This September 2025 trip is full! See the website for available dates.
Space available on the May and October 2025 tours.
Our 24-night textiles and arts tour of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan checks another fabulous adventure off your bucket list!
On this spectacular tour, we’ll be following the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that linked the Mediterranean and China. Age-old artistic exchanges and shared aesthetic traditions practically assured that nowadays the whole region would be home to large numbers of talented artisans. Uzbek textile artists create exquisite hand-embroidered suzanis and brilliant hand-dyed, handwoven ikat fabrics. Kyrgyz women have expanded traditional nomadic-style felt-making (yurts and rugs) to produce innovative craft items such as cozy slippers and scarves. In both countries, we will meet these welcoming people and see their weaving, dyeing and felting techniques first-hand.
In the historic areas of many cities such as Samarkand and Bukhara, blue and turquoise-domed mosques and madrasas compose important UNESCO World Heritage sites. Detailed tile mosaics with masterful calligraphic panels decorate these stunning ancient buildings inside and out. Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, has modern hotels, tree-lined streets and verdant parks. The restaurants of both countries are superb and would be at home anywhere, with a great variety of fresh and healthy foods.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit exquisite blue-tiled madrasas, mosaic-covered mosques, and fascinating museums
- Shop in the bustling markets and handicraft bazaars of Bishkek and Toshkent
- Meet silk ikat dyers and weavers, and embroidery and ceramic masters
- Meet Kyrgyz feltmakers and learn their methods of making cozy shyrdak rugs
- Walk historical neighborhoods of ancient Samarkand and Bukhara to see UNESCO Heritage sites like Registan
- See the ancient Tash-Rabat stone fortress in the Tien Shan Mountains.
What’s Included in The Trip?
An Overview of Your Journey
Historical Tashkent
The trip begins in the beautiful city of Tashkent, the Uzbek capital. You will be met at the airport and transported to our hotel for check-in. Depending on what time you arrive you’ll sleep or relax until time for breakfast, then go out with us to explore markets and mosques on this first day in Tashkent. The capital city is known for its many museums and its mix of modern and Soviet-era architecture. Big sycamores line the wide avenues and mosaic-decorated apartment blocks alternate with sleek new glass and steel edifices. The Soviet-era Metro stations are stunning and we will take a ride to see some of the artistic masterpieces underground.
In Tashkent’s old city, we’ll admire historical buildings with iconic turquoise-tiled domes, such as the 16th Barak-Khan Madrasa complex. It is famous for the intricate mosaic tile work on the buildings. We’ll also visit the home studio of a famous embroiderer. She will show us her working methods with hand-dyed silk threads, and we’ll also have a chance to purchase her beautiful suzanis and jackets.
We’ll visit the Museum of Applied Arts which showcases some of the best historical examples of the arts of Uzbekistan. The Russian diplomat Alexander Polovtsev commissioned the intricately decorated mansion expressly to display his vintage folk art collections of ceramics, folk instruments, rugs and suzanis.
All aboard for Samarkand!
From Tashkent we board the air-conditioned fast train to Samarkand. Seasoned travelers consider Samarkand as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, not only for the stunning historical monuments but also for the tree-shaded avenues and lovely green city parks. It was an important trade stop along the Silk Road and was at the forefront of early Islamic architecture.
We’ll visit a carpet workshop, the Afrosiab museum and the fascinating Observatory of visionary astronomer, Ulughbek. We’ll see the towering tomb of Emir Timur (Tamerlane), founder of the Timurid Empire. Prominent landmarks include the iconic Registan, a plaza bordered by three ornate, tile-covered madrasas dating to the 15th and 17th centuries. The fabulous Registan Square is lit with floodlights at night and looks magical.
Next Stop Bukhara!
Next we’ll visit the ancient city of Bukhara, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is more than 2,000 years old. It was a prominent stop on the Silk Road trade route between the East and the West, and a major medieval center for Islamic theology and culture. It still contains hundreds of well-preserved mosques, madrasas, bazaars and caravanserais, dating largely from the 9th to the 17th centuries. Monuments of particular interest include the famous tomb of Ismail Samani. It’s a masterpiece of 9th -10th-century Muslim architecture partly because of the variety of patterns executed in unglazed fired brick. Blue mosques and textile bazaars also abound in this fabulous historical city. Bukhara is one of the best places to explore the architecture and textiles of Uzbekistan.
The age-old caravansarai and madrasas in Bukhara have often been converted into artists’ studios and workshops. And several ancient, domed bazaars here offer carpets, suzanis (left), and jewelry. We’ll explore these as well as an artisan center where we can learn how typical crafts are made. We know many artisans and collectors that we can visit, so you will have a first-hand chance to see some exquisite textile masterpieces.
While in Bukhara, we’ll see the Emir’s summer palace, Sitorai Mohi Hosa. Built in 1911, the palace now houses the excellent Bukhara Museum of Decorative Arts where the superb suzani collection will enthrall embroidery lovers.
On to Khiva!
Onward from Bukhara to Khiva! This is a long drive, but the desert landscape is compelling: vast steppes, shepherds and their flocks, remote villages, military outposts and unusual vegetation. We’ll skirt the Kyzylkum or Red Sand Desert, to see Khiva’s wondrous architecture and carpet knotters. We’ll cross the Amu Darya River, long ago known as the Oxus.
Ichan Kala is the UNESCO site walled, ancient, inner city of Khiva, considered to be the largest surviving walled city in central Asia. An important stop on the ancient Silk Road, the inner city was protected by 10-meter high brick walls. It was the last resting place of camel caravans before crossing the desert to Iran. Although few very old monuments remain, it is a coherent and well-preserved example of the Muslim architecture of Central Asia. Tiled and mosaic-encrusted treasures of Khiva’s old town include stunning palaces, mosques, and minarets.
Embroidered textiles and fluffy sheepskin wool caps abound in Khiva. We’ll visit several grand architectural wonders and have dinner on a rooftop with 360-degree views of nighttime illuminated Khiva. In a Khiva carpet shop, several women are at work on beautiful woolen carpets. Hand-knotted examples here show unusual patterns that were inspired by the designs of the tiles and carved wooden doors of the city.
Fergana Valley of Ikat
Next we’ll head for the fabulous Fergana Valley. Along the route, we’ll stop several times, for lunch and to visit to visit the incredible Khudayarkhan Palace.
Then we continue to Margilan, an ancient Fergana Valley city, and home of glowing resist-warp dyed (ikat) fabrics, the most renowned of Uzbek textiles. Margilan town was well-known in antiquity for the superb quality of silk created here. We’ll meet ikat dyers and weavers who are the most skilled in Central Asia. Over the course of our days there, we’ll visit ikat masters to see thread binders, weavers, and dyers. Stunning ceramic plates and bowls will be available at the master ceramicist’s studio we’ll visit. All the pieces are intricately hand-painted.
A highlight will be the local market, another good place to buy inexpensive ikat fabrics (with resist-dyed warp) which are the most renowned textiles of Uzbekistan. Here you can buy ikat yardage to make robes, quilts or pillows, and other textile treasures, left.
Later we’ll visit an ikat dyeing workshop and will see how the warp threads are bound to make the bold patterns. We’ll visit the Yodgorlik Margilan silk factory where we can see the entire process from reeling the silk cocoons to weaving the finished ikat. The shop here has appealing yardage and also scarves, ikat jackets and coats at reasonable prices.
Over the border into Kyrgyzstan
After our time in Uzbekistan, we’ll head over the border into beautiful Kyrgyzstan. Visiting this mountainous and mostly rural country makes a wonderful change of pace after the modern cities and fascinating historical sites of Uzbekistan.
Though long inhabited by a succession of independent tribes, Kyrgyzstan attained sovereignty as a nation-state only after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country’s six million people, followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians.
The few travelers that make it here love the warm-hearted people, peaceful countryside and stunning mountain views. Some nomads still prefer to live in a felt yurt in the beautiful forests or lake country. Yet the capital, Bishkek, is up-to-date with good restaurants and hotels, pretty parks, and a population of one million.
The Beauty of Felt!
We will have a local Kyrgyz specialist guide who will explain Kyrgyz history and culture. Starting in the capital of Bishkek, we’ll visit verdant and peaceful Oak Park and see the ethnographic displays at the nearby National Museum. The bustling Osh Bazaar warrants a visit in case you want a pointy felt cap with earflaps, or a new backpack to haul home your pretty felt rug!
We’ll have several opportunities to learn about the renowned Kyrgyz felt-making, in NGO-supported workshops around the country. Best known for making traditional articles such as yurt covers and felted rugs, Kyrgyz artists have innovated and they now also create charming felt toys and clothing such as warm slippers. We will have a workshop to make a small needle-felted animal like those at left.
We’ll meet a talented Kyrgyz felt artist, learn about her contemporary techniques and see her latest work. We’ll also visit several women’s coops where the felting methods are different. And in Bishkek, we’ll try our hand at making a silk and wool scarf. You can choose the colors of wool and make shapes to decorate the silk backing, then roll it to perfection. We’ll witness all the different felting techniques as we visit various artisans.
Gorgeous Felted Carpets
Later we’ll drive to Kochkor village, 260 kms from Bishkek. Kochkor is a famous province for sheep farmers and woolen felt makers. We’ll visit the Altyn Kol Women’s Handicraft Co-operative to see their work. And at the Felt Master’s studio, we will learn how nomadic Kyrgyz women make felt rugs called Shyrdak – a floor covering made by cutting positive and negative shapes out of prepared felt, in various brightly dyed colors. Then the positive shapes are inserted into the negative spaces of the background and stitched with a decorative edging, right.
We will see a demonstration of another process of felt carpet making called Ala-kiyiz. This method of layering colored felt shapes on a background, then wetting it, rolling it up and stomping on the roll to bind the wool fibers, is different from the modern felt carpets with the cutout shapes that we have seen before.
Tian-Shan Mountains
One day we’ll drive along another part of the Great Silk Road to the Tash-Rabat Caravanserai. This trip passes through the spectacular mountains and valleys of the Tian-Shan mountains where we will enjoy stunning views of the At-Bashy ranges.
The well-preserved 15th century stone fortress of Tash Rabat stands 100 km before the Kyrgyz-Chinese border at Torugart, at 3500 meters altitude. It has a central hall and 30-odd small rooms. At nighttime, traveling Silk Road merchants and their camels took shelter in caravanserai from bandits and the cold.
The Tash-Rabat region is spectacular. High mountains are dotted with Golden Marmots observing the scene from in front of their burrows. Shaggy near-wild horses and dark brown/white yak roam the picturesque hills.
Depending on how cold it is next to the Lake, we’ll enjoy a group dinner in a communal Yurt, and perhaps a night in the Yurt Camp at the high altitude of 3000 m. near the enormous IssyKul Lake, depending on the weather.
On to Karakol
Next morning, we’ll continue to Kyzyl-Tuu village where a Kyrgyz master yurt maker will show us how to assemble a felt-sided traditional yurt, without metal or nails. Here we will also learn about Kyrgyz national traditions such as beshik (baby cradle ceremony) with a demonstration using a cheerful local babe!
A traditional eagle hunter will demonstrate his Golden Eagle’s skill by letting the eagle loose to chase and snag a goatskin with a chunk of meat attached (no animals harmed in the demo). We’ll learn about the tradition of hunting with eagles. The Master will explain how the eagles are trained to hunt and how they helped save the nomadic population from starvation over harsh winters. The close bond between the eagle and her Master is fascinating.
We’ll continue to Karakol. Karakol town, one the first Russian military outposts, was founded in 1869. Here we can walk around to see the wooden Russian Orthodox church called the Holy Trinity Cathedral, still used for services. There is also a most unusual pagoda-styled Chinese mosque with complex cut woodwork decorations under the eaves.
Winding it up with Music…
And on our last night in the rural countryside, we’ll have a delicious dinner at a Uighur family home, with an interesting Kyrgyz musicians’ folk concert. The talented and welcoming musicians will explain their unique handmade instruments too.
Then next day, on our way back to Bishkek we’ll stop to see the enormous field of boulders with ancient rock engravings at Cholpon-Ata’s open-air museum. With a splendid background made of high snowy mountains, this collection of petroglyphs dates back more than 4,000 years.
This open-air museum is a very important historical site, located on a territory of 42 ha (104 acres) with hundreds of petroglyphs (images carved or ‘pecked’ onto stones).
We’ll also see the Burana Tower, a truncated minaret, from the 11th century with another open-air collection of interesting stones, in this case, carved like human-shaped tombstones.
At the end of our adventure, after seeing gorgeous suzanis, stunning ikat yardage and beautiful felt scarves, we’ll return to Bishkek. The rest of this day is free to explore on your own or just relax and pack up your treasures. Our Farewell Dinner is tonight! We’ll spend the last night back in Bishkek and then fly home from Bishkek the next morning.
Some of our Hotels…
Hotel StayInn, Tashkent
A new hotel with a large indoor pool, gym and spa, conveniently located near the exciting Chorsu Bazaar. There’s a beautiful hammam for a relaxing scrub. Rooms are comfortable with smooth linens, excellent beds, and contemporary bathrooms. The breakfast buffet is excellent.
Green Yard Hotel, Karakol
Large and light-filled modern hotel surrounded by pleasant gardens and fruit trees. It has comfortable rooms and a spacious dining room. Breakfasts are delicious and huge, with many choices. The owner and staff are all helpful and very welcoming.
Additional Details & Experiences
Bread In Uzbekistan
Bread is considered sacred by Uzbek people. The traditional round and flat bread, called non or lepeshka, is slapped on the fiery hot walls of a tandoor (round clay oven) to bake. Then it comes out toasted and crispy. Loaves are decorated with spiked bread stamps in different patterns. Bread of each region has its own particular method of leavening, its own baking techniques and its own inimitable taste. For instance, delicious flaky bread – katlama non – typifies the Fergana Valley version. Some yummy breads called lepeshkas are prepared with onion or meat baked inside the dough.
What are the traditional foods of Uzbekistan?
We’ll eat delicious food everywhere and learn about the local cuisine in at least one cooking class. Popular foods include vegetable, chicken or beef skewers, fresh salads and dishes such as pilaf or plov, with beef or lamb.
Meat-filled pastries called samosas are common too. Vegetarians will have no trouble at all; many salads such as grated carrots or beets with walnuts, or tomato, arugula, burrata and cucumber are popular and found in many restaurants. Vegetarian soups like cold cucumber and yogurt are popular too,
The Ismail Samani Mausoleum
The Samanid Mausoleum is an architectural wonder, a perfect cube of tan bricks, with decorative basket-weave brickwork patterns inside and out. It’s located in the northwestern part of Bukhara, just outside its historic center. It was built in the 9th-10th centuries AD as the resting place of the powerful and influential Islamic Samanid dynasty. The mausoleum is extremely important from an art historical perspective as it is the earliest instance of an Islamic tomb to survive in Central Asia. It’s also a rare example of decorating a structure with unglazed bricks arranged in intricate patterns.
Photos from Previous Adventures…
Your Trip Leaders
Cynthia Samaké
Since 1998 Cynthia has led small groups of textile fanatics and friends all over the world. Desiring some new locations and new types of textiles, she branched out and now the repertoire includes Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Both countries have loads of talented artisans and groups visit artisans who dye and weave stunning silk ikat designs and create brilliant felted rugs.
Professional guides, experts in textiles, arts and culture of their respective countries, who speak English, Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Russian will accompany Cynthia for the itinerary.
Check Trip Availability
Trip signups are accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. Please provide your details below and we’ll be in touch to confirm whether spaces are still available for this trip. If you need to get in contact, please email: info@btsadventures.com
Registration Information
- Dates: Sept. 9 – Oct. 1, 2025
- Fly Home Date: October 2, 2025
- Deposit: $500
- Tour Cost: 24 Nights for $6,520
- Single Supplement: $750
For more information:
Phone: 707-939-8874
E-mail: info@btsadventures.com
Read: Frequently Asked Questions
Travel Plans
Fly into Istanbul on Turkish Airlines and connect with Turkish to Tashkent flight, arriving on September 9 at 7am. There is also a Turkish Airlines flight that arrives at 1am on September 9. Either flight is OK and you will be picked up at the TASHKENT airport (TAS) whenever you arrive.
Most people fly into Istanbul from their home airport, then connect with Turkish Airlines for the flight to Tashkent (TAS), Uzbekistan.
For Americans living in cities served by Turkish Air, it will be less expensive to take Turkish Airlines for the whole flight itinerary. Turkish flies non-stop to IST from US cities such as SFO, LAX, SEA, and others.
You will fly into Tashkent on September 9, then fly home from BISHKEK, KGZ at the end, on October 2. You will most likely be in the air on September 8, and the hotel is reserved for your arrival that night/morning of the 9th so you don’t have to wait until check-in on the 9th to enter your room.
Visas
If you are over 55 years old, a visa for Uzbekistan is no longer necessary, as of May 1, 2022. If you are under 55 you will need to apply through the government’s website; we’ll send the link if this is your case.
Right now, Kyrgyzstan doesn’t require any visa for foreign travelers from the USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Turkey and most of Europe. The list includes many more visa-free countries, and citizens of other countries can apply for an e-visa online. We will send you the latest visa info and will let you know if the above policy changes.
What’s Included
- 24 nights of accommodation in double rooms with private bathrooms, possible one-night shared yurts, and possible one-night homestay in Kyrgyzstan. Single rooms available with supplement.
- Expert Uzbek English-speaking professional guide
- Expert Kyrgyz English-speaking professional guide
- Textile expert Cynthia Samaké to accompany tour.
- All breakfasts in the hotels included
- All lunches and dinners included, except 2 meals which will be on your own
- Transportation by air-conditioned Minibus
- Entrance fees to all sites and monuments
- 2 Flights: from Urgench (Khiva) to Tashkent and flight from Osh to Bishkek.
- All Tashkent and Bishkek airport transfers
- Train travel between Tashkent and Samarkand, Samarkand and Bukhara – and all train station transfers.
- Private mini-bus to Khiva with our professional driver
- Bottled water on all van rides and in most hotel rooms; you can buy more if needed.
- Silk and felt scarf workshop; Felt-making demonstration.
- Ikat warp tying, dyeing and weaving demonstrations.
- Wood Block printing demonstration.
What’s Not Included
- International flights
- Visa and passport fees
- 2 Dinners (buy fruit and cheese picnic to eat at the hotel, or go out on your own)
- Tips for guide and driver; amounts will be suggested
- Recommended travel/trip cancellation insurance (suggestions about this later)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Dates: Sept. 9 – Oct. 1, 2025
- Fly Home Date: October 2, 2025
- Deposit: $500
- Tour Cost: 24 Nights for $6,520
- Single Supplement: $750