DAY ONE

We arrive in Nukus. After lunch at local restaurant, we will travel to the first photography destinations, the ruins of ancient city, Dzhmpyk Quala. The walls of this once-rich city stand lost in the middle of rocky desert. We will stay till sunset and, if the weather is fine, we will capture some night photography also. We’ll have dinner right here over the walls of old fortress. Our drivers will cook us some traditional grilled meat and vegetables. We will then return to our hotel for the night.

DAY TWO

In the morning we checkout of our hotel and depart to see one of the biggest ecological disasters of century, the Aral Sea. Along the way we will stop to photograph several ancient fortresses and amazing landscapes. By the end of the day we reach yurt camp on the shore of Aral Sea. Dinner will be in a traditional yurt camp. Tonight we will sleep in yurts like real nomads!

DAY THREE

We depart our yurt camp for the city of Muinak. This city was once standing on the shore of Aral Sea. However, now the water has gone and there are no means for local people to leave. As a dreadful memory of its past, there are rusty ships standing in the desert that once was a seabed.

We will have lunch in one of guesthouses of Muinak and continue our journey back to Nukus. You will have time to relax after this long journey before we have dinner.

DAY FOUR

After breakfast we will pack our belongings and leave Nukus. Our goal is another Fortress, Ayaz Quala. Along the way we will stop by another ancient building, the sacrificial tower of Chilpyk. This was once used by ancient tult of Zaraostrians or fire-worshippers for ceremony of aerial burials.

By lunch we’ll reach Ayaz Quala and our yurt camp at its base. Here we will stay in yurts for one night to have opportunity to shoot fortress during and sunset and sunrise of the next day. Dinner and night in yurt camp
 

DAY FIVE

After sunrise shooting we depart from our camp for city of Khiva, one of the gems of Uzbekistan. Khiva is known for its amazing architecture and simple life of the people inside the city centre. By lunch we will arrive to Khiva, check-in to our hotel and start exploring the city. For sunset we’ll climb the city walls to have greater view of the city and its old medreses and minars.

DAY SIX

For the sunrise we’ll try to climb yet another minar to have stunning view over the gates of Ichan Quala, the fortress in the heart of Khiva. Today we will spend time exploring the city, its architecture and little workshops of local craftsman. For sunset we’ll climb one of the minars outside Ichan Quala to have greater view over the city lit by the setting sun.

DAY SEVEN

After our sunrise shoot and early breakfast we’ll start from Khiva to Bukhara. This journey will take us six to seven hours with one stop for lunch at the local fish restaurant. When we arrive to Bukhara, we will go straight to our hotel in historical center of the city and spend the rest of day at the city centre. Our sunset location is in one of the medrese in town. 

DAY EIGHT

After our sunrise shoot and breakfast, we’ll travel around local villages to explore how the local people live. We will see the village of Guzhduvan to see how local people make pottery. Closer to lunch we will join a local family who will fire up their tandyrs to make local meat-stuffed pastry and famous Uzbek plov. We will time our journey back to capture sunset over the city centre and its night lights.

DAY NINE

This is our final day at Bukhara. We will have some time to explore and meet the local craftsmen (including blacksmiths) and shop for souvenirs. After lunch we’ll check out from our hotel, drive to the train station and board high speed Afrosiab train. In two and a half hours we will be in Samarkand.

We will check into our hotel in the centre of old city and take a walk. After sunset we will go to the local restaurant for a yummy meal.

DAY TEN

Today is spent in Samarkand, exploring its marvels. We will start our morning on main square of the city, Registan, and roam its medreses and mosques. This is best in the morning with few people around and the heat of the day hasn't set in yet.

After visiting Registan, we will return to our hotel for breakfast and then go to amazing local market, one of the largest markets in Uzbekistan, Siab Bazar. The rest of the day we will spend travelling around sights of Samarkand. For sunset we will go to another landmark of Uzbekistan, the tomb of great emperor and conqueror Amir-Timur. There we’ll stay til sunset. 

DAY ELEVEN

Today we’ll spend outside of Samarkand. In the morning we will go closer to the mountains and visit local village of Uzgen to see a smaller bazar. You will see how different it is from big and buzzing Siab-bazar. After that we’ll go to the border of the village Chor-Chinor to visit natural reserve with thousand years old trees.

After short stop at small cafe (you’ll see what is absolutely non-touristic asian chai-khana) in Uzskeistan, we’ll head to the mountains to the town of Shakhrisabz to see another wonder of Amir-Timur era, the ruins of Ak-Sarai (White Palace). By the end of the day we’ll return to Samarkand for our farewell dinner.

DAY TWELVE

We will get you to the airport for your flights and sadly say our goodbyes.