Taste Uzbekistan to taste!
Gourmet Tour
The trip is perfect for guests who want to experience all that Uzbekistan has to offer.
Immerse yourself in the sunny and hospitable country on this 8-day unforgettable tour. Discover major cities such as Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, and experience the impressive architecture and history on walking tours. By the end of this adventure, you’ll have tasted the best dishes from different regions and even taken home some recipes and cooking techniques.
- Day Arrival in Tashkent
Arrival in Tashkent at night or the next morning. Reception at the airport by tour guide, transfer to the hotel, accommodation, overnight stay.
- Day Tashkent
Breakfast. Tour will start in the old part of Tashkent: Kukeldash Madrasah (translated as “milk brother”), which was built in the 16th century and today has over 100 students a year; Chorsu Bazaar – a lively market where you can buy seasonal, fresh and typical Uzbek food. Local tour guide will introduce you to the rich colors, flavors, and scents of many traditional Uzbek dishes. Guests will learn how to choose the perfect ingredients for the most common dishes of Uzbek cuisine. Tip of the day: Take a look at the “Snake of Wolverines” in the Chorsu Bazaar.
First lunch is planned in the Central Asian center of Plov, because plov – a dish made of meat, rice, onions, carrots and spices – is not only a local Uzbek national treasure, but is also on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage and has been entered in the Guinness Book of Records.
In the afternoon, a tour (according to the desired walk – about 5 km) through the new part of the city is planned: Independence Square, which covers about 12 hectares of land; Palace of Prince Romanov (from the outside), the grandson of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, who was exiled to Tashkent by his royal parents in 1877 and lived there until his death; Monument and park of Amir Temur – a ruler whose empire stretched from China to the Caspian Sea and from the Aral Sea to the Persian Gulf; Alisher Navoi Theater (from the outside) – the leading musical theater of Uzbekistan and one of the largest opera and ballet theaters in Central Asia.
Transfer to the airport, flight to Urgench (depending on the flight schedule: evening flight or flight the next morning). After arrival in Urgench, transfer to Khiva (approx. 30 km). Overnight in Khiva.
*Dinner in Tashkent or Khiva depending on the flight.
- Day Khiva
Breakfast. Today, full-day tours are planned in a unique historical and architectural complex, in the open-air museum Ichan Kala. In the morning we visit the madrasah of Muchammad Aminchan, one of the largest in Central Asia; Kalta Minor Minaret, which was originally conceived as the tallest minaret in the Muslim world, but was unfinished; Kunya-Ark Fortress — “a fortress within a fortress” — the citadel of the khans of Khiva; Mausoleums of Pachlawan Mahmud and Said Alauddin – tombs where Sufi saints rest.
Lunch is planned today at local family who have a family café. Before you sit down at the table, you will take part in a master class in the production of flatbreads. By the way, each region has its own type of pita bread, just like its own type of plov. As a main course, you will have typical Horezmic food today – tuchum barak (boiled dumplings filled with eggs), which, according to legend, was prepared for the khan before his visit to the harem.
The afternoon program includes the Juma Mosque, which has 213 wooden columns inside; Tash Hauli Palace (translated as Stone Palace) and Harem, Ensemble Islam Chodja, built by the Grand Vizier and father-in-law of the Khan; Madrasah of Alla Kulichan, for the construction of which part of the city wall was destroyed.
Dinner will delight you not only with delicious dishes, but also with an incredible view of the Kalta Minor Minaret from the terrace. The main course of the evening is Dimlama – one of the most popular dishes in Uzbekistan, which is a bit reminiscent of a stew. It is prepared from a large amount of vegetables and meat, which are placed in layers and stewed for a long time.
Overnight in Khiva.
- Day Khiva – Bukhara
Breakfast. Early start and long drive to Bukhara through the Kizilkum desert, which means red sand in translation (about 500 km, about 8 hours). On the way, photo break at the Amudarya River and lunch break at the street tea house. Upon arrival, accommodation at the hotel, time for refreshment.
Dinner in the heart of the old town. For the main course today, dzhiz from old Bukhara is prepared – tender beef, stewed in its own juice and fried with vegetables in the oriental style, rich in aromas of spices and herbs, often served with rings of fresh onions.
Overnight in Bukhara.
- Day Bukhara
Breakfast. Full-day sightseeing in Bukhara: Ensemble Lyabi Hauz – an architectural complex around a reservoir, one of the few remaining in the city; Maggoki Attori Mosque – a mosque where Muslims and Jews prayed together before the first synagogue was built in Bukhara; Trade domes (Sarafon – money exchange, Telpak Furushon – Astrakhan hats, Zargaron – goldsmith), under which various goods are traded from the 16th century to the present day; Kosh – Madrasah (Ulugbek Madrasah and Abdulazizkhan Madrasah, which stand opposite each other) is an impressive example of the rivalry of architectural styles and design approaches of different eras.
For lunch today we have dolma – minced meat with rice, wrapped in vine leaves. Food has a juicy, rich taste with slight acidity. It is not known how it all began, but very popular and popular in Uzbekistan dolma is considered a national dish by many peoples of the Caucasus, North Africa and the Middle East.
In the afternoon we will visit the Poi Kalon ensemble with its Miri Arab madrasah – active, mosque and minaret Kalon, which served as a place of public execution of criminals sentenced to death and unfaithful wives; Ark Citadel – a symbol of power and inaccessibility in the Emirate of Bukhara; Mausoleums of Samanids (was almost completely buried under a layer of earth and was discovered and excavated in the 20th century) and Chashma Ayub (is associated with the legend of the prophet Job, who, according to legend, hit a water source with his stick to save the inhabitants of Bukhara from drought).
Before dinner, a small pleasant event awaits you. You will visit Shohrud Winery – one of the oldest wineries in Uzbekistan, the history of which began in 1936. A professional sommelier guide will tell you about the intricacies of production. And after learning about the history of the plant and winemaking traditions, you’ll be offered a tasting of the best samples, from dry wines to aged Cognacs.
Dinner at the local restaurant.
Overnight in Bukhara.
- Day Buchara – Samarkand
Breakfast. Today we drive to Samarkand. A visit is planned on the way. We could not leave Bukhara without visiting the Sitorai Mochi Chosa Palace – the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara, where peacocks walk in the courtyard. This palace represents a unique combination of Eastern and European styles.
Continue to Samarkand (approx. 270 km, approx. 4.5 hrs). Upon arrival, accommodation at the hotel, time for refreshment.
For lunch today, you have lagman – a popular Central Asian dish, a thick soup or sauce with meat, vegetables and noodles. It can be considered both first and second gear. The legend of Lagman says that the dish was invented by three travelers who had different ingredients: meat and flour, water and a frying pan, vegetables and spices. They came together to cook the food, and that’s how Lagman was born. A passing emperor tried it and ordered it to be cooked everywhere.
In the afternoon, first visits to Samarkand: Gur Amir’s Mausoleum, where Timur and other representatives of the Timurid dynasty are buried; Ensemble Registan, pearl of the Silk Road, includes three madrassahs: Ulugbek, Sherdor and Tillya-Kori – translated from Persian “Registan” means “sandy place”, and the area was actually covered with sand in ancient times.
For dinner today, you have shish kebab – pieces of meat that are roasted on a skewer over fire or coals. The word “shashlik” comes from the Turkish “shish”, which means “skewer”. Juicy meat prepared in this way has a zesty smoky aroma, which makes it special.
Overnight in Samarkand.
- Day Samarkand – Taschkent
Breakfast. In the morning, further sightseeing in the city: Bibi Hanim Mosque, built by Timur’s beloved wife; Bazar Siab, where vendors lure you to their counters and insist that you sample their wares; Ulugbek Observatory – one of the outstanding observatories of the Middle Ages; Necropolis of Shakhi Zinda – burial place of kings and nobles.
Tip of the day: at the Siab Bazaar, be sure to try “Kurt” – small white balls that look like salty cheese or hard cottage cheese.
For lunch, you are invited to the local family as a guest, where you will have a master class in the preparation of the dish manti. You will learn how to properly shape delicious dumplings, which are traditionally filled and steamed with meat and onions, sometimes potatoes, pumpkin and greens.
In the afternoon transfer to Tashkent (approx. 350 km, approx. 5 hrs). Farewell dinner in Tashkent.
Overnight in Tashkent.
- Day Departure from Tashkent
Early transfer to the airport, departure from Tashkent.
