THE GOLDEN ROAD TO SAMARKAND

Day 1 Overnight flight from London Heathrow to Tashkent.

Day 2 Early morning transfer to your hotel. An afternoon city tour (by bus and on foot), with a local guide, takes in the Navoi Theatre, Chorsu market, Independence Square, and old city madrasahs. Optional ballet, opera or theatre performance at the Navoi Theatre (£18). Overnight at the 4-star Ramada Tashkent. (B, D)

Day 3 Fly to Urgench and transfer to your hotel in Khiva. A guided, afternoon walking tour of the city shows you Old Khiva’s city walls, the Kunya Ark, minarets, a mausoleum and Tash-Khauli Palace. Two nights at the 3-star Asia Khiva Hotel or similar. (B, D)

Day 4 A day at leisure to explore Khiva, perhaps linking a stroll in the atmospheric Old Town with a lunch-stop in the authentic Uzbek restaurants of the city’s modern outer circle; or take an optional tour of its ancient fortresses (bookable locally, approx. $50) (B, D)

Day 5 Travel by road to Bukhara (8 ½ hrs, including barbecue lunch stop) across the Kyzylkum (‘Red Sand’) Desert, where bare mountains and small oases punctuate the wind-whipped sand, and camels and Karakul sheep graze desert plants. Three nights at the 3-star Devon Begi Hotel or similar. (B, L)

Day 6 A day of discovery begins with a walking tour, to the madrasahs, Maghoki Arrar Mosque, and tea houses of Lyabi-Khauz Square; and through the Trading Domes to Poi Kalyan Square and the Mir-i-Arab madrasah. A short drive in the afternoon takes you to Ismail Samani Mausoleum, and to stroll to Prophet Job’s Well and Bukhara’s old citadel, the Ark Fortress. (B, D)

Day 7 Morning tour to the 19^th century Emir’s Palace, continuing to Char Minar, which translates as ‘four minarets’, though these are the blue domed towers at each corner of a gatehouse. Afternoon free to explore medieval Bukhara, perhaps finding the 15^th century Silk Road caravanserai courtyard. (B, D)

Day 8 Travel by road (5hrs) to Samarkand, Tamerlane’s capital. An afternoon tour takes you to the most imposing of the city’s magnificent monuments, the grandiose Bibi-Khanym Mosque, and the three madrasahs which frame Registan Square, an amazing architectural ensemble of ornately tiled arches, domes and pillars. Three nights at the 3-star Asia-Samarkand or Grand Samarkand Superior. (B, D)

Day 9 A guided morning tour to Gur Emir mausoleum (Tamerlane’s tomb), the Ulug Beg Observatory – the work of his grandson, and the Shah-i-Zinda (Living King) complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, a place of pilgrimage, and an avenue of over twenty breathtakingly beautiful mausolea, adorned with tiles in brilliant blues. Afternoon free. Evening special event, dinner in a family house, including a demonstration of making the Uzbek pilov, a meat and rice dish packed with flavours and spices. (B, D)

Day 10 An intriguing introduction to local speciality products, with morning visits to see the Khujum factory’s hand-crafting of silk carpets, and the Meros workshop’s mulberry tree paper-making. Afternoon free. (B, D)

Day 11  Enjoy a leisurely morning or take an optional tour to the palaces of Shakhirsabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane (bookable locally, approx. $50). Afternoon transfer to board the high-speed Afrosiyob train to Tashkent (2hrs). Overnight at the 4-star Ramada Tashkent. (B, D)

Day 12 Return flight to London Heathrow (arriving later the same day). (B)

• Key
• B - Breakfast
• L - Lunch
• D - Dinner