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DAY 1 – ITALY – TASHKENT
Flight from Milan Malpensa to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
Arrival on Day 2 and transfer to the hotel.
DAY 2 – TASHKENT
After check-in and breakfast, guided visit of Tashkent, the largest city in Central Asia. Rebuilt after the 1966 earthquake, the city retains a strong Soviet character.
Highlights include Independence Square, Amir Timur Square, the Metro, the Opera and Ballet Theatre, and several museums. In the old town, we visit the Abdul Kasim and Barak Khan madrasas, the Kaffal Shoshi Mausoleum, and the library housing the famous 7th-century Quran of Caliph عثمان (Osman), considered one of the oldest in the world.
Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight stay.
DAY 3 – TASHKENT – SAMARKAND (Afrosiyob High-Speed Train)
Transfer by high-speed train to Samarkand.
Arrival and check-in, followed by a guided visit to some of the city’s most iconic monuments, including the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, where Tamerlane is buried, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, and the magnificent Registan Square.
Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 4 – SAMARKAND
Breakfast and a day dedicated to discovering a lesser-known side of Samarkand. We explore the history and culture of the city’s diverse communities, including Jewish, Tajik, Korean, and Lyuli populations.
Visits include a kindergarten supported by a solidarity project and the traditional Mahalla community. There may also be an opportunity to meet students from the Italian Department of the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages.
Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 5 – SAMARKAND
Full day exploring the city’s extraordinary Timurid heritage.
Visits include the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, the Afrasiab History Museum, and Ulugh Beg’s Observatory.
Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 6 – SAMARKAND – SENTOB VILLAGE
Breakfast and transfer to Sentob, an ancient Tajik enclave.
Accommodation and exploration of the surrounding area.
Dinner and overnight stay in the village.
DAY 7 – BUKHARA
Breakfast and departure for Bukhara.
On the way, stop in Gijduvan to visit a renowned family-run ceramics workshop famous throughout Central Asia.
Arrival in Bukhara, accommodation, dinner.
Overnight stay.
DAY 8 – BUKHAR
A full day devoted to one of Central Asia’s most fascinating cities. Walking tour of the historic center, including the Samanid Mausoleum, Ark Fortress, Kalyan Minaret, Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Labi Hauz Square, and the traditional covered bazaars.
Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 9 – BUKHARA
Morning excursion to the Bakhauddin Naqshbandi Complex, one of the most important Sufi pilgrimage sites in the region, and to the Summer Palace of the last Emir of Bukhara.
In the afternoon, visit Chor Bakr Necropolis and Chor Minor.
Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 10 – BUKHARA – KHIVA
Breakfast and transfer by coach to Khiva through the Kyzylkum Desert (approximately 480 km, 8 hours).
Arrival, accommodation.
Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 11 – KHIVA
Full day dedicated to the museum-city of Khiva, a major Silk Road stopover. Visits include Ichan Kala, the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa, Kalta Minor Minaret, Juma Mosque, Tash Hauli Palace, and many of the city’s historic mosques and madrasas.
Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 12 – KARAKALPAKSTAN FORTRESSES – NUKUS
Departure for the ancient Khorezm region in present-day Karakalpakstan. Along the route, visit several spectacular desert fortresses, including Ayaz Kala, where there is an opportunity to enjoy tea in a traditional nomadic yurt.
Arrival in Nukus, dinner, and overnight stay.
DAY 13 – NUKUS – MUYNAK – NUKUS
Excursion to Muynak, once a thriving fishing town on the shores of the Aral Sea. Today the abandoned fishing boats lie stranded in the desert, a powerful testimony to one of the world’s greatest environmental disasters.
Return to Nukus and overnight stay.
DAY 14 – NUKUS – SAVITSKY MUSEUM – URGENCH
Visit to the extraordinary Savitsky Museum. Despite its remote location, the museum houses one of the world’s most important collections of Russian and Soviet avant-garde art, preserving approximately 85,000 works that were once censored by Soviet authorities.
Transfer to Urgench in the evening.
Overnight stay.
DAY 15 – URGENCH – ITALY
Breakfast and transfer to Urgench International Airport for the return flight to Italy.
Registration feeInsurance coverage including Travel Assistance, Medical Expenses, Baggage, and Trip CancellationServices of an Italian-speaking guide and tour leader, including expensesPrivate coach transportation with driver throughout the entire tourAccommodation in twin/double hotel roomsHalf-board basis (breakfasts and dinners)All visits and guided tours included in the programmeSolidarity contribution (€70) supporting local development projects
Lunches (average cost approximately €10-15 per meal)Beverages during mealsTipsInternational flightsSOLIDARITY HIGHLIGHT
The journey is accompanied by Massimo Toscani and Piera Viale, exceptional tour leaders who lived in Uzbekistan for more than fifteen years, teaching Italian language and literature at the Department of Italian Studies of the Institute of Foreign Languages in Samarkand and at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Bukhara. Thanks to their cultural mediation, participants will gain a deeper understanding of local society, history, and culture.
The solidarity contribution included in the tour supports the attendance of Lyuli children and other disadvantaged children at a kindergarten in Samarkand through the association "A Kindergarten in Samarkand", which supports the families involved in the project and contributes to the training of educational staff.
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS
Accommodation is primarily in traditional guesthouses and family-run properties, often housed in historic buildings furnished with original décor, creating a particularly authentic and pleasant atmosphere. Rooms have private bathrooms.
One overnight stay with a local family is included. Participants are requested to bring a sleeping bag liner.
Uzbek cuisine is rich, flavourful, and aromatic. The traditional national dish is plov, a rice-based recipe prepared with meat, onions, carrots, raisins, and chickpeas. Meat, especially lamb and mutton skewers, features prominently in local meals. The country is also renowned for its abundant fruit, including melons, grapes, dates, pomegranates, and figs.
TRANSPORTATION
Private minibus with driver throughout the journey and high-speed train travel where scheduled.
Only one long transfer day is planned, between Bukhara and Khiva. All other journeys are relatively short. Within the cities, movement is primarily on foot or by local public transport.
CLIMATE
The climate is dry continental, with cold winters and temperatures exceeding 40°C during the summer months.
DOCUMENTS & HEALTH
A passport with at least six months' validity beyond the date of return is required for entry into Uzbekistan.
No visa is required for stays of up to 30 days.
INSURANCE INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE
The tour includes Travel Assistance, Medical Expenses, Baggage, and Trip Cancellation Insurance through ERGO Insurance (Policy No. 69180175-PV19), a company specializing in travel insurance solutions.
Coverage limits include:
Additional insurance policies can be arranged upon request through Allianz Assistance.
PLEASE NOTE: Lunches, beverages during meals, and tips are not included.
VIAGGI SOLIDALI
Betania Travel collaborates with Viaggi Solidali in promoting selected destinations. This tour is organized by Viaggi Solidali.
For more information: https://www.viaggisolidali.it/
Write to us to receive information about our tours or to design your next journey together.
Via Manzoni 56 – 20900 Monza (MB)
Tel +39 039 832716
betania@betaniatravel.it
Aut. n. 16143 Prov. MB
Ass. RC 8827666 – P.I./C.F. 03140200969
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