We leave for Uzbekistan from our chosen departure airport usually arriving at Tashkent International Airport (TAS) the following morning.

On arrival at the airport we’ll transfer the short distance (15 minutes) to our hotel where we can relax and freshen up after our flights. No doubt hungry from our journey, our lunchtime treat is a visit to the Plov Centre where we are able to enjoy Uzbekistan’s tasty national dish. The afternoon is then spent discovering Tashkent. It’s a sprawling city so we’ll hop aboard our support vehicle in order to access a few of our favourite sites. These are set to include Khast-Imam Square – the spiritual heart of the capital, and the small Muyi Mubarak Library which houses the oldest Quran in the world.

Other places of interest in the city are the White Mosque, with its sublime Islamic architecture and contrasting Assumption Cathedral, Tashkent’s biggest Orthodox church with its bell tower, gold onion domes and blue walls. The Metro whose stations are among the most ornate in the world is also worthy of a quick look. Our welcome group evening meal is taken close to the hotel and is another good opportunity to meet the local team and ask any questions you may have about the days ahead.

Accommodation: Modern 3* Hotel. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast, dinner
• Ascent: 795 Metres Approx.

We start the day with a transfer of 1.5 hours to bring us close to the mountain village of Nevich. Situated at a height of just over 1000 metres it’s here that we unload and then set-up the bikes for the journey ahead.

We’ll soon find ourselves cycling through this famous Uzbek grape growing area with our route a roller-coaster of ups and downs. Situated in the spurs of the Chatkal mountain range, the vineyards grow a number of grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Muscat, and Saperavi. Our ride ends with a gradual climb up to the small village of Kumishkan where we stay for the evening.

Our accommodation is a local guesthouse where we also take our home cooked evening meal and can uncork a bottle of local wine.

Accommodation: Basic guesthouse with en-suite twin rooms. No A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 400 Metres Approx.

After wishing goodbye to our friendly hosts, we re-trace our final pedal strokes of yesterday and start our day with a wonderful downhill from the village to the Parkent Valley below. Our first point of interest soon arrives as we reach the village of Changi, home to the Solar Furnace and Helio complex. With its futuristic appearance, it’s a striking (if not bizarre!) sight. It was situated in this area due to the clear and low-density atmosphere and abundance of sunny days. After exploring the complex and its small yet informative museum, our route heads along the Surenata Ridge. On the way we pass through some lovely, picturesque villages on a route that ebbs and flows between cheeky ascents and exciting descents.

Our initial riding ends (after a thrilling road descent) at the town of Karamana after 39 kms. To avoid a busy section of road, we transfer to our lunch-spot at Amirsoy Ski Resort. Suitably refreshed, refuelled, and enthused by the mountain views all around us we’re back on the bikes.

The afternoon is pretty much a downhill affair passing through the mountain resort of Chimgan along the way. As Charvac Lake comes fully into view it’s just a few more kms powered by scenic lake views until we reach our accommodation. Boasting a huge outdoor swimming pool, gorgeous leafy landscaped grounds and superb views of the lake it’s the perfect place to end our day on the bike. Tonight our evening meal will be taken at the hotel.

Accommodation: Modern 4* Hotel and Spa with a swimming pool and Bar. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 1210 Metres Approx.

An amazing yet challenging ride that sees us exploring the quiet road around Charvac Lake. Today, we switch between exciting descents, gradual sustained climbs and rolling lakeside sections. With the lake ever present throughout the ride and great views of the Tien-Shan mountain range, there will be plenty of opportunities to snap a few photos and capture the views. Also, ever-present is our support vehicle, so if you need a break for a few kms and want to take in the lake from the van you’ll be able to hop aboard for as little or as long as you like.

With Tajikistan just over the mountains it’s no surprise the area is populated by ethnic Tajiks. Along the way we pass through the villages of Brichmulla and Nanay, with a simple lunch taken at one of the villages. The final gradual climb of the day (5 kms) starts close to the village of Sijjak, and from here, our ride concludes with a thrilling 8 km descent to Charvac.

We take the support vehicle(s) back to our accommodation (30-45 minutes) where a refreshing dip in the pool will be at the top of most people’s agenda. Well after a cold beer that is! Evening meal taken at the hotel as per the previous night.

Accommodation: Modern 4* Hotel and Spa with swimming pool and bar. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast

With no cycling scheduled for today we have an unhurried and relaxed morning. Following lunch at the hotel we jump aboard the support vehicle(s) for the 3 hour transfer to Jizzakh in order to be well-positioned for our riding tomorrow.

En route, we’ll be taking a couple of breaks with the first scheduled at the New Uzbekistan Park. It’s the largest park of culture and recreation in Uzbekistan and opened in 2021, in honour of the 30th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence. It’s crowning glory is the Independence Stele – a 60 metre high monument crowned with a Khumo. A bird that symbolises peace, prosperity and freedom.

Founded in the 10th century as a staging post on the Silk Road connecting Samarkand with Fergana Valley, the town of Jizzakh lies at the northern foot of Nuratau mountains, in the southern part of the Hungry Steppe near the Sanzar River. Jizzakh’s culinary Uzbeki claim to fame is its tasty Samsas that you’ll see for sale alongside roadsides throughout Uzbekistan – they also make guest appearances at most breakfasts. Traditional buttery flaky pastry dough is wrapped around finely minced lamb or chicken meat then soaked in fragrant spices and baked to golden perfection. There is no better ride snack imaginable!! Evening meal taken at a local restaurant or at the hotel.

Accommodation: Modern 3* Hotel with hotel bar. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 1145 Metres Approx.

To avoid some busier roads and gain some kms we transfer out from Jizzakh following an early breakfast. After checking out the views of Zaamin Reservoir and sampling a few milk products from the local sellers of all things milk, today’s ride starts with an initial downhill, then shortly afterwards we enter Zaamin National Park. Established in 1926 as the first nature reserve in the republic the park is stunning with its apricot orchards, juniper forest, alpine meadows and rambling rivers. Whether you are there in Spring enjoying the flowers and verdant green hillsides, or in Autumn when the colours change dramatically, it’s a truly wonderful place.

From the park entrance our ride is lovely throughout as it gradually climbs (with nothing too onerous) for around 32 kms until we reach Zaamin. From here we’ve a real treat in store. Time to take the cable car up a vertical rise of 530 meters, over a distance of some 2102 metres to the top of the mountain. Our modern hotel is situated in the very heart of the National Park and a very short distance from the top of the cable car.

Following check-in we’ve something exciting for those not too afraid of heights. Spanning the impressive Chortanga Canyon is a spectacular 300 metre bridge that you can walk across and through its glass section, peer at the scenery below. As fun as the bridge is, its most memorable aspect is experiencing the locals experiencing it and experiencing you. Be prepared for selfies with new friends whilst suspended at 150 metres. We will take the evening meal tonight at the hotel.

Accommodation: Modern 4* Hotel with hotel bar. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 730 Metres Approx.

If you thought yesterday was a busy, fun-packed day, then today might well eclipse it! Time to dig out an extra layer, as our ride starts in the crisp mountain air, setting off straight from the hotel, (at around 2,100 metres in altitude). The day starts with a superb descent for the initial few kilometres before it’s time to engage your climbing legs as we ascend to the summit at 2,480 metres. Although rising several hundred metres over 8 kms, the climb is a gradual ascent, with no real super steep sections and pretty well-surfaced throughout. The views certainly make up for the exertions and as the old adage goes, what goes up must come down!

Time for a long downhill stretch of over 30kms that cuts through the arable farmland. The terrain varies from unsurfaced (though not overly technical) to asphalt.

On reaching Zartepa, we’ve a few more easy kms to cover, weaving alongside pomegranate and apple orchards before enjoying a very well-deserved picnic lunch in one of the small villages. After lunch and it’s all aboard the support vehicle for the 3-3.5 hour journey to spectacular Samarkand. Our accommodation for the next two nights is situated in a quiet area of the city and within walking distance of some of the major sights. We round off the day with an evening meal taken at one of our favourite restaurants.

Accommodation: Modern 3* Hotel. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast

Uzbekistan’s second largest city Samarkand is a precious jewel of the ancient and modern Silk Road. UNESCO listed, its centre is abundant in leafy urban walkways and parks that offer refuge from the hustle and bustle and link well to some of its most prestigious sights. With much to see we take the day to visit the major highlights in addition to some lesser-known favourites of ours. Highlights include the beautiful necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda, the incredible jade mausoleum of Gur-i-Emir and of course the stunning Registan Square, with its huge complex of domes and minarets, mosques, mosaics and madrasas. With so much to see there really is something for everyone. Whether you are an early bird wanting to catch the morning light and take photos before the crowds appear or night owls looking to absorb the evening light shows we’ve got it covered.

But it’s not all about the ancient sites. Samarkand is still a major area within Uzbekistan for intricate textiles, beautiful carpets and handicrafts with lots of options for a spot of retail therapy in the bazaars. For those missing their morning cappuccino we’ve a place or two to whet your whistle too. With lots to see and a huge variety of great places to eat it’s over to you to decide when and where you eat this evening. We will of course be on hand to advise you of some of our favourite spots.

Accommodation: Modern 3* Hotel. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 130 Metres Approx.

Whilst Samarkand is usually not too busy traffic wise in the mornings, we’ve a busy day ahead and so an early breakfast is certainly on the cards today. After a transfer of around 3 hours we’ll arrive at the Sarmysh Gorge situated close to Navoi. It’s here in a narrow canyon that the incredible petroglyphs of Sarmysh can be found. It’s an exceptional site due to the sheer wealth of rock drawings with over 3000 etchings carved into the gorge’s smooth black shale. The etchings are thought to be between 7000-9000 years old and mostly depict animals resembling deer, bulls, goats and horses, but there are also depictions of people dancing and hunting scenes. Scrambling over rocks and photo taking completed, it’s time for us to enjoy a few Uzbeki snacks before taking to our bikes for today’s ride.

On leaving the canyon and following a quick ‘cheeky climb’ it’s pretty much a gradual downhill ride to Kalkanata where we take lunch at a local roadside eatery close to the Sheikh Abul Hasan mosque. The road from here is frequented by some larger vehicles and so with this in mind we transfer to Nurata (one hour).

Nur (as it was originally known) was founded in the 3rd Century BC by Alexander the Great. The crumbling ruins of his citadel stand testament to its importance as a frontier town and are situated on a hillside above the town and are certainly worth a visit. The city was and still is an important place of pilgrimage for Muslims from throughout Central Asia. Of most importance is the beautiful Namazgokh Mosque whose original construction dates to the 10th Century and is famous for its curative spring.

With both Alexander’s citadel and Namazgokh close to our accommodation they make for a great afternoon or early morning excursion. Evening meal taken at the accommodation.

Accommodation: Simple comfortable hotel. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 320 Metres Approx.

After navigating our way out of town by bike we set our sights on Aydarkul Lake, on this our last day of cycling. Today’s distance is around 70 kms and whilst relatively flat throughout there are a few lumps and bumps along the way with traffic very light. The landscape today is one of wide-open grasslands with more of a desert vibe towards the end of the ride especially as we get into the fringes of the Kyzylkum Desert at Lake Aydarkul.

It’s here that we take our well-deserved lunch over-looking the lake. Formed from the diverted waters of the Syr-Darya River in 1969 the lake contrasts dramatically with the surrounding desert landscape and is a popular spot for a little dip before drying off in the sunshine. Our accommodation – a great yurt camp set in the sand dunes is then just a short distance away.

Simple yet cozy, these traditional Kazakh round felt tents are a fun place to stay and offer a great insight into life on the Silk Road. Our evening meal is taken at the camp post-sunset and with the cycling section of the trip now complete, sharing a drink with your fellow riders and local support crew and guides is a wonderful way to celebrate your cycling achievement. We round off the day around the campfire listening to an Akyn (local musician).

Accommodation: Traditional Kazakh yurts. Single beds. Showers and toilets situated in a separate communal building with a bar. No WiFi.

• Meals: Breakfast

Sunrise at the yurt camp tends to be a special time so rising early is a must! After breakfast we leave our desert surroundings for the transfer (3-4 hours) to Bukhara. On the way we make a quick stop at the Rabat Malik Caravanserai a 11th Century fortified inn that was an important hub for traders along the silk road, due to its underground water cistern. Our aim is to get to Bukhara around early afternoon affording us some time today to commence our exploration of this amazing city. Unlike Samarkand, the main sites here are mainly focused around the well-preserved old town which makes it a wonderful place in which to wander or simply sit and watch the world go by. What’s more it’s quiet due to its pedestrianised walkways and the fact that the only vehicles allowed here are bicycles, low-powered Uzbek e-bikes or e-mopeds.

We’ve a full day here tomorrow so we’ll be dipping our toes into the sites this afternoon around the Lyabi-Hauz, a plaza built around a pool in 1620. It’s here you’ll find a statue of Khoja Nasreddin. This semi-mythical ‘cunning fool’ appears in Sufi teaching-tales along with his donkey and is considered a folk hero in Uzbekistan. The belief is that if you put your child on his donkey, their life will be filled with joy and you’ll see families here cajoling unsuspecting children into photo ops! On the western side of Lyabi-Hauz is the Nadir Divanbegi Khanaka. Whilst not so overly spectacular in appearance it’s now home to several artisans who work in metal and is certainly worth a quick look.

Nearby we can also meander through the maze of alleyways that will lead us to photogenic Char Minar, a gatehouse of an ancient medressa. The name means ‘Four Minarets’ in Tajik. For those looking for a unique souvenir the nearby stalls sell interesting Soviet memorabilia.

There is so much to see in Bukhara and with a full day here ahead of us tomorrow there’s no need to hurry. As well as the sites Bukhara has a wonderful array of great restaurants to choose from for our evening meal.

Accommodation: Modern 3* Hotel. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast

As with Samarkand the special time to visit the major sites is either early morning or close to sunset. With this in mind it’s an early start to the day.

Our first point of interest is Bolo-House situated at the Square Registan. It is known also as the Mosque of forty columns and although a lesser-visited site it can rightly be considered one of the most beautiful and luxurious sights in Bukhara. A short stroll away, but a million miles away from the trinkets, carpets and tourist trappings of the centre is the immense Xaridinqiz Barakali Bo’Lsin (Central Bazaar). It’s a wonderful place to wander around, practice your best Uzbeki and check out the vast array of small stores selling fruit, spices, bread, vegetables, sweets. In fact – everything and anything!

With more than 900 historic monuments there’s so much to see and with appetites different, you can continue to be guided during some of the day or go ‘free and easy’ and explore at your own pace. Not to be missed however are the Fortress Ark Summer Palace (Bukhara’s oldest structure), the 47 metre high Kalon Minaret that has stood for almost nine centuries and the adjacent Kalon Mosque.

There are lots of wonderful eateries to keep you going as you wander so there is no chance of going hungry. (We have also painstakingly researched where the best coffee stops are!). If tea is more your tipple we’ve a superb traditional tea-house serving the best spiced teas around for you. Early evening we’ll meet-up in our favourite rooftop café for a celebratory drink. It’s a wonderful place to watch the sunset before we head out for our farewell dinner.

Accommodation: Modern 3* Hotel. All rooms en-suite with A/C.

• Meals: Breakfast

Following breakfast we head to Bukhara Airport (BHK) for onward flight connections back to Tashkent (TAS), or to Istanbul (IST). It’s a small friendly airport and takes just 15 minutes to get there from the centre.