MEALS INCLUDED:

Arrival in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

After early check-in and breakfast, the tour of the old part of the city begins: Hasti Imam Architectural Complex, including Barak Kan Madrasa, Kafal Shohi Madrasa, Kukeldash Madrasa, and Chorsu Bazaar.

City tour in Tashkent: Museum of Applied Arts, Independence and Eternity Square, city fountains and modern monuments, Amir Temur Square, Opera and Ballet Square, Earthquake Monument. At the end of the tour, return to the hotel.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Early breakfast at the hotel. At 07:00 transfer to the station to take the high-speed train to Samarkand (Afrosiab, 08:00–10:20).

Begin the excursion in Samarkand: Gur-e Amir Mausoleum (Tamerlane’s tomb, 14th–15th centuries); Registan Square: Ulughbek Madrasa (15th century), Shir-Dor Madrasa (17th century), Tilla-Kori Madrasa (17th century); Bibi-Khonum Mosque; Siab Bazaar.

Ulughbek Observatory (15th century), Afrosiyab Ancient City Museum, Shakhi-Zinda Architectural Complex (9th–15th centuries). At the end, accommodation at the hotel in Samarkand.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane (130 km).

Excursion to the ruins of Ak-Saray Palace (14th–15th centuries); Dor-ut Saodat Complex (Jasrati Imam Mosque; Mausoleum of Jahongir and crypt, 12th century); Dor-ut Tillovat Complex (Gumbazi-Saidon; Kok Gumbaz Mosque, 15th century).

Continue to Bukhara (290 km) where we will stay overnight.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin the tour of Bukhara: visit the Samanid Mausoleum, the sacred spring Chashmai Ayub, Bolo Hauz Mosque, and Ark Fortress.

Visit Kalyan Minaret and Poi Kalyan Mosque, Miri Arab Madrasa, Toki Zargaron Dome, Ulughbek and Abdullazizkan Madrasas, Toki Telpak Furushon Dome, Magoki Attory Mosque, Toki Sarafon Dome, Lyabi Hauz architectural complex, and Chor Minor.

Return to the hotel at the end of the tour.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Khiva via the Kyzyl-Kum Desert along the Caravan Route (550 km, 8–9 hours). Arrival and check-in at the hotel for rest.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Breakfast at the hotel. City tour of the Ichan-Kala architectural complex (12th–19th centuries): Kalta Minor and Amin Khan Madrasa (19th century), Kunya Ark Palace (12th–18th centuries), Mohammed Rahim Khan Madrasa (19th century), Minaret and Islom Khodja Madrasa.

Tash Hovli architectural complex (19th-century harem), Mausoleum of Pahlavan Mahmud (14th–18th centuries), Juma Mosque (10th century).

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Tashkent (according to the afternoon flight schedule). Farewell dinner at a traditional Uzbek restaurant. Afterward, arrival at the hotel in Tashkent for accommodation.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST

Breakfast at the hotel. At the agreed time, transfer to the airport for departure to Baku, Azerbaijan. The guide will meet the clients and take them to the hotel. Accommodation at the hotel.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

After breakfast, an excursion to the center of Baku will be organized. Visit the Martyrs’ Cemetery, located on the highest slopes of the western end of the city; this is the best place to enjoy panoramic views of Baku and the Bay of Baku. Continue to the historic center of Baku, the Old City – Icheri Sheher. See the highlights of Icheri Sheher, including the Palace of the Shirvanshahs (the most striking example of medieval palace architecture in Azerbaijan, dating from the mid-15th century); the Maiden Tower (an ancient eight-story fortress originally built as a fire beacon); visit the Juma Mosque, antique shops, and carpet stores.

We will also visit the Ashkenazi and Georgian Jewish Synagogue in Baku. The synagogue was built in the architectural style of Jerusalem based on the project of Alexander Harber in 2002–2003. This is the first synagogue built in the Middle East in the last 60–80 years and has two main prayer halls: a large hall for Ashkenazi Jews and a smaller hall for Georgian Jews.

Next, continue with a visit to the Nobel Brothers’ House. The building was constructed in 1884 and called Villa Petrolea, serving as the residence of the Nobel brothers for nearly 40 years. In 1879, they founded the Nobel Brothers’ Oil Company (Branobel, Swedish), which quickly became one of the largest oil companies in the world and the only vertically integrated one.

Return to the hotel at the end of the tour.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

After breakfast, we will spend the day mainly in Greater Baku, visiting the main sites of the Absheron Peninsula. Visit Ateshgah, the Fire Temple of the Zoroastrians located in the village of Surakhany. It was built on land where natural gas burned continuously, and believers traveled from the Multan province in India to worship here. These ancient flames are believed to have given Azerbaijan its name, which some researchers interpret as “Land of Fire.”

Next, visit Yanar Dag (Fire Mountain). The word Yanar in Azerbaijani means “burn,” and Dagh means “mountain.” This is literally a burning mountain, not just metaphorically.

Continue to the Mardakan Fortress. Return to Baku city and visit the Heydar Aliyev Center, a cultural complex that includes an auditorium (convention center), museum, exhibition halls, and administrative offices. The center was designed by the renowned British architect Zaha Hadid.

The day ends with a visit to the Yashil Bazar, the old market, famous for its vibrant display of fruits, vegetables, and especially its well-known dried fruits. Return to the hotel afterward.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

After breakfast, we will head to the Gobustan Reserve, an open-air museum filled with Neolithic rock carvings. Located just 65 km south of Baku, Gobustan has around 6,000 inscriptions dating back 12,000 years (including a 2,000-year-old Latin graffiti). The well-preserved sketches depict ancient populations traveling in reed boats; men hunting antelopes and wild bulls, women dancing.

Next, you will have the opportunity to visit a unique site where 300 of the world’s 700 mud volcanoes are located in Gobustan, Azerbaijan.

Visit Bibiheybet Mosque and then the Carpet Museum. Continue with a city sightseeing tour. Optionally, you can take a 30-minute boat ride along the Baku Bay (weather permitting). Return to the hotel afterward.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

After breakfast, we depart from Baku to reach the ancient city of Sheki. Along the way, we will visit the Diri-Baba Mausoleum, whose architecture harmonizes beautifully with the surrounding landscape of rocks and green trees. This mausoleum is a masterpiece of the Shirvan architectural school and a remarkable creation of ancient artisans. The monument is under state protection.

Next, in Shamakhi, we will visit the oldest mosque in the Caucasus, built in the 8th century by the Arabs.

We continue our route to Sheki, one of the most famous and historic cities in Azerbaijan. Situated 700 meters above sea level like an amphitheater surrounded by mountains and oak forests, this ancient city was long renowned as a silk center and an important stop on the Great Silk Road.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

In the morning, after breakfast, we leave the hotel and head to the border with Georgia. Change of guide and vehicle, completing all formalities.

We begin the route toward the Gremi Architectural Complex from the 16th century, which served as a royal residence for centuries.

Next, we continue to the Alaverdi Cathedral, founded by one of the 13 holy Syrian monks who arrived in Georgia in the 6th century. The current cathedral was built in the 11th century, during Georgia’s Golden Age, and is dedicated to Saint George, the country’s patron. For centuries, it was the largest and most important cathedral in Georgia and still amazes visitors with its impressive frescoes and architecture.

We then visit the village of Tsinandali, where we will see an elegant wooden villa, the residence of Alexander Chavchavadze, a 19th-century noble who played a key role in Georgia’s cultural, intellectual, and political life. Today, the house is a museum with an impressive wine cellar, surrounded by an extensive and lush park.

In the afternoon, we return to the capital.

Overnight stay in a hotel in Tbilisi.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

In the morning, we start the excursion around Tbilisi. The capital has a long and fascinating history. It was founded in the 6th century by Vajhtang Gorgasali, king of Iberia. Legend says that while hunting with his falcon, the bird fell into a hot spring and died scalded. Taking this as a divine sign, the king decided to establish his capital there. The name Tbilisi in old Georgian means “warm water.” Thanks to its beneficial mineral springs, the city quickly became the most important in the Caucasus.

In the 12th–13th centuries, Tbilisi was the most powerful political, economic, and cultural center of Central Asia. The Silk Road, which passed through Georgia, made it the most important bridge between Europe and Asia. Throughout history, Arabs, Khorezmites (a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Mamluk origin), Mongols, Persians, and Russians all invaded the city. Tbilisi has endured around thirty raids and many reconstructions, reflecting the resilience and faith of the hardworking Georgians.

We begin with a visit to Narikala Fortress from the 4th century, featuring wooden houses with decorated balconies and sulfur baths once visited by famous writers, poets, composers, and even kings.

The old town impresses with its blend of cultures. Mosques, synagogues, Armenian and Catholic churches coexist harmoniously with Georgian Orthodox churches. We also visit the sulfur baths, the Metekhi Church (12th–13th century), which houses the tomb of Saint Shushanik (5th century), and the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Tsminda Sameba), built between 1995 and 2004, the third tallest Orthodox cathedral in the world.

Lunch at a traditional Tbilisi restaurant.

In the afternoon, we visit the National Museum of Georgia, where you can see the treasure of the legendary Colchis kingdom.

Transfer back to the hotel and overnight stay in Tbilisi.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we begin our journey to Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, located 20 km from Tbilisi. Archaeologists date the city back to the 2nd millennium BC. Mtskheta was the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD. The Georgians adopted Christianity in the early 4th century, like the Armenians, about twenty years before Rome. The city and its architectural monuments are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

We visit the Jvari Monastery (“Cross” in Georgian) from the 6th century, perched on a hilltop with a magnificent view of Mtskheta and the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. Next, we visit the modern city of Mtskheta and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century), a masterpiece of Georgian architecture from its Golden Age. Afterward, we set out for the troglodyte village of Vardzia.

We continue to Gori (population ~50,000), the birthplace of Joseph Stalin (Ioseb Dzhugashvili, 1878–1953), where we visit the museum and his childhood home. Then we explore Uplistsikhe, a remarkable cave city dating back to the 10th century BC, one of Georgia’s most impressive and ancient architectural masterpieces. It preserves hundreds of rooms, halls, streets, a theater, a large hall for pagan rituals, and an ancient water supply system. Although damaged by earthquakes and invasions, Uplistsikhe retains a colossal appearance that leaves a profound impression on visitors.

Note: Visiting Uplistsikhe requires walking on calcareous ground for about 1.5 hours. There are stairs, slopes, and a tunnel with low lighting, so closed shoes and comfortable walking are recommended.

In the afternoon, we return to the capital. Farewell dinner at a local Georgian restaurant. Overnight in Tbilisi.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST

Breakfast at the hotel. At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport for your departure to your next destination.