Grand Tour
Grand Tour of Uzbekistan
An 18-day route from Tashkent to the Aral region, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, and the Fergana Valley.
This 18-day route covers Tashkent, Karakalpakstan, Nukus, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, the Fergana Valley, and Andijan. It mixes major landmarks with smaller local stops.
With a French-speaking guide, you travel through cities, craft workshops, and family-run places across several regions.
Your programme is fully customisable to your wishes:
- Homestay nights in the Khorezm region available
- Visit to AFOR reforestation project in Gurlan included
- Traditional craft workshops (pottery, weaving, cooking) optional
Suggested 18-Day Itinerary in Uzbekistan
Tachkent, Ouzbékistan
Tashkent
Day 1 — Arrival in Tashkent
Arrival in Tashkent, welcome and hotel transfer. First stroll through the historic Khast Imam district, the Kaffal Shashi Mosque and the famous Chorsu Bazaar. Welcome dinner at a traditional restaurant.
Vieille ville de Tachkent
Tashkent
Day 2 — Tashkent, Modern Capital
A day to discover the modern capital: the Museum of the History of Uzbekistan, the Amir Timur complex, the Tashkent TV Tower, and the wide avenues inherited from Soviet architecture. Free evening to explore trendy restaurants and cafés.
Musée Savitsky, Nukus
Nukus
Day 3 — Flight to Nukus & Savitsky Museum
Domestic flight to Urgench then transfer to Nukus, capital of Karakalpakstan. Visit the famous Savitsky Museum — nicknamed the 'Louvre of the Desert' — housing over 80,000 works saved from Soviet censorship, including an extraordinary avant-garde collection.
Aral, Karakalpakstan
Karakalpakstan Desert
Day 4 — Desert Fortresses & Aral Sea
Excursion into the steppes of Karakalpakstan: ancient fortresses of Chilpik Kala and Ayaz Kala, remnants of the Khorezm civilisation. A moving visit to the abandoned port of Moynaq on the former Aral Sea, a stark symbol of ecological catastrophe.
Khiva
Khiva
Day 5 — Khiva, the Museum City
Drive to Khiva. Exploration of Ichan Kala (UNESCO-listed old city): Kalta Minor minaret, Tash-Hauli palace, Juma Mosque with its 213 carved wooden columns. Meeting with local artisans specialising in wood carving and traditional embroidery.
Projet AFOR, Gurlan
Khiva & Gurlan
Day 6 — Khiva & AFOR Project
Morning to deepen the discovery of Khiva and its hidden treasures. Lunch, then a visit to the village of Gurlan and the AFOR reforestation project: meeting with artisans and beneficiaries of the tree-planting programme to combat desertification.
Boukhara
Road to Bukhara
Day 7 — Road to Bukhara & Silk Villages
Drive to Bukhara through the Uzbek countryside (460 km). Stops in weaving villages to discover the ancestral techniques of ikat — silk with geometric patterns. Arrival in Bukhara in the evening, dinner in the medina.
Boukhara — Citadelle Ark
Bukhara
Day 8 — Historic Bukhara
A day in Bukhara: the Ark Citadel (4th century), Kalon Mosque with its 47m minaret, the Samanid Mausoleum (9th century — the oldest brick monument in Central Asia), and the Toqs trading quarter. Free evening in the lanes of the UNESCO-listed historic medina.
Médersas de Boukhara
Bukhara
Day 9 — Madrasas & Encounters
Discovery of Bukhara's madrasas: Mir-i-Arab (16th century), Nadir Divanbegi with its stunning decor. Visit of Lyabi-Hauz, the heart of the historic district. Lunch with a local family and afternoon with potter or embroidery artisans in their workshops.
Boukhara
Bukhara
Day 10 — Countryside & Sacred Sites
An excursion outside Bukhara to discover the surrounding countryside: the Chor-Bakr funerary complex (necropolis of the Prophet's brothers), the summer residence of the last emir Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, and the unique four-minaret madrasa Chor-Minor. Return in the evening for dinner.
Samarcande — Régistan
Samarkand
Day 11 — Samarkand by Twilight
Drive to Samarkand. Afternoon arrival and first immersion with a visit to the Registan at twilight — the most iconic monumental complex in Central Asia. Sound and light show possible in the evening. Dinner at a traditional restaurant.
Mosquée Bibi-Khanym
Samarkand
Day 12 — Depths of Samarkand
Visit the flagship monuments: Gur-e-Amir mausoleum (Tamerlane's tomb, 14th century), Bibi-Khanym Mosque (the largest mosque built in its era). Discover Ulugh Beg's observatory and its collection of astronomical globes. Silk weaving workshop.
Shah-i-Zinda, nécropole sacrée
Samarkand & Shakhrisabz
Day 13 — Shah-i-Zinda & Shakhrisabz
Morning at the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, the avenue of mausoleums of Tamerlane's family with dazzling turquoise ceramics. Afternoon: excursion to Shakhrisabz, Tamerlane's birthplace (UNESCO-listed), to visit the grandiose Ak Saray palace and the Dor-us-Saodat complex.
Samarcande
Samarkand
Day 14 — Free Day in Samarkand
A day at your own pace: revisit your favourite places, stroll through the Siab Bazaar (Samarkand's oldest covered market), artisan shopping or hiking in the surrounding hills. Farewell dinner in Samarkand with your guide.
Vallée de Ferghana, Margilan
Fergana Valley
Day 15 — Fergana Valley & Margilan
Drive to the Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan's agricultural heartland and cradle of silk. Discovery of Margilan and its famous Atlas silk workshops: visit to the Yodgorlik factory, one of the last to produce natural silk dyed with indigo using traditional methods.
Kokand
Fergana & Kokand
Day 16 — Fergana & Kokand
Morning in Fergana to explore the local museum and Quvasoy market. Afternoon: visit to Kokand, the 19th-century capital of the Khanate of Kokand, to admire the Khan's palace (Khodayar Khan) and the Dakhma-i-Shakhon mosque.
Andijan. Photo: Carpodacus / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
Andijan & Tashkent
Day 17 — Andijan & Return to Tashkent
Morning in Andijan, birthplace of Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire. Visit the bazaar and Jami mosque. Fast train or flight to Tashkent. Closing evening with a farewell dinner at a gastronomic Uzbek restaurant.
Tachkent
Tashkent
Day 18 — Departure
Transfer to the airport according to your flight time. End of your grand tour.
What's included
- Welcome and airport/hotel transfers
- Accommodation in comfort hotel or guesthouse (17 nights)
- Optional homestay nights in the Khorezm region
- Private French-speaking guide throughout the stay
- All internal transport (flight, train, car)
- Entrance fees to monuments in the programme
- 1 lunch and 1 dinner with a local family
- Visit and contribution to the AFOR project in Gurlan
- Craft workshop of your choice (silk, pottery, embroidery)
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Meals not mentioned
- Personal expenses and tips
Practical info
No visa required for French citizens
Direct flight from Paris (~6h) or Lyon via Istanbul
Best season: April–June & Sept–Oct
Currency: Uzbek Sum (UZS) — 1 € ≈ 14,000 UZS
Coming Soon
Departure dates for this tour will be published shortly. In the meantime, you can contact us for any questions or for a tailor-made trip.
Contact us