15-day cycling and cultural tour through Uzbekistan

You will reach Tashkent depending on the flight connection either in the late evening (Uzbekistan Airways) or in the early morning hours of the next day (Turkish Airlines). After being picked up from the airport, you will go directly to the hotel in the city center, where you can first rest and sleep.

Today, Tashkent awaits us with its numerous sights and vibrant bazaar to be discovered. Our German-speaking local city guide will take us on a discovery tour in the afternoon: we will see, among other things, the Kukeldash and Barak Khan Madrasah, the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, and let ourselves be carried away by the oriental Chorsu Market (craftsmen's bazaar). We will end the first day with a joint dinner.

In the midst of the green mountain landscape, we check into our hotel. In the afternoon, we take our first test ride with the rental bikes, which are adjusted to personal needs. Those arriving with their own bike can set it up here, supported by the knowledgeable guide.

The stage begins with a long descent. We will gently descend over 1,000 meters from the national park into the lowlands. Along the way, we will stop at a tea house for lunch and enjoy local specialties in the shade of the fruit trees. At the end of our stage, we will switch and travel the rest of the way by tour bus to the hotel. For the adventurous, the entire route (90 km) is also passable by bike.

From Jizzakh, we travel with the tour vehicle to the touristically underdeveloped area between Aydar Kul Lake and the Nurata Mountains. After about 40 kilometers, we get back on our bikes and ride along the impressive Ortacheku rocks towards the mountains. On our journey, we pass through several small villages and have the opportunity to get to know the daily life of the local population in the countryside up close. For the strenuous ascent into the mountains, we will be rewarded in our comfortable yurt camp with a pool and good food.

The first 15 km of today's king stage we ride down relaxed back into the lowlands. From the small provincial town of Bogdon, our route leads along the little-traveled, straight provincial highway towards the west. After lunch under fruit trees, it's time to pedal hard again and gain elevation. Our destination Uchum is located in the Nuratau Mountains. In the midst of the barren desert landscape, the valley appears like a green oasis. For the next two days, we will experience Uzbek hospitality here and enjoy the delicious local cuisine.

We explore the surroundings of Uchum on foot and visit the petroglyphs in the nature reserve. A picnic strengthens us along the way. Those who wish can also relax in the garden of the guesthouse or observe mouflons in the nearby nature park.

After a hearty breakfast with the host family, we head back down to the country road. The descent is mostly on asphalt and offers spectacular views of the Nuratau Mountains and the Aydar Kul, the largest body of water in Uzbekistan. Upon arriving in Sob, we are greeted by a lovingly designed guesthouse with yurts in the garden. The limited space requires a division into yurts and rooms.

Here we conclude the first part of our cycling tour. The bicycles are loaded onto our tour vehicle. Optionally, the stage can be extended with a climb into the Sob Gorge (about 10 km). Here, too, you will be rewarded with petroglyphs.

We reach Bukhara by tour bus. On the way, we pass through Nurata, which Alexander the Great conquered during his campaigns in Central Asia. From the ruins of his fortress, there is a wide view of the surroundings. In the late afternoon, we arrive at the oasis city of Bukhara on the edge of the Kyzylkum Desert. Once, the city was one of the most important trading centers on the Great Silk Road. Our hotel, in oriental style, is located right in the center of the city.

The more than 2,000-year-old city presents itself today as a unique, authentic museum. Above all, the market dome buildings, the so-called tak and tim, convey this image. During our visit, we will explore the Ark Citadel, the former seat of government and palace of the rulers of Bukhara, the Kalan Minaret, the mosque of the same name, and many other highlights of the city's history. There will be time to stop in one of the tea houses and enjoy tea in a Central Asian way.

Now the second part of our cycling trip begins. We leave Bukhara by bus. On paved, hardly trafficked country roads, we reach the village of Karnab where we saddle our bikes. Since there are neither tea houses nor tourist infrastructure here, we get to know the hospitality and local customs during lunch - authentic and just as Uzbekistan's rural life ticks. Far from the main traffic routes, it is a perfect change from the hustle and bustle of the great Silk Road cities. In Tim, we are accommodated in a private home of a family. 

Our last cycling stage takes us through a varied hilly landscape towards the east. In the afternoon, we reach the small town of Nurabat, from where we will be taken by bus to Samarkand.

The 2,700-year-old city was one of the most beautiful and important cities in the world during the Middle Ages and has earned the nickname "the planet's most splendid visage." On our German-speaking city tour, we will visit the most significant buildings and places in the city and learn more about its history as a trading center on the Silk Road. The central Registan Square, with its three right-angled and richly decorated madrasas, Ulugbek, Tilla-Kori, and Sher-Dor, is certainly one of the cultural highlights of our trip.

In the morning we have time to explore the city individually and do some shopping at the bazaar. On the way to Tashkent, we visit the museum of a historical papyrus factory. Here, the once highly sought-after paper made from mulberry leaves is still produced today. Back at the starting point of our journey, we check into our tour hotel. For those who have arrived with their own bikes, there is time to pack the bikes. We conclude this unique journey with a joint dinner.

In the early morning hours, we begin our journey home.