Tour overview

This 9-day trip crosses Uzbekistan from west to east by road and rail, from Soviet-era sleeper to modern high-speed train. A tour leader travels with the group, which numbers between four and sixteen. You stay eight nights in locally owned hotels, with breakfast daily, three lunches and four dinners, and group airport transfers are included.

Your journey begins in Khiva, a World Heritage oasis city whose mud-brick walls enclose a perfectly preserved old town, with a cooking class to make shivit oshi, Khiva’s green noodles. Driving into the desert, you visit the fortress of Ayaz Kala, then cross to Bukhara, where you spend a day among its madrasas and bazaars and watch a traditional folk performance.

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On the way to Samarkand you meet artisans keeping old crafts alive, then explore the Registan and Timur’s monuments. A short drive to Konigil village shows how silk paper is made, before a high-speed train to Tashkent, where a city tour focuses on its Soviet and modern identity.

The physical rating is low. This trip suits travellers who want an authentic, well-paced introduction to the Silk Road.

Trip highlights

  • A shivit oshi cooking class in Khiva (Day 2)
  • The fortress of Ayaz Kala (Day 3)
  • A folk performance in Bukhara (Day 4)
  • Samarkand’s monuments (Day 6)
  • Paper-making in Konigil (Day 7)
  • Modern Tashkent (Day 8)

Your route

8 stops from Urgench to Tashkent

9-day route: Khiva – Ayaz Kala – Bukhara – Samarkand – Konigil – Tashkent
  1. Urgench Day 1
  2. Khiva Days 1–2
  3. Ayaz Kala Day 3
  4. Urgench Day 3
  5. Bukhara Days 3–4
  6. Samarkand Days 5–6
  7. Konigil Day 7
  8. Tashkent Days 7–9

Why choose this tour

The Silk Road by road and rail. Cooking, crafts and music along the way.

Best suited to

  • First-time visitors to Central Asia
  • Rail lovers
  • Culture lovers
  • Solo travellers and couples
The walled old town of Khiva at sunset, Uzbekistan

Day-by-day itinerary

9 days from Khiva, Uzbekistan to Tashkent, Uzbekistan

  1. Day 1 · Khiva Khiva

    An oasis city.

    Hotel
    Farovon Hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  2. Day 2 · Itchan Kala Khiva

    A cooking masterclass.

    Hotel
    Farovon Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  3. Day 3 · Ayaz Kala, Bukhara Bukhara

    A desert fortress.

    Hotel
    Zargaron Boutique
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Bukhara Bukhara

    A folk performance.

    Hotel
    Zargaron Boutique
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Samarkand Samarkand

    Artisans on the way.

    Hotel
    Zarafshon Parkside
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  6. Day 6 · Registan, Gur-e-Amir Samarkand

    Timur’s monuments.

    Hotel
    Zarafshon Parkside
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Konigil, Tashkent Tashkent

    Paper-making and the train.

    Hotel
    Manor Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Tashkent Tashkent

    Modern Tashkent.

    Hotel
    Manor Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  9. Day 9 · Tashkent Tashkent

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
A blue dome in Bukhara

Where you stay

  • Khiva (2 nights) Farovon Hotel
  • Bukhara (2 nights) Zargaron Boutique
  • Samarkand (2 nights) Zarafshon Parkside
  • Tashkent (2 nights) Manor Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 8 nights in locally owned hotels
  • Meals 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners
  • Rail travel and private transport
  • Group airport transfers and early check-in in Khiva
  • Shivit oshi cooking class and folk performance
  • Ayaz Kala, Samarkand and Konigil visits
  • Tour leader throughout

Not included

  • International flights
  • Meals not included 4 lunches and 4 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
Tashkent railway station

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want all meals included
  • You want an active holiday
  • You want international flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–9 · Lunch: Days 2, 5 and 8 · Dinner: Days 1, 3–4 and 6
Tilework in the Registan, Samarkand

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £1,676 per person, twin share, tour only. 23 upcoming departures. Single travellers from £2,124 (single supplement from £448).

Offer Reduced prices on selected dates, shown with the regular price crossed out. Book by 16 Oct.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

What trains do you take?

A Soviet-era train with four-berth compartments and modern high-speed trains.

Are airport transfers included?

Yes, group arrival and departure transfers.

Do I need a visa?

UK citizens don’t need a visa for Uzbekistan for stays of up to 30 days.

Where does the trip start?

In Khiva, with early check-in on Day 1 included.

Can I have my own room?

A single supplement is available on request.

How many people travel together?

Between four and sixteen travellers, with a tour leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary
From £1,676
See dates & prices