The vibrant city of Tashkent serves as the Capital of Uzbekistan, as well as Central Asia's main tourist and transport hub. This large historic city is well known for its many impressive museums including the Amir Timur Museum, containing artefacts relating to the Timurid dynasty; the massive State Museum of History of Uzbekistan, displaying an interesting collection of Buddhist relics; and the Moyie Mubarek Library Museum, housing what is said to be the world's oldest Osman Quran. Other popular attractions include the Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent's most famous market selling a wide range of goods from spices to ceramics; the Teleshayakh Mosque, an amazing example of Islamic art and architecture, and the nearby Ugam-Chatkal National Park, which provides countless opportunities for adventurous outdoor activities including hiking, rafting and skiing.
Located in the desert of Uzbekistan's Xorazm Region, along the famous Silk Road trade route, the well-preserved ancient city of Khiva is commonly considered to be the world's most coherent example of Islamic architecture. At Khiva's historic centre, the fabled inner walled city of Itchan Kala is listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site and is where most of Khiva's special sites, monuments, mosques, madrasahs, mausoleums and minarets can be found. Visitors can look forward to discovering a wide variety of popular tourist attractions including the Tosh-Hovli Palace, featuring an exquisite interior clad with blue ceramic tiles and elaborate carved wooden pillars; the revered Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum, known for its beautiful emerald dome and courtyard; and the Kuhna Ark, once the fortress and residence of renowned Khiva rulers, which offers some awe-inspiring panoramic views.
Situated in Uzbekistan on the ancient Silk Road trade route linking the East and the West, the ancient city of Bukhara is Central Asia's holiest city. Bukhara is known as a 'city museum' with about 140 architectural monuments, including numerous medresses, minarets, fortresses, mosques, teahouses and spice markets. The city centre has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of pre-Russian Turkestan. Visitors can look forward to exploring a number of popular attractions such as the spectacular Ark of Bukhara, the city's oldest structure, the 47-metre-tall architectural wonder, Kalon Minaret, the exquisite Chor Minor, a gatehouse of four beautiful towers showing Indian influence, and the Abdulaziz Khan Madrassah, home to the finest collections of Bukharian wood carving art.
Situated between the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers in Central Asia, the Kyzylkum Desert is the 15th largest desert in the world. Kyzylkum, meaning Red Sand, features rolling dunes of red sand as well as other lighter shades. This vast desert stretches over Uzbekistan, with a small portion of it crossing over into Kazakhstan. It covers 300 thousand square kilometres and boasts diverse fauna and flora which comes to life in spring when lucky visitors can spot wild tulips and poppies blooming to life. Visitors can look forward to trekking adventures, bicycle and horse routes across the mountains of Nuratau, Aktau and Karatau, camel rides and overnight trips at a collection yurt camps dotting the Kyzylkum Desert.
Located in Uzbekistan and on the famous ancient Silk Road trade route connecting China to the Mediterranean, the city of Samarkand has a rich history as one of the oldest inhabited cities in Central Asia. At the heart of this historic city lies the famous public square of Registan, an ensemble of monumental oriental architecture surrounded on three sides by grand educational institutions, commonly known as madrassah. Visitors can look forward to visiting the significant Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, featuring beautiful trademark mosaic and fluted azure domes; the beloved Shah-i-Zinda, an impressive avenue of mausoleums with stunning Timurid-era tilework; and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, one of the largest and most well-known mosques in the country.
As previously described
