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Following the footsteps of Armenius Vamberi in Central Asia

Tashkent – Nukus – Khiva – Bukhara – Samarkand – Tashkent

Armenius Vambery, famous Hungarian orientalist, traveler, translator and writer undertook two travels in his life that brought him worldwide recognition and fame.

In 1857 he went to Asia Minor, in Constantinople, where for four years he perfected his knowledge of the Turkish language, culture, history, customs and traditions of Ottoman Empire.Upon returning home Vambery was elected a corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences for the translation of the works of Ottoman historians into the Hungarian language.

In 1862, on behalf of the Hungarian Academy in Pest (Budapest) Vambery undertakes his second journey to the East on scientific mission to research the origins of the Hungarian language. This time his destination is remote and mysterious Central Asia. So Vambery departs for Istanbul and from there he gets to Trabzon, Turkey's port on the Black Sea, and following the caravan route through Erzurum, Tabriz, and Qazvin the traveler arrives in Teheran, the capital of Persia.

In Tehran Vambery managed to join the caravan of dervishes that were returning to Central Asia from the pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca. Thus, disguised as a dervish with a passport in the name of Haji Mehmed Reshid Efendi, the fearless traveler passes through Mezanderan province and gets to the Balkhs Bay on the southeastern shore of the Caspian Sea. From there through Gurgen and Atrek across Big and Small Balkhan maintains, crossing ruthless Turkmen desert, Karakum, he arrives in Khiva, the capital of the Khorezmian State. After staying three weeks in Khiva, Vambery boards a boat and travels to the delta of the Amu Darya River to the remotest city of the region, Kungrad. From Kungrad the way back to Khiva is via Kone-Urgench, the ancient capital of Khorezmian State.After leaving Khiva the caravan crosses the Amu Darya River and after passing through second greatest desert of Central Asia, the Kyzyl Kum, arrives in Holy City of Bukhara.Having lived in Bukhara for 18 days Vambery makes his way to the "Pearl of the East" Samarkand, and 8 days later sets off on the return journey homeward. His route lies through the city of Karshi, the second crossing over the Amu Darya, the city of Kirk, Afghan cities of Andkhoy and Herat, ancient Persian city of Meshed and finally Teheran.

In 1864, A. Vambery publishes "Journey through Central Asia". In 1868 "Sketches of Central Asia" is published, and in 1872 comes out "The History of Bukhara or Transoxiana".

Thus, ArmeniusVambery becomes the first Western European explorer that traveled and described almost all of Central Asia.

8 days / 7 nights

Armenius Vamberi in Central Asia tour map


Days Cities Activities Meals  
Day 01 Tashkent Arrival in Tashkent international airport.
Meeting with guide.
Transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation.
Overnight in Tashkent.
D: Restaurant
Day 02 Tashkent
Nukus –
Khiva
Breakfast.
Transfer to the airport to take domestic flight to Nukus at 07:10 (HY1001).
Arrival in Nukus at 09:55.
Visit Karakalpak State Museum of Art named after Igor Savitskiy.
Transfer to Mizdakhkan- an ancient trade town of the Great Silk Road (19 km west from Nukus, near Khojeyli).
Visit Muslum Sulu Mausoleum (14 c.).
Lunch at local restaurant in Nukus.
Transfer to Khiva (197 km).
En route visit Chilpik – Zoroastrian tower of silence.
Arrival in Khiva.
Accommodation in the hotel.
Overnight in Khiva.
B: Hotel
L: Restaurant
D: Restaurant

Day 03 Khiva Breakfast.
Full day sightseeing tour in Khiva.
Overnight in Khiva.
B: Hotel
L: Restaurant
D: Restaurant
Kalta Minor. Khiva
Day 04 Khiva –
Bukhara
Breakfast.
Transfer to Bukhara at 07:00.
Today you will take long trip through the Kyzyl Kum desert (470 km).
During the trip you can admire Amu Darya River, as one third of the road is parallel to the course of this great Central Asian river, and communicate with a family of local shepherds that have installed their yurt (nomads' tent) close to the highway.
En route lunch at Chaihana (local café) in the middle of desert.
Arrival in Bukhara at 16:00.
Accommodation in hotel.
Evening at leisure to stroll in Bukhara historical centre.
Overnight in Bukhara.
B: Hotel
L: Local café
D: Restaurant
Ark citadel. Bukhara
Day 05 Bukhara Breakfast.
Full day sightseeing tour in Bukhara.
Visit Bаkhauddin Naqshbandi memorial complex.
Overnight in Bukhara.
B: Hotel
L: Restaurant
D: Restaurant
Poi Kalon. Bukhara
Day 06 Bukhara –
Samarkand
After breakfast transfer to Samarkand.
En route visit Rabat Malik Caravanserai (12 c.), domed underground cistern Sardoba Malik (12 c.); Mausoleum of Mir Said Bakhrom (11 c.) and Khanaka of Kasim Sheykh (14c. - 19c.) in Kermine.
Arrival in Samarkand.
After lunch accommodation in hotel.
Sightseeing tour in Samarkand.
Overnight in Samarkand.
B: Hotel
L: Restaurant
D: Restaurant
Registan. Samarkand
Day 07 Samarkand Breakfast.
Half day sightseeing tour in Samarkand.
Transfer to the railway station to take express train "Afrosiab" to Tashkent at 17:00.
Arrival in Tashkent at 20:32.
Farewell dinner.
Overnight in Tashkent.
B: Hotel
L: Restaurant
D: Restaurant
Guri Amir. Samarkand
Day 08 Tashkent Breakfast.
Transfer to the airport to take international flight back home.
B: Hotel


SERVICES INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE:
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE:
  • Accommodation based on TWN rooms
  • Meals – according to the itinerary
  • Entrance fee for sights mentioned.
  • Overland transportation by AC coach
  • All airport-hotel-airport transfers
  • Escort guide for the whole tour (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese-Mandarin, etc speaking)
  • All sightseeing as specified in the itinerary
  • Farewell dinner in Tashkent
  • Visa support to Uzbekistan
  • Portage services in airports and hotels
  • One bottle of mineral water per day per pax
  • International airfares
  • Domestic train fare Samarkand – Tashkent 19 USD (subject changes)
  • Domestic air fare Tashkent –Nukus 75 USD (subject to changes)
  • Camera and Video charges during the sightseeing


Payment: 100 % prepayment should be made not later than 3 days prior to the arrival of the group.

Cancellation fees:
Cancellation 30 days prior– no penalty is charged
Cancellation 30-15 days prior – 50 % penalty is charged
Cancellation 15-1 days prior – 100 % penalty is charged

Sightseeing attractions that will be visited during the excursions:

Khiva:
Konya Ark Forteress (18c.); Mukhammad Aminkhan madrassah (1852-1855 ); Islam Khodja Madrassah and Minaret (1908); Mukhammed Rakhim Khan Madrassah (19 c.), Djuma Mosque (1789 c.), Kutlug Murad Inaq Madrassah (1804 -1812), Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum (14 -19 cc.), Tash Khauli Palace Complex (1830-1838), Tim (roofed market) and Caravanserai of Allah Kuli Khan (19c.).

Bukhara:
Visit to Samanids mausoleum (9 -10 cc.) - vault of Bukhara rulers' dynasty, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum 14c ), Ark Fortress (16 c.) and Bolo Khauz Ensemble (18c.), Poi-Kalon Ensemble including Minaret (12c), Jami Mosque (15c) and functioning Madrassah Miri-Arab (16 c), Taqi (trading domes), Lyabi – Khauz Ensemble (17 c.), Magaki Attari Mosque(12 c.- 16 c.), Ulug Beg Madrassah (15 c.) and Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah (17 c.), Chor-Minor Madrassah (18c.);Sitora-i- Mokhi Khosa, Summer residence of Alim Khan, the last Emir of Bukhara (19 c.- 20t c.), Memorial complex of Khazrat Bakhauddin Nakshbandi.

Kermine:
Mausoleum of Mir Said Bakhrom (11 c.), Khanaka of Kasim Sheykh (14c. - 19c.).

Samarkand:
Shakhi - Zinda necropolis (14-15c), Ulugbek observatory (15c), “Ruines of Afrosiab”- the excavation and museum of the ancient town (6 с. BC-13 с.AD); Visit to medieval architectural monuments: Bibi Khanum Mosque (14c.), Gur-Emir Mausoleum (15c), Registan square with Ulugbek (15 c.), Shir -Dor (17c.), Tillya-Kari Madrassahs (17c.), Ishrat - khana mausoleum (1464) and Khoja Abdi – Darun mazar (15c.-19c.).

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