Off the beaten track, from Khiva to Termez

— Our guarantees —

PARIS-URGENCH

• Assistance with registration and boarding formalities.
• Take off flight to Tashkent (flight not included).
• Dinner and night on board.

OURGUENTCH- KHIVA (30 KM) (BLD)

Khiva is probably the most intact towns dotting the Silk Road in Central Asia.

• Arrival in Urgench at 6:10 am.
• Welcome at the airport by the guide and driver.
• Departure to Khiva.
• Settle at the hotel and breakfast.
• Discover Khiva. The whole day is devoted to visit the city.
• Discovery of Ichan Kala, the inner city, entrenched behind high brick walls.
• The whole day is devoted to visit the city museum. Ichan-Kala, Ota Darvosa, Madrassah of Muhammad Amin Khan and minaret Kalta Minor (19^th century), etc.

KHIVA – BUKHARA (BLD)

470 km by car, in air-conditioned minibus (6 hours)

• Departure to Bukhara at 8h30.
• For a hundred kilometers, we pass through the villages of the Khorezm region and across the desert of Kizil Kum (Red Sand).
• Some stops are planned for photos and lunch in one of the “Chaykhana” – coffee oasis. The particular beauty of the desert Asian center takes us back to the time of caravans crossing this sea of sand on camel’s back.
• Arrival in Bukhara late in the afternoon.

DAY 3

BUKHARA (BLD)

• The whole day is dedicated to the discovery of the old part of Bukhara.
• Most attractions of Bukhara are concentrated in the old city of Chakhristan and are explored on foot.
• First, the mausoleum Ismail Samani (9^th-10^th century), the oldest building in the city and one of the most beautiful jewels of Uzbekistan.
• Then the mausoleum Chashma Ayub (12^th -14^th century), all Bola Hauz (18^th century) and the Citadel Ark. The symbol of the Bukhara Emirate stands in all its majesty on the square of Registan and recalled the terror of Mang’it time. Residence of the lords of Bukhara, the Ark is as old as Bukhara itself.

DAY 4

BUKHARA – SAMARKAND (BLD)

265 km by car, air-conditioned minibus (4-5 hours)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• On the way to Samarkand.
• En route stop at Vabkent to visit the minaret of Kharakhanides (XII century) with a height of 39 meters, the ruins of an ancient caravanserai raboti Malik whose facade has been rectified and the old water tank Sardoba.
• Continuation of road and stop at Guijdouvan, visit a family workshop of pottery to attend pottery making. You also have the opportunity to try your potter’s talent and keep your object in memory.
• Lunch at Gijdouvan.
• Arrival in Samarkand in the late afternoon and discover the capital of the empire of Timur or Tamerlane. Crossroads different Silk Road, the west to Persia, the east to China, and south to India. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan were his conquerors and Tamerlane made it his capital. Its domes and blue mosaic still spellbound today’s travelers.
• Before dinner visit the distillery of Samarkand and taste the Uzbek wine.

SAMARKAND (BLD)

• The whole day is dedicated to the discovery of the capital of the empire of Timur or Tamerlane.
• Crossroads of different Silk Road, the west to Persia, the east to China, and sout to India. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan were his conquerors and Tamerlane made it his capital. Its domes and blue mosaic still spellbound today’s travelers.
• Visit the observatory Ulug bek, Shakhi Zinda necropolis, a silk carpet workshop (suzani).
• The visit continues with the SYAB market and Bibi Khanum mosque.

SAMARKAND – CHAKHRISABZ (BLD)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Departure to Chakhrisabz, the hometown of Timur or Tamerlane.
• You will discover the ruins of the White Palace – (14^th century) Ak Saray, the mosque of Imam Khazrati, all Dorut Tyllawat (the Abode of Reflexion) Dorus Saodat (the Abode of Power), the mausoleum Gumbazi Saidon (15 sec.) and mosque Kouk Gumbaz (15 sec.).
• Diner in Chakhrisabz.

DAY 7

CHAKHRISABZ – DERBENT (BLD)

• Take the road to Derbent (165 km) an authentic village surrounded by mountains.
• Arrival in Derbent in the afternoon.
• Settle at the hotel.
• A walk in the village at the foot of a high cliff. This is the point of passage towards the gorge and caves of Matchaï, the juniper forest archa Tajik and distant valleys.
• Climb the hill or small excursion to the source if the schedule of the day allows.

DAY 8

DERBENT – TODA – BOYSUN (BLD)

The Boysun region remained relatively isolated, the traditions are still intact.

• From the pretty village of Toda, a hike to the village of Sarossio amid stunning scenery and the foothills (2h30 to 3 hours walking, difference in altitude of 300 m).
• Lunch at Boysun or picnic.
• After lunch, go to the shrine and cascade Khoja Kochkor Ota.
• The vehicle will mount you as high as possible before ending the walk to the waterfall (1h to 1h30 walk).
• Night in Boysun.

DAY 9

BOYSUN – DENAU (BLD)

• Visit the folk museum Boysun (provided it is open)
• Then off to Denau, a small town sandwiched between the snowy mountains of Hissar chain Tchoulbair and Tajik border.
• After about 4 hours drive from Derbent, arrival in Denau where you take the narrow streets of its beautiful bazaar, fueled by cross-border trade.
• Visit the madrasas Sayyid Attalik and mosque under construction.
• Free end of day.
• Dinner with the locals.

DAY 10

DENAU – CENA – DENAU (BLD)

• A new day of beautiful hiking awaits you starting from the pretty village of Cena.
• Walk mountainside in the middle of the dry river bed and along a canyon. It is also an opportunity to meet people working on their plot of land (vines, fruit trees, etc.).
• 2-3 hours hiking as you wish, vertical drop of 200m +.
• Picnic lunch at Cena or Denau.
• In the afternoon, go by car to the waterfall Sankardak, 40 km from Denau.
• Return to Denau.

DAY 11

DENAU – TERMEZ (BLD)

• Free morning in Denau before leaving for Termez, passing through the small town of Jarkourgan and the unique minaret.
• Arrival in Termez after 3 hours drive, whose part through a small desert dune.
• Visit the city on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, at the confluence of the Sourkan Darya River and a few kilometers from the Afghan border.
• Dinner

DAY 12

TERMEZ – TASHKENT (BLD)

• The day is dedicated to visit the major cultural and heritage sites and nearby of Termez.
• First, the archaeological site of FayazTepe, gathering the remains of an ancient temple and a Buddhist monastery.
• Visit the Mausoleum of Hakim el Termezi, the patron saint of the city, mystical, jurist and Sufi writer of the 9^th
• Then the mysterious KyrkKyz fortress, originally many legends of “forty girls” for a unique opportunity to visit within a feudal fortress of Central Asia have probably welcomed the Samanids in the 9th century.
• The tour continues through the 17 mausoleums of Sultan Saodat where the tombs of dynasty descendant of the Prophet Ali are.
• Visit the Archaeological Museum of Termez.
• Transfer to Termez station to take the night train at 4:20 p.m.
• Dinner

DAY 13

TASHKENT (BLD)

• Arrival in Tashkent at about 8:20a.m, transfer to hotel.
• Panoramic discover of the capital of Uzbekistan.
• Visit the old town: Khasti Imam with the Barak-Khan madrasah, mausoleum and mosque Kaffal Chochiy Tilla Shaykh.
• Visit the market Chor-Su.
• Dinner

DAY 14

TASHKENT – PARIS (B–) (BLD)

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Free time to buy souvenirs.
• Lunch and transfer to the airport for France.