The only one of the ‘Stans’ that borders the other four, Uzbekistan is the historical heart of the region brimming with well-kept architectural delights and epic Silk Road tales. Lying at a cultural and geographic crossroad, it was one of the famous trade route’s most important links.
Once traversing the vast distances between the East and West, this classic itinerary tracks a tiny section of the Great Silk Road, beginning in the capital of Tashkent. After exploring some of its main sights, head over to the beautifully preserved medieval city of Khiva, via ancient desert castles. Staying in one of the most important madrassahs of the walled fortress city, you’ll enjoy walking around its other 18th and 19th-century palaces and mosques, and meeting with local traders still occupying its historic buildings. Then, travel through the Kyzyl Kum Desert to Bukhara, where a tour of this beautiful oasis, once filled with pools and canals, ends with a homecooked dinner of plov, the national dish. A long history of trade, evident from Bukhara’s exquisite trading domes, there’ll be the opportunity to pop into a family-run ceramic workshop, before taking the high-speed rail to the fabled city of Samarkand.
A father-of-the-nation figure, you’ll learn all about notorious Tamerlane touring the many impressive Islamic structures built during his time including his tomb, the giant Bibi-Khanyum Mosque built for his wife and the iconic Registan. Amongst the ancient history, you can also get a flavour of the country under Tsarist-Russia and Soviet rule during a wine tasting in a secret cellar. Lastly, balancing the grandeur of the Silk Road cities, enjoy tea with a family in a rural Uzbek village before returning to the capital.
