Culture and heritage tour to Uzbekistan from Türkiye

Ata YurduA journey to the heart of Turkestan

In the footsteps of the ancestors

Four hours from Istanbul to Khorezm, then on to Samarkand

A direct flight from Istanbul to Khiva, a train across the Kyzylkum desert to Bukhara, then high-speed trains to Samarkand and Tashkent. The city of Amir Timur and Ulugh Beg, the resting places of Bahauddin Naqshband, Imam al-Bukhari and Imam al-Maturidi, Friday prayer in Bukhara and three 2-hour lectures on the history of learning.

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8 days: 7 nights in Uzbekistan
Direct: flight Istanbul – Urgench, about 4 h
≤ 20: guests per group
3 × 2 h: lectures with historians

Next departure 15–22 Mar 2027 Reserve a seat

Route

Four cities from Khorezm to Tashkent

We land in Khorezm and travel east by train: from the walls of Itchan Kala to the domes of Bukhara, from the Registan to Hazrati Imam. There is no backtracking and no day is lost to connections.

Day 1Istanbul → Urgench → KhivaDirect flight, arrive 07:10; Khiva is 30 minutes away
Day 3Khiva → BukharaTrain across the Kyzylkum, about 4.5 h
Day 5Bukhara → SamarkandAfrosiyob after Friday prayer, about 1.5 h
Day 7Samarkand → TashkentAfrosiyob high-speed train, about 2 h
Day 8Tashkent → IstanbulTK 369, depart 09:35, arrive 12:55

Direct Turkish Airlines flightsFriday prayer in Bukhara3 lectures of 2 hours eachTurkish-speaking guideHalal meals throughout

Direct flights from Istanbul

Day 1 (Monday): Turkish Airlines TK 262, Istanbul (IST) 01:20 → Urgench (UGC) 07:10. The flight leaves in the night from Sunday to Monday.
Day 8 (Monday): Turkish Airlines TK 369, Tashkent (TAS) 09:35 → Istanbul (IST) 12:55

The journey starts in Khorezm in the west and ends in Tashkent in the east, so there is no backtracking and no day is lost to connections. In the winter timetable TK 262 flies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 01:35, landing in Urgench at 07:25. Guests from Ankara, Izmir, Antalya and other cities connect in Istanbul. Times follow the current timetable; the 2027 schedule is confirmed when you book. Uzbekistan is 2 hours ahead of Türkiye.

Programme

Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent

Days 1–2

Khiva

Khorezm's open-air museum: Itchan Kala

Walls of Itchan KalaUNESCO World Heritage, 1990
Kalta MinorUnfinished tiled minaret, 19th c.
Juma MosqueOver 200 carved wooden columns
Pahlavon Mahmud MausoleumPatron saint of Khiva, poet and wrestler
Islam Khoja Minaret1910, 57 metres
Kunya Ark and Tash Hauli PalacePalaces of the Khans of Khiva

Lecture 1 · 2 hoursFrom Khorezm to Anatolia: al-Khwarizmi, al-Biruni and Abu'l-Ghazi Bahadur Khan's Genealogy of the Turkmens.

Days 3–5

Bukhara

Noble Bukhara, where the Naqshbandi path began

Bahauddin Naqshband complexd. 1389
Poi Kalyan: mosque and minaretFriday prayer, 12th–16th c.
Samanid mausoleum9th–10th c.
The Ark and Bolo Hauz mosqueFortress of the Emirs of Bukhara
Mir-i Arab madrasa16th c., still teaching
Lyabi-Hauz and Nadir Divanbegi17th c.

Lecture 2 · 2 hoursThe Khwajagan path: from Ghijduvani to Bahauddin Naqshband, and how it reached Anatolia.

Days 5–7

Samarkand

Amir Timur's capital, Ulugh Beg's city of learning

Registan squareThree madrasas, 15th–17th c.
Gur-e AmirMausoleum of Amir Timur, 1404
Shah-i-ZindaQusam ibn Abbas, 11th–19th c.
Ulugh Beg Observatory1420s
Imam al-Bukhari complexKhartank, d. 870 CE
Mausoleum of Imam al-Maturidid. 944 CE

Lecture 3 · 2 hoursThe road of learning from Samarkand to Istanbul: al-Maturidi, Ulugh Beg and Ali Qushji at the court of Mehmed the Conqueror.

Days 7–8

Tashkent

Hazrati Imam and the Mushaf of Uthman

Hazrati Imam complex16th–21st c.
Mausoleum of al-Qaffal ash-Shashid. 976 CE
Muyi Muborak libraryMushaf of Uthman
Barakhan madrasa16th c.

Farewell eveningA farewell dinner of Uzbek dishes, and the flight home to Istanbul the next morning.

Day by day

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

Day 1
Istanbul – Urgench – Khiva
Overnight Turkish Airlines TK 262, landing in Urgench at 07:10. Meeting at the airport and transfer to Khiva (about 30 minutes), breakfast and rest at the hotel. Afternoon walk in Itchan Kala: Kalta Minor, Kunya Ark and the Muhammad Amin Khan madrasa. Welcome dinner.
B L D
Day 2
Khiva: the heritage of Khorezm
Juma Mosque and its wooden columns, Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum, Islam Khoja Minaret and Tash Hauli Palace. Afternoon: Lecture 1 (2 hours). Sunset on the city walls.
B L D
Day 3
Across the Kyzylkum to Bukhara
Morning train at 09:55 to Bukhara (about 4.5 hours), with views of the Amu Darya and the Kyzylkum desert. Afternoon at Lyabi-Hauz, the Nadir Divanbegi madrasa and the domed bazaars.
B L D
Day 4
Bukhara: Bahauddin Naqshband
Ziyarat and prayer at the Bahauddin Naqshband complex and the tomb of Sayyid Amir Kulol. The Ark, Bolo Hauz mosque and the Samanid mausoleum. Afternoon: Lecture 2 (2 hours).
B L D
Day 5
Friday in Bukhara, evening in Samarkand
Morning at the Mir-i Arab madrasa and the Poi Kalyan ensemble, Friday prayer at the Kalyan mosque. Afternoon Afrosiyob high-speed train to Samarkand (about 1.5 hours).
B L D
Day 6
Samarkand: Amir Timur and Ulugh Beg
Registan square, Gur-e Amir where Amir Timur rests, Bibi-Khanym mosque and Siab bazaar. Afternoon at Shah-i-Zinda and the Ulugh Beg Observatory, then Lecture 3 (2 hours).
B L D
Day 7
Imam al-Bukhari and Tashkent
Morning at the Imam al-Bukhari complex in Khartank, 25 km from the city, then the mausoleum of Imam al-Maturidi. Afternoon Afrosiyob to Tashkent (about 2 hours). Hazrati Imam complex and the Mushaf of Uthman at the Muyi Muborak library (subject to the library's visiting hours). Farewell dinner.
B L D
Day 8
Tashkent – Istanbul
Early breakfast and transfer to the airport. Turkish Airlines TK 369 departs at 09:35 and lands in Istanbul at 12:55.
B

Learning on the road

Three lectures, three cities

Each lecture lasts 2 hours and is given by an Uzbek historian, in Turkish or with Turkish interpretation. Venues are named in your final programme.

Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum and Islam Khoja Minaret

Khiva Day 2 · Tuesday afternoon · 2 hours

Khorezm: scholars and the genealogy of the Oghuz

The Khorezm of al-Khwarizmi, father of algebra and the algorithm, and of al-Biruni; the Genealogy of the Turkmens by Abu'l-Ghazi Bahadur Khan, Khan of Khiva and historian of the Oghuz tribes; Pahlavon Mahmud, poet, wrestler and patron saint of Khiva.

al-Khwarizmial-BiruniAbu'l-Ghazi Bahadur KhanPahlavon Mahmud

Bukhara Day 4 · Thursday afternoon · 2 hours

The Khwajagan path and Anatolia

The Khwajagan chain from Abdulkhaliq Ghijduvani to Bahauddin Naqshband; how the Naqshbandi order reached the Ottoman lands, and the ties between Bukhara and Istanbul such as the Uzbek lodge (Özbekler Tekkesi) in Üsküdar.

Abdulkhaliq GhijduvaniBahauddin NaqshbandSeven PirsÖzbekler Tekkesi

Samarkand Day 6 · Saturday evening · 2 hours

The road of learning from Samarkand to Istanbul

Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, whose creed most Turkish Muslims follow; Ulugh Beg's observatory and star tables; Ali Qushji, who carried them to the Istanbul of Mehmed the Conqueror; Alisher Navoi and the golden age of the Turkic language.

Imam al-MaturidiUlugh BegAli QushjiAlisher Navoi

Ziyarat

Places that speak to the heart

Every stop on the route is a place of learning or remembrance. Time is set aside at each one for prayer and quiet reflection.

On the road

A journey with time for prayer

The programme is built for Muslim travellers from Türkiye, so the practical side of worship is taken care of.

Halal meals

Every meal on the programme is halal.

Prayer times kept

Each day is planned around the five daily prayers.

Friday in Bukhara

Friday prayer at the historic Kalyan mosque.

Turkish-speaking guide

A professional guide who speaks Turkish for the whole tour.

Support 24/7

A manager on WhatsApp before, during and after the trip.

The Mitra Travel standard

Comfort in the details

Your agency gets a ready product. Your guests get a complete journey.

≤ 20: guests per group
3★/4★: hotels on the route
3: train journeys
3 × 2 h: lectures with historians
TR: Turkish-speaking guide
B2B: rates for travel agents

Tour package

What the price covers

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

Included

7 nights in 3–4★ hotels in Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent, twin rooms
Halal meals as listed in the programme
Khiva – Bukhara train and 2 Afrosiyob high-speed train tickets
All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
Entrance fees to all sites
3 lectures of 2 hours with historians
Turkish-speaking guide for the whole tour

Paid separately

Flights Istanbul – Urgench and Tashkent – Istanbul
Travel and medical insurance
Single room supplement
Tips for guide and driver
Personal expenses and optional extras

The exact price and inclusions are fixed in the quote your manager sends after your request.

Online booking · 2027

Choose your departure

One group a month from March to November 2027 (no departure in July), each with up to 20 guests. Pick a date, tell us how many are travelling, and your manager confirms the seats and sends a quote.

March 2027

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All 2027 departures

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Notes

A request does not commit you. Payment only after seats are confirmed.

For travel agencies in Türkiye

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On the Mitra Travel B2B platform you see live seat availability, send bookings 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.

2011year founded

12,000+travellers have trusted us

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Questions and answers

Before you travel

Do Turkish citizens need a visa?

Citizens of Türkiye can visit Uzbekistan without a visa for up to 30 days as tourists. We recommend a passport valid for at least 6 months after your return date. Hotels handle your local registration, and your manager confirms the entry rules when you book.

How long are the flights? Why fly into Urgench and home from Tashkent?

The direct flight from Istanbul to Urgench takes about 4 hours, and the flight home from Tashkent about 5.5 hours. Starting in Khorezm in the west and finishing in Tashkent in the east means no backtracking and short train rides. Both flights are booked together as one multi-city ticket.

What is the time difference and the currency?

Uzbekistan is 2 hours ahead of Türkiye. The currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Hotels and large shops take bank cards; for bazaars and small purchases it is easy to change US dollars or euros.

Is the food halal, and is there time for prayer?

Yes. All meals in the programme are halal and each day is planned around prayer times. On Friday the group prays at the Kalyan mosque in Bukhara.

Who gives the lectures, and in which language?

Uzbek historians and theologians give three 2-hour lectures, in Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand. They are given in Turkish or with Turkish interpretation.

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

April–May and September–October are mild, 15–28 °C in the daytime. June and August are dry and hot, up to 38–40 °C in Khiva and Bukhara. March and November are cool, 5–18 °C, so bring a jacket. Women cover their hair in mosques and shrines; modest clothing is expected everywhere.

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

Each departure takes up to 20 guests. Larger groups and private dates are possible: write to us with your preferred month 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.

Uzbekistan awaits your guests

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.