JOURNEY ALONG THE MULBERRY TREE ROAD

Flight to Tashkent. Arrival in the evening or early the following day (depending on your flight connection). Your travel guide will meet you at the international airport and take you to your hotel. One overnight stay in Tashkent.

Mulberry trees belong to the oldest cultivated plants in the world. White mulberries are not only grown for their fruit, but also the leaves serve as food for silkworms. The red fruit juice is used as a natural dye. The beautiful wood is used for high-quality furniture, handicrafts, musical instruments and barrels. Paper is made from the bast fibres (kozu fibres). The noble, dark-brown hardwood has a silky surface, is very hardwearing and can be polished to a shine. The grained root wood is suitable for marquetry.
After breakfast in the hotel, you will go on a sightseeing tour through the old town of Tashkent. We will see the Khast Imam Complex. In the large square, the Barakkhan Medrasa and the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum bear witness to the time when Tashkent was the centre of the great development of Islamic culture and religion. The oldest Koran in the worlds is kept in the medrasa’s library. The manuscript dates back to the third Caliph Osman.
Then we go to the «Chorsu» Bazaar, which was already known in the Middle Ages that lies at the crossroads of the caravansaries of the Great Silk Road. This is one of the largest markets of Tashkent, not far from the centre. You can walk through the pedestrian areas with its many street traders and cafés and take a trip on the only underground railway of Central Asia, impressive with some originally decorated stations. Dinner in a local restaurant. Two overnight stays in Tashkent.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel City Palace

There are about 30 different sorts of mulberry tree. But only three are of importance today: white, red and black. In Uzbekistan today there are countless other types, with red, black, violet and creamy-white fruit. Mulberry trees are important for rearing silkworms and therefore these trees are grown even at the edge of the great roads. The trees or bushes of all mulberry tree types reach a height of 5 to 15 metres and are a feast for the eyes in the overall landscape.
After breakfast in the hotel, you will travel by train through the impressive Kamchik Pass (2.268 m) to Kokand. In Ferghana you will have a different driver for two days with the bus. In Kokand you will discover the wonderful Islamic constructions – the Palace of Khudoyar Khan and the imposing Djuma Mosque. On to Rishtan to visit a pottery workshop in which the potter himself will tell you about the production of ceramics and show you the process. Dinner at the Hotel. One overnight stay in Fergana.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Asia Fergana

The Silk Road took its name from the very valuable product which was transported on this trading route in ancient times: silk. It is said that silk was discovered 3000 years BC by the wife of the Chinese Emperor. Over the course of the centuries, one of the greatest human achievements, the Great Silk Road, was decisive in promoting culture and transporting important ideas and inventions into the entire world. Some routes of the Great Silk Road also passed through Uzbekistan and, thanks to this, the secrets of silk and its production reached Uzbekistan. Today, silkworm breeding plays an important role in Uzbekistan’s economy.
In order to get to know the town, you will take a sightseeing tour along the avenues of Fergana and visit the German Cultural Centre. Then on through changing landscapes to Margilan. Here you will visit the largest Silk Factory “Yodgorlik”, where you will see the individual steps in the production of silk. In the afternoon, you continue by car over the mountain pass back to Tashkent. Dinner in a local restaurant. One overnight stay in Tashkent.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel City Palace

The mulberry contains many substances which are in particular good for keeping people healthy. One quarter is protein, making it more protein-rich than most other fruits. Sodium and potassium assure balanced osmoregulation in the body and fatty acids help with digestion. The black mulberry does not just taste good, it contains a large number of minerals and is therefore very healthy. The Romans maintained that mulberries brought wisdom.
In the morning, transfer to the station to take the fast train to Bukhara at 7:30-11:19. On arrival, transfer to the hotel in Bukhara’s old town. Today you will visit the most important sites: The Samanids Mausoleum - the oldest architectural building in Central Asia, the Bolo Havuz mosque, the Ark-Citadel, the residence of the Emirs of Bukhara, and the most famous complex and landmark of Bukhara – the Poi Kalyan Complex. On the way from the Poi Kalyan Complex through the domed bazaars past the medrasas to the Lyabi Khauz, gold embroiderers, scissor makers and cobblers will greet you. The Lyabi Khauz Complex is the centre of old Bukhara with majestic buildings. To relax, you can drink coffee in the Café Wishbone (German Corner) “. Then you can watch the bustle of the craftsperson and discover the woodcarvers, cutlers, potters and weavers in their workshops. Folklore show in the Nadir Divan Begi medrasa. Dinner in a local restaurant. Two overnight stays in Bukhara.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Komil Boutique

Tea made from mulberry leaves is much valued in Asia, particularly in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It helps in case of fever, constipation as well as bladder and urinary infections, also for diabetes type 2, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And the tea also stills the craving for sweet things.
Today we continue our tour of the oasis town Bukhara. You will see the Chor Minor Mosque, built in 1807 by the rich Turkman Khalif Niyazkul. The four sky-blue minarets rise up in the midst of a traditional residential area. With its unusual style, this building has become the emblem of Bukhara. On we go through the alleys of the old town and you will discover Jewish traces in Bukhara when visiting the synagogue. In the house of the merchant Khodzhaev, you will see how wealthy merchants and traders lived 100 years ago in Bukhara. The complex, which consists of several buildings, is today a museum and your guide will show you the most interesting rooms. Then the wonderful Summer Palace will receive you at the gates of Bukhara, the "Sitorai Mokhi Khosa" (Palace of the Moon and Sky) of the last ruling Emir of Bukhara, Said Alim Khan. The palace has a mixture of Russian, Oriental and European architecture and has an impressive park. In the afternoon we will visit the Jewish residential area of Bukhara and enter a synagogue which is over 400 years old. Then we will see a Puppet Workshop. Dinner in a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Komil Boutique

Dried mulberries are full of iron. This is responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood and thus for a functioning metabolism. When dried, mulberries lose their intensive colour and become smaller and relatively hard, but now they can be kept for much longer and can be used for different purposes, for example, sauces, müsli, desserts, etc. On your breakfast menu today you will find mulberry müsli.
On the historic Great Silk Road, you will drive through beautiful mountain landscapes to the birthplace of Amir Timur – to the town of Shakhrisabz. In a short time, Amir Timur conquered a larger Empire than that of Alexander the Great. Admire King Timur’s constructions and wander through the town and the market.
In the late afternoon we arrive in the ancient town of Samarkand.
Samarkand – the pearl of the Orient, over 2750 years old, was considered to be one of the most beautiful towns in the world in the Middle Ages, and it has today lost none of its fascination. Dinner in a local restaurant. Two overnight stays in Samarkand.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Ideal

Mulberry juice with its anti-inflammatory properties can be used to treat colds and seasonal infections. But in order to ensure that the effect was not only prophylactic and that its potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron continued to work all year round, the housewives learnt how to use mulberries in compote and jam. Doctors of course say that a part of the vitamins A, B and C is lost in cooking the jam. But some part remains. And the mulberry is, moreover, indispensable for the body’s nervous system - stress, light forms of depression or sleeplessness can all be treated without medication by eating a few spoonfuls of mulberry jam. All these characteristics of the mulberry, together with its unbelievably mild taste, guarantee a mood improvement and an improvement in general health.
In Samarkand, you will feel transported to ‚One Thousand and One Nights. It is one of the oldest towns in the world and was also the centre of the famous Silk Road. In the Afrosiyob Museum, you can get a feeling for ancient Samarkand. Then you will visit one of the greatest pilgrimage sites of the Islamic world – the Grave Complex of Saint Daniel and the Shakhi Zinda Complex, a magnificent collection of different mausoleums covered in Timur style with majolica and mosaic tiles. After a break, we will go to a Silk paper factory, which was founded by the master brothers Mukhtarovs. Thanks to their efforts, the old tradition of producing paper using Samarkand technology has been revived. It is interesting that the entire process is carried out manually and guests can watch. Then we will go to the Ulugbek Observatory, once the greatest research centre in Central Asia. Ulugbek, Amir Timur’s grandson and a world-famous astronomer, introduces himself with the sextant of his observatory which was only uncovered in 1908.
In the afternoon, we will visit a local family and make mulberry jam together. You can also harvest the mulberries yourself and taste them. Mulberry trees are often associated with childhood, when the children run around the farm and eat lots of ripe mulberries. Do not be afraid to try new jam recipes – you will like mulberry jam when it is served you. Then we have dinner with the family.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Ideal

The legendary paper of Samarkand - as famous as the porcelain, as the Chinese silk and the Indian spices on the trading routes of the Silk Road – was much sought after.
In July 751, Chinese war soldiers crossed the Talas River (today on Kyrgyzstan territory) near the town of Jambul in Central Asia. Abu Muslim, at the time regent of Samarkand, sent his warriors against the unexpected enemy, defeated them and returned to Samarkand with over 20,000 Chinese prisoners of war. In order to save their own lives, the Chinese prisoners who had been craftsmen in their home country, revealed to the craftsmen of Samarkand the secret of paper manufacture and taught them the skills. From then on, paper was produced in Samarkand.
Today, you will be impressed during your town tour by the palace-like mausoleum of the ruler Amir Timur, the Gur Emir Mausoleum. Today, you will enjoy the highlight of your trip, Registan-Square with three enormous, beautifully decorated medrasas. Tashkent Street, where most of the souvenir shops can be found, brings you to what was once the largest mosque in Central Asia – the Bibi Khanum Mosque. Timur wanted to build the most beautiful mosque of the Eastern world in order to demonstrate his unlimited technical and financial means. It is perfectly in order to try the raisins, apricots and nuts in the Bazaar. Enjoy the hustle and bustle of the friendly locals. At 17:00, transfer to the station. At 18:00, you go by the fast train “Afrosiyob” to Tashkent (300 km). Arrival at 20:10. Dinner in a local restaurant. One overnight stay in Tashkent.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Hotel City Palace

After an early breakfast, you will be taken to Tashkent International Airport for your return flight.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner