Travel through history from Nomadic tribes and Muslim preachers to Silk Road traders and Soviet spies
Who can mention Samarkand, Bukhara or Khiva without conjuring images of the romance and intrigue of the Great Game, of skull caps and silk sashes, of fabulously coloured mosaic domes and minarets, or of a newly arrived caravan train of traders just out of the deserts of the east? This journey to the heart of Central Asia takes us back through the centuries but also gives us an insight into Uzbekistan’s more recent times.
2025 & 2026 itinerary
From 2025, this trip will be 15 days long and visit extra destinations including the Nurata Mountains where we’ll spend a night in a homestay in a traditional village; Karakalpakstan – where we’ll visit the Savitsky Museum of Soviet avant-guarde art in Nukus and remote Moynaq where we’ll see the eerie legacy of the Aral Sea disaster. We’ll also take a day trip from Tashkent to the Chimgan Mountains. See the “2025 & 2026” tab in the itinerary section for full details.
The 28 September 2024 departure of this trip features extra inclusions to mark the occasion: a visit to the world’s second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art at the Savitsky Museum in Nukus, a local meal at Ayaz Kala and a special-edition Exodus kitbag.
Highlights
Enjoy time to explore Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan
Visit the Kunya-Ark, the 12th-century fortress of the Khans
Discover Bukhara, a city with more than 900 historic monuments
Spend the night in a traditional yurt camp
Explore Samarkand, the greatest city on the Silk Road
Key Information
Accommodation 2024: 9 Classic nights (hotels), 1 Simple night (yurt)
Accommodation 2025: 11 Classic nights (hotels), 3 Simple nights (1 night homestay, 1 night yurt, 1 night sleeper train)
2024: Travel by private bus/minibus, train and internal flight
2025: Travel by private bus/minibus, train and sleeper train
Some long drives
Experience local culture and nature
Countries visited: Uzbekistan
What's Included
All accommodation (see below)
All transport and listed activities
2024: All breakfasts, two lunches and one dinner
2025: Breakfasts (except on sleeper train), four dinners, two lunches
Tour leader throughout
What's Not Included
Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations
People, Places & Planet
At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.
Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…
The adventure begins at our hotel in Tashkent. In the afternoon, we start our sightseeing of this Central Asian capital. This includes visiting Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City, home to mausoleums and bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to cool the summer heat. There are also very interesting museums and mosques.
Check-in on arrival is included today for those who arrive on flights in the early hours of the morning.
Accommodation: Gabrielle Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)
Day
2
Fly to Urgench; transfer to Khiva; city tour
In the early morning, we fly to Urgench, our base to visit Khiva and the desert sites. On arrival, we transfer to Khiva and visit the living museum that is the perfectly restored old city. We see the khan’s old residence, the Kunya-Ark 12th-century fortress, the tiled base of the never-completed Kalta Minar (which was originally planned to be taller than any minaret in Bukhara) and the beautiful mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud (the patron saint of Khiva). Many wedding parties and pilgrims visit the tomb and drink water from the courtyard well.
Please note: On occasions, it may not be possible to secure seats for the group on the flight to Urgench. In this instance, we will buy flights to Nukus instead, and the activities today and tomorrow will be reversed.
Additionally – select departures of this trip feature extra inclusions to mark Exodus’s 50th year: a visit to the world’s second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art – the Savitsky Museum in Nukus, a local meal at Ayaz Kala and a special edition Exodus kitbag. On these dates we’ll fly to Nukus rather than Urgench.
Accommodation: Malika Khiva Hotel or Malika Kheivak (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
3
Visit the desert castles of Toprak Qala, Qizil Qala and Ayaz Qala
After breakfast, we head to the arid plains of Khorezm, which were once densely populated marshlands, inhabited by Messagetae Scythians. These nomadic horseback archers fought to retain the land, even defeating Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in 529 CE.
We visit the 2,000-year-old ruined city fortress of Toprak-Qala, dramatically located with the Sultan Vais mountains as a backdrop. The settlement began in the first century BCE under Kushan patronage and was later devastated by Turkish raids that led to the depopulation of the town in the sixth century. Three large round towers and an impressive portion of the citadel remain, but the parchments and paintings found there are now in St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum. We also visit Qizil-Qala, formerly an important oasis with an impressive amount of remaining buildings, and finally Ayaz-Qala, an imposing hilltop fortress from the sixth century. We later return to Khiva to spend the night.
We travel approximately 185 miles (300 km) today, meaning around 6 hours in the vehicle over the course of the day.
Accommodation: Malika Khiva Hotel or Malika Kheivak (or similar)
Day
4
Drive across Central Asian Plateau and through desert to Bukhara
Today we take a 6 to 8-hour drive on sometimes poor roads to Bukhara, first crossing the fabled Amu-Darya (Oxus) River and then the Kizilkum Desert. If time allows, we may make a first visit to old Bukhara and have a cup of green tea at the fascinating chai-khana (tea house) at Laby Khauz (one of the water-filled stone pools).We break up the journey today with stops en route.
Accomodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel or Kabir Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Days
5 - 6
Two days to explore Bukhara, including the 12th-century Char Minar, Bolo Khauz Mosque and the old Summer Palace of the Emirs
We have two days sightseeing in Bukhara, the next of our great Central Asian cities. Bukhara has more than 900 historic monuments, and we spend time visiting many sites and wandering at leisure among the old city streets. Unlike Samarkand, the district of the old town has remained separate from the rest of Bukhara and has undergone lots of restoration and preservation in recent years. In addition to its importance as a trading centre, it is the perfect setting to sit and watch the world go by much as it has done for hundreds of years. Of particular interest is the Fortress Ark where, in the 19th century, the Emir of Bukhara had the English officers Stoddart and Connolly imprisoned and killed, and the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, a beautiful example of early Islamic architecture dating to the 10th century. We also visit the Emir’s rather kitsch Summer Palace, the old town with its domed bazaars and khauz (stone pools, which used to be the only water supply for the city), and the attractive 12th-century Char Minar. One of the great landmarks of Bukhara is the Kalyan minaret, known as the death tower, where many an unfaithful wife has met a sticky end.
Accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel or Kabir Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
7
Drive via Gijduvan and Rabad Malik to our yurt camp in the desert
From Bukhara we transfer to Gijduvan, which is renowned for its ceramics school. The skills have been passed from generation to generation and today Gijduvan is home to the sixth generation of potters from the Narzullayevs family. There will be a chance to visit the Museum of Ceramics and perhaps you might like to pick a souvenir at the potter’s shop. We’ll be treated to tea and Uzbek sweets here too.
Next, we drive to Rabat-i-Malik (a few kilometres before Navoi city) – medieval ruins of the Karakhanid epoch, where we make a short stop. This site was a portal of the caravanserai but sadly much of the rest of the rabat was destroyed in the 1968 earthquake. We’ll stop for lunch in Navoi and then drive to our Kazakh yurts. These are traditional round felt tents, which are spacious, colourful and comfortable inside. The Kazakh nomads still use them today. Our camp offers a glimpse into what life was like on the Silk Road and with a bit of luck we will watch a wonderful sunset, and then sit around the fire listening to a local musician (akyn).
We’ll drive about 180 miles (300 km) today, taking about five hours in total with stops along the way.
Accommodation: Yurt camp (three to four people per yurt)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day
8
Free time at Aidarkul Lake; visit Nurata, then continue to Samarkand
Today we walk and there is also the chance to ride camels for a short time towards Aidarkul Lake. The lake stretches through the desert within sight of the Nuratin Mountains; once there, we are free to explore the shoreline or swim.
Later, we transfer to Nurata (approximately 2hours 30 minutes – 3 hours), formerly known as Nur and founded in the third century BCE by Alexander the Great. This ancient town was once regarded as the frontier between the cultivated lands and the steppes, and the ruins of Alexander’s hilltop citadel stand testament to its ancient history. The city was also an important Muslim place of pilgrimage, reaching its peak in the 10th century as devotees flocked to its many significant graves and memorials. We stop at a 10th-century mosque and holy sites that have attracted pilgrims from across Central Asia. After a traditional lunch at a teahouse, we drive to Samarkand, a journey of about 215 miles (350 km), taking around five hours.
Please note, it is not possible for the whole group to ride camels at the same time due to camel numbers.
Accommodation: Dilshoda Hotel or Ideal Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day
9
Full-day tour in Samarkand visiting Registan Square, Ulugh Beg Observatory and Mausoleum of Tamerlane
Samarkand is a jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. We have a busy full day, taking in all the sights. There is the exquisite jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir, the resting place of Tamerlane, who is now being rapidly reinstated by the Uzbek government as a national hero. Perhaps the greatest treasure is Registan Square, Tamerlane’s outstanding creation, a vast complex of domes and minarets, mosques and medrassas. We also visit the equally beautiful necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda and the old observatory of Ulugh Beg, the greatest Muslim astronomer. Samarkand is still a major centre for textiles, carpets and art and is the perfect city to try your bargaining skills and explore the ancient site of the bazaar.
Accommodation: Dilshoda Hotel or Ideal Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
10
Free morning; return to Tashkent
This morning is left free for us to enjoy just a little more time in Samarkand. Perhaps visit the local bazaar to sample delicious fresh produce, or maybe return to the many stalls in the Registan Ensemble to find that perfect souvenir. Our adventure in Uzbekistan is almost complete as we leave Samarkand and take a high-speed train back to Tashkent in the late afternoon (please note, the train cannot be guaranteed as occasionally it is booked out by government officials or is unavailable, in which case we will drive instead). Tonight, we have a farewell dinner to mark the end of our travels and reflect on all we have seen.
Accommodation: Gabrielle Hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
11
End Tashkent
The trip ends after breakfast. If you’d like a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Tashkent.
Meals included: Breakfast
Itinerary
Tashkent
Tashkent
Day
1
Start Tashkent
Our adventure begins in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. There are no arranged activities today, as many flights arrive very late in the evening or early tomorrow morning. We arrange arrival transfers from the airport to the hotel for all Exodus customers. See the Joining Instructions in the Trip Notes for more details.
Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)
Day
2
Explore Tashkent's old centre
Late morning, we start our sightseeing of this Central Asian capital. This includes visiting Independence Square, which is flanked by public buildings and water fountains, and the Old City, home to mausoleums and bazaar. Tashkent was largely destroyed by earthquakes in the 1960s and was rebuilt in true Soviet style with pleasant leafy boulevards and lots of fountains to cool the summer heat. There are also very interesting museums and mosques. This evening we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before returning to our hotel.
Some flights arrive into Tashkent in the early hours of this morning giving a few hours for some rest before the city tour starts late morning.
Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day
3
Train to Samarkand: Registan Square, Ulugh Beg Observatory & Tamerlane's mausoleum
This morning we travel to Samarkand by high-speed train (approximately 2 hours 15 minutes). Samarkand is a jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. We have a busy day, taking in many of the sights. There is the exquisite jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir, the resting place of Tamerlane, now considered by many to be an Uzbek national hero. Perhaps the greatest treasure is Registan Square, Tamerlane’s outstanding creation, a vast complex of domes and minarets, mosques and madrassas. We visit the grandiose Bibi Khanum mosque, and the magnificent Gur-Emir mausoleum, where Tamerlane, his sons, and his grandson Ulugbek are buried.
Samarkand is still a major centre for textiles, carpets and art and is a great place to try your bargaining skills and explore the bazaar.
Accommodation: Ideal Hotel or Malika Prime (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
4
Samarkand: ceramics painting & paper making master class
We continue our exploration of Samarkand today. We visit the observatory of Ulugbek – the grandson of Tamerlane, the famous ruler and astronomer. Shahi-Zinda – the necropolis of the rulers and nobility of Samarkand, consisting of many magnificently decorated mausoleums, and Siab bazaar. We enjoy a master class on making and painting ceramics, as well as a demonstration on creating silk paper using medieval technology in the village of Konigil.
Accommodation: Ideal Hotel or Malika Prime (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
5
Free morning in Samarkand. Drive to the Nurata mountains
This morning we have free time in Samarkand for shopping or further exploration.
In the afternoon we drive to the Nurata mountains through the regional center of Jizzakh. We make our way to the ancient mountain village of Sentyab – nestled into a fertile green river valley. We’ll have time for a scenic walk to explore the village, before cooking a traditional dish with our hosts.
Accommodation: Homestay – up to four people per shared room (no single supplement available).
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day
6
Mountain village walk. Drive to yurt camp
This morning we take an easy hike (3-4 hours) to the ruins of the ancient village, where the houses were originally built of flat stone. We descend to the river to inspect petroglyphs, and visit local craftsmen who weave carpets and embroider suzani. After lunch, we drive west for three hours to the Kyzylkum desert, where we will stay overnight at a simple yurt camp. After arriving, we take a walk in the vicinity of the camp, and get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the desert. After dinner, we sit around a large bonfire while listening to a traditional folk music player who will sing with a dombra (a stringed instrument), and admire the constellations.
Accommodation: Yurt camp with two people per yurt (no single supplement available)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day
7
Camel ride, lunch near Aydarkul lake. Tour of Nur. Sleeper train to Kungrad
After breakfast, we can take a short ride on two-humped Bactrian camels, before heading to nearby Aydarkul Lake. Aydarkul is a huge lake (more than 125 mi / 200km long) surrounded on all sides by the sands and dunes of the Kyzyl-kum desert. Here we can relax, swim from the sandy beach, and have lunch.
In the afternoon, we drive towards the city of Navoi. On the way, we visit Nur, a holy place of pilgrimage. After a short exploration of the city, we continue to Navoi and take a sleeper train departing around 8.30pm to Kungrad, arriving around 9.30 am tomorrow.
Accommodation: Overnight train in four berth shared sleeper compartments (no single supplement available)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day
8
Karakalpakstan: Witness the man-made Aral Sea disaster at Moynaq, drive to Nukus
We arrive into Kungrad this morning and the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous (at least in name) republic of Uzbekistan. The Karakalpak people have a culture and language closer to that of the Kazakhs than Uzbeks. Once an area of agricultural importance, Karakalpakstan now suffers greatly from drought. The Amu Darya River (historically known as the Oxus) ran into the Aral Sea but Soviet era irrigation schemes, particularly for the production of cotton mean that the river no longer reaches the sea, causing an environment tragedy and the dramatic shrinking of the sea.
We’ll drive from Kungrad to Moynaq which takes about two hours. Moynaq was formerly an important fishing port on the shores of the Aral Sea. The sea is long gone and all that’s left behind are the rusting remains of the fishing fleet sat on the dry sea bed amidst what is now a bleak, lunar-like landscape. We’ll have time to look around and see the town’s small museum. At times, the area can be dusty, temperatures high and air quality poor, caused in large part by the disappearance of the sea. We leave Moynaq and drive about three hours to Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan for the night.
Accommodation: Pana Hotel or Jipek Joli Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Lunch
Day
9
Visit Savitskiy art museum; explore ancient desert fortresses. Drive to Khiva
This morning we visit the Savitskiy art museum. The museum houses an important collection of Soviet avant-garde art, as well as a collection of historical artifacts of ancient Khorezm and a collection relating to Karakalpak culture. During Soviet times, Igor Savitsky came to Karakalpakstan on an archeaological dig. Being far from Moscow and in a remote city, he was able to acquire a vast collected of banned, dissident avant garde art and set-up the museum which opened in 1966.
Leaving Nukus, we’ll visit the Mizdakhkan necropolis before beginning the drive to Khiva (which takes about six hours). On the way, we visit the Zoroastrian Chalpyk dakhma and the ancient Ayaz-Kala fortress where we enjoy dinner at a yurt camp before the final leg of our journey to Khiva.
Accommodation: Malika Kheivak or Bek Minor (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day
10
Full day in Khiva, walking tour of the walled city
We spend today exploring Khiva. We start with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ichan Kala, the inner fortress of Khiva. While exploring the open-air museum city, we see the Kalta Minor minaret decorated with colored tiles, Kunya Ark Fortress (the former residence of Khiva khans), the complex of Pahlavan Mahmud (a national hero and poet), Islam Khoja minaret and madrasah, Juma Mosque, the Tash Khauli and Allakuli Khan palaces. We will also visit local artisan workshops where we see the production of Khiva wool and silk carpets, embroidery, ceramic products, and wood inlays.
Accommodation: Malika Kheivak or Bek Minor (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
11
Train through the Kyzyl-Kum desert to Bukhara
Today we travel across the Kyzyl-Kum desert from Khiva to Bukhara by train
Bukhara has more than 900 historic monuments, and we spend time visiting many sites and wandering at leisure among the old city streets. Unlike Samarkand, the district of the old town has remained separate from the rest of Bukhara and has undergone lots of restoration and preservation in recent years. In addition to its importance as a trading centre, it is the perfect setting to sit and watch the world go by much as it has done for hundreds of years.
Accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel, Hotel Fatima, Sultan Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
12
Explore Bukhara
We spend the day exploring Bukhara. Of particular interest is the Fortress Ark where, in the 19th century, the Emir of Bukhara had the English officers Stoddart and Connolly imprisoned and killed, and the mausoleum of Ismail Samani, a beautiful example of early Islamic architecture dating to the 10th century. We also visit the Emir’s rather kitsch Summer Palace, the old town with its domed bazaars and khauz (stone pools, which used to be the only water supply for the city), and the attractive 12th-century Char Minar. One of the great landmarks of Bukhara is the Kalyan minaret, known as the death tower, where many an unfaithful wife has met a sticky end.
Accommodation: Kavsar Boutique Hotel, Hotel Fatima, Sultan Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
13
Morning in Bukhara, evening train to Tashkent
We continuation our tour of Bukhara today before boarding a high-speed train to Tashkent in the afternoon. After arriving in the evening, we transfer to our hotel and have the rest of the evening free to relax.
Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
14
Chimgan mountains and solar furnace
We have a day trip out of Tashkent today visiting the Ugam-Chatkal National Park in the Chimgan mountains. This includes a visit to the resort of Amirsai and a cable car ascent to an observation point at an altitude of 7,545 ft / 2,300 metres above sea level giving views of the snow-capped peaks of the Tien Shan, Charvak reservoir and hydroelectric dam.
We’ll also visit “The Sun” heliocomplex at Parkent today. This is a gigantic solar furnace built in the 1980s for the Soviet Union’s Institute of Solar Physics. A vast series of mirrors concentrate the sun’s rays creating the furnace which is still in use today.
Accommodation: Gabrielle International hotel or Milan Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
15
End Tashkent
Our trip ends after breakfast this morning. If you’d like a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Tashkent.
Meals included: Breakfast
Essential Info
This trip includes several train journeys, and a domestic flight which are a great way to cover long distances in Uzbekistan. Tickets are in high demand. We recommend booking this trip at least 45 days in advance to ensure we can get space on trains and planes. Please provide us with your passport details at the time of booking, without this we cannot purchase tickets. Bookings less than 45 days before departure are welcome, but subject to availability of trains and planes.
Is this trip for you?
This trip is graded Activity Level 1 (Easy). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.
This is a generally undemanding trip with reasonable roads for the most part and time for sightseeing. Most of the accommodation is modest but clean, mostly with private facilities.
This is an extremely rewarding trip if you want to explore the heart of Central Asia and are prepared for a few long drivers, early starts/long days, and hot (and sometimes cold) temperatures. Tourist services and facilities can be patchy and erratic. Tolerance and flexibility are required, and for this you will be rewarded with an insight into local life. The camel ride at Aidarkul Lake is optional and usually people walk alongside the camels after an initial 20-minute to 30-minute ride.
Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Gabrielle Hotel, 1 Khumo St, Tashkent 100070 Phone: +998 98 115 91 19 Recommended arrival time: Before 10am at the start hotel to catch the afternoon city tour Airport: Tashkent Airport (TAS)
Getting to the start hotel
The start hotel is approximately 15 minutes’ drive from the airport. Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.
If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Catching your return flight
There’s a group departure transfer to the airport for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Tashkent Location end: Tashkent
Vaccinations and Health
Uzbekistan
There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis and typhoid. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.
Visa
Uzbekistan
All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your entry date into Uzbekistan. It is your responsibility to have the correct personal documents and to obtain your own visa, if one is necessary, in accordance with the regulations of the country you are to visit. The information below is primarily for UK passport holders, and other nationalities should check with their travel agent or the relevant embassies. We are not responsible for the actions of local immigration and customs officials, whether at points of entry or otherwise, and any subsequent effects.
Anyone travelling on a British Citizen, Australian, New Zealand, or Canadian passport can enter Uzbekistan as a visitor (for tourism or business purposes) for stays of up to 30 days without a visa. For a full list of nationalities that are eligible for a visa-free visit of up to 30-days, please visit https://www.uzembassy.uk/page/319?language=en
Many other nationalities are eligible for a simplified visa in advance (without the need for an authorisation letter of invitation), including USA. If you are eligible for a visa in advance then you should apply for one as for visas upon arrival, a letter of invitation is still required. Should you need an authorisation letter, please contact Exodus at least 8 weeks before departure as we can arrange this for you through our local operator.
It is no longer necessary for you to complete a currency declaration form upon arrival (unless you are carrying over US$2,000 with you). However, as this has only recently been implemented (summer 2018), you will still need to keep your receipts given by each hotel that you stay in – please hold on to these as they may be checked when you leave.
There are restrictions on bringing medicine into Uzbekistan. If you have any medicine we recommend you check with the Uzbekistan Embassy about allowed quantities. You should also bring copies of your prescriptions and declare them upon arrival. Visa regulations can change without notice: please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.
Food & Drink
All breakfasts, two lunches and one dinner are included.
Please note, vegetarian food choices may be rather limited. If you are strictly vegetarian or have any special dietary requirements, please notify us well in advance. In Uzbekistan, the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home.
Drinking water is included and will be provided in large containers for you to refill your bottle – please bring a reusable bottle with you.
Weather
These areas of Central Asia have long, extremely hot summers, but the winters are very cold. The July and August departures may be rather hot with afternoon temperatures often reaching 40C (104F). Other trips are planned for spring and autumn when the temperature should not be below 5C (41F) at night and may be up to 25C-30C (77F-86F) during the day. Sunny weather with clear skies should be experienced but there can be some rain at this time of year. Occasionally, there are periods of unexpectedly hot or cold weather.
Hotels and a traditional yurt
We spend nine nights in hotels and one night in a basic yurt. The hotels are typically small and well located for our adventures, often close to the main sites and attractions. Below are the hotels we typically use:
Tashkent: Gabrielle Hotel or Milan Hotel (nights 1 and 10)
Khiva: Malika Khiva Hotel or Malika Kheivak (nights 2-3)
Bukhara: Kavsar Boutique Hotel or Kabir Hotel (nights 4-6)
Yurt camp: (night 7)
Samarkand: Dilshoda Hotel or Ideal Hotel (nights 8-9)
2025 itinerary: Hotels, homestay, yurt and sleeper train
We spend ten nights in hotels, one night in a basic yurt camp, and one night on a sleeper train. The hotels are typically small and well located for our adventures, often close to the main sites and attractions. Below are the hotels we typically use:
Tashkent: Gabrielle Hotel or Milan Hotel (nights 1-2 and 13-14)
Samarkand: Ideal Hotel or Malika Prime (nights 3-4)
Nurata: Homestay (night 5)
Kyzylkum desert: Yurt camp (night 6)
Nukus: Pana Hotel or Jipek Joli Hotel (night 8)
Khiva: Malika Kheivak or Bek Minor (nights 9-10)
Bukhara: Kavsar Boutique Hotel or Hotel Fatima or Sultan Hotel (nights 11-12)
Worth knowing
If you would like your own room, a limited number of single supplements are available on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis – please request this at the time of booking. The single supplement is not available for three nights of the trip – the homestay, yurt camp and sleeper train.
The hotels normally used are indicated within the itinerary; however, accommodation may differ from those stated depending on your departure date.
Homestay: rooms are shared, with up to four people per room. There are shared toilets and showers (typically two showers and two toilets in total).
Yurt camp: yurts are not part of Uzbek culture, but the country is a mix of different ethnic groups, including Kazakhs who were nomadic and use yurts. The yurts are set-up for tourists, have shared, basic washing facilities and toilets as well as a dining yurt. You may have to share a yurt with more than one other person (two people to a yurt). The yurt camp is very simple and offers limited comfort, however it is well positioned to let us visit Aydarkul lake giving an interesting addition to the trip.
Sleeper train: The railway has long been a popular way of travelling around the ex-Soviet Union and this is a great experience and insight into Uzbek life. On the train from Navoi to Kungrad, we use second-class carriages with four-berth cabins.
At the homestay, yurt camp and on the sleeper train, where possible, men and women who are not travelling together don’t have to share, but this cannot be guaranteed.
A fantastic country, with open and welcoming people who are delighted to see European tourists, incredible sights and inspiring interiors
Most Inspirational Moment
The interior of the Amur Timur mausoleum, a true wow moment…or arriving in Khiva to feel we were really on the Silk Road…no, the Registan or, or… in other words, the whole holiday
Thoughts on Group Leader
Takhir handled the usual “mixed” personalities with diplomacy and care. His telling of the stories behind the sites demonstrated his passion for history
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go
Louisa Chowen
Reviewed May 2024
Spectacular
One of the most beautiful places I’ve been from the turquoise blue mosaics and the hand crafted embroidery and silks to the art deco style space metro station and Soviet constructivist sculptures
Thoughts on Group Leader
Tahir was kind, knowledgeable and consistently there for us whether it was endlessly changing money from one currency to another or patiently waiting for one or other of us, his recommendations of where to eat and what to eat, moving is between local eateries to internal flights and local trains and finally using his contacts to reclaim my coat after I left it on the last day in the train station hundreds of miles from Tashkent ~ a remarkable human being
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go!
Joanna Bending
Reviewed April 2024
Comprehensive trip, well organised, great guide
The trip was well-paced, with a good variety of activities, transport and visits. It was great to have a larger coach, so we all had a window seat for long journeys. The hotel in Samarkand was nice, but a bit far from the main attractions when we had free time.
Most Inspirational Moment
The long drive from Bukhara to Samarkand, stopping for drinks and toilet breaks in places where people have been doing exactly the same thing for thousands of years!
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader, Dilshod, was excellent. Incredibly knowledgeable and experienced, he balanced the needs of a diverse group very well.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't listen to anyone who tells you that Uzbekistan is unsafe or inaccessible. The recent tourism initiative has got rid of pretty much all red-tape, and there is virtually no street crime etc. Much less stressful than travelling in Egypt or the US! The vegetarian food is also much better than everyone leads you to believe.
B Jeffs
Reviewed October 2023
The Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan do not disappoint
Uzebekistan did not disappoint. All the main sites in Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand are stunning, and the Uzbek people extremely friendly and welcoming. We were also lucky enough to get to visit the Savitsky Museum in Nukus due to the lack of flights to Urgench, and this was an additional highlight of the trip – I would recommend that Exodus consider including this in the regular itinerary, as it really didn’t add on much time to what was already a long drive anyway. Unfortunately, I can not be so positive about the night at the Yurt camp. While I enjoyed the drive through the desert and a chance for a little more wilderness and wildlife on what is generally a city-heavy trip, the actual camp was just an uncomfortable gimmick. There was no effort made by the camp, nor our team leader, to explain the history of Yurts and its relevance to Uzbek culture, and in reality we found ourselves in a busy basic campsite alongside about 3 other large noisy tour groups with limited and dirty toilet facilities (unlike the picture on the Exodus website which shows a small group of Yurts). We also weren’t given the opportunity (unlike the other groups) to camel ride as advertised in the itinerary – we had to either do it immediately on arrival, or not at all. Most worryingly, there was an enormous pile of abandoned plastic and broken glass behind the main Yurt buildings – hardly a sustainable experience. I would strongly recommend that Exodus just forget this Yurt experience, especially as it still requires a subsequent long and tiring ride to get to Samarkand the next day, which is especially painful after very little sleep in the Yurt and waiting arounf until 9.30 am to leave (unlike the other groups). If this trip must visit the desert, I would have preferred to stay in a local guesthouse in Nurata or somewhere similar (as some other companies do), and find out more about living in the desert environment – we leaned nothing at the Yurt camp other than not to do it again!
Most Inspirational Moment
Strolling around the beautiful streets of Khiva at night - hardly anyone else around and very atmospheric.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our tour leader Barbor was very proud of his country, and certainly knew his history. However, he was not the best at handling or organising a group, and I feel that our tour did suffer because of this - it felt like we had a lot of wasted opportunities. For example, instead of using the long bus journeys to explain what we would be doing that day, and the approximate timings and activities, he would wait to tell us everything on arrival, wasting valuable time. In addition, he was often vague about the sequence of sites and visits. This was particularly relevant in Samarkand when we lost the opportunity to visit the bazaar, which then turned out to be closed the next day when we had some free time. He would also sometimes "disappear" when we most needed him (e.g., on our first day in Tashkent when we were told we had 30 minutes for lunch but had no idea how to find it [especially given we had just arrived on a late night flight]). I feel that with another guide we could have had a richer experience. As it was, the tour was just ok.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It is easy to change money from dollars/pounds on the first day - we found that $200 each for the whole trip was just enough. It is almost impossible to use your credit card anywhere you visit apart from Samarkand, so you will need cash. Enjoy the bullet train from Samarkand to Khiva. I is a real treat and it was fun getting to 231 km/hr - beat that! Walking around at any time of day or night felt completely safe, and the tourist police (in Bukhara) are especially helpful even if it is just o ask directions. Buy any souvenirs in Bukhara or Khiva - Samarkand surprisingly does not have the same opportunities. Organise your own final group dinner in Tashkent or, perhaps better still, have it the day before in Samarkand. We ended up at the Gabrielle hotel in Tashkent were we were staying, the service is awful and the food expensive (perhaps why the tour leader chose not to stay and eat).
David Arnold
Reviewed June 2023
Stunning architecture
95% of the mausoleums, pishtaqs and madrasahs, though built many hundreds of years ago, are subject to very frequent maintenance and in some cases rebuilding. As such they look like new! There are a few ruins but these are mainly to be found in the desert.
Most Inspirational Moment
Gur-i Amir at night in Samarkand
Thoughts on Group Leader
Encyclopaedic knowledge of the country and it's history.
Advice for Potential Travellers
As with any tour the local agency make changes to the itinerary. In this case the camel ride (Day 8) was just 10-15 minutes shortly after we arrived at the Yurt camp (Day 7). The trip notes highlight a 10 to 11 hour drive on bad roads (Day 4) but it doesn't advertise the 6 hour drive under similar conditions on Day 8. Unfortunately the vehicle used throughout did not have suitable air-con so in the 38-40C we all struggled a bit. Day 10 "we have a farewell dinner..." states the trip notes. If you want a farewell dinner you have to arrange it yourself as the local company doesn't do it. Having said that after the journey from Samarkand to Tashkent you arrive back at the hotel at 20:45 and several did not want to eat at that hour knowing we had an early start for the airport the next day.
Nick Potter
Reviewed May 2022
A revelation!
Finally travelling again after a tough couple of years and I couldn’t have picked a better place for my first trip – Uzbekistan. I understand the group I was on was the first time the trip had run since the lockdowns, but everything ran smoothly, and it was a great group of people I was travelling with.
The toughest part of the trip was arriving into Tashkent at 3am, getting to the hotel at 4am and then back up at 10am for a day tour around the capital! However our guide – Dilshod – was excellent and pitched things at the right level considering most of the group were sleep deprived!
The next day was another early start and a flight up to Khiva. Part of the reason I chose the Exodus trip is because it went there (some tour companies skip this) and it didn’t disappoint. The hotel was ideally situated just by the gates into the old city allowing us to wander in and explore on our own after Dilshod had shown us around the main sites. We were also lucky enough to experience the preparations for an international traditional dance festival the Uzbek Tourism board have started and as a result there were many locals in traditional costume wandering the old city.
Next stop was Bukhara which I adored. There’s so much to see and do here and whilst the area around the hotel (Lyabi House complex) did feel very touristy, there were many locals around too and it was a short walk to many of the key sites. The free time here in the evening and during the afternoon on the final day in Bukhara was great to just wander at your own pace, or, after a few days in the heat, to visit a hammam as a couple of us did, to relax and get the knots in your shoulders/back pummelled away!
The drive from Bukhara to Samarkand is a long one which I’d guess is why there’s a stop at a yurt camp in order to avoid a super long day. I’ve spent a couple of weeks in yurts in Mongolia which were smaller but nicer than those here. I’m not sure if its because they haven’t had many guests during the pandemic, but the yurt camp felt a little run down, but it was only for a single night.
Samarkand, like Bukhara has loads to see and keep you busy but definitely feels more of a big city than Bukhara did. However, the scale of the buildings here dwarf anything in Bukhara with their sheer size. The jewel in Samarkand’s crown is of course the Registan and its certainly impressive. Definitely go back on your own when the sun has set to see it lit up.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Kudos must go to our guide, Dilshod. He was superb – even rearranging personal evening plans a few times to help the group out ordering dinner, etc and on the long bus trips was full of knowledge, history and jokes, keeping everyone entertained.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Nope - just book it and go! You won't regret it.
Jill Haydock
Reviewed August 2019
Go and experience Uzbekistan
An amazing trip if you’re interested in Early to modern civilisation, beautiful architecture and a country rediscovering its heritage and crafts. The people are very welcoming, dress code is relaxed and beer or wine is always an option at mealtimes. It’s a country worth seeing now.
Most Inspirational Moment
The unexpected ‘wild swim’ in the lake and visiting the beautiful Shah-I-Zinda on the day families were celebrating Eid are both magical memories.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Absolutely fantastic! Dilshod’s knowledge of ancient and modern history, the architecture, crafts and culture in each city was phenomenal; and his willingness to share his own stories of recent history put this trip right up with the best.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you have a problem with pillows try and take your own travel pillow!
Ann Burnett
Reviewed June 2019
Inexperienced guide
I have had to give this trip a 2 star because of the guide, although I take no pleasure in doing this. He was inexperienced and quite unfriendly at times. This was my 6th Exodus trip and this was my worst ever guide by a long way. See group leader section.
Most Inspirational Moment
I absolutely loved swimming in Aidarkul Lake and the desert scenery on the way to and from the yurt. I also loved Samarkand and particularly Shah-i-Zinda.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Shakh appeared to be inexperienced, he lacked friendliness at times and he showed a complete lack of interest in the fact that I was very badly ill twice. I had arrived a few days earlier (as a solo female traveller) and the day before I met the group I suffered sickness and diarhoea. On first meeting Shakh at the group meeting I mentioned this to him and I could not believe the almost complete lack of interest. In fact, I thought this so unusual, that I repeated myself in case he had not heard. We later went on our tour of Tashkent and I very nearly fainted (as I had not eaten due to the bug). Again Shakh was barely interested, pointed to a door where I could reach the outside and left me to it. Only when the other members of the group asked me if I was OK did Shakh very briefly check on me. A few days after that the bug returned and I was up all night with the worst illness I have ever encountered. The next day I again mentioned this to the guide and he was still uninterested (and no offers of pharmacy stops were made).
Other problems with Shakh were:-
not having sufficient water for our group in the first few days of the trip (at the desert fortresses we had run out of water completely in the heat and we also run out of water in the morning at Khiva). In fact, at the desert fortresses, I asked Shakh where the water was and he snapped back that he had not picked up the 10 litre bottle yet. As we had driven from the airport at Nukus there had been plenty of opportunity to pick up water. After that I no longer trusted Shakh to provide water and just bought my own to make sure I always had a supply.
I have been on 5 other Exodus trips and on all those trips the guide has eaten with the group and the guides have been good/fantastic. This guide did not eat with us on the first night in Tashkent nor the first night in Samarkand and on around 4 or 5 other occasions.
He was not always very friendly or smiley, which I think is the requirement of a guide. In fact one time we passed him in the street during our free time and he did not even smile or acknowledge us.
The restaurant chosen for our final lunch in Samarkand was appalling in terms of service and again Shakh sat at a neighbouring table. Some of our food took an hour and a quarter or more to arrive and no complaints were made by him, to my knowledge. Then when the bill came the prices had changed markedly, for example the soup price had increased by over 50% and all the other prices had changed. This situation was awful and was handled very badly by the guide.
The coach was not always asked to collect us, e.g from right outside the airport, so we were left with quite long distances to drag our cases. This was not really a problem for me as I had a rucksack (albeit a heavy one) but some of the other travellers were in their 70's and I am sure they would have benefited from being picked up.
Shakh gave out his mobile number in case of emergency, with instructions NOT to ring him at night. Whilst I am sure most people would not ring the guide at night, emergencies can of course happen at night.
On a more positive note Shakh was very knowledgeable about the history and geography of Uzbekistan and I very much enjoyed his commentaries, especially when he told us about his wedding. He also improved as the 11 days progressed (except for the final lunch incident). However I think being completely uninterested in the health of your travellers is completely unacceptable.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Sadly a number of people in our group were ill. Take plenty of rehydration salts. The bread is at least delicious, so you can survive on that!
Do get out for a walk in the area around the yurt. I had a couple of little walks and it was so peaceful and the wildlife great.
Reply from Exodus
We would like to thank Ann for her review; we were pleased to read she enjoyed the itinerary and found it to have a good combination of nature and cities, as we feel this is something that makes Uzbekistan such a special country to visit. We were, however, very sorry to read that she was disappointed with her tour leader, Shahrukh. Having discussed this with a member of the Exodus team who has also travelled with Shahrukh, who is an experienced guide, we feel that he has potential to be a great tour leader for us, so we have asked the local team to carry out some additional training regarding what is expected by Exodus and our clients. While we are sorry that this cannot alter Ann’s experience, we hope that this shows we have taken her review on board. Jennifer Cox – Product Manager
George Garland
Reviewed June 2019
Fascinating Place
The names of Samarkand and Bukhara have conjured dreams since my school days many years ago and I never thought I would have a chance to see them. The fall of the USSR and now visa-free travel has left this land of desert fortresses, caravan stops and the beautiful buildings covered in ornate blue tiles within reach. The land of Tamerlane, the vastness of the central Asian steppes and the magical cross-roads of civilisations and learning need to be seen to be believed.
Most Inspirational Moment
Arriving in Khiva and seeing the Silk Road monuments for the first time.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Shah is a young man fairly new to the industry. He is very knowledgeable but lacks some of the finesse and inter-personal skills that come with experience.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Uzbekistan is far easier to enjoy than imagined. Outside Tashkent English is widely spoken, particularly in the tourist industry and amongst the young. With a stay up to 15 days now visa free for tourists from a large range of countries including the UK this is the time to travel before too many people start making their plans and prices start rising.
Paul Grundy
Reviewed May 2019
Uzbekistan Uncovered
A good overview of the country taking in the historic and architectural highlights of Uzbekistan. Transport was Good although it was evident that the train journey was more often than not unavailable. On a personal note, I felt that the group size (16) was too large.
Most Inspirational Moment
The city of Khiva was the highlight for me. Still relatively unaffected by mass tourism and the locals were pleasant (as they were throughout) and interested to learn about their visitors.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent, well informed and concerned for the welfare of the group.
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Land Only Trip Price3 120 €
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Optional Single Supplement+306 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 120 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 120 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 120 €
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Optional Single Supplement+306 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 120 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 240 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 240 €
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Optional Single Supplement+306 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 240 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 120 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Optional Single Supplement+342 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Optional Single Supplement+342 €
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
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Optional Single Supplement+342 €
Availability
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
Book with 870 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement+342 €
Availability
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Land Only Trip Price3 480 €
Book with 870 € deposit
Optional Single Supplement+342 €
Availability
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