The day is given to Bukhara's old town, which holds more than 140 architectural monuments within walking distance of one another. The tour begins at the Ismail Samani Mausoleum in Samanid Park, the oldest standing structure in Bukhara, built in the early 10th century and a benchmark of Samanid-era brick craft. From there you continue to the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum and the Bolo-Hauz Mosque, the former Friday mosque of the emirs, with its forest of carved-wood columns reflected in the pool. The Ark Citadel sits opposite, the seat of the Bukharan emirs for over a thousand years and now a museum complex covering local history. After lunch (own arrangement), the tour resumes at Po-i-Kalyan square: the Kalyan Minaret rising 47 metres, the Kalyan Mosque opposite, and the working Mir-i-Arab Madrasah, one of the few madrasahs to function continuously through the Soviet period. The day ends in the domed bazaars - Toki Sarrafon, Toki Telpak Furushon, and Toki Zargaron - where money-changers, hatters, and goldsmiths once held their separate trades.

A second day in Samarkand for the city's major sites that the previous afternoon could not cover. The morning begins at Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, a narrow alley of tilework that holds tombs of Timurid royalty and the supposed grave of Qusam ibn Abbas, the Prophet Muhammad's cousin who tradition holds brought Islam to the region. The blue-tiled facades here represent the highest level of Timurid ceramic craftsmanship in the country. The tour continues to the Gur-e-Amir, the mausoleum that holds Tamerlane himself along with his teacher Sayyid Baraka and several Timurid descendants including Ulugh Beg. You then visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory ruins on the city's northern edge, the remains of a 15th-century astronomical instrument that allowed Ulugh Beg to calculate the year length to within one minute of the modern figure. The Afrasiab Museum nearby holds the Sogdian frescoes from the 7th-century palace of King Varkhuman, depicting embassies from China, Korea, and Iran. The afternoon is free for the Siyob Bazaar behind Bibi-Khanym, or independent exploration of the old town. After we transfer you to Samarkand railway station for the Afrosiyob train to Tashkent (18:15-20:30 or 18:49-21:04 2hrs 10m). On arrival you check in to your hotel and rest

Discover the modern, Soviet-era, and contemporary side of the city.Start at Amir Timur Square, the main square of the city with a statue of Amir Timur.Visit the Amir Timur Museum and learn about the history of the Timurid Empire.Walk along Broadway Alley Tashkent, a popular pedestrian street with artists, cafes, and souvenirs.Explore Independence Square, the largest square in Uzbekistan, symbolizing independence.Visit the Tashkent Metro, famous for its beautiful and uniquely designed stations.Relax at Magic City Park or take a walk in Tashkent City Park.