Help on Uzbekistan itinerary

[pantaghana]

I have hard time deciding between two itineraries for the second half of October, so I would appreciate your feedback. We are planning of hiring agency to arrange the tour for us, so that we travel more efficiently between locations.

First option:
DAY 1 - 17/10/2021 arrival at Tashkent at 7:10 a.m., check-in hotel, relax day and sighsteeing Tashkent, overnight Tashkent
DAY 2 - 18/10/2021 sightseeing Tashkent, overnight Tashkent
DAY 3 - 19/10/2021 flight to Nukus, private car transfer to Mizdakhan Necropolis and Muynak, ship graveyard, overnight Muyunak/Nukus
DAY 4 - 20/10/2021 private transfer Muynak/Nukus – Ayaz Kala and Toprak Kala - Khiva, overnight Khiva
DAY 5 - 21/10/2021 Khiva sightseeing, overnight Khiva
DAY 6 - 22/10/2021 private car transfer to Bukhara, overnight Bukhara
DAY 7 - 23/10/2021 Bukhara sightseeing, overnight Bukhara
DAY 8 - 24/10/2021 sightseeing outside Bukhara city center – private tour (Naqshbandi mausoleum, summer palace of the Emirs, Gijduvan), overnight Bukhara
DAY 9 - 25/10/2021 train to Samarkand, overnight Samarkand
DAY 10 - 26/10/2021 Samarkand sightseeing, overnight Samarkand
DAY 11 - 27/10/2021 private tour Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand, train Samarkand - Tashkent, overnight Tashkent
DAY 12 - 28/10/2021 transfer to the airport in Tashkent, flight home at 8:50 a.m.

Second option:
DAY 1 - 17/10/2021 arrival at Tashkent at 7:10 a.m., check-in hotel, relax day and sighteeeing Tashkent, overnight Tashkent
DAY 2 - 18/10/2021 sightseeing Tashkent, overnight Tashkent
DAY 3 - 19/10/2021 flight to Urgench, private car transfer to Khiva, sightseeing Khiva, overnight Khiva
DAY 4 - 20/10/2021 Khiva sightseeing or Ancient Castles tour, overnight Khiva
DAY 5 - 21/10/2021 private car transfer to Bukhara, overnight Bukhara
DAY 6 - 22/10/2021 Bukhara sightseeing, overnight Bukhara
DAY 7 - 23/10/2021 private tour - Bukhara – Gijduvan – Nurata, overnight yurt camp
DAY 8 - 24/10/2021 private tour - Yurt Camp – Lake Aydar – Sentyab, overnight Sentiyab
DAY 9 - 25/10/2021 private car transfer Sentyab – Samarkand, overnight Samarkand
DAY 10 - 26/10/2021 Samarkand sightseeing, overnight Samarkand
DAY 11 - 27/10/2021 private tour Samarkand – Shakhrisabz – Samarkand, train Samarkand - Tashkent, overnight Tashkent
DAY 12 - 28/10/2021 transfer to the airport in Tashkent, flight home at 8:50 a.m.

Or maybe the third option , to skip Nukus/Muynak (first option) and Nurata/Lake Aydar/Sentyab (second option) and add those days in Bukhara and Samarkand.
Thank you!!!

[steven]

So, option 1 goes to Nukus and Moynak; option 2 goes to the yurt camp and Sentyab.

In Nukus the museum is the big attraction. The Aral Sea is gone, so what you are visiting is indeed the ship graveyard and the Aralkum desert.

The yurt camp is a sanitized affair that is aimed at group tourists, so that is something to keep in mind. Sentyab is a very wholesome place that pretty much everyone loves.

If it was me, personally, I would go to Nukus and Sentyab, and instead leave out the yurt camp and leave out Shahrisabz. But that's my personal opinion and without knowing you I wouldn't be able to say if that's the right choice for you as well.

[Krixi]

All these sights you are planning can also be done in half the time spent there! One full day in the main cities (4-5) each should suffice!