Sitori Mochi Chosa. This sumptuous palace, with its ornamental decoration, impressive pool and courtyard, was used by the last emir of Bukhara before he was deposed by the Bolsheviks in the early 20th century. Next, we'll stop at the mausoleum of Baha' al-Din Naqshband, the founder of the largest Sufi Sunni order. In the evening, we'll drive to a renowned restaurant on the outskirts of Bukhara, where you'll taste some of the best shashlik you've ever eaten, and wash off the day's sweat in one of the local hamams - traditional baths 🌟🙏
After breakfast we head north, towards Kyzylkum Desert. Along the way we will stop at the Sarmysh Petroglyphs, where we will see murals dating back to Neolithic times. We stop for lunch at the desert city of Nurata, where we'll drink from a sacred spring and climb the fortress founded by Alexander of Macedon for perfect views of the desert and city below. In the early evening we arrive in the desert, at the yurt camp of the ethnic Kazakhs. Here we will enjoy a romantic camel ride at sunset and a traditional dinner consisting of camel, mutton and goat meat. We spend the night in traditional yurts, surrounded by desert, far from civilization🐫⛺
After breakfast we will go on a camel ride to a typical desert village - here we will have tea with the natives and observe life in this inhospitable wilderness. We will then take a trip to Lake Ajdar, which will take most of the day. We will have a picnic at the lake, cool down and relax. Back at camp, we will have another rich dinner, sitting around the campfire and stargazing⭐🌙
.
8th - 9th day
After breakfast transfer to the village of Uchum in the foothills of the sparsely populated Nurata Mountains, where we are met by our friend with whom we will be staying. After a sumptuous home-cooked lunch, a tour of the village and surrounding area, a chance to refresh ourselves in the local river and see the lesser-known petroglyphs, which are not even on the map. Next day ascend to the top of Parrandoz (1934 m) towering just outside the village. Those who don't feel like hiking can take an easier trip to the surrounding villages to experience local life, accompanied by a family member - through idyllic countryside with beautiful views, past grazing sheep and goats 🗻🐏🐐
Day 10 - 11
After breakfast we bid farewell to our host and head towards Samarkand. On arrival in the centre, we will already see the local architectural gem - Registan Square with three ornate madrasas from the 15th-17th centuries. Over the course of two days, we'll also visit the city's other attractions - the Mosque of Bibi Chanym, the tomb of Tamerlane Guri Amir, the observatory of the medieval astronomer Ulugh Beg, the mysterious cemetery of Shahi Zind and the tomb of the biblical prophet Daniel. Those who are homesick can refresh themselves at the local Czech brewery 😎🍺
Today we have a full day to explore the historic town of Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Before arriving in town, however, we'll stop at Kitob Pass for a local specialty - kebab from a specially bred local sheep, featuring an enormously large rump. The meat is fatty and full of flavour - a real delicacy. In the town itself, we see a number of monuments relating to Tamerlane - most notably his giant-sized statue. Then there are the city walls, the ruins of the monumental Ak Saraj Palace, the restored caravanserai (medieval "hotel") and the Kok Gumbaz Mosque with its magnificent blue dome. If we have enough time, we can take a trip to the countryside to the village of Khazrati Bashir to see the sacred spring and the tomb of a local saint. Return to Samarkand in the evening👍
13th - 14th day
The last two days of the tour will be spent walking in the countryside, in the little-visited Zaamin Mountains. The contrast to the surrounding desert is stark - green forests, snow-capped mountain peaks, rivers and clean mountain air, it's hard to believe you're still in Uzbekistan. First we take a trip to the canyon of the same name and visit the ruins of the ancient fortress of Myk. The next day, we'll take a day hike to higher ground, where we'll have perfect views of the four thousanders towering on the border with Tajikistan. Perhaps we will see some of the local fauna - like the Turkestan lynx, black stork or bearded eagle. The snow leopard is also said to be here. After a shower and a farewell dinner, it's just a trip back to Tashkent airport 🗻🛫
Departure to Prague in the early morning, arrival in the morning 🛫
Are you looking for an original adventure? Experience a country that is still unexplored by tourists? Come with us to Uzbekistan. You will experience local life, which still has a touch of the Soviet era, Islamic culture and unique wildlife from the back of a camel with an overnight stay in the desert. Last but not least, you'll sample local specialties and authentic Uzbek vodka 🕌🐫
The tour includes:
- Return flight Prague - Tashkent
- Accommodation ( hotels, yurts, apartments)
- Breakfast and lunch
- Ambassador
- All inputs and activities within the program
- All transportation within the program
Travel not included:
Accommodation:
In the big cities - Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara we will sleep in comfortable 3* - 4* hotels with air conditioning, in the Kyzylkum desert we will spend two nights in an authentic yurt (however, the camp has electricity and common washrooms), and in the Nurat Mountains and Zaamin National Park we will stay in cozy family guesthouses always in double rooms with private bathrooms and hot water. The accommodation usually has wi-fi access, except in remote areas.
Diet:
Uzbek cuisine is by far the best in all of Central Asia and prides itself on generous portions of meat. The national dish is plov, tender beef or mutton with rice, garlic, carrots, chickpeas, many kinds of spices and properly covered with broth. There are also shashliks everywhere, i.e. various types of meat skewered on a spit and grilled over coals. In specialised restaurants we can taste tandyr kabob, i.e. lamb straight from the oven. Among soups, shurpa made from mutton and fresh vegetables is popular, as is mastava (soup made from meat and rice). Among the street food, samsa (a puff pastry pocket filled with minced meat) can be found on every corner. You won't find much fresh juice here, but you can get tea and the excellent yoghurt drink ajran everywhere. Uzbek beer is not bad, also because the Czechs help in the production 🙂
Transport:
We will visit Uzbekistan by air, of course. We will fly from Prague to Tashkent.
We will also travel between cities by taxis or private minibuses.
Travel Buddy - Ambassador Tomas
Traveller and adventurer, lover of waterfalls and exotic food. He started traveling in high school and in his rich travel history he has visited Romania, Ukraine, Morocco, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, where his greatest love was born - his love for Latin America. Tomas is inquisitive and communicative, he likes to joke around, exchange travel tips and knowledge.
Safety
Uzbekistan is a very safe country and the people here are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners. At the moment te need to avoid the remote region of Karakalpakstan, where there are riots going on, but we won't be going there during the tour anyway. Uzbekistan is a conservative country and certain rules need to be followed, especially when it comes to dress (it is, for example, inappropriate to enter a mosque in shorts). Everything will be thoroughly explained to you by your guide at the start of the tour.
Solo travellers do not expose themselves to any danger - as already mentioned, the country is completely safe. However, it can be difficult to get along with locals - you can't speak English almost anywhere here (except perhaps at the absolute most touristy stands in central Bukhara and Samarkand). As the country was part of the USSR for a long time, you can usually speak Russian in the big cities (best in Tashkent), but in the countryside the vast majority of people speak only Uzbek. This is also why we will have our own interpreter in some places. Another problem is classically with transport - there is no public transport to a lot of places on our program and private taxis or car rental becomes quite expensive. However, hitchhiking works quite well here.
Further information
Unlike conventional tour companies, we don't go to Chiva - we feel that visiting four historic cities is more than enough and would rather spend our time in other ways (e.g. staying in a desert yurt camp, where other tour companies don't go yet) instead of 13 additional hours on the train. Our program is also unique in terms of visiting the Nurata Mountains - where we will spend two days, other tour companies will only come for a few hours (if at all). Thanks to this, we will get to know a very authentic region, still almost untouched by mass tourism.
Day 1 - Day 2
Evening departure from Prague, arrival to Tashkent in the morning. Transfer to hotel and check in after a long flight. By noon we are off to lunch at Khorsu market - the largest market in the whole country. We sample local shashlik, spicy soups, ayran yogurt drink and other delicacies. One whole sector of the market is dedicated to dried fruits and sweets. Well fed, we head out to explore the capital's first landmark - the Khazrat Imam Complex. This vast complex houses several mosques, the mausoleum of one of the first imams, a madrasa and a library containing fragments of the world's first Koran from the 7th century. We continue with a tour of the Juma Mosque with its three azure-coloured domes and the Madrasah of Sheikh Abdulkasim. For dinner, we sample more of Tashkent's specialties and toast the success of the expedition with authentic Uzbek vodka 🍾👌
.After a thorough tour of the old city, today we will visit its modern part.Tashkent is a beautiful, spectacular city with wide boulevards and a large number of parks. Today's program will start in Timur the Great Park (known as Tamerlane here) in the heart of the city. Here, the giant Uzbekistan Hotel looms like a fist overhead - a slowly decaying oddity from Soviet times, but still functional. We stroll along Sajilgo Boulevard - a popular pedestrian thoroughfare with plenty of street stalls and designer shops - to Independence Square with its majestic fountains. From here, we walk through the park along the banks of the Anhor River to the Minor Mosque, the country's recently completed largest mosque. If we have time left, we'll explore other attractions in the afternoon and in the evening depart by high-speed train for Bukhara 🕌🚉
.Bukhara is considered the most interesting city in Uzbekistan thanks to its many monuments, rich history, great food and unmistakable atmosphere, so we set aside two full days to explore it. We start in the very centre, where we visit the Kukeldash madrasa, inside which we find workshops of artisans handcrafting everything from carpets and chandeliers to knives and massive metal food platters. Here we will have the opportunity to learn about the production process and, if interested, start haggling over the price. We continue our tour of the city - passing through various markets, gates and walls and countless mosques, we arrive at the city's landmark, the 48 metre high Kaljan minaret from the early 12th century. Even Genghis Khan himself is said to have been so impressed on seeing it that he ordered it to be preserved, while the surrounding city was razed to the ground during his conquest in the 13th century. For lunch, we'll sample the famous Bukhara plov with raisins, and in the afternoon, we'll explore the city's other landmark - the vast citadel, which dates back to the 5th century ✅💯
Today, we are going to see some sights in the countryside around Bukhara. We will start at the necropolis of Chor Bakr, where the tomb of the scholar and Mohammed's successor, Abu Bakr Said, is located. We then head to the palace of Sitori Mochi Chosa. This sumptuous palace, with its ornamental decoration, impressive pool and courtyard, was used by the last emir of Bukhara before he was deposed by the Bolsheviks in the early 20th century. Next, we'll stop at the mausoleum of Baha' al-Din Naqshband, the founder of the largest Sufi Sunni order. In the evening, we'll drive to a renowned restaurant on the outskirts of Bukhara, where you'll taste some of the best shashlik you've ever eaten, and wash off the day's sweat in one of the local hamams - traditional baths 🌟🙏
After breakfast we head north, towards Kyzylkum Desert. Along the way we will stop at the Sarmysh Petroglyphs, where we will see murals dating back to Neolithic times. We stop for lunch at the desert city of Nurata, where we'll drink from a sacred spring and climb the fortress founded by Alexander of Macedon for perfect views of the desert and city below. In the early evening we arrive in the desert, at the yurt camp of the ethnic Kazakhs. Here we will enjoy a romantic camel ride at sunset and a traditional dinner consisting of camel, mutton and goat meat. We spend the night in traditional yurts, surrounded by desert, far from civilization🐫⛺
After breakfast we will go on a camel ride to a typical desert village - here we will have tea with the natives and observe life in this inhospitable wilderness. We will then take a trip to Lake Ajdar, which will take most of the day. We will have a picnic at the lake, cool down and relax. Back at camp, we will have another rich dinner, sitting around the campfire and stargazing⭐🌙
.8th - 9th day
After breakfast transfer to the village of Uchum in the foothills of the sparsely populated Nurata Mountains, where we are met by our friend with whom we will be staying. After a sumptuous home-cooked lunch, a tour of the village and surrounding area, a chance to refresh ourselves in the local river and see the lesser-known petroglyphs, which are not even on the map. Next day ascend to the top of Parrandoz (1934 m) towering just outside the village. Those who don't feel like hiking can take an easier trip to the surrounding villages to experience local life, accompanied by a family member - through idyllic countryside with beautiful views, past grazing sheep and goats 🗻🐏🐐
Day 10 - 11
After breakfast we bid farewell to our host and head towards Samarkand. On arrival in the centre, we will already see the local architectural gem - Registan Square with three ornate madrasas from the 15th-17th centuries. Over the course of two days, we'll also visit the city's other attractions - the Mosque of Bibi Chanym, the tomb of Tamerlane Guri Amir, the observatory of the medieval astronomer Ulugh Beg, the mysterious cemetery of Shahi Zind and the tomb of the biblical prophet Daniel. Those who are homesick can refresh themselves at the local Czech brewery 😎🍺
Today we have a full day to explore the historic town of Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Before arriving in town, however, we'll stop at Kitob Pass for a local specialty - kebab from a specially bred local sheep, featuring an enormously large rump. The meat is fatty and full of flavour - a real delicacy. In the town itself, we see a number of monuments relating to Tamerlane - most notably his giant-sized statue. Then there are the city walls, the ruins of the monumental Ak Saraj Palace, the restored caravanserai (medieval "hotel") and the Kok Gumbaz Mosque with its magnificent blue dome. If we have enough time, we can take a trip to the countryside to the village of Khazrati Bashir to see the sacred spring and the tomb of a local saint. Return to Samarkand in the evening👍
13th - 14th day
The last two days of the tour will be spent walking in the countryside, in the little-visited Zaamin Mountains. The contrast to the surrounding desert is stark - green forests, snow-capped mountain peaks, rivers and clean mountain air, it's hard to believe you're still in Uzbekistan. First we take a trip to the canyon of the same name and visit the ruins of the ancient fortress of Myk. The next day, we'll take a day hike to higher ground, where we'll have perfect views of the four thousanders towering on the border with Tajikistan. Perhaps we will see some of the local fauna - like the Turkestan lynx, black stork or bearded eagle. The snow leopard is also said to be here. After a shower and a farewell dinner, it's just a trip back to Tashkent airport 🗻🛫
Departure to Prague in the early morning, arrival in the morning 🛫
itinerary by Jakub Sedy
Are you looking for an original adventure? Experience a country that is still unexplored by tourists? Come with us to Uzbekistan. You will experience local life, which still has a touch of the Soviet era, Islamic culture and unique wildlife from the back of a camel with an overnight stay in the desert. Last but not least, you'll sample local specialties and authentic Uzbek vodka 🕌🐫
The tour includes:
- Return flight Prague - Tashkent
- Accommodation ( hotels, yurts, apartments)
- Breakfast and lunch
- Ambassador
- All inputs and activities within the program
- All transportation within the program
Travel not included:
Accommodation:
In the big cities - Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara we will sleep in comfortable 3* - 4* hotels with air conditioning, in the Kyzylkum desert we will spend two nights in an authentic yurt (however, the camp has electricity and common washrooms), and in the Nurat Mountains and Zaamin National Park we will stay in cozy family guesthouses always in double rooms with private bathrooms and hot water. The accommodation usually has wi-fi access, except in remote areas.
Diet:
Uzbek cuisine is by far the best in all of Central Asia and prides itself on generous portions of meat. The national dish is plov, tender beef or mutton with rice, garlic, carrots, chickpeas, many kinds of spices and properly covered with broth. There are also shashliks everywhere, i.e. various types of meat skewered on a spit and grilled over coals. In specialised restaurants we can taste tandyr kabob, i.e. lamb straight from the oven. Among soups, shurpa made from mutton and fresh vegetables is popular, as is mastava (soup made from meat and rice). Among the street food, samsa (a puff pastry pocket filled with minced meat) can be found on every corner. You won't find much fresh juice here, but you can get tea and the excellent yoghurt drink ajran everywhere. Uzbek beer is not bad, also because the Czechs help in the production 🙂
Transport:
We will visit Uzbekistan by air, of course. We will fly from Prague to Tashkent.
We will also travel between cities by taxis or private minibuses.
Travel Buddy - Ambassador Tomas
Traveller and adventurer, lover of waterfalls and exotic food. He started traveling in high school and in his rich travel history he has visited Romania, Ukraine, Morocco, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, where his greatest love was born - his love for Latin America. Tomas is inquisitive and communicative, he likes to joke around, exchange travel tips and knowledge.
Safety
Uzbekistan is a very safe country and the people here are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners. At the moment te need to avoid the remote region of Karakalpakstan, where there are riots going on, but we won't be going there during the tour anyway. Uzbekistan is a conservative country and certain rules need to be followed, especially when it comes to dress (it is, for example, inappropriate to enter a mosque in shorts). Everything will be thoroughly explained to you by your guide at the start of the tour.
Solo travellers do not expose themselves to any danger - as already mentioned, the country is completely safe. However, it can be difficult to get along with locals - you can't speak English almost anywhere here (except perhaps at the absolute most touristy stands in central Bukhara and Samarkand). As the country was part of the USSR for a long time, you can usually speak Russian in the big cities (best in Tashkent), but in the countryside the vast majority of people speak only Uzbek. This is also why we will have our own interpreter in some places. Another problem is classically with transport - there is no public transport to a lot of places on our program and private taxis or car rental becomes quite expensive. However, hitchhiking works quite well here.
Further information
Unlike conventional tour companies, we don't go to Chiva - we feel that visiting four historic cities is more than enough and would rather spend our time in other ways (e.g. staying in a desert yurt camp, where other tour companies don't go yet) instead of 13 additional hours on the train. Our program is also unique in terms of visiting the Nurata Mountains - where we will spend two days, other tour companies will only come for a few hours (if at all). Thanks to this, we will get to know a very authentic region, still almost untouched by mass tourism.
Day 1 - Day 2
Evening departure from Prague, arrival to Tashkent in the morning. Transfer to hotel and check in after a long flight. By noon we are off to lunch at Khorsu market - the largest market in the whole country. We sample local shashlik, spicy soups, ayran yogurt drink and other delicacies. One whole sector of the market is dedicated to dried fruits and sweets. Well fed, we head out to explore the capital's first landmark - the Khazrat Imam Complex. This vast complex houses several mosques, the mausoleum of one of the first imams, a madrasa and a library containing fragments of the world's first Koran from the 7th century. We continue with a tour of the Juma Mosque with its three azure-coloured domes and the Madrasah of Sheikh Abdulkasim. For dinner, we sample more of Tashkent's specialties and toast the success of the expedition with authentic Uzbek vodka 🍾👌
.After a thorough tour of the old city, today we will visit its modern part.Tashkent is a beautiful, spectacular city with wide boulevards and a large number of parks. Today's program will start in Timur the Great Park (known as Tamerlane here) in the heart of the city. Here, the giant Uzbekistan Hotel looms like a fist overhead - a slowly decaying oddity from Soviet times, but still functional. We stroll along Sajilgo Boulevard - a popular pedestrian thoroughfare with plenty of street stalls and designer shops - to Independence Square with its majestic fountains. From here, we walk through the park along the banks of the Anhor River to the Minor Mosque, the country's recently completed largest mosque. If we have time left, we'll explore other attractions in the afternoon and in the evening depart by high-speed train for Bukhara 🕌🚉
.Bukhara is considered the most interesting city in Uzbekistan thanks to its many monuments, rich history, great food and unmistakable atmosphere, so we set aside two full days to explore it. We start in the very centre, where we visit the Kukeldash madrasa, inside which we find workshops of artisans handcrafting everything from carpets and chandeliers to knives and massive metal food platters. Here we will have the opportunity to learn about the production process and, if interested, start haggling over the price. We continue our tour of the city - passing through various markets, gates and walls and countless mosques, we arrive at the city's landmark, the 48 metre high Kaljan minaret from the early 12th century. Even Genghis Khan himself is said to have been so impressed on seeing it that he ordered it to be preserved, while the surrounding city was razed to the ground during his conquest in the 13th century. For lunch, we'll sample the famous Bukhara plov with raisins, and in the afternoon, we'll explore the city's other landmark - the vast citadel, which dates back to the 5th century ✅💯
Today, we are going to see some sights in the countryside around Bukhara. We will start at the necropolis of Chor Bakr, where the tomb of the scholar and Mohammed's successor, Abu Bakr Said, is located. We then head to the palace of Sitori Mochi Chosa. This sumptuous palace, with its ornamental decoration, impressive pool and courtyard, was used by the last emir of Bukhara before he was deposed by the Bolsheviks in the early 20th century. Next, we'll stop at the mausoleum of Baha' al-Din Naqshband, the founder of the largest Sufi Sunni order. In the evening, we'll drive to a renowned restaurant on the outskirts of Bukhara, where you'll taste some of the best shashlik you've ever eaten, and wash off the day's sweat in one of the local hamams - traditional baths 🌟🙏
After breakfast we head north, towards Kyzylkum Desert. Along the way we will stop at the Sarmysh Petroglyphs, where we will see murals dating back to Neolithic times. We stop for lunch at the desert city of Nurata, where we'll drink from a sacred spring and climb the fortress founded by Alexander of Macedon for perfect views of the desert and city below. In the early evening we arrive in the desert, at the yurt camp of the ethnic Kazakhs. Here we will enjoy a romantic camel ride at sunset and a traditional dinner consisting of camel, mutton and goat meat. We spend the night in traditional yurts, surrounded by desert, far from civilization🐫⛺
After breakfast we will go on a camel ride to a typical desert village - here we will have tea with the natives and observe life in this inhospitable wilderness. We will then take a trip to Lake Ajdar, which will take most of the day. We will have a picnic at the lake, cool down and relax. Back at camp, we will have another rich dinner, sitting around the campfire and stargazing⭐🌙
.8th - 9th day
After breakfast transfer to the village of Uchum in the foothills of the sparsely populated Nurata Mountains, where we are met by our friend with whom we will be staying. After a sumptuous home-cooked lunch, a tour of the village and surrounding area, a chance to refresh ourselves in the local river and see the lesser-known petroglyphs, which are not even on the map. Next day ascend to the top of Parrandoz (1934 m) towering just outside the village. Those who don't feel like hiking can take an easier trip to the surrounding villages to experience local life, accompanied by a family member - through idyllic countryside with beautiful views, past grazing sheep and goats 🗻🐏🐐
Day 10 - 11
After breakfast we bid farewell to our host and head towards Samarkand. On arrival in the centre, we will already see the local architectural gem - Registan Square with three ornate madrasas from the 15th-17th centuries. Over the course of two days, we'll also visit the city's other attractions - the Mosque of Bibi Chanym, the tomb of Tamerlane Guri Amir, the observatory of the medieval astronomer Ulugh Beg, the mysterious cemetery of Shahi Zind and the tomb of the biblical prophet Daniel. Those who are homesick can refresh themselves at the local Czech brewery 😎🍺
Today we have a full day to explore the historic town of Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Before arriving in town, however, we'll stop at Kitob Pass for a local specialty - kebab from a specially bred local sheep, featuring an enormously large rump. The meat is fatty and full of flavour - a real delicacy. In the town itself, we see a number of monuments relating to Tamerlane - most notably his giant-sized statue. Then there are the city walls, the ruins of the monumental Ak Saraj Palace, the restored caravanserai (medieval "hotel") and the Kok Gumbaz Mosque with its magnificent blue dome. If we have enough time, we can take a trip to the countryside to the village of Khazrati Bashir to see the sacred spring and the tomb of a local saint. Return to Samarkand in the evening👍
13th - 14th day
The last two days of the tour will be spent walking in the countryside, in the little-visited Zaamin Mountains. The contrast to the surrounding desert is stark - green forests, snow-capped mountain peaks, rivers and clean mountain air, it's hard to believe you're still in Uzbekistan. First we take a trip to the canyon of the same name and visit the ruins of the ancient fortress of Myk. The next day, we'll take a day hike to higher ground, where we'll have perfect views of the four thousanders towering on the border with Tajikistan. Perhaps we will see some of the local fauna - like the Turkestan lynx, black stork or bearded eagle. The snow leopard is also said to be here. After a shower and a farewell dinner, it's just a trip back to Tashkent airport 🗻🛫
Departure to Prague in the early morning, arrival in the morning 🛫
Are you looking for an original adventure? Experience a country that is still unexplored by tourists? Come with us to Uzbekistan. You will experience local life, which still has a touch of the Soviet era, Islamic culture and unique wildlife from the back of a camel with an overnight stay in the desert. Last but not least, you'll sample local specialties and authentic Uzbek vodka 🕌🐫
The tour includes:
- Return flight Prague - Tashkent
- Accommodation ( hotels, yurts, apartments)
- Breakfast and lunch
- Ambassador
- All inputs and activities within the program
- All transportation within the program
Travel not included:
Accommodation:
In the big cities - Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara we will sleep in comfortable 3* - 4* hotels with air conditioning, in the Kyzylkum desert we will spend two nights in an authentic yurt (however, the camp has electricity and common washrooms), and in the Nurat Mountains and Zaamin National Park we will stay in cozy family guesthouses always in double rooms with private bathrooms and hot water. The accommodation usually has wi-fi access, except in remote areas.
Diet:
Uzbek cuisine is by far the best in all of Central Asia and prides itself on generous portions of meat. The national dish is plov, tender beef or mutton with rice, garlic, carrots, chickpeas, many kinds of spices and properly covered with broth. There are also shashliks everywhere, i.e. various types of meat skewered on a spit and grilled over coals. In specialised restaurants we can taste tandyr kabob, i.e. lamb straight from the oven. Among soups, shurpa made from mutton and fresh vegetables is popular, as is mastava (soup made from meat and rice). Among the street food, samsa (a puff pastry pocket filled with minced meat) can be found on every corner. You won't find much fresh juice here, but you can get tea and the excellent yoghurt drink ajran everywhere. Uzbek beer is not bad, also because the Czechs help in the production 🙂
Transport:
We will visit Uzbekistan by air, of course. We will fly from Prague to Tashkent.
We will also travel between cities by taxis or private minibuses.
Travel Buddy - Ambassador Tomas
Traveller and adventurer, lover of waterfalls and exotic food. He started traveling in high school and in his rich travel history he has visited Romania, Ukraine, Morocco, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, where his greatest love was born - his love for Latin America. Tomas is inquisitive and communicative, he likes to joke around, exchange travel tips and knowledge.
Safety
Uzbekistan is a very safe country and the people here are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners. At the moment te need to avoid the remote region of Karakalpakstan, where there are riots going on, but we won't be going there during the tour anyway. Uzbekistan is a conservative country and certain rules need to be followed, especially when it comes to dress (it is, for example, inappropriate to enter a mosque in shorts). Everything will be thoroughly explained to you by your guide at the start of the tour.
Solo travellers do not expose themselves to any danger - as already mentioned, the country is completely safe. However, it can be difficult to get along with locals - you can't speak English almost anywhere here (except perhaps at the absolute most touristy stands in central Bukhara and Samarkand). As the country was part of the USSR for a long time, you can usually speak Russian in the big cities (best in Tashkent), but in the countryside the vast majority of people speak only Uzbek. This is also why we will have our own interpreter in some places. Another problem is classically with transport - there is no public transport to a lot of places on our program and private taxis or car rental becomes quite expensive. However, hitchhiking works quite well here.
Further information
Unlike conventional tour companies, we don't go to Chiva - we feel that visiting four historic cities is more than enough and would rather spend our time in other ways (e.g. staying in a desert yurt camp, where other tour companies don't go yet) instead of 13 additional hours on the train. Our program is also unique in terms of visiting the Nurata Mountains - where we will spend two days, other tour companies will only come for a few hours (if at all). Thanks to this, we will get to know a very authentic region, still almost untouched by mass tourism.
Day 1 - Day 2
Evening departure from Prague, arrival to Tashkent in the morning. Transfer to hotel and check in after a long flight. By noon we are off to lunch at Khorsu market - the largest market in the whole country. We sample local shashlik, spicy soups, ayran yogurt drink and other delicacies. One whole sector of the market is dedicated to dried fruits and sweets. Well fed, we head out to explore the capital's first landmark - the Khazrat Imam Complex. This vast complex houses several mosques, the mausoleum of one of the first imams, a madrasa and a library containing fragments of the world's first Koran from the 7th century. We continue with a tour of the Juma Mosque with its three azure-coloured domes and the Madrasah of Sheikh Abdulkasim. For dinner, we sample more of Tashkent's specialties and toast the success of the expedition with authentic Uzbek vodka 🍾👌
.After a thorough tour of the old city, today we will visit its modern part.Tashkent is a beautiful, spectacular city with wide boulevards and a large number of parks. Today's program will start in Timur the Great Park (known as Tamerlane here) in the heart of the city. Here, the giant Uzbekistan Hotel looms like a fist overhead - a slowly decaying oddity from Soviet times, but still functional. We stroll along Sajilgo Boulevard - a popular pedestrian thoroughfare with plenty of street stalls and designer shops - to Independence Square with its majestic fountains. From here, we walk through the park along the banks of the Anhor River to the Minor Mosque, the country's recently completed largest mosque. If we have time left, we'll explore other attractions in the afternoon and in the evening depart by high-speed train for Bukhara 🕌🚉
.Bukhara is considered the most interesting city in Uzbekistan thanks to its many monuments, rich history, great food and unmistakable atmosphere, so we set aside two full days to explore it. We start in the very centre, where we visit the Kukeldash madrasa, inside which we find workshops of artisans handcrafting everything from carpets and chandeliers to knives and massive metal food platters. Here we will have the opportunity to learn about the production process and, if interested, start haggling over the price. We continue our tour of the city - passing through various markets, gates and walls and countless mosques, we arrive at the city's landmark, the 48 metre high Kaljan minaret from the early 12th century. Even Genghis Khan himself is said to have been so impressed on seeing it that he ordered it to be preserved, while the surrounding city was razed to the ground during his conquest in the 13th century. For lunch, we'll sample the famous Bukhara plov with raisins, and in the afternoon, we'll explore the city's other landmark - the vast citadel, which dates back to the 5th century ✅💯
Today, we are going to see some sights in the countryside around Bukhara. We will start at the necropolis of Chor Bakr, where the tomb of the scholar and Mohammed's successor, Abu Bakr Said, is located. We then head to the palace of Sitori Mochi Chosa. This sumptuous palace, with its ornamental decoration, impressive pool and courtyard, was used by the last emir of Bukhara before he was deposed by the Bolsheviks in the early 20th century. Next, we'll stop at the mausoleum of Baha' al-Din Naqshband, the founder of the largest Sufi Sunni order. In the evening, we'll drive to a renowned restaurant on the outskirts of Bukhara, where you'll taste some of the best shashlik you've ever eaten, and wash off the day's sweat in one of the local hamams - traditional baths 🌟🙏
After breakfast we head north, towards Kyzylkum Desert. Along the way we will stop at the Sarmysh Petroglyphs, where we will see murals dating back to Neolithic times. We stop for lunch at the desert city of Nurata, where we'll drink from a sacred spring and climb the fortress founded by Alexander of Macedon for perfect views of the desert and city below. In the early evening we arrive in the desert, at the yurt camp of the ethnic Kazakhs. Here we will enjoy a romantic camel ride at sunset and a traditional dinner consisting of camel, mutton and goat meat. We spend the night in traditional yurts, surrounded by desert, far from civilization🐫⛺
After breakfast we will go on a camel ride to a typical desert village - here we will have tea with the natives and observe life in this inhospitable wilderness. We will then take a trip to Lake Ajdar, which will take most of the day. We will have a picnic at the lake, cool down and relax. Back at camp, we will have another rich dinner, sitting around the campfire and stargazing⭐🌙
.8th - 9th day
After breakfast transfer to the village of Uchum in the foothills of the sparsely populated Nurata Mountains, where we are met by our friend with whom we will be staying. After a sumptuous home-cooked lunch, a tour of the village and surrounding area, a chance to refresh ourselves in the local river and see the lesser-known petroglyphs, which are not even on the map. Next day ascend to the top of Parrandoz (1934 m) towering just outside the village. Those who don't feel like hiking can take an easier trip to the surrounding villages to experience local life, accompanied by a family member - through idyllic countryside with beautiful views, past grazing sheep and goats 🗻🐏🐐
Day 10 - 11
After breakfast we bid farewell to our host and head towards Samarkand. On arrival in the centre, we will already see the local architectural gem - Registan Square with three ornate madrasas from the 15th-17th centuries. Over the course of two days, we'll also visit the city's other attractions - the Mosque of Bibi Chanym, the tomb of Tamerlane Guri Amir, the observatory of the medieval astronomer Ulugh Beg, the mysterious cemetery of Shahi Zind and the tomb of the biblical prophet Daniel. Those who are homesick can refresh themselves at the local Czech brewery 😎🍺
Today we have a full day to explore the historic town of Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. Before arriving in town, however, we'll stop at Kitob Pass for a local specialty - kebab from a specially bred local sheep, featuring an enormously large rump. The meat is fatty and full of flavour - a real delicacy. In the town itself, we see a number of monuments relating to Tamerlane - most notably his giant-sized statue. Then there are the city walls, the ruins of the monumental Ak Saraj Palace, the restored caravanserai (medieval "hotel") and the Kok Gumbaz Mosque with its magnificent blue dome. If we have enough time, we can take a trip to the countryside to the village of Khazrati Bashir to see the sacred spring and the tomb of a local saint. Return to Samarkand in the evening👍
13th - 14th day
The last two days of the tour will be spent walking in the countryside, in the little-visited Zaamin Mountains. The contrast to the surrounding desert is stark - green forests, snow-capped mountain peaks, rivers and clean mountain air, it's hard to believe you're still in Uzbekistan. First we take a trip to the canyon of the same name and visit the ruins of the ancient fortress of Myk. The next day, we'll take a day hike to higher ground, where we'll have perfect views of the four thousanders towering on the border with Tajikistan. Perhaps we will see some of the local fauna - like the Turkestan lynx, black stork or bearded eagle. The snow leopard is also said to be here. After a shower and a farewell dinner, it's just a trip back to Tashkent airport 🗻🛫
Departure to Prague in the early morning, arrival in the morning 🛫
