THE ARTISANS OF THE SILK ROAD
Details
Route: Tashkent — Khiva — Bukhara — Nurata — Kyzylkum — Aydarkul — Samarkand — Shakhrisabz — Samarkand — Tashkent Uzbekistan is far more than turquoise domes and majestic madrasas. Along the Silk Road, a living heritage is handed down from generation to generation: woodcarvers in Khiva, silk weavers, miniature painters in Bukhara, ceramicists in Gijduvan. This journey invites you to step through the workshop doors and meet the hands that keep these centuries-old crafts alive. Practical Information 🏨 Comfort level. Carefully selected 3★ hotels in each city. One night in a traditional yurt in the Kyzylkum Desert (simple comfort, authentic hospitality). The rest of the journey offers standard comfort. 🚶 Fitness level. Accessible to all travellers, with no particular physical demands. The Khiva – Bukhara day (day 4) involves a long drive across the desert (approximately 7 hours). Comfortable shoes are recommended for sightseeing and workshops. ☀️ Climate. Pack light clothing in summer (April–September) with a cardigan for the evenings, especially in the desert where temperature differences between day and night can be significant. In winter (October–March), warm clothing is essential. 📌 Please note. The order of visits may be adjusted according to local conditions, without altering the content of the programme.
Highlights
🪵 Wood-carving workshop with the Jumaniozov family in Khiva, 6th generation of master carvers preserving Khiva's distinctive geometric motifs 🎨 Miniature painting master class with Davlat Toshev, heir to the Bukhara school, in his atelier set inside an 18th-century caravanserai 🧵 Suzani embroidery workshop and traditional puppet-making atelier in Bukhara 📜 Konigil silk-paper workshop in Samarkand, perpetuating a craft introduced by Chinese prisoners in the 8th century 🏛️ Khiva "the Mysterious," the only city in Central Asia whose historic centre of Ichan Kala has remained entirely intact, a UNESCO World Heritage site 🕌 Bukhara "the Noble," over 2,500 years of history — the city of Avicenna and a major spiritual centre of Islam ✨ Samarkand "the Magnificent": Registan, Bibi-Khanym, Shah-i-Zinda and Gur-e-Amir, final resting place of Tamerlane 👑 Shakhrisabz, birthplace of Tamerlane and remains of the colossal Ak-Saray Palace, UNESCO World Heritage site 🏜️ Overnight stay in a Kazakh yurt in the Kyzylkum Desert, evening around the fire with an akyn — an improvising poet-musician🐪 Bactrian camel ride and swim in Lake Aydarkul 🍷 Uzbek wine tasting at a historic estate in Samarkand, heir to a winemaking tradition dating back over two millennia 🚄 High-speed Afrosiyob train from Samarkand to Tashkent
Itinerary (12 days)
Arrival in Tashkent. Airport welcome, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Breakfast. First discovery of the capital: the Khast-Imam complex, home to the celebrated Othman Quran — one of the oldest Quranic manuscripts in the world; Amir Timur Square and the Tashkent Metro, renowned for its stations adorned with marble and mosaics, among the most beautiful in the former Soviet Union. Lunch and dinner in town. Overnight at hotel.
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Reviews (3)
Emma Whitfield
An unforgettable journey through Uzbekistan's living craft traditions. Meeting the woodcarvers in Khiva, the suzani embroiderers and miniature painter Davlat Toshev in Bukhara was a true privilege — these are not staged demonstrations but genuine encounters with master artisans. The Konigil silk paper workshop in Samarkand was fascinating, and the night in a yurt camp in the Kyzylkum desert under a sky full of stars was pure magic. Samarkand's Registan at sunset is breathtaking. Our guide spoke excellent English, the hotels were comfortable, and the food was wonderful throughout. Highly recommended!
Pierre Lavigne
Circuit parfaitement organisé, guide francophone exceptionnel et rencontres artisanales inoubliables. Boukhara reste un enchantement !
Isabelle Fontaine
Un voyage absolument extraordinaire à la rencontre des artisans ouzbeks ! La visite de l'atelier de Hassan Jumaniozov à Khiva m'a profondément touchée — voir ce maître sculpteur sur bois perpétuer un savoir-faire transmis depuis six générations est un privilège rare. La master class de miniature avec Davlat Toshev à Boukhara, dans son caravansérail du XVIIIe siècle, restera l'un des plus beaux souvenirs de ma vie. Khiva au coucher du soleil est tout simplement magique, et la nuit sous la yourte près du lac Aydarkul, avec le poète akyn chantant autour du feu, fut un moment hors du temps. Notre guide était passionnée, cultivée et d'une gentillesse remarquable. Hôtels confortables, repas délicieux, organisation parfaite. Je recommande vivement ce circuit à tous les amoureux d'artisanat et d'authenticité !
