Study tour of Uzbekistan from Frankfurt

Silk RoadKhiva, Bukhara, Samarkand

In the footsteps of the caravans

Direct from Frankfurt to Khiva, then east to Tashkent

A direct flight to Khorezm, the train across the Kyzylkum to Bukhara, a night in a yurt by Lake Aydarkul, then Samarkand, the city of Tamerlane and Ulugh Beg. Shahrisabz, Tashkent, a day in the Tian Shan mountains and two lectures by historians, in Khiva and Samarkand, complete the journey.

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13 days: 12 nights in Uzbekistan
Direct: flight Frankfurt – Urgench, about 6 h
≤ 20: travellers per group
1 night: in a yurt in the Kyzylkum

Next departure 10–22 Apr 2027 Reserve a seat

Route

From Khorezm to Tashkent, west to east

You land below the walls of Khiva and follow the Silk Road east: the domes of Bukhara, the desert and its yurts, Samarkand's Registan, Tashkent and finally the Tian Shan mountains. The long legs are by train.

Day 1Frankfurt → Urgench → KhivaSaturday direct flight, arriving 20:40, Khiva 30 minutes away
Day 3Khiva → BukharaTrain across the Kyzylkum, about 4½ h
Days 6–7Bukhara → yurts → SamarkandVia Gijduvan and Nurata, a night by Lake Aydarkul
Day 10Samarkand → TashkentAfrosiyob high-speed train, about 2¼ h
Day 13Tashkent → FrankfurtHY 231, early-morning departure, mid-morning arrival

Direct flight Frankfurt – UrgenchGerman-speaking guideA night in a yurt2 lectures by historiansA day in the Tian Shan

Direct flights on Uzbekistan Airways

Day 1 (Saturday): HY 232, Frankfurt (FRA) 11:40 → Urgench (UGC) 20:40 local time. You reach your hotel in Khiva around 10 pm.
Day 13 (Thursday): HY 231, Tashkent (TAS) early morning → Frankfurt (FRA) mid-morning; in October 2026 it left at 06:20 and landed at 09:50.

The Saturday flight lands in Urgench, 30 minutes from Khiva, so the journey starts in the west and ends in Tashkent with no domestic flight and no backtracking. Both flights go on one ticket. In 2026 Uzbekistan Airways flew via Urgench on Saturdays from 11 April to 30 May and again from 29 August; the 2027 flights are confirmed when you book. Uzbekistan is 4 hours ahead of Germany in winter and 3 hours in summer.

Programme

Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent

Days 1–3

Khiva

Itchan Kala, the museum city of Khorezm

Walls of Itchan KalaUNESCO World Heritage since 1990
Kalta MinorUnfinished tiled minaret, 19th c.
Juma MosqueMore than 200 carved wooden columns
Pahlavon Mahmud MausoleumPoet, wrestler and patron saint of Khiva
Islam Khoja Minaret1910, 57 metres
Kunya Ark and Tash Hauli PalacePalaces of the khans of Khiva

Lecture 1 · 45–55 minAl-Khwarizmi, al-Biruni and how their knowledge reached Europe.

Days 3–7

Bukhara

Noble Bukhara, then the Kyzylkum desert

Poi Kalyan ensembleMinaret of 1127 and Kalyan Mosque
Lyabi-Hauz and Nadir DivanbegiPool and madrasa, 17th c.
Samanid Mausoleum9th–10th c., a masterpiece in brick
Ark CitadelFortress of the emirs of Bukhara
Trading domes and Chor MinorCovered bazaars of the 16th c.
Yurt camp by Lake AydarkulA night in the Kyzylkum, camel ride

Evening in the desertCamel ride and songs around the fire at the Kyzylkum yurt camp.

Days 7–10

Samarkand

Tamerlane's capital, Ulugh Beg's city

Registan SquareThree madrasas, 15th–17th c.
Gur-e AmirTamerlane's mausoleum, 1404
Shah-i-ZindaAvenue of mausoleums, 11th–19th c.
Ulugh Beg Observatory1420s
Afrosiyab MuseumAmbassadors' painting, 7th c.
ShahrisabzTamerlane's birthplace, UNESCO

Lecture 2 · 45–55 minTamerlane, Ulugh Beg and Goethe's “Book of Timur”.

Days 10–13

Tashkent

The capital, the Mushaf of Uthman and the Tian Shan

Hazrati Imam ensemble16th–21st c.
Muyi Muborak LibraryMushaf of Uthman, 7th c.
Chorsu BazaarUnder its great green dome
Tashkent MetroStations decorated with ceramics and marble
Charvak reservoir and ChimganWestern Tian Shan, about 2 h from Tashkent

Farewell eveningFarewell plov dinner, then a direct flight to Frankfurt the next morning.

Day by day

Dates appear here when you choose a departure. Meals: B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner.

Day 1
Frankfurt – Urgench – Khiva
Meet at Frankfurt airport. Uzbekistan Airways direct flight HY 232 at 11:40 to Urgench in the Khorezm region, arriving 20:40 local time. Your German-speaking guide meets you; transfer to Khiva (30 minutes) and a light dinner at the hotel.
D
Day 2
Khiva, the museum city
A full day in Itchan Kala: Kalta Minor, Kunya Ark, the Juma Mosque and its forest of columns, the Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum, the Islam Khoja Minaret and the Tash Hauli Palace. In the afternoon, lecture 1 (45–55 minutes), then a woodcarving workshop. Sunset on the city walls.
B L D
Day 3
Across the Kyzylkum to Bukhara
09:55 train to Bukhara (about 4½ hours), along the Amu Darya and through the desert. After arrival, a first walk around Lyabi-Hauz and the Nadir Divanbegi Madrasa.
B L D
Day 4
Noble Bukhara
Samanid Mausoleum, Chashma Ayub, Bolo Hauz Mosque and the Ark Citadel. In the afternoon, the Poi Kalyan ensemble, Mir-i Arab Madrasa and the trading domes. Dinner with folk dance and traditional costume.
B L D
Day 5
Summer palace and the Sufis of Bukhara
Sitorai Mohi Hosa, the summer palace of the last emir, then the Bahauddin Naqshband memorial complex. In the afternoon, Chor Minor and free time in the old-town lanes.
B L D
Day 6
Gijduvan, Nurata and the yurt
A family pottery workshop in Gijduvan, then Nurata with its fortress attributed to Alexander the Great and its sacred spring. Arrival at the yurt camp by Lake Aydarkul, camel ride and an evening by the fire with a folk singer.
B L D
Day 7
Lake Aydarkul and Samarkand
Sunrise over the desert and a walk on the shore of Lake Aydarkul. Drive to Samarkand (about 4 hours). In the evening, the Registan as the madrasas light up.
B L D
Day 8
Samarkand, Tamerlane's city
Gur-e Amir, inside the Registan madrasas, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Siab Bazaar. In the afternoon, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Ulugh Beg Observatory, Afrosiyab Museum and the Tomb of Daniel. In the evening, lecture 2 (45–55 minutes).
B L D
Day 9
Excursion to Shahrisabz
Over the Takhtakaracha Pass (about 2 hours) to Shahrisabz, Tamerlane's birthplace: remains of the Ak-Saray Palace, the Dorut Tilovat ensemble and Kok Gumbaz Mosque. Lunch with a local family. Return to Samarkand.
B L D
Day 10
Silk paper and Tashkent
Konigil paper mill, where mulberry paper is still made by hand. Afrosiyob high-speed train to Tashkent (about 2¼ hours). Evening walk on Amir Timur Square.
B L D
Day 11
Tashkent
Hazrati Imam ensemble and the Mushaf of Uthman, Chorsu Bazaar, a ride on the metro and the Museum of Applied Arts. In the evening, opera or ballet at the Navoi Theatre if you wish.
B L D
Day 12
In the Tian Shan mountains
Drive into the Western Tian Shan (about 2 hours): Charvak reservoir, the cable car near Chimgan in good weather and lunch in the mountains. Back in Tashkent, an early farewell plov dinner.
B L D
Day 13
Tashkent – Frankfurt
Night transfer to the airport with a breakfast box. Direct flight HY 231 in the early morning, arriving in Frankfurt mid-morning.
B

Learning on the road

Two lectures, two cities

Each lecture lasts 45 to 55 minutes. It is given by an Uzbek historian, in German or interpreted by your guide, with time for questions. Venues are named in your final programme.

Khiva Day 2 · Sunday afternoon · 45–55 min

Al-Khwarizmi, al-Biruni and the road to Europe

Khorezm is the home of al-Khwarizmi, whose name lives on in the word algorithm, and of al-Biruni, who calculated the Earth's radius in the 11th century. The Berlin orientalist Eduard Sachau edited and translated al-Biruni's works in the 19th century. After the lecture, a workshop where doors and columns like those of the Juma Mosque are still carved by hand.

Al-KhwarizmiAl-BiruniEduard SachauWoodcarving

Samarkand Day 8 · Saturday evening · 45–55 min

Tamerlane, Ulugh Beg and Goethe

Goethe named a book of his West-Eastern Divan after Tamerlane. A historian tells how Europe came to know Tamerlane and his grandson Ulugh Beg: from the Castilian envoy Clavijo, who was in Samarkand in 1404, through Ulugh Beg's star catalogue to Goethe's poem “Winter and Timur”.

TamerlaneUlugh BegClavijoGoethe

Travel notebook

Pictures of the journey

Samarkand tilework, Khiva minarets, Bukhara gardens: every stop keeps free time to look, sketch or take photographs.

On the road

A journey planned around you

The programme is built for German-speaking travellers: a balanced pace, trains instead of long drives, and someone who speaks your language at every stop.

German-speaking guide

The same guide travels with you from Khiva to Tashkent.

Hotels with character

Guesthouses and 3–4★ hotels in the old towns.

Train, not road

Khiva – Bukhara and Samarkand – Tashkent by train.

Uzbek cuisine

Varied meals; vegetarian on request.

Support 24/7

A manager on WhatsApp before and during the trip.

The Mitra Travel standard

Care in the details

Your agency sells a ready product. Your clients get a complete journey.

≤ 20: travellers per group
3★/4★: hotels on the route
2: train journeys
2 × 50 min: lectures by historians
DE: German-speaking guide
B2B: net rates for agencies

Tour package

What the price covers

No hidden conditions: you know in advance what is included.

Included

12 nights: 2 in Khiva, 3 in Bukhara, 1 in a yurt camp, 3 in Samarkand, 3 in Tashkent, double rooms
Full board from dinner on day 1 to the breakfast box on day 13
Khiva – Bukhara train and Afrosiyob high-speed train Samarkand – Tashkent
Transfers and touring in an air-conditioned vehicle
Entrance fees to the sites and museums in the programme
2 lectures by historians, 45–55 minutes each, in Khiva and Samarkand
Folklore dinner in Bukhara, camel ride and day trip to the Tian Shan
German-speaking guide from day 1 to day 13

Paid separately

Flights Frankfurt – Urgench and Tashkent – Frankfurt (group fares on request)
Travel insurance (medical, repatriation and cancellation)
Single room supplement
Drinks, tips for guide and driver
Camera fees at some sites, opera or ballet, personal expenses

The exact price and inclusions are set out in the quote we send after your request.

Online booking · 2027

Choose your departure

Eight departures from April to October 2027, each for up to 20 travellers. Pick a date, tell us how many are travelling, and we confirm the seats and send a quote.

April 2027

Departure from Frankfurt (Saturday) Selected Tour days

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For travel agencies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

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On the Mitra Travel B2B platform you see live seat availability, book at net rates, upload passenger lists and download vouchers.

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About Mitra Travel

Opening Uzbekistan since 2011

For more than 15 years Mitra Travel has organised journeys that introduce guests to the culture, history and hospitality of Uzbekistan.

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Questions and answers

Before you travel

Do German citizens need a visa?

No. German citizens can stay in Uzbekistan for up to 30 days without a visa, as can Austrian and Swiss citizens. We recommend a passport valid for at least 6 months after your return date. Hotels handle your local registration, and we confirm the entry rules when you book.

Why fly into Urgench and home from Tashkent?

The Saturday direct flight lands in Urgench, 30 minutes from Khiva. Starting in the west and finishing in Tashkent saves a domestic flight and any backtracking. The outbound flight takes about 6 hours and the return about 6½ hours; both go on one ticket.

Are flights included in the price?

No, the tour price is from and to Uzbekistan. We are happy to hold group seats on Uzbekistan Airways from Frankfurt, and your travel agency can add rail or a feeder flight to Frankfurt.

What is the time difference and the currency?

Uzbekistan is 4 hours ahead of Germany in winter and 3 hours in summer. The currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Hotels and large shops take Visa and Mastercard; for bazaars it is easy to change euros locally.

How demanding is the tour?

The tour suits anyone who is comfortable on their feet. In the old towns you walk 3 to 6 km a day, often on paving and steps, with a break at midday. Long distances are by train. The flight home on the last day leaves very early.

What is the night in a yurt like?

The camp is by Lake Aydarkul, on the edge of the Kyzylkum. Yurts sleep 2 to 4 people, with beds and blankets; showers and toilets are in a shared building. If you prefer, the night can be spent in a guesthouse in Nurata.

What is the food like? Can you cater for special diets?

Uzbek cooking is generous: plov, soups, kebabs, bread from the tandyr oven, vegetables and seasonal fruit. Vegetarian meals and allergies are catered for if you tell us when you book. Uzbek wine and beer are served in most restaurants.

What is the weather like, and what should I wear?

April, May, September and early October are mild, 15–28 °C in the daytime. Late October is cooler, about 8–20 °C. Desert nights and the day in the Tian Shan are cool in every season, so bring a jacket. In mosques and mausoleums shoulders and knees are covered; good walking shoes are essential.

Do I need vaccinations?

No vaccinations are required for Uzbekistan. Routine vaccinations should be up to date; ask your doctor for advice. Travel insurance with repatriation cover is strongly recommended.

How big is a group? Can we travel on other dates?

Each departure takes up to 20 travellers. Private groups and dates are possible: tell us the month you have in mind and we will plan around the flight days.

Do you work with travel agencies?

Yes. Agencies book at net rates on the Mitra Travel B2B platform, or choose “Travel agency” in the form below and we will send access.

Mausoleum of Imam al-Maturidi, Samarkand

Uzbekistan awaits your travellers

Ask about dates, prices or a private group. We reply in the messenger you prefer.

Travel agents: book net rates on the Mitra Travel B2B platform.