The itinerary: Tashkent - Nurata - Aydarkul Lake - Bukhara - Shakhrisabz - Samarkand - Tashkent
A fascinating, full of adventure biking tour passes along the most interesting places of the central part of Uzbekistan. You will ride on your own “iron horse” along the Kyzyl-Kum (Red sand) and mountains of Nuratau, meet with the local people, lost in the mountains kishlaks; get acquainted with their exotic way of life and the century-old traditions. You will see famous petrography of the Sarmysh canyon, rocky monuments of Lyangar, ruins of Aleksandr the Great’s fortress in Nurata, also overnight in a real yurt, ride on the camels-barkhans along the Kyzyl-Kum’s sand up to the vast lake Aydar-Kul and of course visit the fairy oriental towns Samarkand and Bukhara with their world-known mosques, madrasahs, mausoleums, minarets and caravan-sarays.
Tour program
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1
Arrive in Tashkent.
Arrive in Tashkent. Meeting at airport and transfer to hotel.
Drive Tashkent - Djizak town - Yangikishlak settlement - Kirov farm (200 km; 4 hrs). Lunch en route. Biking start point (part 1).
PM half-day biking along the mountains from Kirov village to Ilanchi village and Mikhin village ( 42 km; 4-5 hrs).
Camp before Saurbel pass.
(Asphalt road, off road, asphalt road, beaten truck road).
Cross over the Sarubel pass (1150 m) - descend to Chakar village. Chakar village to Garasha via Naukat to Zarmitan (42 km; 4-5 hrs;).
Camp.
(Road, asphalt, beaten truck road, road, asphalt).
Biking. Lyangar pass crossover to Maidan village (37 km)
Crossover Lyangar pass (1850 m) (+ 900 m). Uphill along the beaten Road for 12 km to the top of the pass). Then descend for 35km (-1150m) to Maidan village. (total for the day - 37 km ).
Camp (700 m).
(Beaten truck road, asphalt, road).
7
Biking. Maidan - Chinar - Plateau (42 km, 5-6 hrs)
Maidan village - Chagirkul - Chinar - Kourai village - uphill to the plateau (+ 300 m) - along the plateau (8- 10 km).
Camp (1170 m).
Total for the day 42 km; 5-6 hrs. (asphalt, beaten truck road, road, off road).
8
Biking. Plateau - Sarmysh (25 km, 3 hrs). Petroglyphs.
Plateau - Sarmysh gorge (25 km; 3 hrs). Rest and sightseeing in the gorge. Explore ancient rock paintings - there are more than 3500 petroglyphs there dated back to neolith (stone age) 4-6 thousand years old.
Camp (700 m).
9
Morning in desert, afternoon - drive to Bukhara via Gijduvan
AM in desert (camel riding, rest and lunch on the shore of Aydarkul lake).
PM drive to Bukhara via Gijduvan town. Visit the house and a ceramic workshop run by Narzullaev brothers - family of hereditary potters.
Hotel in Bukhara.
10
Full-day excursion in Bukhara.
Breakfast. Full-day excursion in Bukhara: Samanids mausoleum (IX-X c) - one of the ancient mausoleums in Central Asia made of burnt brick, which remains in a good condition nowadays, Chashma Ayub mausoleum (XIV-XIX c.), Poi-Kalyan ensemble: minaret Kalyan (XII c), large Friday mosque Kalyan (XV c), stand madrasah Miri-Arab (XVI c), Ulugbek madrasah (built by Ulugbek - great matemathician and austronom, grandson of Tamerlane), Lyabi-Khauz ensemble (XVI-XVII c.). Lunch (option - masterclass of uzbek plov cooking). Also Bolo Khauz Mosque (XIX c), Ark citadel (IV–XX cc) surrounded with large fortress wall (oldest building in Bukhara), the main residence of the Emirs. Dinner
11
Full-day excursion in Bukhara.
Breakfast. Full-day excursion in Bukhara and its surroundings: arhitectural ensemble of Bakhautdin Nakshbandi (XIV-XVII c.), built on the burial site of a Sufi leader and spiritual mentor, who created in XIX c. a religious order of dervishes named after him "Nakshbandi". Sitora-i-Mokhikhosa (XIX c.) - summer residence of Bukhara Emirs. Lunch. Other monuments that are also interesting for tourists: Chor-Bakr Necropolis (XVI c.), madrasah Miri-Arab (XVI c.), bazaars Toki Zargaron, Toki Sarrafon and Toki Telpak Furushon, they welcomed caravans in XVI c, Magoki-Atari mosque (XII-XVI c.) and others. Dinner.
Breakfast. Driving Bukhara – Shakhrisabz (275 kms, 6 hrs.).
Half-day excursion in Shakhrisabz. Lunch.
Further transfer to Samarkand. Accommodation in the hotel. Dinner.
