Uzbekistan - A Silk Route Encounter30 August - 13 September 2008
For a thousand years, the Silk Route, the greatest land based trading highway the world has seen, wound its way from China, through Central Asia to Europe. Small towns grew out of obscurity on the back of the new found trading opportunities, to become cities of incalculable wealth and splendour. Today, it is the newly independent state of Uzbekistan that contains the most interesting sites and this trip is designed to visit the great cities that survive from this legendary era. The trip begins in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan from where you travel on to the evocative city of Samarkand, which survived the arrival of Islam, the havoc of the Mongolian hordes and then flowered under the rule of Tamerlane. The journey then moves to Bukhara.
It was the beauty of the Kalyan minaret that saved it from being destroyed by Ghengis Khan in 1220 when the rest of the city was razed to the ground. The next stage is to Khiva, one of the most complete and best-preserved cities on the ancient Silk Road. Finally after seeing the desert castles end your journey in Nukus before returning to Tashkent.
This group will be accompanied by an experienced national guide from Uzbekistan for the duration of the itinerary. In addition, local guides will also be provided where necessary and appropriate.
Day 1 Fly London Heathrow / Tashkent (overnight)
Day 2 Arrive Tashkent
Day 3 Drive Tashkent / Samarkand
Day 4 Samarkand
Day 5 Samarkand (Shakrizhabs)
Day 6 Drive Samarkand / Nurata / Kizyl-Kum desert
Day 7 Drive Kizyl-Kum desert / Gidjuvan / Bukhara
Day 8 Bukhara
Day 9 Bukhara
Day 10 Bukhara
Day 11 Drive Bukhara /Khiva
Day 12 Khiva
Day 13 Drive Khiva / Nukus
Day 14 Tashkent (Chimgan)
Day 15 Fly Tashkent / London Heathrow
Price: £1,575.00 per person
£115.00 single supplement
The price is based on a minimum of 10 paying people.
Please contact Paul Craven
paul@steppestravel.co.uk to register your interest in this tour and for a full detailed 2008 itinerary.
