- Uzbekistan Turkmenistan holiday package with perfectly-located hotels and once-in-a-life dinners;

- Visit 14 different historic cities, and explore Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan’s most iconic places;

- Private guided visits to Medieval palaces, Bronze Age sites and Silk Road architecture;

- Samarkand by Night tour and a tour to Darwaza Gas Crater.

Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Tour, designed by local experts

This private Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan round trip includes Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand Kunya Urgench, Ashgabat, Mary, Merv. The tour program and hotel accommodations can be changed on your request and wish!!!

Day 1: ARRIVE IN TASHKENT, SIGHTSEEING

On arrival in Tashkent, you will be transferred to your hotel. Our guide/driver will be waiting for you at the waiting area of the airport with a board written your name/s. Transfer to the hotel for having a rest.

Day 2: TASHKENT, SIGHTSEEING

After having some rest and breakfast at your hotel, you will start the visits in Tashkent. Your guided visits in Tashkent include the most popular attractions of Tashkent as well tasting some of the most famous foods of the Uzbek Cuisine. The activities of the day:

• Madrasas, mosques, minarets, and mausoleums in the ancient part of Tashkent – Khastimam. The Khastimam complex is also famous for having the oldest Qur’an (Coran) publicly available in the world;
• The impressive Chorsu Bazaar with fantastic colors and the amazing contrast of people dressed both in pure traditional and modern western styles.

During lunchtime, you can taste the king of meals in Uzbekistan – Plov (with meat, rice, carrots) in the Central Asia Plov Center. The plov center is one of the eating gems of Uzbekistan which is visited by some 5000 gourmands every day.

In the afternoon you will continue the visits to the modern part of Tashkent:

• A couple of beautiful stations of the metro of Tashkent; Pakhtakor and Alisher Navoi are 2 stations of metro decorated in cultural/traditional style;
• The place Mustakillik Maidoni and The park Amir Temur.

We are sure that your first day in Uzbekistan will be rich in and discoveries. Every monument you visit, and every corner of the bazaar you see will amaze you with their unique local spirit. And they will prepare for more surprising cultural discoveries in the other cities.

Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 3. TASHKENT – URGENCH/KHIVA

Breakfast in the hotel. Early transfer to the Domestic Airport to catch a flight to Urgench (07:50). Arrive at Urgench airport at 09.20 and drive to Khiva (35 km), hotel check-in.

Today you will visit one of the most impressive places in all Central Asia – the Ichan Kala citadel. With some 250+ monuments, this citadel is a museum under the open sky. The activities of the day:

• The west gate – Ata Darwaza;
• The blue minaret – Kalta Minor and its madrasa;
• The Ark citadel with its summer mosque, reception hall, and the Observation tower (optional);
• The mausoleum of Pahlawan Mahmud with the biggest dome in the citadel;
• The minaret and madrasa Isam Khodja;
• The Tosh Khovli Palace with the Reception Hall, the Hall of Complaints, and the Harem;
• The old slave market in the East Gate;
• The madrasa Muhammad Rahimkhan.

Tip: Evening walk in the empty streets of Khiva around amazing monuments can be one of the highlights of your trip to Uzbekistan.

Overnight in Khiva.

Day: 4 KHIVA – DASHOGUZ – KUNYA URGENCH – DARWAZA (Turkmenistan)

Today you will start the next step of your itinerary: Turkmenistan tour from Uzbekistan

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Uzbek-Turkmen border near Shavat (60km). Uzbekistan Turkmenistan border crossing takes about 1 hour. On the Turkmenistan side, you will meet the local Turkmen guide and driver.

Drive to Kunya Urgench (96km), and tour to the historic sights of the city:

• Turabek Hanum Mausoleum;
• Kutlugh Timur Minaret;
• Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum;
• Gate to the Caravanserai;
• IL Arslon Mausoleum.

After the visits, you will take the drive to Darwaza Gas Crater (260km). You will arrive in the area of Darwaza by the end of the day. Darwaza also called “the Gate to Hell” has become one of the most iconic attractions of Turkmenistan.

Dinner and overnight in tents near Darwaza Gas Crater.

Day: 5 DARWAZA – ASHGABAT (Turkmenistan)

Breakfast at the camp. Morning drive to Ashgabat (270km) through Karakum desert. On arrival in Ashgabat, you will be transferred to your hotel for having some rest.

Arrival in Ashgabat and transfer to the hotel. Free time.

Visits in Ashgabat city:

• Arch of Neutrality;
• Monument and park of Independence.

Drive to UNESCO World Heritage site Nisa (15km) and visit the Sanctuary of Parthian Kings.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day: 6 ASHGABAT - MARY – MERV (Turkmenistan)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport of Ashgabat for taking the domestic flight Ashgabat – Mary. Activities in Mary:

• On Arrival in Mary, visit the Museum of History and Ethnography;

• Drive to Margush (110km) to visit the Bronze Age Civilization Site;

• On the way back to Mary, you will visit another important place in Turkmenistan: Merv. The visits of ancient Merv include Kyz Kala, Giaur Kala, Erk Kala, SultanSanjar Mausoleum, Askhab Mausoleum.

After the tour of Ancient Merv, you will drive back to Mary (35 km).

Overnight in Mary.

Day: 7 MARY – FARAB - BUKHARA (320km)
Breakfast. Transfer to the Turkmen-Uzbek border in Farab through steppes of Turkmenistan. You will arrive at the border checkpoint by midday. After border formalities, you will be transferred to your hotel in Bukhara. Time for rest at the hotel.

Dinner with traditional dance and music show in the courtyard of a beautiful madrasa.

Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 8. THE SAINT BUKHARA (visits on foot)

Bukhara used to be the biggest Central Asian marketplace for the Silk Road traders and you will really feel it when you see an uncountable number of small bazaars and caravanserais all around the old city. Today you will be walking around Bukhara to visit its most wonderful monuments. The activities of the day:

• Mausoleum of Samanids (9^th century);
• Bolo Khauz – the mosque with 40 pillars;
• The citadel Ark;
• The complex Kalon with the biggest mosque, the biggest madrasa, and the highest minaret in the city;
• Famous Chor Minor madrasa with it 4 minarets;
• The monuments of the Lyabi Khauz complex.

Overnight in Bukhara.

Day 9. BUKHARA – SHAKHRISABZ – SAMARKAND
Breakfast at the hotel and depart to Samarkand via Shakhrisabz (275 km, 4 h.*). Stop in Shakhrisabz to see the monuments built by Amir Temur (Tamerlane) 600 years ago:

• The crypt of Amir Temur and the mausoleum of his sons;
• The complex of the Blue mosque with richly decorated mausoleums of the Saints;
• The impressive ruins of the White Palace of Tamerlane – Ak Saray.

After the visits, you will continue the drive to Samarkand (90 km, 2 h.*). 

Tip: The road to Samarkand passes through the mountain pass Takhtakaracha. Takhtakaracha is widely famous in Uzbekistan for its traditional cuisine – Tandir Meat (entire lamb cooked during long hours in a traditional clay oven and flavored with herbs from the mountains). If you are a meat lover, you can taste the Tandoor/Tandir Meat before arriving in Samarkand.

Arrive in Samarkand, check in to the hotel.

Overnight in Samarkand.

Day 10. SAMARKAND – the highlight of the trip
Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will start the visits to the heart of the Silk Road – Samarkand:

• The majestic Registan Place with its three magnificent madrasas;
• The Shakhi Zinda necropolis and its 20+ mausoleums all in one place which are decorated differently from each other;
• Bibi Khanum mosque and the bazaar Siab.

In the evening, we will invite you to make a Samarkand by Night tour where you will rediscover Gur-Emir and Registan with absolutely different colors!

Overnight in Samarkand.

Day 11. SAMARKAND – TASHKENT

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will continue the visits in Samarkand:

• The Gur-Emir mausoleum - a jewel of architecture decorated with ceramics, mosaics, gold, marble, and jade;
• Samarkand Silk Paper Workshop is located in a small beautiful village near Samarkand;
• The Observatory of Ulugh Beg;

After the visits, you will be transferred to Tashkent through the Zerafshan mountains and the steppes of Hunger (4hrs). *Alternatively, the transfer can be made by high-speed train. The high-speed train leaves Samarkand at 17:00 and arrives in Tashkent at 19:20.

Overnight in Tashkent.

Day 12. TASHKENT – DEPARTURE
Depending on the time of your flight you will be transferred to the International Airport of Tashkent.

*The end of our services!

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan tours await you. Hope to see you in the land of the sun, the crossroads of Silk Road. Good Luck!

More about Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan Tours

♦ What is Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan known for?

Uzbekistan is known for the quality of the amazing architecture of the cities – Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, whereas Turkmenistan is famous for authentic tours to the antique sites and tours to the gas crater Darwaza. Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are known for rich natural wealth, vast deserts, natural reserves, world-famous UNESCO sites, and more.

♦ What are the best places to visit in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan?

The best places to visit in Uzbekistan are the Ichan Kala citadel of Khiva and the old cities of Bukhara and Samarkand. Tashkent, Shahrisabz, the Yurt Camps in the desert, the Aral Sea, and Fergana Valley are also the top places to visit in Uzbekistan. The best places to visit in Turkmenistan are the ancient Merv and Kunya Urgench, Ashgabat, Mary, and Darwaza.

♦ When is the best time to visit Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Trips is available throughout the whole year. However, weather-wise, the most ideal time to travel to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan is from March to November. April, May, September, and October are the top busiest months to visit Uzbekistan. If you want to travel to Uzbekistan when the monuments are not crowded and the weather is still good, we recommend planning your Tours to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan during the months of March, June, and August.

♦ How many days should I spend in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan?

Uzbekistan Turkmenistan tours can be 8-20 days long. For visiting the top 3 cities (Tashkent, Samarkand, Khiva) you should count a minimum of 5 days. And for the best attractions of Turkmenistan, you can count 3-5 days. The most popular Tours to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan last 8-14 days, and ideally you should spend about 12-13 days to visits all the best of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. We are local experts of privatized tours and we can tailor tours based on your interests and timeframe.

♦ How to get a Turkmenistan visa?

Citizens of most countries do not need a visa for entering Uzbekistan or can get an easy e-visa to Uzbekistan (read Uzbekistan visa information). However, travelers must have a visa for entering Turkmenistan. For getting the Turkmenistan visa you should have a Letter of Invitation (LOI) confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. With LOI, travelers can get a Turkmenistan visa on arrival in Turkmenistan.