Classic Uzbekistan Small Group Tour

Today, depart London on the overnight flight to Tashkent TAS, travelling with Uzbekistan Airways.

On arrival in Tashkent, meet your Uzbek guide and driver before transferring to your centrally located hotel for immediate check-in. After time to rest, begin exploring the capital with a guided visit to the Hazrati Imam Complex, home to historic madrasahs, mausoleums and the Muyi Muborak Library. Continue to Chorsu Bazaar, one of Central Asia’s most atmospheric markets, before visiting Kukeldash Madrassah, Rakhimov’s ceramic studio, and the Museum of Applied Arts. Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure in Uzbekistan’s evolving capital. (B,L)

Today, delve deeper into Tashkent’s modern history, exploring the city shaped by the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and independent Uzbekistan. Visit landmarks including Independence Square, Amir Timur Square, the Monument of Courage and the Memorial to the Victims of Repression, offering insight into the country’s complex past. This afternoon, discover some of Tashkent’s most striking metro stations, renowned for their distinctive Soviet-era architecture and design, before visiting the Islam Karimov Memorial Complex. Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure. (B,L)

Leave Tashkent behind and head into the foothills of the Chimgan Mountains for a traditional Uzbek lunch in the small town of Sukok. Continue to the remarkable Parkent Solar Furnace, a vast Soviet-era scientific complex designed to harness the power of the sun. One of Uzbekistan’s most unusual attractions, this little-known site offers a fascinating glimpse into Soviet innovation and ambition. Later, return to Tashkent and fly west to Nukus, the remote capital of Karakalpakstan, where you will spend the next two nights. (B,L)

Travel across the vast Karakalpak Desert to Moynaq, once a thriving fishing port on the shores of the Aral Sea. Today, stranded deep in the desert, the town stands as one of the world’s most striking environmental stories. Visit the famous Ship Graveyard, the Ecological Museum and the Aral Sea Monument before enjoying lunch in a family-run home, offering a glimpse into life in this remote region. Returning to Nukus, explore the ancient necropolis of Mizdarkhan and nearby Gyaur-Kala Fortress, where Zoroastrian and Islamic history intertwine. (B,L)

Begin the day at the remarkable Savitsky Museum, home to one of the world’s finest collections of Russian and Soviet avant-garde art, much of it preserved here during the Soviet era thanks to Nukus’ remote location. Continuing towards Khiva, stop at Chilpik Dakhma, a striking 2,000-year-old Zoroastrian Tower of Silence overlooking the Amu Darya River. Later, explore the ancient desert fortresses of Kyzyl Kala and Toprak Kala, evocative remnants of the once-powerful Khorezm civilisation, before arriving in the Silk Road city of Khiva for a two-night stay. (B,L)

Spend the day exploring Khiva, one of the Silk Road’s most extraordinary cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by desert and remarkably preserved, the walled inner city feels like an open-air museum where centuries of history unfold around every corner. Wander through a maze of palaces, mosques, madrassahs, mausoleums and intricately tiled minarets, discovering why Khiva was such an important stop for traders travelling between East and West. Few places capture the atmosphere of the ancient Silk Road quite so vividly. (B,L)

Journey across Uzbekistan as you leave Khiva behind and travel towards Bukhara, crossing the Amu Darya River once more. Watch the landscape shift from the fertile Khorezm region into the vast, remote expanse of the Kyzylkum Desert, where open horizons and sparse settlements define the route. Pause en route for refreshments and lunch, breaking up the drive and offering a glimpse of everyday life in rural Uzbekistan. Arrive in the legendary Silk Road city of Bukhara and settle in for a two-night stay in its atmospheric old town. (B,L)

Enjoy a full day exploring Bukhara, one of the Silk Road’s most atmospheric and historically rich cities, where layers of Samanid, Khwarazmid and Timurid heritage are woven into the fabric of the Old Town. Begin with visits to the elegant Ismail Samani Mausoleum and Chashmai Ayub, both key landmarks in the city’s early Islamic history. Continue into the heart of Bukhara to admire the soaring Kalyan Minaret, Lyabi Hauz and the Nasruddin monument, before discovering a traditional puppet theatre keeping Uzbek storytelling alive. End the day with a colourful folklore performance in a madrassah courtyard. (B,L)

Begin the day with final sightseeing in Bukhara, starting at the imposing Ark Fortress, once the seat of power for the Emirate of Bukhara. Continue to the atmospheric Zindan prison museum, including the infamous “Bug Pit” linked to the era of the Great Game. Explore the architectural treasures around the Kalyan Mosque, including the Ulug Beg and Abdulaziz Khan madrassahs, set among lively lanes of traditional market stalls. Later, travel onwards by train into the heart of the Silk Road, arriving in Samarkand for a three-night stay. (B,L)

Spend a full day exploring Samarkand, the legendary Silk Road city where history and grandeur come together on an extraordinary scale. Begin at Registan Square, one of Central Asia’s most iconic sights, framed by the striking Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori madrassahs. Continue to the Gur-i Amir Mausoleum, resting place of Amir Timur, before visiting the vast Bibi Khanum Mosque, once among the largest in the Islamic world. Stroll through the nearby Siyob Bazaar before heading to Hazrat Hizr Mosque for sweeping city views and a visit to the Mausoleum of Islam Karimov. (B,L)

Travel south from Samarkand into the mountains on a scenic journey over the Tahta-Karacha Pass, reaching Shakrisabz, the birthplace of Amir Timur and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set against the backdrop of the Zarafshan foothills, this historic city reveals the legacy of one of Central Asia’s most powerful rulers. Explore key monuments including the Dor at-Tilyavat Complex, Dor as-Siadat Complex and the vast Ak Sarai palace remains. Enjoy time to absorb the atmosphere of this once-great Timurid centre before returning to Samarkand via the mountain pass, with time at leisure on arrival. (B,L)

Begin the day in Samarkand with a visit to the evocative Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, where richly decorated mausoleums in vivid blues and turquoises create one of the most striking ensembles in Central Asia. Continue to the ancient Afrosiab site and the nearby Ulugh Beg Observatory, offering insight into the region’s remarkable scientific heritage. Travel beyond the city to Bagigazan for a tasting of locally produced wines, grown in a region with vinicultural traditions dating back to antiquity. Later, continue by train back to Tashkent for your final two-night stay. (B,L)

Head out from Tashkent into the Chimgan Mountains, part of the Western Tian Shan range stretching between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. This striking alpine landscape offers a dramatic contrast to the Silk Road cities, with rugged peaks, alpine air and sweeping views. The highlight is Amirsoy resort, where a cable car rises to 2,290 metres, revealing panoramic mountain scenery. Continue along the shoreline of the Charvak Reservoir, pausing to take in the views before a relaxed farewell lunch in the region. Return to Tashkent for your final evening at leisure. (B,L)

Transfer to the airport for your Uzbekistan Airways flight home, bringing your journey through Uzbekistan to a close. (B)