Uzbek boy with bread , Samarkand , Uzbekistan
The Stans of Central Asia : Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan : Tashkent , Samarkand , Bukhara , Khiva , Nukus | Turkmenistan : Ashgabat For departure dates , available single space , and pricing , visit www . oattravel . com / slkpricing
18 days from $ 5795 including international airfare Single Supplement : FREE Save a FULL 10 %, up to $ 630 , with our Good Buy Plan — reserve by 3 / 31 / 23 Valid for June 2023-December 2024 departures
Journey into Central Asia ’ s heartland and uncover the rich legacy of the Silk Road , the ancient trade routes linking China to the West . In Uzbekistan , travel to Tashkent to relive the romance of traders laden with precious silks and spices and explore the medieval streets , tiled madrassahs , and lavish palaces of Bukhara and Samarkand . In Turkmenistan , discover the white-marbled capital of Ashgabat . And throughout your adventure , enjoy intimate glimpses into local life made possible only by O . A . T .’ s small group size .
WHAT TO EXPECT
View all physical requirements at www . oattravel . com / slk
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • Depart U . S . Depart for your flight to Tashkent , Uzbekistan , via Istanbul , Turkey .
DAY 2 • Istanbul , Turkey • Tashkent , Uzbekistan Land in Tashkent and meet your fellow travelers , including those who took our Tajikistan : Khujand & Dushanbe pre-trip extension .
DAY 3 • Tashkent Walk to Independence Square , a symbol of freedom for the Uzbekistan people who declared their independence from Russia in 1991 . The
Courage Monument was erected after an earthquake struck the city in 1966 .
B , L , D — Lotte City Hotel or similar
DAY 4 • Tashkent ’ s Old Town Visit Barak Khan Madrassah , a historical monument that has become a center for local artists and craftsmen . See one of the world ’ s oldest Korans , and visit Chorsu Bazaar , Tashkent ’ s famous green-domed market .
B — Lotte City Hotel or similar
DAY 5 • Samarkand • Ulugh Beg Observatory
• Tamerlane ’ s mausoleum Journey to Samarkand , one of the oldest cities in the world . Later , visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory , a 15th-century astronomical center that was one of the most advanced in the Islamic world Then , visit Gur Emir , the mausoleum of conqueror Tamerlane and his descendants .
B , L , D — Sultan Boutique Hotel or similar
DAY 6 • Samarkand • Home-Hosted Dinner Explore Samarkand , including Registan Square , Bibi-Khanum Mosque , and Siab Bazaar . Later , drive to Shah-i-Zinda , a towering necropolis where a cousin of the prophet Muhammad is buried . This evening , enjoy a Home-Hosted Dinner with a local Uzbek family .
B , L , D — Sultan Boutique Hotel or similar
DAY 7 • Samarkand • Controversial Topic : Arranged marriages in Uzbekistan • Gissar Mountains Hike the foothills of the Gissar Mountains , concluding at Ohilik , a small mountain village where we ’ ll engage with the locals before returning to Samarkand . Later , join two local women for a conversation about a Controversial Topic : arranged marriage in Uzbekistan .
B , L — Sultan Boutique Hotel or similar
114 The Stans of Central Asia : Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan