Uzbekistan handicraft tour with master classes
Route
Tashkent – Margilan – Rishtan – Kokand – Tashkent – Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Bukhara – Gijduvan – Bukhara – Khiva – Tashkent
Duration
11 days / 10 nights
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Day 01 Arrival in Tashkent
PM. Arrival in Tashkent. Our guide will meet & transfer to hotel. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 02 Tashkent – Margilan (by train) – Rishtan
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to southern railway station for express train №060 (08:05-12:59) to Margilan. Visit famous Silk factory “Yodgorlik” & participate in silk fabrics making process (you will have an opportunity to observe all processes (taking yarn from cocoon, dyeing and weaving) of making famous silk fabrics named “Atlas” and “Adras”. Afterwards visit jewellery workshop & participate in drawing patterns. Drive to Rishtan. Visit Kyrgyz family & watch, participate in making a yarn from animals’ wool & making carpets, headdresses & shoes. And visit ceramist – Mr. Said’s house (one of the 3 ceramic schools of Uzbekistan: Rishtan, Tashkent & Gijduvan) & participate in pottery process. Here you might watch the whole process: making mud, shaping, drawing, glazing and baking or experience yourself to make some pottery dishes such as cup, jug or plate. Overnight in Said’s guesthouse.
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Day 03 Rishtan – Kokand – Tashkent (by road, 300 km)
Breakfast at guesthouse. Visit Hoja Ilgor complex. Drive to Tashkent (300 km). En route stop in Kokand to visit Khudayar Khan’s Palace and “Dahmai Shahon” (Royal Cemetry). After arrival in Tashkent, check-in at hotel and overnight.
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Day 04 Tashkent – Samarkand (by train)
Breakfast at hotel. Visit Hasti Imam complex, Applied Art Museum, cradle (“beshik”) making family, Amir Temur Square, Alisher Navoi Theatre Square, some Underground stations, Earthquake monument, famous ceramist Akbar Rakhimov’s workshop. Transfer to southern railway station for an evening express train to Samarkand. Arrival in Samarkand. Meet and transfer to hotel. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 05 Samarkand
Breakfast at hotel. Visit Afrosiyob Musuem, Ulugbek Observatory, Shakhi Zinda necropolis, Bibi Hanum Mosque, Siyob Bazaar, Registan Square & Guri Emir Mausoleum. Visit & participate in an ancient Silk paper making process+mosaic tile making process. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 06 Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Bukhara (380 km)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Bukhara (380 km). En route stop in Shahrisabz for excursion: visit Ak Saray Palace, Kok Gumbaz, Dorut-Tilovat Complex, Dorus-Saodat Complex. Also, visit Kilim carpet making family and you can enjoy participating in making process as per your wish. Continue driving to Bukhara. Arrival in Bukhara. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 07 Bukhara
Breakfast at hotel. Full day excursion: Samanids’ Mausoleum, Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum, Bolo-Khovuz mosque, Ark Fortress, Poi-Kalyon complex (Kalyan mosque and minaret, Miri Arab madrassa), Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrassas, Magoki Attori mosque, Trade Domes (Toki-Zargaron, Toki-Telpakifurushon and Toki-Sarrofon), Labi Khovuz complex. During the excursion you visit the workshop of damascus steel knife making blacksmith to watch the process. And after excursion visit Suzane making family to participate or watch the whole process of making the famous fabric “suzane”. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 08 Bukhara – Gijduvan – Bukhara (60 km, one way)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Gijduvan. En route visit Vabkent minaret. After arrival in Gijduvan visit Ulugbek Medresah & Abduhalik Gijduvaniy’s mausoleum. Participate in Embroidery of Bukhara (famous embroidery: “zardozlik”) & Gijduvan pottery (another popular school of pottery in Uzbekistan). PM drive back to Bukhara & participate in miniature art of middle ages & copper carving processes, which has been highly demanded from Silk Road time till nowadays. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 09 Bukhara – Khiva (460 km, by road)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Khiva via Kizil-Kum desert. En route stop for photo shooting near Amudarya river. After arrival in Khiva, check-in at hotel. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 10 Khiva – Urgench (35 km) – Tashkent (by plane)
Breakfast at hotel. Full day excursion program in Khiva – “Ichan-Kala architectural ensemble” – “Museum under the open sky”: Mausoleum of Pahlavan Makhmud, Tosh-Hovli Palace (Harem), Kunya-Ark Fortress, Kalta-Minor Minaret, Medrese of Shergazi-Khan, Complex of Alla-Kuli Khan, Juma Mosque and Minaret, Karavan-Saray, Minaret and Mosque of Khodja-Islam, Tim of Alakulikhan, Medrese of Abdulla-Khan, Mausoleum of Said Alautdin, Medrese of Mukhamad Amin-Khan, Walls of Ichan-Kala, Palvan-Darvaza Gate. During the excursion you visit & participate in a carpet weaving process in the center protected by UNESCO + workshop of wood carver. Transfer to Urgench airport for an evening flight from Urgench to Tashkent. Upon arrival in Tashkent, transfer to hotel. Overnight in the hotel.
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Day 11 Departure from Tashkent
Morning transfer to international airport of Tashkent for departure flight to next destination. End of the tour.
| PAX in a group | PRICE (PER PERSON) |
| – 1 pax (single accom.) | Upon request |
| – 2 pax (twin sharing) | Upon request |
| – 3 pax (twin sharing) | Upon request |
| – 4 pax (twin sharing) | Upon request |
| – 5 pax (twin sharing) | Upon request |
| – 6 pax (twin sharing) | Upon request |
| – 7 pax (twin sharing) | Upon request |
| – Single supplement | Upon request |
Features of the tour:
This tour is not only rich in informational excursions, but extremely abundant in feeling real Eastern delicacy.
Best season to travel:
This type of tour does not require any seasonal conditions, so one can travel any convenient time for himself. However, one can feel a little bit uncomfortable to travel in the hottest period of summer (in July) and in winter when the weather is cold. But during these off-season periods, travelers can get special discounted rates for packages by request.
Level of difficulties and age limitation:
As this tour is full of participation in various educational activities, we recommend it for people who are above 15 years old.
Remarks:
Before travelling a tourist should have basic information about handicraft to understand, to analyze, to compare and to get comprehensive knowledge of Oriental handicrafts’ delicacy.
