The Grand Uzbek Rally

Set out from Tashkent at 7:30am. On the way we’ll stop at the Syrdarya River and pass through Yangier, reaching Zaamin in time for lunch at the hotel. After lunch, we will take a walk in the picturesque Zaamin National Park and climb Sufa Plateau, where juniper forests give way to alpine meadows. Drive to Samarkand in the evening and check in to the hotel.

On this day you will encounter:

• Kanka Settlement, the remains of one of the oldest and largest cities of the Tashkent Oasis, which existed from the 4th century BC until the 12th century AD.
• Juniper forests of Zaamin.
• Mountainous, picturesque Suffa Plateau.
• 1001-year-old walnut tree, nearly 20 meters high and nicknamed "Boboengok" (Walnut Grandfather).
• Steep canyon cliffs, some which soar over 400 meters high.

After breakfast, depart for Shakhrisabz by way of Takhta-Karacha Mountain Pass and the mysterious Shaitan-Dzhilga Plateau. In Shakhrisabz we’ll visit several historical monuments. Drive through Pachamar to the village of Derbent for a walk to the scenic village of Machai. Discover a magnificent canyon, formed as a river cut through limestone rock for hundreds of years and marked by vertical walls reaching a hundred meters in height. In the evening, check in to the tent camp in Boysun. After dinner, enjoy famous local folk entertainment, which is recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

On this day you will encounter:

• Ancient Shakhrisabz, whose monuments are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
• Breathtaking Derbent and Boysun canyons.

After breakfast, drive through Denau to Sangardak Waterfall. Admire this miracle of nature, whose melodic splashes can be heard from a distance. Afterward, we will climb Shosh Pass for a panoramic view of the Hissar Mountains. Have lunch and continue our journey to Termez. On the way, we will pass Kumkurgan Reservoir and see the unique and famous Jarkurgan Minaret. Arrive to Termez in the evening.

On this day you will encounter:

• Mult-jet Sangardak Waterfall, one of the most beautiful sights in all Uzbekistan.
• Jarkurgan Minaret (11th century), a monument of the Karakhanid Dynasty and the only one of its kind in Uzbekistan. The minaret is built in a manner unique for Central Asia, with figured masonry typical of structures in India and Iranian Khorasan.

After breakfast we will start exploring Termez. After seeing the ancient fortresses and Buddhist monuments, we will have lunch in Guzar and leave for Karshi, where we will visit an open-air military museum. In the evening, we’ll arrive to ancient Bukhara.

On this day you will encounter:

• Ancient Kyrkkyz Fortress (Fortress of Forty Maidens), covered in mystery and myth. The most popular legend claims that forty brave Amazon girls fought off nomadic attackers here.
• Karatepa Buddhist Temple, built on three hills in the northwestern corner of Old Termez.
• Underground museum and military equipment park in Karshi, where the soldiers’ quarters and atmosphere of the war years have been recreated.

After four day of intensive travel and sightseeing, today is a free day in Bukhara. You can simply relax and do your own thing or choose one of two options for leisure:

• Excursion to sacred Bukhara. Along with Samarkand and Khiva, Bukhara is considered a treasury of world cultural and historical heritage. We will walk by the famous Lyabi-Khauz, a popular pond after which many cafes and restaurants are named throughout Uzbekistan. We will also tour Magoki-Attori Mosque, a masterpiece of architecture; Chor-Minor, an unusual madrasah with four minarets; the Trade Domes, which have been active since ancient times; the gorgeous Kalyan Minaret, steeped in legend, and more.
• Drive to Tudakul. This reservoir, nicknamed “The Lake” is a true oasis in the middle of the desert. The water in Tudakul is bitter, salty and partially mineralized, resembling seawater. Go for a swim, sunbathe and enjoy the tranquility and beauty of local nature.

After breakfast we will drive from Bukhara to Khiva, overcoming more than 400 kilometers of desert. Usually drivers rush through this stretch of land without stopping, but we will introduce you to the Kyzyl Kum Desert with stops at picturesque places, including amazing lakes near the town of Gazli and an observation deck near the Amu Darya River.

After breakfast we will walk around Khiva and see its main sights, which are conveniently concentrated within the walls of the ancient Ichan-Kala Fortress. On the way to Nukus, we will see the ancient Ayaz-Kala Fortress and Chilpyk, a Zoroastrian Tower of Silence (dakhma). Upon arrival in Nukus we will visit the I. Savitsky Museum, filled with unique ethnographic collections and artistic Russian and Soviet avant-garde masterpieces.

On this day you will encounter:

• Ichan-Kala Fortress, a true open-air museum where exotic remnants of the east have been preserved in a space of 26 hectares. Surprisingly, the complex is not exclusively for tourists; many families, most of whom are engaged in handicrafts, still live inside its walls.
• Islam-Khoja Minaret, the highest minaret in Uzbekistan, from the observation deck of which a dizzyingly beautiful view of the city opens up.
• Ayaz-Kala Fortress, one of the largest fortresses of Ancient Khorezm which is located on a colorful cliff in the Kyzyl Kum Desert.
• Chilpyk, one of the oldest Zoroastrian monuments in the region.
• Savitsky Museum, with its large, world-famous collection of paintings by Russian artists. The British newspaper Guardian even called it "one of the finest museums in the world", and its collections have been admired by many officials and world leaders.

Today we set out on a long but fascinating drive. On the way, we will walk along the huge snow-white salt marsh known as Barsa Kelmes and admire Lake Sudochye, where flocks of birds nest in the thousands. Upon arrival to the yurt camp, we will watch an incredibly beautiful sunset. Overnight in yurts and tents on the banks of the Aral Sea.

On this day you will encounter:

• The snow-white salt marsh Barsa Kelmes, whose name translates as "The Place of No Return”. Salt has accumulated here since the days of the Tethys Ocean, which existed millions of years ago.
• A yurt camp, where we will live like ancient nomads, sit by the fire and enjoy a magical sunset on the Aral Sea.
• An awards ceremony in the evening after the results of the quest scavenger hunt have been tallied.

On our final day, we will travel around the Aral Sea. First we visit the ancient Kurganch-Kala Caravanserai, which is partially hidden under the Ustyurt Hills, before going for a walk along Chink Plateau to enjoy the fantastic views. We will also see ancient burial grounds whose tombstones are marked with special symbols.

In the once flourishing fishing town of Muynak we’ll visit the "ship graveyard", a former port where the skeletons of abandoned ships are rusting away. You’ll see some curious historical artifacts from the Aral Sea at the local museum, including rare footage taken during the years when the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world.

Mizdakhan Necropolis, which is over 2000 years old, will be our final stopping point before reaching Nukus, where our tour comes to an end.

On this day you will encounter:

• The “ship graveyard” in Muynak, a tragic memorial to the manmade ecological catastrophe of the Aral Sea.
• A museum with rare artifacts from the Aral Sea floor and an archive of unique photos, where you can see the dry Aral seabed.
• The 2000-year-old Mizdakhan Necropolis, which was venerated in the Middle Ages due to the belief that the grave of Adam is located here.

Days 10 and 11 are for independent return to Tashkent. We are happy to help you plan it individually or to organize a tour extension if you would like to visit major cities on your return trip.