zThe Silk Road in Uzbekistan

Join your guide for a tour of the city including its remarkable subway. Meals D

Fly to the modern city of Nukus to visit the State Museum of Art, famed for its unique collection of Avant-garde Russian art, dramatically rescued from the Soviet regime by Igor Savitsky, a Moscow artist. Then tour the ancient fortress ruins of Toprak Qala before continuing through the scenic desert landscapes to Khiva. Spend two nights at the comfortable Orient Star Hotel. Meals B,L,D

With its small population and more than 1,000 years of history, Khiva is a living museum, its Old City evoking the exotic rhythms of an ancient Orient town and the fabled Silk Road. After breakfast, you guided tour explores the town in-depth including the Kunya-Ark Fortress and Tash Hauli Palace. Meals B,L,D

Tracing the route of the ancient Silk Road, you’ll journey today through the dramatic Kyzyl-Kum Desert to the banks of the Amudarya River, which follows along the modern-day border with Turkmenistan. Continue to Bukhara and check in to the Sasha & Son Hotel. Meals B,L,D

Though nearly destroyed by Genghis Khan, Bukhara offers a wealth of ancient sites, a legacy of its strategic location along the great Silk Road. Your full-day tour showcases the most significant of these landmarks including the 7th-century fortress, the 1,000-year-old Samanid Mausoleum and the beautifully ornamented Nadir Divan-begi Madrasah. Meals B,L,D

This morning’s excursion takes you to the lavish Palace of Moon-like Stars, the erstwhile summer residence of the last Bukhara Emir. After lunch, visit a miniaturist’s studio, for a fascinating look into this ancient artistic tradition. Return to your hotel and enjoy the balance of your afternoon to relax or explore at your own pace. Meals B,L,D

Continue your journey to Samarkand, once hailed as the Heart of the Great Silk Road, and check in to the Malika Prime Hotel. After time to refresh, rejoin your expert guide for a tour of the Registan. This impressive public square, where citizens used to gather for royal proclamations, is surrounded by three madrasahs, the oldest of which dates back 600 years. Meals B,L,D

Your sightseeing begins at the magnificent tomb built by the great Tamerlane in 1404 for his beloved grandson; today it is still hailed as a masterpiece of Persian style. Then browse in an exotic local bazaar and visit the ancient Ulugbek Observatory, Mausoleum of Saint Daniel and the Bibi-Khanum Cathedral Mosque, which was begun by Tamerlane in 1399 after his victorious campaign of India. This evening’s culinary class and dinner is a delicious and authentic way to experience Plov, a Central Asian specialty made with rice and lamb. Meals B,L,D

Your morning is at leisure to explore further at your own pace and to immerse in the evocative atmosphere of this ancient city. After lunch, transfer to the rail station for your journey to Tashkent where you’ll check in once again at the Radisson BLU Hotel. Meals B,L,D

Your journey with us ends this morning. Meals B