Tours

If you are in Samarkand and have 1-2 extra days to spend to see something out of ordinary tourist programs then we can suggest you to make a trip to a small town of Urgut that is located just 40 km from Samarkand. There are couple of reasons to visit Urgut. Firstly, Uzbekistan can’t boast of interesting small towns – it is either big cities, or small villages and deserts and mountains, but Urgut is a total exception, perhaps it is the most picturesque small town of Uzbekistan. 

Secondly, it has one of the largest bazaars in the whole of Central Asia and it is one of the best places in the country to buy jewelry, suzani and antiques. This is a huge market selling everything for the locals such as clothing, food and hardware. For the tourist you can find traditional handicrafts such as carpets, metalwork, ceramics and jewellery, but the main attraction is Suzanis, and Urgut is by right is considered to be the capital of Uzbek suzani. The best time to visit bazaar is Sunday when it is the busiest. On Monday and Thursday, it is not working. 

A visit to a local house in nearby settlement of Gus can be arranged where most of the embroiderers live and work. They will show you the process of suzani creation, demonstrate their best works and you will have an opportunity to purchase the pieces that you liked. Alternatively, itinerary will include a visit to a unique factory in Samarkand where you will learn how silk carpets are made.

The guide will pick you up from the hotel early in the morning and will drive you to Urgut. The road is very bumpy and in the bad condition but the distance is relatively short and the riding time (1 hour) is bearable. Tour will start with visiting the bazaar. When finished you will be taken to the local landmark – Chor Chinor - a park of thousand years plane trees at the very top of the town. The largest tree is 35-meter in height and 15-meter in girth and is 1170+ years old, and inside its roots is a room that served as a rural school and is capable to accommodate a dozen people.

In the afternoon you will be taken to Gus settlement to visit a workshop of a local mistress of needlework or taken to Samarkand for a visit to Silk Carpet Factory and where you will watch the process of making the silk carpets, various silk products and visit the factory's shop. This is a very educational and interesting tour. This little factory shows you the making of silk from the beginning, steaming the cocoons, unraveling them, spinning them into usable threads, separating which will be used for delicate scarves, which for raw silk, and which for rugs. 

There is also a place where rug making is shown. The young women sit in front of the looms knotting the rugs. Silk rugs, medium sized ones often take up to 2 years to complete. LOTS of knots.