Enjoy Navruz in Uzbekistan this spring! This 9-day trip will introduce you to modern Uzbekistan before taking you back in time, immersing you in the art, architecture, culture, and history of this very unique civilization. See for yourself the heritage of the Silk Road, the Great Game, citadels, arks, and caravanserais. Try plov, the Uzbek national dish, and many other local foods. There will be a lot of Navruz events taking place during this time and we will join many of these unique opportunities.

(semester trip, Navruz not shown, but many places we will visit are shown!)

For Russian, Tajik, or Uzbek learners, there will be many opportunities to practice your language skills in practical situations at markets and on the street. 

This trip is open to students, educators, study abroad advisors, and anybody with a passion for exploration. The mix of these individuals provides for even more eye-opening experience for all! 

If you are a current student: it is your responsibility to check the academic calendar of your home institution to ensure you do not miss class and/or have the necessary approvals in place for participation. Applications received after the session deadline will be considered on a space-available basis. If you are interested and the deadline has passed, please contact us immediately. 

*Photo above is from the Ajam Media Collective, a group of graduate students who work to challenge simplistic representations of regions between Anatolia to Southeast Asia in media.

Program Details

March 7th, Saturday

As so much of our visit to Uzbekistan will focus on the past, we will start by focusing on “Uzbekistan Today” in our exploration of Tashkent. We will visit the bazaar, memorials of the Great Repression and the Earthquake, the Tashkent Metro, Place of Independence and the Amir Temur Square. We will also visit the Central Asian Plov Center for lunch. Plov is the king of meals in Uzbekistan and here you can taste several different varieties, including the rich “Wedding Plov” – all prepared by the best known cooks of the country. Overnight in Tashkent. Meals: B at hotel, L included, D on own.

Note: This is arrival day, and we encourage either a flight arriving very early morning (there are several) or if it is later in the day, arriving the day prior. Trip cost includes early check-in (8am or later) on the 8th.

March 8th, Sunday

We have a 7:50am flight to Urgench, so we will be up early. We arrive 9:20 in Urgench and transfer (35km) to our hotel in Khiva. We’ll leave the luggage at the hotel and begin our city tour. Your day will be spent in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ichan Kala citadel, visiting some of the 250 monuments there. 

We will enjoy a traditional lunch at the beautiful restaurant Mirzaboshi, enjoying the traditional soup “Shorva” and the dish most typical to Khiva – “Shivit Oshi.” After lunch we will visit the Tosh Khovli Palace with Harem.

The Navruz Holidaysare held in a specific, typical way in each city. In Khiva, during your visits to the old city, you may see people cooking traditional Navruz meals/snacks and sharing them with the passers-by, a wide variety of music and dance performances, enchanting walk of the Puppet Theatre artists in the streets, and more.

Overnight in Khiva. Meals: B included, L included, D on own.

March 9th, Monday

Your morning is free to explore Khiva, perhaps visiting the workshops in the city. At 14:00 we will go to the village Yangarik (17km) to participate in the preparation of Sumalak. Along the way we will visit Chodra Khovli – one of the summer residences of the last Khans of Khiva.

In the village we will visit a local family where Sumalak will be cooked. We can observe the lifestyle of the villagers and we will see the preparation of the Uzbek bread – Non, Kok Somsa (pastry stuffed with vegetables, baked  in atraditional oven Tandoor). You can also assist in the preparation of the Uzbek traditional soup Shorba.

This convivial experience of “living with locals” is the most unique way to integrate into the real Uzbek lifestyle.

***Sumalak***

One of the top spring season things to do in Uzbekistan is Sumalak. Sumalak, a sweet-tasting wheat pudding, is a traditional food of Navruz, prepared only once a year. The preparation of the food takes one full day and is always accompanied by dances, music, and many other traditional dishes. For an unforgettable immersion experience with the real local culture, participate in a Sumalak party/event in Khiva.

*****************

Overnight in Khiva. Meals: B included, L/D (lots of food in general …) included.

March 10th, Tuesday

After breakfast, you will take a long and scenic drive* to Bukhara. The road to Bukhara goes through small villages, cotton fields, and through the Kyzylkum desert. The highlights of the day include visiting the 3000-year-old Guldursun Kala citadel, encountering some of the rare camels in the desert, and enjoying the beautiful panoramic view of the Amu Darya River.

You will arrive in Bukhara by the end of the day. Free time. 

Overnight in Bukhara. Meals: B included, L (boxed/picnic) included, D on own.

*If the train is running this day, we will opt for the morning train ride to Bukhara.

March 11th, Wednesday

After breakfast you will visit some of the most beautiful monuments of Uzbekistan. Your day will be full of well narrated stories and the culture and crafts of Bukhara, which differ quite a bit from Khiva.

In the evening, you will enjoy the Oshi  Sofi – Royal Plov of Bukhara prepared for you in a traditional house located in the old city. The typical family ambiance, the decorations of a 19th-century house, and the demonstration of the typical food of Uzbekistan will be one of the highlights of your holiday in Uzbekistan.

Overnight in Bukhara. Meals: B included, L on own, D included.

March 12th, Thursday

Today after breakfast we will visit two important monuments outside of the old city.

  • The summer residence of the Emirs of Bukhara – Sitorai Mokhi Khossa with its Administrative Palace, Octogonal Palace and Harem;
  • The center of Sufism of Bukhara in the necropolis Naqshbandi.

In the afternoon you will have free time to explore on your own, visit the many workshops, maybe enjoy a traditional tea tasting or visit a hammam. Our guide will point you in the direction of your interests!

Overnight in Bukhara. Meals: B included, L and D on own.

March 13th, Friday

Today we transfer to Samarkand through Gijduvan, stopping to see the Gijduvan Ceramics Workshop and Sardova- a 600-year-old water reservoir of the caravans of the Silk Road. We arrive in Samarkand in the afternoon and check into our hotel. After lunch we will visit the most famous monument in Uzbekistan – the Place of Registan with its three magnificent madrasas. In the evening, after dinner, we will invite you again to walk around Samarkand by night to see the Registan and the Gur-emir mausoleum illuminated in beautiful colors.

Overnight in Samarkand. Meals: B included, L on own, D included.

March 14th, Saturday

After breakfast we depart towards Shakhrisabz (90 km, 2h) to see the monuments built by Amir Temur (Tamerlane) 600 years ago:

  • The crypt of Amir Temur and the mausoleum of his sons
  • The complex of the Blue mosque with richly decorated mausoleums of the Saints
  • The impressive ruins of the White Palace of Tamerlane – Ak Saray

Visits/stops on the road to Shahrisabz:

1. A local market on the highest point of the mountains where you will enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the Takhtakaracha mountain pass.

2. The Plateau of Demons where during thousands of years, the winds have changed the shape of huge granite blocks and some of them look like snakes, bears, rabbits, etc.

Overnight in Samarkand. Meals: B included, L/D on own.

***Buzkashi***

The month of March is usually full of diverse celebrations of the spring holiday – Navruz. Among so many music, culinary, crafts, sports shows, and demonstrations there is a very unique event organized near Samarkand during the month of March –the Buzkashi. Similar to horse polo, this is the most ancient typical game of the people of central Asia. We will be checking the schedule for a Buzkashi and adjust the itinerary accordingly.

*******************

March 15th, Sunday

After breakfast we explore the heart of the Silk Road – Samarkand:

  • The Gur-Emir mausoleum is a jewel of architecture decorated with ceramics, mosaics, gold, marble and jade;
  • The Shakhi Zinda necropolis and its 20+ mausoleums all in one place which are decorated differently from each other;
  • Bibi Khanum mosque;
  • The bazaar Siab;
  • Samarkand Silk Paper workshop;

At 16:00 transfer to 17:06 train to Tashkent, arriving 19:15.

Overnight in Tashkent. Meals: B included, L and D on own.

March 16th, Monday

Transfers to airport for departure. Depending on time of flight you may have time for breakfast at the hotel or may request a boxed breakfast.

If you have the time, we encourage further independent or semi-independent exploration. If you have 2-3 days more available to you, consider visiting the Savitsky Museum in Nukus and the ancient Khorezm citadels. Or spend time in the Fergana valley, known for ceramics and silks. We are happy to help you make additional arrangements.

You will stay in centrally located 3* hotels, inclusive of breakfast.

Single room supplement is $170 (9-day).

Breakfast is included at your hotels. Other meals as indicated in itinerary. Vegetarian/Vegan and other dietary needs will be accommodated.

When completing the short application for this trip, you will pay a $50 non-refundable fee that is applied to the total trip cost. When your participation is confirmed on our end (you will receive an email) a non-refundable deposit of $450 is due within 7 days to hold your space. Full trip payment is due 45 days prior to arrival. 

  • If we recieve cancellation in writing 20+ days before the program start, 20% of the total trip cost is refundable
  • If cancellation occurs less than 20 days before the program start, no refund is guaranteed.

Because we know things happen, if somehow we are able to fill your spot, we will endeavor to refund as much as possible. If you have things going on in your life (or in the life of those around you) that could lead to cancellation, we recommend securing travel insurance.

Funding from SRAS:

  • SRAS Ambassadors can write while abroad or educate students at home after their return – and earn stipends!
  • SRAS Online Research Internships award partial scholarships for study abroad.
  • Group Discount*: Bring 1-2 friends abroad with you for this program and you will each receive a $150 discount. Bring 3+ friends and you each receive a $200 discount. All participants must name each other as part of their application for their SRAS study abroad program. *Does not apply to students who already receive an alumni discount or special group pricing from SRAS, which includes Affiliation Discounts.

Temperatures in March in Uzbekistan are moderate, averaging 50-60F during the day, falling to around 40F at night.