Page 15 - The Stans of Central Asia: Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan

Upon our arrival in Bukhara, we’ll check in and more. We’ll also stop at a 16th-century
to our hotel followed by dinner together at a
local restaurant.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 Explore Bukhara
After breakfast, we embark on a full-day
tour of Bukhara, a prominent destination
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on the trade that passed through. We’ll
visit the opulent 18th-century Bolo Hauz
Mosque and the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum,
the legendary spring brought forth by the
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Old Town, exploring the many mosques,
mausoleums, and blue-domed minarets of
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still bears scars of a 13th-century invasion by
Genghis Khan. Our discoveries also include
the Ark Citadel, the city’s ancient fortress.
During the 19th century, the British and
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Central Asia—a strategic rivalry called “The
Great Game”—and one of the most famous
moments in this struggle centered at the
Citadel and its connected prison. It was here
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and Arthur Connolly (the one who coined the
phrase “The Great Game”), were held in a
vermin infested pit for two years before being
publicly beheaded and buried under the square
outside the main gate.
We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant at
Lyab-i-Khauz, an ensemble of madrassahs
and historical buildings built around a quiet
plaza in the shade of mulberry trees, often
frequented by tea-sipping, chess-playing
Uzbek locals. Afterward, we’ll spend time at
Bukhara’s famous domed bazaars, a series of
ancient arcades occupied by money changers,
hat makers, rug merchants, jewelry vendors,
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
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synagogue to learn about Bukhara’s unique
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own this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10 Bukhara • Discover village of
Nayman • Community-Hosted Lunch
After breakfast, we’ll visit the village of
Nayman, where we’ll have an opportunity to
participate in the daily lives of rural villagers
in Uzbekistan. First, we’ll meet with a village
representative who will enlighten us on some
of the social issues facing the community.
Then, we’ll split up into smaller groups and
visit some local homes to meet with the
families and participate in some hands-on
activities (which will vary depending on the
season) in this typical farming village. By
traveling in such a small group, we’ll also
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bread—and learn why the fragrant round
loaves baked in clay ovens here are legendary
throughout Uzbekistan. After our “chores” are
complete, we’ll enjoy local hospitality during
a community lunch with several of the village
families. We return to Bukhara for some free
time to explore and dinner on your own.
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11 Bukhara • Overland to Khiva
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centuries of merchants did, as we spend the
day traveling across the Kyzyl Kum Desert
on our way to Khiva. This drive will take us
approximately eight hours, and we will follow
the same route that camel caravans traversed
as we make our way across the majestic
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uninhabited plains.