The best of the Silk Road
A tour of central Asian Uzbekistan will introduce you to both the modern capital Tashkent and the ancient Silk Road cities of Khiva, Buchara and Samarkand. These atmospheric centers of yesteryear are full of magnificent Oriental architecture: magnificent minarets, mosques, medressas decorated with turquoise mosaics and lively bazaars. Wander around walled Khiva, where you can visit the palaces of the Khans, dozens of medressas, mosques and mausoleums. Taste the atmosphere of Buchara, one of the most important caravan cities with its many bazaars loaded with fruits, vegetables, spices and beautifully designed round breads. Have tea under the shade of mulberry trees at the Labi Hauz water basin. Experience the wealth of Samarkand, mainly due to warlord Timur, who built his impressive palace in nearby Shachrisabz. Marvel at the world-famous Registan, where three sumptuously decorated Koranic schools stand around the square.
Desert, lakes and mountains of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan offers many impressive natural sites, such as the Nurata Desert, where the remains of a fortress of Alexander the Great can be discovered. Spend the night in traditional yurts on the shores of the Aral Sea, or in the desert or stay in a guesthouse with the locals in the mountain villages such as Sentyab and Tesak. Visit the beating heart of Uzbekistan, the Fergana Valley with many cotton plantations or hike in Ugam-Chatgal National Park among the snowy of the Tien Shan Mountains make. Where the world can't find you....
