Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Tour 2

Plunge into the world of Caucasian and Central Asian hospitality with Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan tour. You will explore the cities of the Silk Road, feel the contrast in the modern cities, and visit nature sights like mud volcanoes of Gobustan reserve. You will enjoy delicious cuisine and shopping in colorful bazaars. This Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan tour will combine cultural sights, historical facts and unique traditions of these two nationalities in one journey.
Make sure you have enough storage in your camera for photos for beautiful views of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Tour itinerary:

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Day 1: Tashkent – arrival

Arrive in Tashkent. You will be met by Advantour driver and transferred to the hotel (check in is at noon).
Guided sightseeing in the capital of Uzbekistan, the biggest city in Central Asia. You will start with exploring the Old City. Visit Khast-Imam Complex where the world famous Quran, holy book, of Caliph Uthman has been preserved. The complex consists of Barak-Khan Madrasah, Tillya Sheykh Mosque, Saint Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the Islamic Institute of Imam al-Bukhari. Continue to Chorsu Bazaar. Then take a ride on Tashkent Metro to the city center to visit Applied Arts Museum and walk through Navoi Theater to Amir Timur Square where you will end Tashkent city tour. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours

Day 2: Tashkent – Bukhara

Morning transfer to the train station. Take the high-speed Afrosiyob

train to Bukhara. You will depart at 07:30 and arrive at 11:17 (3 h 47 m, 605 km).
Upon arrival you will be transferred to the hotel to leave luggage. Take a walking sightseeing tour with a guide in historic center of Bukhara enlisted by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Visit Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble, Magoki-Attori Mosque, trade domes, Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan madrasahs, Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah, legendary Ark Fortress, Bolo-Khauz Mosque, Chor-Minor Madrasah, Ismail Samani and Chashma-Ayub mausoleums. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Day 3: Bukhara – Samarkand

Continue guided sightseeing tour. Drive out of the city to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa – the summer residence of Bukhara’s last emir, and visit the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi. In the afternoon depart to Samarkand (4 h, 280 km). Stop on the way at the 11th century Rabat-i-Malik Caravanserai. Arrive in Samarkand late in the afternoon, check in to the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 2-3 hours

Day 4: Samarkand

Meet your guide and driver at the hotel lobby and start sightseeing. Visit spectacular Registan Square, remains of Bibi-Khanum Mosque, Siyob Bazaar, Ulugbek Observatory, Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis and Gur-Emir Mausoleum – the mausoleum of Amir Timur. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 6-7 hours

Day 5: Samarkand – Tashkent

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Continue sightseeing: visit Afrasiab Museum and the Tomb of Saint Daniel. Then drive to Koni Ghil village to explore traditional way of making Samarkand paper from mulberry. Enjoy free time with car and driver at your disposal after sightseeing tour. At 16:00 transfer to the railway station to take the high-speed Afrosiyob train departing to Tashkent. You will depart at 17:00 and arrive at 19:10 (2h 10 m, 300 km). Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours

Day 6: Tashkent – Baku

Transfer to Tashkent International Airport for morning flight to Baku. Arrival in Baku. You will be met by our driver and transferred to the hotel (check-in at noon).
Meet your guide to start sightseeing tour in Baku. Visit Martyrs' Lane, called ‘Shehidler Khiyabany’ among locals. When you walk through Martyrs' Lane, you will find a beautiful view overlooking Baku’s coastline. Continue touring new Baku and exploring architecture of 19-20th centuries: Nizami Street, Fountain Square, Nizami Ganjavi monument, move to the old part of the city – Icheri Sheher, the old part of the city. Visit Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs’ Palace, Caravanserai, and market square with numerous art studios and souvenir stalls. An excellent round-up to the city tour will be visit to the iconic Heydar Aliyev center. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours

Day 7: Baku – Absheron Peninsula – Gobustan – Baku

Today you will visit the area of the Greater Baku and Absheron Peninsula. Start with Gobustan National Park. Pay a visit to the Petroglyphs Museum to see rocks carved as far back as 10000 BC. If the weather allows, continue to mud volcanoes in Gobustan Reserve (change of vehicle to smaller cars). Gobustan is home to almost half of world’s mud volcanoes. Later drive to Ateshgah – temple of fire worshippers located in Surakhany village. Zoroastrians from India travelled thousands of kilometers to Ateshgah to worship fire coming out of the earth. Continue to Yanardag Mountain, where natural gas has been burning for millenia. Return to Baku. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 7-8 hours

Day 8: Baku – Shamakhi – Lahich – Sheki

In the morning, depart Baku and drive to Sheki. On the way, stop at Diri Baba Mausoleum in the village of Maraza. Continue to Shamakhi to visit the historical Juma Mosque, which was restored in 2013. Visit Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleum, the Shirvan Shah's family grave yard. Weather permitting, drive through Girdimanchay River Canyon to visit Lahich (Lahij), the 5th century, quaint corner high in Caucasus mountains with its rich history and beautiful architecture. Lahich is an ancient village with charming cobbled sidewalks famous for numerous traditional handicraft workshops (jewelry, copperware, wool carpets, pottery, daggers, and iron tools). Continue driving to Sheki, the pleasant and easily walkable medieval town set in a lush mountainous area. Sheki is especially known for local style sweet baklava. Arrival in Sheki, overnight at the hotel.
Driving distance: 340 km
Duration of sightseeing tour: 10-11 hours

Day 9: Sheki – Kish – Baku

Check out from the hotel and start new day visiting the colorful Sheki Bazaar. You can find virtually everything you may want to eat: local fruits and berries, spices, freshly baked bread, honey, cheeses, and Sheki sweets. Continue to Sheki Khans Palace surrounded by medieval fortress walls. Visit handicrafts workshop and Caravanserai. Depart to Kish village and see the first church in Caucasus (I cent.) and Old Albanian castle. Continue driving to Baku. Arrive in Baku. Overnight at hotel.
Driving distance: 320 km
Duration of sightseeing tour: 10-11 hours

Day 10: Baku – departure

Transfer to Baku International Airport. End of the tour.

Inclusions
Exclusions

All transfers by sedan type car;
Accommodation based on double/twin room sharing, breakfasts included;
Sightseeing tour program in each city with local guides;
Entrance tickets to sights as per itinerary;
Economy class ticket for flight Tashkent-Baku;
Business/Economy-class ticket for trains Tashkent-Bukhara, Samarkand-Tashkent as per option (on rare occasions when the high-speed train is unavailable, we will replace this with the most-comfortable class of regular train);
Azerbaijan tourist e-visa;
Visa support letter for Uzbekistan visa.