Navruz - A Celebration of Life

The unforgettable celebration of Navruz - The Spring Feast and beginning of the New Year in Central Asia

Navruz (New Day) is the most cherished public holiday, the Central Asian New Year that falls on March 21 in Uzbekistan. During this two-day festival of spring renewal, singing, dancing, the making of special dishes, wrestling by burly "Palvans" and the reciting of epic poetry by wandering "Bakshi" minstrels are highlights. While Islam has had a strong influence on The Uzbek people so do a number of older religious traditions including Zoroastrianism. Navruz has its origins in a festival celebrating the spring equinox, which Zoroaster rededicated to Asha Vahistra and fire.  The Great Silk Road oases of Uzbekistan are more accessible now than ever before in their histories.  You journey will begin in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. A bus will take you along the Golden Road to Samarkand where you will celebrate Navruz. Here at the junction of ancient caravan routes, the colossal blue domes of Tamerlane's imperial capital dwarf the modern Uzbek city. The drive from Samarkand to Bukhara will be broken by a visit to  Shakhrisbz, the birthplace of Tamerlane. This is a wonderfully picturesque journey through steppe country dotted with small villages. Bukhara, reputed to be the holiest place in Central Asia, provides a gentle contrast to glittering Samarkand with the muted khakis of its mud walled, old city and its compact layout. Then it is onward to Khiva, the most complete, and most heavily restored of all the Great Silk Road cities. Taking a short flight from Urgench to Tashkent, we will return to the capital's lesser-known gems. For your second itinerary we offer an additional 2-day trip by plane to the Feghana Valley - known as the Pearl of Uzbekistan. Spring in the Ferghana Valley is the most beautiful season, and on the way you can see the blossoming apricot fields. City tour will include visits to Margilan and Kokand and the pottery shops and work shops of the famous Rishtan factory. Itinerary: Tashkent - Samarkand - Shakhrisabz - Bukhara - Khiva - Urgench - Tashkent       Duration: 7 days, 6 nights Dates of tour: March 18-24, 2012  Group size: max 14 persons, min 4 persons  Day 1 (Sun, March 18): Tashkent  Early arrival in Tashkent. Accommodation in hotel. Overnight in Tashkent. Day 2 (Mon, March 19): Tashkent - Samarkand  Morning transfer Tashkent - Samarkand. Accommodation in hotel. Sightseeing program: Gur-Emir Mausoleum;  Ruhabad Mausoleum Registan Plaza; Hazret-Hyzr Mosque; Bibi-Khanym Mosque; Shakhi- Zinda Necropolis; Ulugbek Observatory; Mausoleum of Khodja Daniyar. Participation in the Navruz celebration (Oriental New Year, which is celebrated on 21stof March) in Mahallya (local community) including preparation of the traditional foods"Sumalyak" and "Khalisa", feast, experience local customs, traditions and celebration of Navruz with local people. Overnight in Samarkand. Day 3 (Tue, March 20): Samarkand - Shakhrisabz - Bukhara  Morning transfer to Bukhara via Shakrisabz. Excursion in Shakhrisabz: Ak-Saray palace, Jahongir mausoleum, Gumbazi-Seiidan tomb, Kok Gumbaz Mosque. Arrival to Bukhara and accommodation in the hotel. Overnight in Bukhara. Day 4 (Wed, March 21): Bukhara  Sightseeing program in Bukhara: Mausoleum of the Samanids; Chashna-Ayub Mazar; Poi- Kalyan ensemble ;  Ulugbek Madrassah; Madrassaah of Abdulaziz-khan; Magoki-Attari Mosque; Lyabi- Houz ensmeble; Chor-Minor Mdrassah. Overnight in Bukhara. Day 5 (Thu, March 22): Bukhara  Continuation of sightseeing program: Ark fortress Zindan; Art Museums. Dinner with folklore concert. Overnight in Bukhara. Day 6 (Fri, March 23): Bukhara - Khiva  Morning transfer Bukhara - Khiva. Overnight in Khiva. Day 7 (Sat, March 24): Khiva  Sightseeing program in Khiva: Kunya-Ark; Kalta-Minor Minaret; Madrassah of Mukhammad Amin-khan ; Djuma Mosque and Minaret; Ak Mosque; Complex of Pakhlavan Makhmud; Islam-Khodja Mosque and Minaret. Transfer to the airport. Departure from Uzbekistan. Additionally - Day 8 for travelers departing from Tashkent. Group Price for 1 person US$ Budget class accommodation:  Uzbekistan Hotel, Kamila Hotel, Lyabi-Houz Hotel, Arkanchi Hotel Tourist class accommodation:   Hotel Tashkent Palace, Regal Palace Hotel, Hotel Grand Bukhara, Azia Khiva Hotel  Deluxe accommodation:  Inetrcontinental Hotel, Registan Plaza Hotel, Zargaron Plaza Hotel, Azia Khiva Hotel 2 447 597 688 3 419 558 657 4 348 489 588 5 307 437 536 6 279 414 518 7 258 398 497 Single supplement 46 77 197   Price includes Price does NOT include Double accommodation as per the list provided; Breakfast in the hotels; All transfers by private air-conditioned car or minibus; Porter charges at airports; Dinner with folklore concert in Bukhara; English-, Spanish-, German-, Russian-speaking tour guide; Mineral water during the transfers. International Airfare; Visa fee (consular fee); English-, Spanish-, German-speaking tour guide (73 US$ - per day (08.00-18.00), 30 US$ - 4-hours excursion); Insurance; Additional services in the hotels; Camera/Video fees; Entrance fees for the monuments, museums and handicrafts workshops during the tour; Any additional trips.

Additionally Day 8 (for travelers departing from Tashkent):

1) Price of accommodation in Tashkent: Hotel Room Price (US$) Single Room Double Room Uzbekistan Hotel 55 69 Tashkent Palace Hotel 100 119 Intercontinental Tashkent Hotel 240 290 2) Price of transfers Airport-Hotel or Hotel-Airport - 20 US$ per car (1-3 persons);  3) Airfare Urgench-Tashkent - 96 US$ (price varies depending on the season).

Recommended additional options (at extra fee):

Khiva: - Khorezmian folklore concert US$ 45 per concert. Bukhara:   - A visit to an old Bozori Kord Hammam - Oriental spa (Hammam) for men and women (from US$ 3 to 15 p/person); - We offer a few options for dinner:  1. Dinner in Madarihon Medressa with violin concert (US$ 10 p/person);  2. Dinner in Nodir Divan Begim Medressa with folklore show (US$ 15p/person);  3. Traditional Uzbek dinner in Doston house(US$ 8 p/person); - Splendid herbal teas in " Silk Road Spices" tea house (US$ 3 p/person); - Fayzulla Hodjaev house-museum, where you can see the daily life of a Bukhara merchant at the beg.of the 20th c (US$ 2 p/person).  On the way from Bukhara to Samarkand: - A visit to Vabkent minaret - one of the highest in Uzbekistan - 39 m (12th c.) (free); - A visit to creative workshop of Abdullo nazrullaev in Gizhduvan Town (free); - A visit to  rabat-i-Malik - an old caravanserai on Silk Road (12th c.) (free). Samarkand: - An unforgettable performance in  The Theatre of Historical Costume El Merosi  (we need to check in advance if this performance is available on the date of your visit) (US$ 10 p/person for groups only or upon concert availability on a certain date); - There is an option to see the magical light show on "Registan" square (order should be completed beforehand) (US$ 40 for show, up to 40 persons); - Visit to an old water mill in a Samarkand suburb (US$ 15 p/person); - Interesting options to see the processing of and purchase souvenir:  1. Famous Silk carpet factory (visit free);  2. Small Silk Processing factory Ayesha(10 US$ for 2 persons, for groups more than 2 persons visit free). Tashkent: - A visit to the famous  Alisher Navoi Opera & Ballet Theatre (US$ 5 p/person); - 1 hour tour of the "Tashkent Metro"- one of most beautiful in the world (US$ 3 p/person); - Dinner in  Uzbek National house (US$ 8 p/person).

- Please note that the first and the last days of above itinerary are made-up in accordance with flight schedule of Uzbekistan Airways (evening-arrival and morning-departure times) from the following cities: Almaty, Astana, Baku, Bishkek, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Kiev, Milan, Moscow, New York, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Osaka, Riga, Rome, St Petersburg, Sharjah, Tokyo and Tel-Aviv. In case of inconvenience of the flight schedule please  (early arrival or later departure will involve extra costs for accommodation and additional excursions);
- We do recommend to purchase a lunch box in one of Khiva cafes to feel comfortable on the way from Khiva to Bukhara;
- Prices in the rate grid starting from 1 pax up to 9 pax do not include Single supplement;
- *In case of Deluxe accommodation option please note, that the hotel Khoresm Palace (the only 4 star hotel in Khoresm region) locates in Urgench city, 35 km from Khiva;
- The vegetarian cuisine is not widely spread in Uzbekistan. If you require vegetarian we can recommend the most appropriate places;
- Group rates (10 and more pax) are available upon request.