Price includes: International and internal flights, airport/hotel transfers, hotels as stated or similar with daily breakfast & lunch, air conditioned private car and English speaking local guides for excursions and visits as per programme, admission fees, visa to Uzbekistan. Single room supplement is £250 per person. Price excludes : insurance, camera & video fees, tipping, optional entertainments and any service not specified.

Day 1: Departure in the evening from London Heathrow . Fly with Uzbekistan Airways to Tashkent.

Day 2: Tashkent ( L,D )
On arrival at Tashkent airport in early morning, meeting with our representative in Tashkent and transfer to Tashkent Palace hotel. After lunch Tashkent orientation tour with guide. Much of the city was destroyed by the earthquake in 1966 and the architecture of massive squares and wide avenues hide much of the city's 2000 year history as a crossroad on trade routes, but Tashkent recent history is powerfully portrayed. Evening ballet performance ( subject to availability ) at Alisher Navoi Opera & Ballet Theatre built by Japanese prisoners in 1947. Beyond the marble lobby are 6 foyers dedicated to Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Termez, Khiva & Ferghana all thickly dressed in stucco carving, theme motives & murals from Navoi’s poetry. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at  Tashkent Palace Hotel.

Day 3: Tashkent - Khiva ( B,L,D )
Morning visit to the old part of the city including Barak Khan Madrassa situated on the Khast Imam Square and founded in the 16th century by the descendents of Tamerlane. The ornate facade of blue tiled mosaic & Koran inscription conceals a rose garden courtyard with 35 hudjras ( student rooms ). Kukeldash Madrassa  built in the middle of the 16th century by the ruler vizier Kukeldash. The inner courtyard of 38 student cells (hudjra) used to accommodate over 2000 young men & women on 5 year courses of Islamic studies. Lunch at local restaurant. Late afternoon transfer to airport for flight to Urgench (registration 2 hours before flight). On arrival car drive to Khiva (30 km), the fairy-tale like oriental town. Dinner and overnight at Asia Khiva hotel.

Day 4: Khiva (B,L,D)
Khiva is known as the Pearl of the Khorezm oasis for a great number of spiritual and cultural vestiges can be found here. Because of its many architectural monuments, Khiva is known as the museum city. Today’s Khiva consist of the architecture of Khiva khanate as it was at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 20th centuries, although excavations of one of the fortresses discovered medieval walls dating back to the 3rd century BC. Full day visit to Ichan Qala, a place which gathers all the most beautiful medieval architectural monuments : Kunya-Ark citadel, Tosh-Khovli Palace with its elegant ornemental gates, followed by Kalta Minor minaret, Juma Mosque with its 218 carved wooden columns,  Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum. The silhouettes of the towering minarets surrounded by powerful clay built walls and flat roof houses will clearly show you the picture of a typical Central Asian feudal city. Lunch during visits. Dinner and overnight at Asia Khiva hotel.

Day 5: Bukhara (B,L,D)
After breakfast drive to Bukhara ( 480 kms ) ancient city through the Kyzyl Kum ( Red Sand ) desert. Lunch en route. On arrival check in Asia Bukhara or Omar Khayam hotel in the heart of the old town. Dinner in the popular Lyabi-Hauz square. Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 6: Bukhara ( B,L )
The Russian influence on Bukhara was much less powerful and the city carries far less of their legacy: Bukhara truly remains an Eastern city. Madressah of Abdulazizkhan
is glittering in mercifully unrestored 17th century glory. Inside the main courtyard there is a two level hujra cell. The Ark or Citadel - old fortress of the Emirs of Bukhara includes the monumental gate-house. The majestic Kalyan Minaret tops the city skyline with it towers measuring 46 metres high. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon more visits in Bukhara including Ulugbek Madrassah : one of  Central Asian architectural highlights, built by Ulugbek. Astral elements predominate in its ornamentation and the inscription sums up Ulugbek's life philosophy: "Pursuit of knowledge is the duty of each followers of Islam, man and woman". Dinner in town and overnight at Asia Bukhara hotel.

Day 7 : Bukhara ( B,L)
Drive to Bukhara outskirt to visit the famous Bahhaudin Naqshband Mausoleum and Chor-Bakr Necropolis, the city of deads with streets, courtyards, gates and family dahmas with numerous gravestones, Sitoria Mokhi Khosa, the summer palace of  Bukhara rulers - a new palace was built in 1912-1913  and boasts exceptional artistic value. The hall is decorated with exquisite ornamental paintings and the walls are all covered with mirrors -. Chor Minor, a four-arch dome structure and the unforgettable masterpiece of Mausoleum of Samanids dated back to the 9th and 10th centuries and built from individually made baked bricks, the intricate brickwork looks like lace.  Lunch during visits. Rest of the day is to stroll in the three trade domes and visit to caravansarais. Dinner and overnight at Asia Bukhara hotel.

Day 8 : Nurata ( B,L,D )
Morning drive to Nurata with a visit on the way to Sheikh Nuri tomb and Namozgoh Mosque. After lunch at a local house continue to the Kazakh village of Yangikazgan. Enjoy a camel ride in Kyzyl Kum desert. Dinner in camping site and overnight in yurts ( nomadic felt tents, very basic).

Day 9: Samarkand ( B,L,D )
After breakfast drive to Samarkand, capital of the Tamerlane's empire. Founded in the 7th century this historic town has known a huge development in the Temurids period from the 14th to 15th centuries and is now a melting point of the world’s culture. First visits of Samarkand will include  the world famous Registan Square "Sandy place" built in the 15th century ( there are 3 buildings - Ulugbek Madressah, Sher Dor Madressah, Tillya Kari both Madrassas and Mosque ) and Ulugbeg’s Observatory, Afrosiab Museum and Ubezkistan Culture & Art Museum. Overnight at Samarkand Plaza hotel.

Day 10: Samarkand ( B,L,D )
Full day further visits in Samarkand:  Shakhi-Zinda Ensemble : The necropolis is one of the holy places of Islam. Unique memorial city complex with its streets, mausoleums, monumental tombs including more than 20 mausoleums and 44 tombs. Shakhi- Zinda means "Living king", was called after Muhammad Kusam Abbas who was buried here. Bibi Khanum Mosque : The Djuma mosque built in 1399 in honour of Amir Timur’s beautiful wife Bibi – Khanum is one of the magnificent buildings in Samarkand. Gur Emir Mausoleum constructed by order of Timur because of the death of his favourite grandson Muhammad Sultan. ( Gur Emir means "The Emir’s burial vault" ). Mausoleum walls, ceilings & domes are covered with beautiful ornamental paintings mostly in blue & gold. The gravestone of Timur has black & green jade facade. Lunch during visits. Dinner in town and overnight at Samarkand Plaza hotel.

Day 11 : Shakhrizab ( B,L,D )
Excursion to Shakhrizab, hometown of Tamerlane. Drive along a beautiful mountain road and remote local villages where people use donkeys as means of transportation. Visit to the remaining Tower Gate of legendary Ak-Sarai Palace built on the 14th century, Kok-Gumbaz Mosque built by Tamerlane grandson Uglubek, Dorus Siadat ( Seat of Power & Might ) built by Tamerlane on the death of his eldest and favourite son killed in 1375 aged 22. Lunch during visits. Return to Samarkand for dinner and overnight

Day 12: Tashkent ( B,L,D )
Morning visit to Samarkand eastern bazaars. Samarkand is famous not only with its golden heritage of architecture, but there is no better sights than that of the Samarkand bazaars. The fertile soil and appropriate climate are favourable to agricultural products. Bazaar’s  variety of food products especially fruits and all kind of dried fruits and of course, Samarkand bread (non) will amaze every visitor. The main feature of Uzbek people is their hospitability which can be felt as you go through the endless rows of marvellous food products. The atmosphere of old traditions and customs is simply unforgettable. After lunch drive to Tashkent (350 kms). Overnight at Tashkent Palace hotel. Day 13; Time at leisure to explore more of modern Tashkent until transfer to airport for flight home with Uzbekistan Airways arriving back to Heathrow the same day.

Day 13 : Depart ( B )
Time at leisure to explore more of modern Tashkent until transfer to airport for flight home with Uzbekistan Airways arriving back to Heathrow the same day.