Itinerary

1. Day 1: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

   • Arrive in Tashkent. 
   • You will be met by a driver and transferred to the hotel. 
   • Check in to the hotel at noon. 
   • Meet your guide to start your Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan tour with sightseeing in the capital and the biggest city in Central Asia. 
   • Visit the Old City part of Tashkent with the Khast-Imam complex where the world famous Quran of Caliph Uthman – Ottoman has been preserved. 
   • In Khast-Imam visit Madrasah of Barak-Khan, Tilla Sheikh Mosque, Mausoleum of the Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi and the Islamic Institute of Imam al-Bukhari. 
   • Explore Chorsu Bazaar. 
   • Then take a ride on Tashkent Metro to the city center to walk through Amir Timur Square, Independence Square and visit the Applied Arts Museum. 
   • Overnight at the hotel.

2. Day 2: Tashkent to Khiva, Uzbekistan

   • Early morning transfer for flight to Urgench (1093 km, 1 h. 40 min.). 
   • Arrival in Urgench, transfer to the hotel in Khiva (30 minutes’ drive). 
   • Later proceed for guided walking sightseeing tour. 
   • Spend a day in Ichan-Qala, a UNESCO World Heritage site. 
   • Visit Mukhammad Aminkhan Madrasah, Mukhammad Rakhimkhan Madrasah, Kalta-Minor, Juma Mosque, Tash-Khovli Palace, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum, Kunya-Ark, Minaret of Islam Khoja. 
   • Free time in the afternoon. 
   • Overnight at the hotel. 

3. Day 3: Khiva to Nukus, Uzbekistan

   • After breakfast depart to Nukus (200 km, 3 h.). 
   • On the way visit archaeological monuments of ancient Khorezm: Chilpyk Zoroastrian dakhma, and Toprak-Kala – the capital of Khorezm dating back to the 3rd century A.D. 
   • Arrive in Nukus, check in to the hotel. 
   • Visit the Savitsky Karakalpakstan Art Museum. 
   • The museum hosts the world's second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art and exposition of Karakalpak applied arts items. 
   • Have a short drive around the center of Nukus: see statue of Karakalpak poet Berdakh, Nukus City Hall and Drama Theatre. 
   • Overnight at the hotel. 

4. Day 4: Nukus to Darvaza Gas Crater, Turkmenistan

   • In the morning drive to Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border point Xojayli. 
   • Go through border formalities on both checkpoints. 
   • Cross the 1.5 km neutral zone (transportation may not be available). 
   • Meet your Turkmenistan guide and drive to Kunya-Urgench (20 min.). 
   • Visit Kunya-Urgench historical site: mausoleums of Tyurabek-Khanum, Sultan Tekesh, Sultan Il Arslan, Najmuddin-Kubra, Sultan Ali. 
   • Discover the Kutlug-Timur Minaret and Kyrk Molla Hill. 
   • Drive to Darvaza gas crater in the Karakum desert (270 km, 4 hours). 
   • Set up a camp. 
   • Enjoy a delicious fire-cooked meal for dinner near the burning gas crater. 
   • Overnight in tents.

5. Day 5: Darvaza Gas Crater to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

   • After camp style breakfast depart to Ashgabat (280 km, 4 h.). 
   • Arrive in Ashgabat, free time. 
   • Overnight at the hotel

6. Day 6: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

   • You will start the day with a sightseeing tour in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan that has recently been noted by the Guinness Book of World Records as having more white marble buildings than any other city in the world. 
   • During the city tour you will explore an archaeological site of Old Nisa (included in UNESCO World Heritage list) and Spiritual Mosque, one of the biggest mosques in Central Asia. 
   • You will visit the National Museum of History, the Monument of Neutrality, Presidential Square, Ertugrul Gazi Mosque and newly built Independence Park. 
   • Intense and interesting excursion also includes a stopover at the Akhalteke horse and Lenin Monument. 
   • Overnight at the hotel

7. Day 7: Ashgabat to Mary, Turkmenistan

   • Take a morning flight to Mary (370 km, 40 min.). 
   • Arrive in Mary, drive through the desert to archeological camp Gonur Depe (110 km, 3 h.). 
   • Discover the excavations of the ancient Margush country capital – Gonur which consists of the Palace of the city, Fire and Water Temples, Royal Necropolis. 
   • Return to Mary. 
   • Visit the History Museum of the Merv region. 
   • Overnight at the hotel.

8. Day 8: Mary to Bukhara, Uzbekistan

   • Drive to Merv (40 km, 30 min), an ancient city that was a major center of international trade and crafts located on the Silk Road. 
   • Discover historical parks with Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, Large and Small Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Gyaur Gala, Keshk Fortress, and others. 
   • In the afternoon depart to Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border point (45 km, 1 h). 
   • Go through border formalities on both checkpoints. 
   • Cross the 1.5 km neutral zone (transportation may not be available). 
   • Meet your driver and continue to Bukhara (100 km, 1 h 30 min). 
   • Arrival in Bukhara, check in to the hotel. 
   • Free time in Old City. 
   • Overnight at the hotel.

9. Day 9: Bukhara, Uzbekistan

   • Enjoy a walking sightseeing tour with a guide in Old City. 
   • Visit Lyabi-Khauz Complex, Magoki-Attori Mosque, Chor-Minor Madrasah, trade domes, Kalyan Mosque and Minaret and Miri-Arab Madrasah, Madrasah of Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan, Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, Samani dynasty Mausoleum and Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum. 
   • Overnight at the hotel.

10. Day 10: Bukhara to Samarkand, Uzbekistan

    • Continue the sightseeing tour with a guide. 
    • Drive out of the city to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa – the summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir. Head to the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi and Chor-Bakr Necropolis. 
    • In the afternoon depart to Samarkand (280 km, 4 h.). 
    • Stop on the way at Caravanserai Rabat-i-Malik, dating back to 11th century. 
    • Arrive in Samarkand late in the afternoon, check in to your hotel. 
    • Overnight at the hotel

11. Day 11: Samarkand, Uzbekistan

    • Meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby to start a city tour. 
    • Visit spectacular Registan Square, remains of Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Ulugbek Observatory, Siab Bazaar, Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis and Gur-Emir Mausoleum – the Mausoleum of Amir Timur. 
    • Overnight at the hotel.

12. Day 12: Samarkand to Tashkent, Uzbekistan

    • Check-out from the hotel till noon. 
    • Continue sightseeing: visit Afrasiab Museum and the Tomb of Saint Daniel. 
    • Then, drive to Konigil village to explore the traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. 
    • Enjoy free time with a car and driver at your disposal after a sightseeing tour. 
    • At 16:00 transfer to the railway station. 
    • Take the high-speed train, Afrosiyob, departing to Tashkent at 17:00 (300 km). 
    • Scheduled arrival time is 19:10. 
    • Pick-up and transfer to the hotel. 
    • Overnight at the hotel. 

13. Day 13: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

    • Check-out from the hotel at noon. 
    • Free time until transfer to Tashkent International Airport. 

    End of the tour.