Uzbekistan women artisans and crafts tour - 11 days

Welcome to Tashkent, the vibrant capital of Uzbekistan. Your guide greets you at the airport and accompanies you to your hotel before introducing you to the city’s layered culture and everyday life.

Begin your Uzbekistan travel experience at the Motamsaro Ona monument, then continue to the Museum of Applied Arts to admire local craftsmanship. Take part in a traditional tea ceremony, learn graceful customs, and stroll through lively Chorsu Bazaar as your guide helps you practice the art of bargaining.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant featuring hand-sliced naryn. In the evening, admire the A. Navoi Theater and end the day with a classic Uzbek dinner.

Your driver collects you from your Tashkent hotel for an early morning flight to Urgench. On arrival, meet your private driver for the one-hour journey to Khiva, passing quiet villages and open steppe along the way.

Explore Ichan Kala, Khiva’s walled inner town, with visits to Muhammad Aminhan Madrassah, Muhammad Rahimhan Madrassah, Kalta Minor Minaret, Juma Mosque, and Tash-Hovli Palace.

Pause for lunch in a traditional restaurant before meeting the Noble Khiva Aunty, who shares folklore, female traditions, and stories about the education of local girls passed down through generations.

In the evening, enjoy a tailored dinner at Zarafshon Restaurant in the madrassah.

Khiva feels like a storybook city. Wander the walled Old Town with your local guide, tracing narrow mud-brick alleys, hidden courtyards, and scenes of everyday life unfolding in shaded doorways.

Afterward, relax over an authentic lunch at Mahmudjon National Restaurant. In the afternoon, join a tailor-made master class in the traditional Lazgi Khorezm dance with choreographer Shokir Ibadullayev, the acclaimed Desert Dancer.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at Allakulikhana, accompanied by graceful performances that bring Khiva’s music, movement, and heritage to life.

Set out on a scenic drive through the Kyzylkum Desert, pausing to photograph vast sandscapes and the life-giving Amudarya River. Along the way, your guide shares stories of Silk Road caravans and the region’s powerful heritage, turning the journey into a rich cultural experience.

Arrive in Bukhara and settle into your carefully selected hotel. In the evening, savor your first dinner in this historic city, a flavorful introduction to the next chapter of your Uzbekistan trip.

After a hearty Bukhara breakfast, set out with your guide to explore the Lyabi Khauz Ensemble, including Kukeldash Madrassah, Khanaka, and Nadir Divan Begi Madrassah. Continue to Magokki Attori Madrassah, Shavkat Boltaev’s photo gallery, the synagogue, and a national doll workshop.

Join a hands-on “Herbal Vitality on the Silk Road” session and discover time-tested remedies rooted in local knowledge. Then delve into Uzbek family rituals at the House Museum of Faizulla Hodjaev before visiting Chor-Minor Madrassah.

End the day with a traditional tea ceremony, followed by a rooftop dinner at Dolon with panoramic views over historic Bukhara.

Begin your day with an early visit to a traditional hammam, one of Central Asia’s oldest spa rituals. Guided by locals, learn about Bukhara’s bathing culture and the customs that have made the hammam a place of renewal, conversation, and community for centuries.

Continue your Bukhara sightseeing with the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, sacred Chashmai Ayub, Bolo Khauz, and the ancient Ark Mosque. Stroll through the bustling bazaar, practice your haggling, and enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant.

In the afternoon, join the “Bukhara Zarduz” gold embroidery workshop, meeting master craftswomen and learning about this cherished art before a flavorful dinner at Minzif restaurant.

Begin your day with a scenic journey from Bukhara to Mitan, pausing in Gijduvon, a village known for the ceramic traditions of Alisher Narzullayev’s family workshop. Join a hands-on master class with local artisans, shaping and decorating your own piece while learning techniques passed down through generations.

Enjoy a freshly prepared lunch with your hosts and gain insight into village life, family traditions, and the stories behind their craft. Continue to Mitan for a leisurely walk with a welcoming local family, who share their daily customs and heartfelt rituals.

Later, meet local Uzbek women during an intimate beauty workshop focused on time-honored care practices. Then help prepare a typical Uzbek dinner with your hosts before spending the night in a traditional local house.

After breakfast with your host family in Mitan, continue your Uzbekistan trip to Samarkand, a legendary Silk Road city shaped by sacred stories, scholarship, and living traditions.

After lunch, explore the scientific legacy of the Ulugh Beg Observatory, pay respects at the Hodja Doniyor Mausoleum, and discover ancient Afrasiab at the museum. Continue to the dazzling Shahi Zinda Ensemble, where tiled mausoleums create one of Samarkand’s most unforgettable sights.

In the evening, enjoy an atmospheric dinner at Karimbek Restaurant, sampling regional specialties in an authentic local setting.

Spend the day with your host family and experience Samarkand beyond its famous monuments. Follow your hosts to favorite markets and neighborhood eateries, learning about daily life, family customs, and the rhythms of the city.

Stroll through quiet backstreets, share stories over tea, and discover hidden corners of this legendary Silk Road destination. In the evening, help prepare a traditional home-cooked dinner, then sit down together for an intimate, tailor-made cultural experience.

Spend the morning uncovering Samarkand’s most iconic sights. Take in the splendor of Registan Square, visit the 14th-century Bibi Khanim Mosque, built in honor of Tamerlane’s beloved wife, and experience the color and energy of Siyab Bazaar.

After lunch, meet craftswomen at the Hujum Carpet Factory for a hands-on master class in traditional carpet making. In the late afternoon, travel by train from Samarkand to Tashkent, watching the landscapes roll past as your journey returns to the capital.

Enjoy a final unhurried morning at your hotel, with time to reflect on the women you met, the stories you heard, and the traditions shared along the way. Capture a few last photos or choose a meaningful keepsake that speaks to your personal journey.

Your private driver will collect you from your hotel and take you to the airport in comfort, ensuring a smooth and stress-free departure.