Programme and details
Uzbekistan · 7 Days / 6 Nights · Private Family Tour
Uzbekistan with Kids
Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara – Tashkent
On the wall of Did you know? A metro station where Ulugh Beg meets Gagarin Kosmonavtlar station, opened in 1984, has ceramic medallions of Ulugh Beg, Galileo, Icarus, Gagarin and Tereshkova, and glass stars in the ceiling that hint at the Milky Way. Read more → Did you know? A metro designed to ride out a magnitude-9 earthquake The three original lines of the Tashkent Metro were built to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 9.0, and the tunnels lie unusually shallow, only 8–25 m below the street. Read more → station in Tashkent, Yuri Gagarin shares the blue tiles with ,Did you know? Ulugh Beg measured the year to within 25 seconds Working at his Samarkand observatory, Ulugh Beg put the tropical year at 365 days 5 h 49 min 15 s, about 25 seconds too long, closer than Copernicus a century later. Read more → the 15th-century king of Samarkand who counted the stars. Three days later your children stand in the trench of his observatory, where one degree of the sky took up some 70 cm of marble. That is how this week works: a story starts in one city and is finished in the next. Between the stories, children make a sheet of paper from mulberry bark, watch a potter at the wheel and ride the Afrosiyob high-speed train. The transfers are short, and every afternoon has time to rest.
| Duration | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Price | on request |
| Format | Private, for your family on your dates |
| Where | Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara |
| Getting around | Afrosiyob high-speed train Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara – Tashkent; a car with driver and child seats for the transfers and Gijduvan |
| Best time | April–May and September–October |
Ideal for families with school-age children on a first trip to Uzbekistan, and for parents who want the great cities at a pace children can enjoy.
Konigil — a village 13 km from Samarkand where a water wheel beats mulberry bark into paper, and children can make a sheet of their own.
The Ark of Bukhara — the emirs’ fortress, with walls 16 to 20 m high and a ramp up through the gate.
Itinerary
Day by Day
Day 1 · Tashkent — Arrival and a ride to the cosmonauts
Our driver meets you at Tashkent airport with child seats in the car and takes you to your hotel. Rest after the flight.
In the late afternoon your guide takes you underground. The Tashkent metro opened in 1977, the first in Central Asia, and every station has its own theme. At Kosmonavtlar, opened in 1984, the walls darken from turquoise to deep blue like the sky on the way to orbit, glass stars run along the ceiling, and ceramic medallions show Gagarin, Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, and Ulugh Beg. Remember his face: you meet him again in Samarkand. A short ride away, at Alisher Navoi, children can look for Farhod and Shirin, the hero and heroine of Navoi’s poem, on the turquoise panels. Photography in the metro is allowed, and one fare covers the whole ride.
Overnight in Tashkent
Day 2 · Tashkent — Chorsu bazaar in the morning, Magic City in the evening
Chorsu is a morning place: the bread arrives warm, and the stalls are full before lunch. Under the great blue dome of 1990 your guide leads a tasting. Warm non, the round flatbread, torn by hand. Kurt, small white balls of dried sour milk, very sour and very salty: ask for one to try before you buy a bag. Dried apricots, raisins in several colours, almonds and pistachios: sellers expect you to taste and compare. The bazaar is cash only, in som.
After lunch, the hotel and a rest. In the late afternoon we drive to Magic City on Did you know? The founder of the Mughal Empire was born in Andijan Babur was born in Andijan on 14 February 1483 and, at twelve, took the throne of Fergana in its capital Akhsikath. Later he founded the Mughal Empire in India; his memoir, the Baburnama, still describes the valley's towns. Read more → Street: 21 hectares with a castle on a lake, streets styled as London, Rome and Barcelona, more than 35 attractions and an aquarium where sharks swim over a 20-metre tunnel. Entry to the park is free; rides are paid one by one. Stay for the sunset, when the castle lights up and the musical fountain plays on the lake.
Overnight in Tashkent
Day 3 · Tashkent – Samarkand — The Afrosiyob, and the Registan after dark
A transfer to Tashkent Central station. At the entrance you show tickets and passports, and bags are screened before the platform, so we arrive half an hour early. The Afrosiyob, a Spanish Talgo train, reaches Samarkand in about 2 h 30 min, and children can walk about in the carriage. Our driver meets you at Samarkand station and takes you to your hotel. Lunch, then a rest.
After dark we go to the .Did you know? The Registan's sun-carrying lion went on a banknote The Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636) is named for the big cats with the sun on their backs on its portal. The image appeared on the reverse of Uzbekistan's 200-som note of 1997. Read more → All three madrasahs are floodlit, and on some evenings a sound-and-light show throws 3D projections across their facades. Ulugh Beg was 23 when work began on his An Islamic college: student cells and classrooms around a courtyard behind a grand portal. In the old towns many now house museums and craft workshops. here: the king from the metro medallion built a school where astronomy was taught. Children go in free; teenagers pay half.
Overnight in Samarkand
Day 4 · Samarkand — Ulugh Beg’s stars and the paper mill at Konigil
In the morning, Ulugh Beg’s observatory on the Kuhak hill, built in the 1420s. A few steps lead down into a trench cut into the rock, where two marble-faced rails curve up towards the light: the lower part of a sextant with a radius of about 40 m. With it his astronomers finished a catalogue of 1,018 stars in 1437. Then the building was taken apart for its bricks and forgotten, until an archaeologist found the arc in 1908. We see the small museum first, then the arc: about an hour in all.
Then on to Konigil, about 13 km from the city, and the Did you know? Paper polished with stone, made to last 400 years At the Meros mill in Konigil, founded in 1996 to revive a craft that had died out, a water wheel beats mulberry bark into pulp, and each sheet is polished for hours with agate, shell or horn. It is made to last some 400 years. Read more → paper mill, founded in 1996 to bring back the old .Did you know? Legend says Chinese prisoners taught Samarkand paper A legend recorded in the 11th century says Chinese prisoners taken at the Battle of Talas in 751 taught Samarkand to make paper. In fact paper was used here earlier, and the craft most likely came gradually along the Silk Road. Read more → Outside, a water wheel on the Samarkand's main bazaar, right next to Bibi-Khanym: Samarkand bread, dried fruit, nuts and halva. Read more → stream drives wooden beams that beat mulberry bark into pulp. Inside, the master dips a frame into the vat and lifts out a sheet, and this is the step your children try themselves; the sheet they make goes home with them. Next door there is a pottery studio with a wheel to try. Lunch is in the A teahouse: green tea, plov and conversation on wide wooden beds called topchan. by the river: Samarkand Rice cooked in a kazan with carrots, onions and meat: the dish of every Uzbek celebration. Each region cooks it its own way. and local fruit.
The afternoon is free for rest.
Overnight in Samarkand
Day 5 · Samarkand – Bukhara — Puppets and a bronze Nasreddin at Lyabi-Hauz
The Afrosiyob to Bukhara takes under 2 hours. Bukhara’s station is in Kagan, about 12 km from the old town; our driver meets you and takes you to your hotel. Lunch and a rest.
In the late afternoon, a walk to ,Did you know? Bukhara's ponds were once its water supply Pools like Lyabi-Hauz, dug around 1620 and 46 × 36 m, were the city's main source of water. Most were filled in during the 1920s–30s because they spread disease; Lyabi-Hauz survived. Read more → the square around a pond of about 1620, shaded by old mulberry trees. ,Did you know? Sit a child on Nasreddin's donkey for a happy life By Lyabi-Hauz stands a statue of Nasreddin, the trickster of tales told from Turkey to China, whom Uzbeks count as a Bukharan. Locals say a child placed on his donkey will have a life full of joy. Read more → the hero of countless funny stories, has ridden his bronze donkey here since 1979. On the south side of the square is the puppet workshop-museum: papier-mâché puppets 40–50 cm tall, each with its own face and costume, and the workshop where they are made. Above the far bank, find the portal of the ,Did you know? A caravanserai that became a madrasah by a khan's word Nadir Divan-Begi built his 1622 building by Lyabi-Hauz as a caravanserai. At the opening Imam Quli Khan praised it as a fine madrasah, and a khan's word could not be taken back: a portal and cells were added, and a madrasah it became. Read more → where two tiled birds carry white deer towards a sun with a human face. The evening ends with green tea on the wide wooden beds by the water.
Overnight in Bukhara
Day 6 · Bukhara — The Ark in the morning, the potters of Gijduvan
We are at The fortress-residence of the rulers of Bukhara on a high artificial hill: the oldest structure in the city. Read more → when it opens, before the heat. Its walls rise 16 to 20 m, sloping back like the side of a hill, and a ramp takes you up through the gate to the throne room and the museums. Your guide tells the legend of its founding: a prince was offered as much land as a bull’s hide would cover, so he cut the hide into thin strips and laid out a circle big enough for a palace.
Then we drive to Gijduvan, about 45 km from Bukhara. The town has its own school of ceramics, flowers set among geometric patterns, and in its best-known family workshop the sixth generation of potters is at work. Children see the whole process, from clay on the wheel to the painted bowl and the kiln. Lunch is in Gijduvan, then back to Bukhara for an afternoon rest.
Good to know: In the evening we can arrange dinner as guests of a local family in Bukhara (on request).
Overnight in Bukhara
Day 7 · Bukhara – Tashkent — A slow morning and the train home
A slow morning. With your guide, a last walk to :Did you know? Legend: the minaret's foundation was laid with camel milk Legend says master Bako laid the foundations of the Kalyan minaret with ganch plaster mixed with camel milk, then vanished for two years to let them harden, and only then built the tower. Locals still show a grave they say is his. Read more → the Did you know? Diggers went 13 m down and never found its base The Kalyan Minaret of 1127 rises about 46 m, and an excavation reached 13 m without finding the bottom of its foundations. Genghis Khan reportedly ordered it spared. Read more → of 1127 rises about 46 m, and archaeologists dug 13 m down without reaching the bottom of its foundations. Then lunch and time to pack.
In the afternoon, the Afrosiyob back to Tashkent, a little over 4 hours. Our driver meets you at Tashkent Central and takes you to your hotel or to the airport for your flight. An extra night in Tashkent can be added.
Option · A night in a yurt camp at Aydarkul (+1 day)
Instead of the train from Samarkand to Bukhara, you travel by car through the The Kyzylkum, or Red Sands: the desert between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers that the road and the railway cross on the way to Khiva. desert and spend a night in a yurt camp by Aydarkul lake. A typical camp evening: a camel ride on the sand, dinner by the fire, often with folk music, and a night in a felt yurt; in the morning, a walk along the shore. We choose a camp with electricity, showers and toilets.
The road is the price: about 240 km from Samarkand to the camp and about as far again to Bukhara the next day. We suggest this option for children who are happy with a long day in the car. The tour then takes 8 days.
With children
Food, water and the heat
- Most children find a favourite on the first day: plov, rice with carrots and tender meat; samsa from the tandoor; shashlik on skewers; manty, big steamed dumplings. Warm non arrives at every table first.
- Uzbek cooking is seldom hot but can be rich. For a fussy eater, order a clear soup, grilled chicken or a plate of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Give children bottled water only, also for brushing teeth. Nappies, formula, baby food and wipes are sold in supermarkets and pharmacies (dorixona) in all three cities.
- In July the average high is 35.9 °C in Tashkent and 37.3 °C in Bukhara. In summer we keep the sights before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m., with hats, sunscreen and a water bottle for each child.
Accommodation
Where you stay
| City | Stay |
|---|---|
| Tashkent | A hotel in Tashkent, 2 nights |
| Samarkand | A hotel in Samarkand, 2 nights |
| Bukhara | A hotel in Bukhara, 2 nights |
We choose hotels that suit families and confirm the rooms for your dates before booking. If a pool matters to you, tell us.
Price
Price
The price is given on request: it depends on the dates, the hotels, the size of your family, the ages of the children and the language of the guide.
Good to know
Conditions
- Children’s train fares: one child under 5 rides free on a parent’s ticket without a separate seat; children from 5 to 10 pay half the fare and get their own seat; from 10, a full ticket. Age counts on the day of departure.
- Train tickets go on sale 60 days before departure and are issued to passports: we need the full name and passport number of every traveller, children included.
- Tell us the ages and weights of your children when you book, so the right child seats are in every car.
- The train timetable can change: we check it on eticket.uzrailpass.uz before we confirm the programme.
- Read before you go: our guides to Uzbekistan with kids, trains in Uzbekistan, the Tashkent metro and Samarkand paper at Konigil.
- Reservations are confirmed with passport copies only.
Cancellation policy
| Cancellation timing | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 21 days before the service | 20% |
| 20–7 days | 50% |
| 6–0 days | 100% |
Transportation
| Vehicle | Group size |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Cobalt | 2 pax |
| Hyundai Starex | 3–4 pax |
| Toyota Hiace / King Long | 5–8 pax |
| Mercedes Sprinter | 9–14 pax |
Vehicles may differ in make and colour.
🌿 Responsible tourism: we allocate part of our profits to good causes and are preparing for GSTC certification.
Expert opinion
Pluses
- Hands-on days: paper at ,A village near Samarkand where paper is made by hand from mulberry bark, the old way, at a working mill on the stream. the potters of Gijduvan and a tasting at .Tashkent's old bazaar under a big blue-green dome, not far from Hazrati Imam. Bring cash in so'm. Read more →
- Short transfers: the Uzbekistan's high-speed train: Tashkent to Samarkand in 2 hours 30 minutes, Tashkent to Bukhara in about 4 hours. Tickets are tied to your passport. Read more → between the cities, and the longest drive is about 45 km to Gijduvan.
- Rest every afternoon: sights in the morning and evening, the hottest hours at the hotel.
Minuses
- Three cities, two hotel changes: you pack twice, in Tashkent and in Samarkand.
- No Khiva: the week covers Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara; Khiva needs two more days.
- Summer heat: in July and August the middle of the day is too hot for walking, so the days are split in two.
AroundCA numbers
How we counted
By the AroundCA programme: we count only what is written in the day-by-day programme of this tour. If the programme gives no figure, we show nothing.
- Hotel changes
- 2
- Longest transfer
- 4 h · by train
- Walking
- Light
Best time
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
April–May and September–October: in Bukhara the average high is about 24 °C in April and 23 °C in October, weather for walking all day.
Better to avoid
Jul–Aug
July and August: the average July high is 35.9 °C in Tashkent and 37.3 °C in Bukhara, so the walks move to the early morning and the evening.
A typical day
On day 4 you start at Ulugh Beg’s observatory in Samarkand, walking down into the trench of his great sextant. Then you drive about 13 km to Konigil, where a water wheel beats mulberry bark into pulp and your children lift a sheet of paper out of the vat themselves. Lunch is plov in the teahouse by the river, and the afternoon is for rest at the hotel. The night is in Samarkand.
What the price includes
What is included
- Afrosiyob train tickets Tashkent – Samarkand, Samarkand – Bukhara and Bukhara – Tashkent
- Accommodation: 6 nights in hotels with breakfast
- A private car with driver and child seats for the airport and station transfers and the trip to Gijduvan
- A local guide in every city on the programme
- Entrance tickets on the programme
- A paper-making session at the Meros mill in Konigil and a visit to a ceramics workshop in Gijduvan
- A tasting at Chorsu bazaar and metro rides with your guide
Not included
- Lunches, dinners and drinks
- Rides and the aquarium at Magic City
- Photo and video fees at the sites
- International flights and visa fees (if applicable)
- Tips and personal expenses
Extra cost on site
- Rides and the aquarium at Magic City
- Photo and video fees at the sites
- Tips and personal expenses
Good for
- Families with school-age children on a first trip to Uzbekistan
- Children who like making things with their hands: paper, clay, a bazaar tasting
- Parents who want Samarkand and Bukhara without long drives or early starts
Maybe not for you if
- Families looking for a beach or resort holiday: this is a city trip with rest in the afternoons
- Teenagers who want mountains and hiking: look at our nature tours instead
- Anyone who wants Khiva in the same week: it needs two more days, which we can add
Questions about this tour
How much does the tour cost?
The price is given on request: it depends on the dates, the hotels, the size of your family, the ages of the children and the language of the guide.
What ages does the tour suit?
It works best for children of school age, who can enjoy the stories and try the paper and the clay themselves. Younger children are welcome too: the transfers are short and every afternoon has time to rest. Tell us the ages, and we adjust the days.
How do children travel on the trains?
One child under 5 rides free on a parent’s ticket without a separate seat. Children from 5 to 10 pay half the fare and get their own seat, and from 10 a child needs a full ticket. Age counts on the day of departure. Tickets are issued to passports, so we need the passport details of every child.
Will there be child seats in the car?
Yes. Uzbek traffic rules require a child seat for children under 7 and a child restraint belt from 7 to 12. Give us the ages and weights of your children when you book, and the right seats will be in every car.
What will the children eat?
Most children like plov, samsa, shashlik and manty, and warm bread comes to every table. Uzbek cooking is seldom hot. For a fussy eater there is always a clear soup, grilled chicken or fresh vegetables. Give children bottled water only.
Can we add the night in the yurt camp at Aydarkul?
Yes, as an option: you travel from Samarkand to Bukhara by car through the desert and spend a night in a yurt camp, with a camel ride and dinner by the fire. The tour then takes 8 days, and each of the two road days is about 240 km, so it suits children who are happy in the car.
Didn’t find your answer? Ask about this tour →
Make it your trip
Tick what you’d like to add — it goes into your request, and the manager confirms the final price.
