Specialization – Combined tour (ornithology,

cultural–ethnographic tourism).

 

Location:This tour is held on Djuzakh, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Tashkent regions of Republic of Uzbekistan.

 

Best timeto travel is April the 1^st to October the 30^th

 

Durationis 10 days

 

    Flora and Fauna of Uzbekistan are very wealthy and various. This tour is held on different climatic zones, from forest and sub-alpine zone of western Tjan-Shan (H=1500-2200 m, Chimgan area) to southern Kyzylkum (sand of Sunduki, Karshi steppe, water floods and lakes in the Southern territory of Bukhara).

      This programme successfully combines magnificence of ancient monuments of Bukhara and Samarkand and varied fauna of feathered in the valley of Zerafshan River in Zerafshan national park(the only place where reed and  juniper thickets , lakes with flood-lands of Pamiro-Alay (600-800 m) are in fair preservation. Also, visit to the big water reserve “Tudakul”  and floods of Amu – Bukharskiy canal as well, located not far from Bukhara. On all bird watching territories, except for typical species, indicated in the lists, big number of species of migrants nesting both in northern regions of Siberia and on high mountains  are found in spring and fall.

By the wish , one can get acquainted with scientific collection of birds at  Tashkent State University which has more than 23 thousand specimens , collected in the main by distinguished ornithologist N.A. Zarudniy in Iran and Turkestan. Also, there is the collection of more than one thousand of clutches.  This tour is very popular with ornithology amateurs, both from scientific and cognitive points. You will be accompanied by professional guide – ornithologist with academic degree during the entire itinerary.  

 

Programme

Day 1.Arrive Tashkent and flight to Bukhara

Met at the airport . Excursion around the architectural monuments of Tashkent city (2-3 h), including visit to Amir Timur square, the National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Kukeldash Medresseh CXVI),  the National Park named after Alisher Navoiy, Kaffal Al Shashe Mausoleum (CXVI). Lunch. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Bukhara . On arrival transfer to the hotel “New Bukhara”(****), Checking-in. Free time. Dinner

Day 2. Bukhara

Breakfast at the hotel .Drive out of Bukhara to lake located on the East of Bukhara (50km). Watch birds, study the life-style of feathery at floods of Amu-Bukharskiy canal, 50 km to the South of Bukhara : little grebe, pygmy cormorant, little bittern,. great egret, gray-and purple heron, marsh harrier, long-legged buzzard, marbled teal (very rare), white-eyed pochard, red-crested pochard, rufous bush robin, blue-cheeked bee-eater, roller, huppe, short-toed lark, crested lark, bearded reedling (tit), south booted warbler, black-headed wagtail, pied stonechat, isabelline wheatear, finsch’s wheatear, white-tailed plover, clamorous reed warbler, savi’s warbler, desert finch and other, and further  to the lake Tuda-kul :  great and pygmy cormorants, gray and purple herons, great and little egrets, spoonbill, glossy ibis, red-crested pochard, marmelente, white-tailed plover, clamorous reed warbler, reed warbler, pied stonechat , savi’s warbler, rufous bush robin, black-headed wagtail, yellow-headed wagtail (motacilla citreola calcarata), red-headed bunting, bearded reedling. Take away lunch or return to Bukhara for lunch. Enjoy sightseeing in Buhkara (2 h) including visits to the Ark Fortress , Bolo Hauz Mosque, Samanid’s Mausoleum (IX-X cc.), Dinner .

Day 3. Bukhara

Breakfast at the hotel..(In case of early departure take away breakfast).Drive out of Bukhara  to Kizil-Kum desert (80-150km)    Watch birds :pander’s ground jay, short-toed lark, rufous lark, isabelline wheatear, booted warbler (hippolais rama), streaked scrub warbler, desert warbler, rufous bush robin, long-legged ,buzzard, black-bellied sandgrouse, brown-necked raven, desert finch. Return to Bukhara for Lunch. Free time. Visits to the summer residence of Sitora-i - Mokhi –Khosa (1 h), the house - museum of merchant F. Khodjaev with a show of national clothes of XIX century. Dinner in a traditionl Uzbek family.                                             

Day 4.  Bukhara- Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy sightseeing in Bukhara (4h): Walking along the old part of Bukhara from Poi- Kalyan complex with minaret Kalyan through the market with three domes(Bukharian carpets, suzannas, coinage, ceramics and other)to Labi - Hauz complex . Lunch. Transfer to Samarkand (D=270 km, T=4-4.5 hrs.).  Upon arrival in Samarkand check-in into the  hotel “Afrasiyab”(****).Dinner.

Day 5.  Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel early morning. Drive out of Samakand to Takhta-Karacha pass (H=2000m) of Zerafshan range , 60 km from Samarkand. Watch birds, study the life-style of birds:black vulture, golden eagle, griffon vulture, egyptian vulture, long-legged buzzard, hobby, white-winged woodpecker, golden oriole, hume’s whitethroat, orphean warbler, rufous-tailed rock thrush, blue rock thrush, white-throated robin, pied wheatear, greater rock nuthatch, rock sparrow, alpine swift, gray wagtail, deepe, personat’s wagtail, asian paradise flycatcher, isabelline shrike, lesser gray  shrike, Turkestan tit, crag martin, red rumped swallow, red-headed  bunting, gray-necked bunting, Himalayan gold finsch and other. Return to Samarkand . Lunch. Sightseeing in Samarkand city (2 h): Rukhobod Mausoleum , Gur- Emir Mausoleum.Dinner

Day 6.  Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive out of Samarkand to the foothills of Zerafshan range Agalyk (H= 1000 -1200m) 40 km from Samarkand , zone of lowhills .Watch birds, study the life-style of feathery : hume’s whitethroat, tawny pipit, raven (corvus corax laurentis), finsch’s wheatear, pied wheatear, rock thrush, birds of prey many species, greater rock nuthatch, golden oriole. Return to Samarkand. Lunch. Free time. Sightseeing around the city(2h): Registan square (Sher-dor Madrassah, Tilla- Kari Madrassah, Ulugbek Madrassah).Dinner

Day 7. Samarkand

Breakfast at the hotel (In case of early departure take away breakfast). Drive out of Samarkand to Zerafshan national park (20km from Samarkand) Watch birds, protection for rare Phasianus colchicus Zarafshanica: black-crowned night-heron, shikra, booted eagle, white-winged woodpecker, Turkestan tit, penduline tit, olivaceous warbler, blyth’s reed warbler. Return to Samarkand. Lunch. Free time. Enjoy sightseeing  in Samarkand(3h):Ulugbek observatory, museum and the ancient citadel of Afrosiyob, Shakhi-Zinda architectural ensemble. Dinner . Visiting to theatrical show and folklore concert in Sher-dor Madrassah.

Day 8. Samarkand – Tashkent

 Breakfast at the hotel .Sightseeing in Samarkand city(3h) Bibi –Khanum Mosque, Khazrat- Khizir Mosque, Oriental Market. Free time. Lunch. Transfer to Tashkent(290 km) . Arrival in Tashkent . Checking in the hotel “Uzbekistan”   (****) Dinner .

Day 9. Tashkent

Early breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Ugam - Chatkalskiy reserve of Chimgan area (110 km).Watch feathered : black vulture, golden eagle, bearded vulture, griffon vulture, hobby, roller, chough, olivaceous willow warbler, hume whitethroat, isabelline shrike, lesser gray shrike, Tianschan azuze tit, crag martin, red-rumped swallow, Bimaculated lark, tawny pipit, pied wheatear, personat’s wagtail, gray wagtail, red-headed bunting, gray-necked bunting, rock bunting, white capped bunting, white-winged snow finsch, rock  sparrow, red  fronted  serin, Himalayan gold finsch, hume’s  hawfinsch, crimson-winged finch, rock thrush (rufous-tailed), blue rock thrush, blue whistling thrush, white-throated Robin, nightingale, deepe, brown deepe, greater rock nuthatch.  Transfer to Beldersay , chair – ski lift to the altitude  of 2300m and walk down  through juniper and mixed forests: gray-necked bunting, rock bunting, white-capped bunting, Himalayan gold-finch, yellow-breasted tit, rufous-vented tit, Turkestan tit, penduline tit, olivaceous willow warbler, yellow-browed warbler, stonechat, eversmann’s redstart, blue whistling thrush, nightingale, black vulture, golden eagle, snake eagle, bearded vulture, Himalayan and griffon vultures, booted eagle, Egyptian vulture, saker falcon. Lunch in “Chimgan ” tour complex. Evening return to Tashkent. Dinner in the European restaurant on the river site

Day 10. Depart Tashkent

 Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport. Departure from Tashkent.

 

 

The price quoted for this programme includes the following:

 

- Visa support letter

- transfers to and from airports, A/C transportation       and all    

   scheduled excursions detailed on the itinerary by “Mitsubishi 

   Rose” or “Toyota Coster” for 10+1 pax, “Neoplan ” or “

   Mercedes” for 20+1 pax

- air tickets Tashkent-Bukhara  with preliminary booking of air-

  tickets based on economy class travel, type of the plane is

  (RJ-85)

- double/twin sharing accommodation on B&B basis with private 

  bath or shower in each hotel (one room for tour-leader is free) All 

  meals (FB) according to the programme

- SS programmes with local guides speaking your native language 

  & entrance fees for the tourist sites, like main monuments and  

   museums as specified in the program

- folklore performances and show in Bukhara

- national guide (escort) speaking your native language and   

  accompanying you for the entire itinerary

- guide- ornithologist

- Tax collection for ecology

- fees for visiting the National parks and reserves

- mineral water for the entire itinerary

- luggage carrying

 

The price excludes the following:

 Visa for Uzbekistan

 airport tax

fees for the use of cameras and videos in the museums, galleries and sites visited.

 Single supplement charge.

fees for extra service (folklore performances, meetings, tickets for a theatre, light and sound show in Samarkand and visits to museums which are not specified in the programme)