11 days of Downshifting in the villages of Uzbekistan

We invite you to spend time in the villages of Uzbekistan and feel the incomparable feeling of silence. Silence is a must! Only outside the open window is the chirping of birds. And somewhere, gentle female voices are talking quietly, preparing breakfast for the guests. It smells of watered earth, sun-warmed grass and flowers. And also hot country bread, something delicious, something homemade. Staying in bed is just a crime! A long day ahead. And today it will be filled with a journey along the wonderful mountain paths of the nature reserve, from which breathtaking views open up, swimming in a crystal-clear mountain river. Transparent crystal air and a long walk do their job.

The locals know all the trails in the mountains and can take you to waterfalls, lakes, caves and almost unknown places. All this is still preserved in Uzbekistan. Guests will be taught how to ride, milk a cow, mow hay, churn butter, spin yarn and many more practical skills, without which life in the village is impossible. If the guests wish, the host family will take you to the mountains or the steppe for mushrooms, berries, nuts, herbs, will also offer guests a traditional excursion service to get acquainted with the unspent culture, traditions and way of life of indigenous peoples, will treat you with national dishes prepared from environmentally friendly products.

It is very important for us that rural tourism contributes to the improvement of life and the families themselves who host tourists. The inclusion of the local population in the reception of tourists makes them interested in preserving their own traditions and protecting nature. No one can do this better than the people who live here. The appearance of such a stimulus is especially extremely important now, when nature throughout the planet is suffering from the impact of man and civilization.

Tour program:

Day 1: Friday

Meeting at the airport. Meeting at the airport and transfer to Khiva (30 km). Upon arrival, accommodation at the hotel.

Day 2: Saturday

Breakfast.

Sightseeing tour of Khiva:

The first feeling when you enter the heart of Khiva, the town of Ichan-Kala, is that you are in a fairy tale. As if descended from the magical pages of Shahirizada's fairy tales, Khiva will meet you with narrow, cobbled streets, two-story mud houses and a stunning array of mosques, mausoleums, minarets and bright, richly colored domes. Here you can also buy the famous Khiva carpets or order a souvenir made of wood, where before your very eyes the craftsmen will surprise you with their elegant work. Surrounded by the Kyzyl-Kum desert, this city was one of the most important resting places on the route of the Silk Road caravans.

The most ancient part of Khiva - shakhristan (city) Ichan-Kala, is surrounded by walls, which were repeatedly destroyed and restored. At the western gate of Ichan-Kala (now non-existent) is Kunya-Ark, an old fortress with the remains of the Akshih-baba castle, which was once the core of the city. The Ark consisted of several courtyards, each of which united a certain group of buildings. Of these, only the kurnysh-khana (reception room of the khan), the summer mosque, the mint and the later building of the harem have survived. In the mosque and the reception hall (1825-1842), aivans with wooden columns and walls covered with majolica cladding attract attention.

Visiting a craft workshop for making dolls, as well as a wood carving workshop.

Dinner in a traditional Khiva house. Here you will be taught how to cook tukhum-barka - sacks of dough with egg filling. This dish can only be tasted in Khiva.

Day 3: Sunday

Breakfast.

Departure to Bukhara (450 km) through the Kyzyl-Kum desert and the mouth of the Amu-Darya river::The Kizil Kum Desert is the largest desert area in Central Asia. When crossing the desert, you can watch camel caravans. This seemingly deserted area was home to many nomadic tribes.
The Amu Darya River - in ancient times the Oxus, one of the two largest rivers in Central Asia. It can be observed from the road. A large dam, 80 km from Urgench, dividing the river into 5 channels. 2 of them go to Turkmenistan and 3 to Uzbekistan.
On the way, you can also make a stop at the Yurt camp of nomadic Turkmens and look at the life of nomads.

Upon arrival, accommodation at the hotel.

Day 4: Monday

Breakfast.

Tour of the old city: Bukhara has preserved its medieval layout, thanks to which every building, every house on its crooked narrow streets carries a charm. City tour: great minaret and Kalyan mosque, trading domes. You can visit the ranks of artisans - blacksmiths, gold embroiderers, chasers sit under trade domes and demonstrate their skills. You can even order an original coinage on a tray with your portrait, or a portrait of a loved one. You will also meet here aka Abdullo, who sells medicinal herbs for making tea. Magoki Attori Mosque, Lyabi Khauz and Chor Minor complex, Miri Arab madrasah, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs.

After lunch, continuation of the excursion program around the city: the mausoleum of Ismail Saman

and, the Chashma Ayub mazar, the Ark fortress and the Bolo Hauz mosque, the country palace of the last emir - Sitor and Mokhi Khos, where you can sit on his throne, try on the veil of one of his wives or the Emir's robe painted with gold, admire the peacocks, important and sleepy walking under centuries-old vaults of crowns.

Day 5: Tuesday

Breakfast.

Visit to the family of ceramics masters in Gijduvan. Master class in ceramics.

The small town of Gijduvan is located 46 kilometers from Bukhara. From ancient times to the present day, Gijduvan has been famous as a trading city and a center for handicrafts. Pottery occupies a special place among the various crafts flourishing in the town. The Gijduvan school of ceramics is distinguished by the use of geometric shapes and colors in ornaments.

Ibodulo Narzullaev was one of the most famous ceramists of Uzbekistan and the founder of the Gijduvan school of ceramics. Usta (translated from Uzbek as “master”) Ibadullo created not only his own individual style, but also passed on his skills to his sons Alisher and Abdullo and daughter Nodira. This is the sixth generation that continues the tradition of creating ceramic products of his family. Today, Gijduvan artisans are known not only in Uzbekistan, but throughout the world.

The Narzullaev family not only invites everyone to get acquainted with the process of ceramics production, visit the ceramic museum, buy products of Gijduvan artisans, but also join the life of ceramists, take a special training course, and try Uzbek national cuisine.

The course of study includes two areas: events for the exchange of experience and direct teaching of ceramic art.

Day 6: Wednesday

Breakfast.

Transfer Bukhara-Nurata (240 km).

With the dawn, you will be transported to a completely different world. From cities with an abundance of historical luxury, centers of trade and culture to the sand dunes of the Kyzyl-Kum desert, with its saxauls and camels. On the way you will see one of the oldest Caravan Saraev "Rabat and Malik". It was here that during the time of the Silk Road, tired merchants stopped for the night. And now - in the middle of the desert, like a mirage, there is a blue expanse of the huge lake Aydarkul. Our caravan will stop here for rest and lunch. Weather permitting, fishing trips can be arranged.

Arrival at the yurt camp on the shore of Aydarkul Lake.

Day 7: Thursday

Breakfast.

Free time in the Yurt camp and on the shore of Aydarkul lake.

Departure to Sintab village, accommodation in the house near Mutabar and Shodiboy.

This is a large guest house with four rooms for tourists, three trestle beds, two of which are located in the courtyard and one in the garden, where a mountain river flows. For tea parties in bad weather, guests have at their disposal a veranda located on the second floor of the house, from where you can observe the life of the village, enjoying a bowl of tea, coffee or other drinks.
The owners of the guest house have a colorful photo album with photographs of the beauties of the entire Nurata region. This is a great opportunity for tourists to get to know the Nurata Mountains better, and perhaps even plan their further trip around the region.

Mutabar Guest House is equipped with a satellite dish, so guests can always watch the news or the game of their favorite football team on TV. Among other things, in the courtyard of the guest house there is a small home museum, implemented in the form of a yurt. The museum exhibits various national artifacts: dishes, linen, jewelry, tools, coins, and more. Separately from the house in the yard is a small bar decorated with national color.

It is important to note that this guest house was created on the own initiative of a local resident, Shodiboy Boboev. Shodiboy works as a teacher of geography in a secondary school and is a good conductor/guide in the surrounding area, he speaks Uzbek and Tajik languages ​​and will be able to tell a lot about the village of Sentyab, rich in historical and architectural monuments.

Relaxation.

Day 8: Friday

Breakfast.

After lunch departure to Samarkand.

Samarkand is the pearl of the east, one of the most majestic cities of Uzbekistan, the favorite capital of the great Tamerlane. Hotel accommodation.

Day 9: Saturday

Breakfast.

City tour: Registan Square XV-XVII centuries. (madrassah of Ulugbek of the 15th century, Sher-Dor of the 17th century, Tillya-Kari of the 17th century), Gur-Emir mausoleum of the 15th century. , the architectural ensemble of the mausoleums of Shakhi-Zinda of the XI-XX centuries, the Bibi-Khanym mosque of the XV century.

Craft Center "Meros" - a center for the production of paper from mulberry wood, clay products. Tourists will be able to take home hand-made pottery after preliminary firing.

Free time at the Siab market.

Day 10: Sunday

Breakfast.

Full day trip to Amankutan.

Photo-stop at the Teshik Tash stone. In these places, in the 70s, Mosfilm filmed the film "Indians" with Goiko Mitic in the lead role.
10:00 Meeting of tourists at the Tosh Bulok spring.
Spring "Tosh Bulok" - is a source of incredibly tasty and rich in useful minerals water.
Phot

o-stop at the Takhta-Koracha pass, in one of the most beautiful natural corners of Uzbekistan. At an altitude of 1700m above sea level, you will have picturesque views of mountains, hills strewn with huge boulders and forests covered with centuries-old trees.
Aman-Kutan - from time immemorial, the shortest route from Bactria to Sogdiana passed through Amankutan, along which the soldiers of Alexander the Great, the hordes of Genghis Khan, and Arab troops passed thousands of years ago. Today, just like hundreds of years ago, the inhabitants of Aman-Kutan lead a traditional rural lifestyle: they graze cattle, mow grass, grow vegetables for their needs and collect firewood for the winter. Each family has at least 15 livestock and an indispensable assistant in everyday life - a donkey.
We change to donkeys. Further on donkeys.
A walk to the Lion's Cave - in the Takalik-sai gorge, archaeologist D.N.Lev in 1966 discovered a cave with many artifacts of the so-called Mousterian era (100-40 thousand years ago). Today, locals call this attraction simply “Lion's Cave”, because not only the name of the archaeologist, but also the bizarre stone figures in the vicinity inevitably lead to such comparisons.
Lunch in a traditional Uzbek house.
A little tour of the house. (at the request of tourists) - the owner of the house will be happy to show his house and tell how the everyday life of the villagers goes.
Free time, rest.
17:00 Return to Samarkand.

Day 11: Monday

Breakfast.

Airport transfer. Departure from Samarkand to Moscow.