Art, Craft and Culture Tour of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan

Upon arrival at Tashkent International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your guide and transferred to your hotel. Take the rest of the day to relax and settle in at your own pace. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, where you can savor traditional Uzbek cuisine and get to know the group. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Lotte City Tashkent Palace
• Tourist Class: Florence Boutique or Ateca Suits
Meals Included: Dinner

This morning, we take a flight to Nukus, the capital of Uzbekistan’s Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan. The region is home to the Karakalpak people, whose culture and heritage are more closely related to Kazakhs than to Uzbeks. 

Nukus serves as the gateway to the rapidly disappearing Aral Sea, once fed by the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. The surrounding cotton fields reflect the monoculture that contributed to the Aral Sea’s decline, a stark reminder of human impact on nature. 

Our main highlight today is the Savitsky Art Museum, founded by Igor Savitsky. Thanks to his dedication, many avant-garde Russian paintings from the early 20th century banned in Moscow at the time found a haven here. The museum now houses the second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde art after the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. The fascinating story of this collection is captured in the award-winning documentary Desert of Forbidden Art, which we will explore during our visit. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Jipek Joly or Karakalpak Palace
• Tourist Class: Jipek Joly or Karakalpak Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Today, we journey through a stark and dramatic desert landscape, dotted with the ruins of ancient fortresses and abandoned cities that whisper stories of times long past. 

Along the way, we stop at Ayaz Kala, a fortress dating back as far as the 4th century BC, standing as a testament to the region’s rich history and strategic importance. 

Later, we continue our drive to Khiva, one of Uzbekistan’s most iconic Silk Road cities. In the afternoon, we take a guided walking tour through the old city, exploring its maze of narrow streets, historic madrasahs, and beautifully preserved architecture that transports us back in time. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Farovon, Orient Star
• Tourist Class: Malika Khivek, Shaherezada Boutique
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Legend has it that Khiva was founded when Shem, son of Noah, discovered a well here. By the 8th century, the town had grown into a small fort and trading post along a Silk Road branch connecting the Caspian Sea and the Volga. In the early 16th century, Khiva became the capital of the Timurid Empire, flourishing as a bustling slave market and the heart of the khanate for the next three centuries. Even the bravest travelers once feared the region’s fierce tribes until Russia annexed the area in the 19th century. 

Today, Khiva remains a walled city, remarkably preserved, where it’s easy to imagine life during the era of the emirs. We’ll spend the morning wandering its labyrinthine streets, exploring ruins and grand mosques that have stood for centuries. 

In the afternoon, we’ll tour this living museum, visiting the Ichon-Qala gates, Muhammad Amin and Rakhim Khan Medressas, Tosh-Khovli Palace, Islom-Huja Medressa, a woodcarving workshop, a UNESCO workshop, and the Applied Arts Museum. This day offers a unique glimpse into the life, culture, and artistry of Khiva across the centuries.  

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Farovon, Orient Star
• Tourist Class: Malika Khivek, Shaherezada Boutique
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

After breakfast, transfer to the train station for your journey to Bukhara, a city that exemplifies the Silk Road’s rich history and cultural heritage. Relax as the landscape unfolds along the way, from desert plains to historic caravan routes that have connected Central Asia for centuries. Upon arrival, start exploring Bukhara, a living museum of Islamic architecture and urban planning. The city centre, largely preserved as an architectural reserve, is home to over 140 protected monuments, including majestic fortresses, centuries-old madrassas, and traditional hammams (public baths). Wander through bustling market squares where merchants have traded for generations, and discover the intricate craftsmanship in the bazaars and artisan workshops. Highlights of your walking tour include the imposing Ark Fortress, the Chor Minor with its four distinctive minarets, and the tranquil courtyards of historic madrassas. Each site offers insight into Bukhara’s vital role as a centre of learning, commerce, and culture along the Silk Road. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Mercure Accor, Paradise Plaza, Labi Rud Premium, Shahriston
• Tourist Class: Makon Art, Lyabi House, Nodirabegim Boutique, Rizo Boutique
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Today, immerse yourself in the timeless charm of Bukhara as we explore its ancient quarter on foot. The city’s bustling trade domes, active mosques, and historic streets reflect its status as a key Silk Road hub. Highlights include the Kalyan Minaret, famously known as the “Tower of Death,” one of Central Asia’s tallest minarets, standing sentinel over the city for centuries. 

Stroll through the old town where local elders, with long white beards, sip tea and exchange stories as they have for generations. Bukhara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserves remarkable architecture from the 11th to 15th centuries, alongside structures dating back 2,500 years to the Zoroastrian period. 

Visit the monumental Ark Fortress, home to the Emir’s open-air throne room, and marvel at the Mausoleum of Ismail Samani, a 10th-century masterpiece of brickwork. Discover the scholarly heritage of the city at Barak Khan Seminary, Kukeldash Medressa, and Abul Khassim Medressa, as well as the Uzbek Museum of Applied Arts, showcasing centuries of craftsmanship. 

In the afternoon, venture to the outskirts to explore the summer palace of the last Emir, built under the influence of a Russian Czar, with its grand halls and private harem. Conclude your tour with Char Minar, a decorative gate of a former madrassa built in 1809, reflecting Indian-inspired architectural elements rather than traditional minarets. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Mercure Accor, Paradise Plaza, Labi Rud Premium, Shahriston
• Tourist Class: Makon Art, Lyabi House, Nodirabegim Boutique, Rizo Boutique
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Bukhara is renowned as a center for local artisans, and today you will witness their mastery firsthand at the Bukhara Artisan Development Centre, where craftspeople create exquisite works in a variety of traditional techniques. 

Spend the day exploring the city’s vibrant markets, where the Karavan Saray (trade domes) and former medressas display a dazzling array of Suzani embroidery, gold-thread textiles, carpets, jewelry, clothing, and traditional costumes. Suzani, meaning “needlework” in the Tajik language, reflects centuries of artistry and cultural heritage. 

You will also have some free time to explore the town’s colorful shops and soak in the atmosphere of this historic Silk Road city at your own pace. In the evening, enjoy a special dinner in a restored caravanserai, accompanied by local musicians and dancers in traditional costumes, bringing Bukhara’s vibrant culture to life.

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Mercure Accor, Paradise Plaza, Labi Rud Premium, Shahriston
• Tourist Class: Makon Art, Lyabi House, Nodirabegim Boutique, Rizo Boutique
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner 

This morning we depart Bukhara and drive towards Samarkand, with a fascinating stop in Gijduvan, the region’s renowned ceramic center. Here, you will witness artisans at work, preserving centuries-old techniques, including the traditional method of grinding natural dyes using a donkey-driven millstone an enduring symbol of local craftsmanship. 

Enjoy a unique lunch at a local potter’s home, offering an authentic taste of the region’s hospitality and culinary traditions. Afterward, continue your journey to Samarkand, stopping at the historic Caravan Sarai of Rabbat Malik, the remains of an ancient Silk Road inn that once welcomed travelers and traders from across Central Asia. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Hilton Garden Inn, Continental, Movenpick, Zafshon Parkside
• Tourist Class: Medina, Rayyan, Registon Saroy
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Samarkand, often hailed as the “Rome of the Orient,” was already flourishing long before the rise of Rome or Babylon. Today’s full-day tour explores the city’s extraordinary architectural and historical treasures. Begin at the iconic Registan Square, the heart of Samarkand, flanked by three stunning madrasas adorned with intricate tilework. 

Visit the Gur-Emir Mausoleum, the final resting place of Tamerlane, and the grand Bibi Khanym Mosque, once one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world. Stop at the bustling Siab Market, where you can sample local produce, including the region’s famous grapes and the world-renowned Samarkand melons, or purchase the city’s signature bread, a recipe even Alexander the Great sought to replicate. 

In the afternoon, explore the regal Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, home to some of Central Asia’s most sacred Islamic shrines, followed by the Afrosiab Museum, which preserves artifacts from the ancient city of Afrosiab. Conclude the day at the Observatory of Ulugh Beg, where Tamerlane’s grandson made groundbreaking astronomical observations in the 15th century, centuries before the invention of the telescope. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Hilton Garden Inn, Continental, Movenpick, Zafshon Parkside
• Tourist Class: Medina, Rayyan, Registon Saroy
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Today, we explore the rich textile heritage of Samarkand, beginning with a visit to the Samarkand-Bukhara Silk Carpet Factory, established to revive the traditional art of weaving silk carpets featuring classic Central Asian patterns. Witness master artisans at work, preserving techniques passed down through generations. 

Next, visit an ancient silk paper workshop, where you will learn about the meticulous process of creating this unique paper, a craft that has flourished in the region for centuries. 

The afternoon is at your leisure to relax, explore Samarkand at your own pace, or revisit favorite sites in the city. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Hilton Garden Inn, Continental, Movenpick, Zafshon Parkside
• Tourist Class: Medina, Rayyan, Registon Saroy
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

In the morning, transfer to the train station for a comfortable express train ride to Tashkent. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. Later we continue on a city tour of Tashkent includes visting the historic Old City with a visit to the Hazrati Imam Complex, the spiritual heart of the city. Explore the Barak-Khan Madrasah, Hazrati Imam Mosque, and Mausoleum of Kaffal Shashi, together forming one of Tashkent’s most important historic and religious landmarks.

Continue to Chorsu Bazaar, one of Tashkent’s oldest and most vibrant markets. Wander through colourful stalls filled with spices, dried fruits, fresh produce, sweets, and traditional Uzbek foods. Be sure to visit a traditional tandir bakery, where local bakers press non bread by hand against the walls of a clay oven. Try it warm from the oven for an authentic taste of everyday Uzbek life.

See another side of Tashkent aboard the city’s famous Metro, stopping at some of its most impressive stations, including Alisher Navoi, Uzbekistan, and Kosmonavtlar. Each station features its own distinctive architecture, mosaics, chandeliers, and artistic design.

Continue to the Museum of Applied Arts, housed in an elegant historic residence. Its collection of intricate embroidery, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, and wood carving offers an insight into Uzbekistan’s rich artistic and craft traditions.

The tour then continues to Independence Square, Tashkent’s principal ceremonial space and an important symbol of the country’s independence. Finish at Amir Timur Square, one of the city’s central landmarks, dominated by the monument to Amir Timur, the celebrated 14th-century ruler and statesman.

Note: The State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan is currently closed for renovation. We will add it back to the itinerary once it reopens to visitors.

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Lotte City Tashkent Palace
• Tourist Class: Florence Boutique or Ateca Suits
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Depart in the morning by road to Fergana, stopping en route in Kokand, the former capital of the Kokand Khanate during the 18th and 19th centuries. Visit the Khan’s Palace Museum, then continue to Rishtan, one of Central Asia’s most renowned ceramic centres. Here, visit the home and workshop of master potter Rustam Usmanov, where you will observe skilled artisans crafting and hand-decorating traditional Uzbek ceramics, including plates, bowls, and pitchers. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Asia or Voyage Hotel
• Tourist Class: Asia or Voyage Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

After breakfast, we drive to Margilan, visit the silk ikat weaving centre and Margilan craft centre, supported by UNESCO and housed in a historic madrassa. Of special interest here is the velvet ikat weaving workshop of Rasuljon Mirzaahmedov (some years ago Oscar de la Renta made a collection of Rasuljon’s fabrics). Next, we visit the Yodgorlik silk weaving factory in Margilan. This factory produces silk and cotton/silk ikat using traditional hand techniques and processes. We will get to see every aspect of the process, including reeling the silk from the cocoons, winding skeins and warps, natural dyeing, loom preparation and weaving. There is a lovely small shop here where you can purchase many exquisite examples of traditional Central Asian ikat. After the silk factory, transfer to the Dostlik border. 

Upon arrival, we are met by our Kyrgyz guide for our transfer to Osh town. We’ll enjoy an afternoon city tour of Osh, including a visit to Suleyman Mountain, Babur’s house, the history museum, Rabat Abdullah Khan Mosque and Mausoleum, and Osh Bazaar.

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Janat Hotel
• Tourist Class: Silkway or Sunrise Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast – Dinner

Morning departure towards Toktogul, with a stop en route at the historic Ozgen Minarets. Continue the scenic drive through hydro-power stations, passing the impressive Toktogul Water Reservoir and the Marble Pyramid, before arriving in Toktogul. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Rohkat Guest House
• Tourist Class: Rohkat Guest House
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

In the morning, we drive to Chong Kemin Valley via Ala-Bel Pass, Susamyr Valley and Teo-Ashu. 
Chon-Kemin Valley, which lies within the Tian Shan mountain range separating Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan with lush green valleys and snow-capped peaks. 
Exploring around the valley, hiking up to the forest to see the panoramic view of Kalmak-Ashuu Valley. 
We spend a night in one of the local guesthouses, fully decorated with antique embroidery, handicrafts and felts, with modern facilities. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Ashu Hotel
• Tourist Class: Aziz Guest House
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Today we drive to Kochkor village where you will visit the Altyn Kol Women’s Handicraft Co-operative Centre. 

Here, you will learn how nomadic Kyrgyz women made Shyrdak, and Ala-Kiyiz – a floor covering made by pressing felt of various naturally dyed colors. You will see the process of felt carpet-making and wool-dying. Kochkor is famous for farming and felt-makers. 

Later, we continue driving to Cholpon-Ata, Issyk-Kul. Visit Cholpon-Ata petroglyphs Saimalu-Tash, which covers 42 hectares and contains prehistoric monumental structures (stone circles, tombs, the remains of a boundary stone wall) and petroglyphs dating from 500 BC up to 600 AD. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Karven Group or Kapriz
• Tourist Class: 3 Corony
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Drive to Karakol, one of the first towns of the Russian Cossak settlements in the late 19th century. En route we visit Przevalski’s Memorial Museum, named for a great Russian explorer from the late 19th century. After lunch, we sightsee in Karakol. We visit the museum, Dungan (a pagoda type of mosque) and an Orthodox wooden whurch. You will enjoy walking along streets with blue-framed windows and gingerbread-style houses. Later, we have dinner at Uighur family house while enjoying an interesting Kyrgyz folk concert. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Green Yard or Karagat
• Tourist Class: Green Yard
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

If today falls on a Sunday, begin the morning with a visit to Karakol’s lively Sunday Animal Market at 7:30 a.m., offering a fascinating glimpse into local life and traditions. Afterwards, set out on a full-day adventure to the stunning Altyn Arashan Valley, travelling by rugged Russian 4×4 truck along a scenic yet bumpy mountain road. Surrounded by alpine landscapes, enjoy time to relax in one of the natural hot springs or explore the area on foot with short hikes. In the late afternoon, return to Karakol. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Green Yard or Karagat
• Tourist Class: Green Yard
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

In the morning, we drive to Jety Oguz Canyon, a lush green valley famous for its dramatic red sandstone formations known as the “Seven Bulls,” from which the valley takes its name. Enjoy time for a short hike through the scenic landscape or an optional horseback ride along the valley trails, followed by a picnic lunch in nature. In the afternoon, continue to the village of Bokonbaeva, where you’ll witness a traditional eagle-hunting demonstration as trained birds hunt rabbits. Later, visit the local Women’s Craft Centre to see the creation of shyrdaks (traditional felt rugs) and other beautifully crafted felt products. 

Take a short hike or choose horseback riding along the valley trails, then have a picnic lunch outdoors. 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Kyrgyz Traditional Yurt
• Tourist Class: Kyrgyz Traditional Yurt
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

In the morning, we drive to Kyzyl-Tuu village, where a member of a Kyrgyz family will show you how to make traditional yurt tents. 
Continue driving to Bishkek, stopping en route at the 11th-century Burana Tower. Upon arrival in Bishkek, enjoy a city tour that includes Central Square Alatoo, the White House, Parliament House, the Manas on Horse Statue, Lenin Statue, and Oak Park. 
We will also visit some handicraft studios of Aidai, a leading and well-known young felt-maker and designer based in Kyrgyzstan. She owns Kyal Handicraft and the Yurt Maker’s Non-Profit Organizations.http://www.christensenfund.org/2013/04/26/looking-at-the-world-through-felt-eye-glasses/ 

Hotel Options
• Comfort Class: Orion Hotel
• Tourist Class: Golden Dragon or Similar
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

Our service will end with airport transfer.  

Meals Included: Breakfast