The Silk Road

This ten-night escorted tour with Riviera Travel follows one of the primary Silk Road routes through Uzbekistan. After arriving in Tashkent, the country's rebuilt capital, you explore the Chorsu Bazaar beneath a ceiling of blue tiles and mosaics that echo the Uzbek love of colour and pattern. A short flight west leads to the Khorezm desert and the vast ruins of Ayaz Qala fortress, a glimpse of the arid lands that challenged traders along this historic route.

The ancient towns of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand reveal layers of history. Khiva’s mud-brick walls and tiled minarets shelter quiet courtyards; Bukhara's royal fortress and bazaars recall its role in the 'Great Game'; and in Samarkand, Registan Square offers a grand stage for Tamerlane’s architectural legacy amid vividly tiled mausoleums.

Along the way, artisans keep ancestral crafts alive, from pottery in Gijduvan to mulberry bark paper in Koni Ghil. Accommodations are in well-appointed hotels in each city, offering chances to rest between the steady rhythm of long drives, walks and flights. The final leg returns you to Tashkent by fast train, rounding off what is a deep dive into the Uzbek heart of the Silk Road, told by the landmarks and markets along the way.