Vegan Silk Road Adventure: Uzbekistan
8 days from Tashkent to Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand — turquoise domes, desert crossings, high-speed trains and one of the first fully vegan group tours to Central Asia.
Highlights
- Tashkent — Hasti Imam Complex, Chorsu Bazaar, the Soviet-era metro palaces and a vegan food tour with a local
- Khiva — the walled city of Ichan-Kala and a hands-on cooking class making shivit oshi green noodles
- An overland crossing of the Kizil-Kum (Red Sand) Desert, with a stop at the ancient Oxus River
- Bukhara — the Ark Fortress, Kalyan Minaret, covered bazaars and a folk show in a madrasah courtyard
- Samarkand — Registan Square, the Shakhi-Zinda street of tombs and Gur-e-Amir
- First-class seats on the Afrosiyob high-speed train, Bukhara → Samarkand → Tashkent
About this trip
From the blue-domed splendor of Samarkand and the labyrinthine bazaars of Bukhara to the desert citadels of Khiva — trace centuries of trade, art and spirituality on the fabled Silk Road. Uzbekistan has one of the most storied histories in Central Asia, rooted in millennia of cross-cultural exchange and bursting with architectural wonder at every turn.
This isn’t a trip where plant-based dining is an afterthought. From a vegan food tour with a local in Tashkent to a hands-on green noodle cooking class in Khiva, eating consciously is woven into every day — and we work with local chefs and hosts to create vegan versions of Central Asia’s hearty cuisine that honor tradition while embracing compassion.
As one of the first fully vegan group tours to Uzbekistan, this adventure is both rewarding and pioneering. Together, we’ll help plant the seeds of a more sustainable and inclusive future for travelers and communities alike.
Book your trip
Reserve your spot
Airport transfers included on day 1 and day 8. Prices per person; international flights to and from Tashkent (TAS) not included.
Itinerary day by day
Welcome to Tashkent
Most flights land in Tashkent as the sun rises over Central Asia. Your local driver meets you at the airport and whisks you to the hotel — a room is ready so you can shower and rest before the day begins.
Then it’s time to explore: the Hasti Imam Complex and the ancient Osman Quran, one of the world’s oldest Korans, and the organized chaos of Chorsu Bazaar. Descend into Tashkent’s stunning Soviet-era metro stations — socialist palaces decorated with chandeliers and mosaics — and cap the evening with a guided vegan food tour of the city.
Khiva — the walled city
Catch an early flight to Urgench, then drive 35 kilometers across the desert to Khiva — a walled city that looks like it sprouted straight from the Arabian Nights. Step through the Ota-Darvaza gate and travel back in time.
Marvel at the unfinished Kalta-Minor Minaret with its dazzling blue tiles, explore the Kunya-Ark fortress and duck into the atmospheric Juma Mosque with its forest of carved wooden columns. Cap the day with a hands-on cooking class, learning to make shivit oshi — the vibrant green noodles that are Khorezm’s signature dish.
Overland to Bukhara
Today’s the big desert push — 285 miles (460 km) through the Kizil-Kum (Red Sand) Desert. This isn’t just a transfer; it’s part of the adventure. Watch the landscape shift from oasis to endless sand, with the occasional shepherd breaking the horizon.
We stop at the legendary Amu Darya River — the ancient Oxus, which Silk Road merchants crossed for millennia — and roll into Bukhara by late afternoon for an evening stroll around Labi Hauz, its old pool ringed by mulberry trees and teahouses.
Bukhara exploration
Spend the day getting wonderfully lost in Bukhara’s maze of mud-brick alleys. Start at the Samanids’ Mausoleum, Central Asia’s oldest Islamic building, then visit the Ark Fortress, where emirs ruled for a thousand years, and stand beneath the towering Kalyan Minaret.
Duck through the covered bazaars, where merchants still haggle over silk, spices and silver just as they did centuries ago. We end with dinner and a traditional folk show — dancers, musicians and acrobats — in the courtyard of the Nadir Devonbegi Madrasah.
Bukhara’s hidden gems & train to Samarkand
Your Bukhara deep dive continues: visit a family workshop where artisans craft traditional puppets by hand, see the quirky Chor Minor with its four minarets, and make a pilgrimage to the Bakhouddin Naqshbandi complex — Central Asia’s most important Sufi shrine.
Mid-afternoon, board the sleek Afrosiyob high-speed train for Samarkand and watch the desert blur past at 250 km/h — a 21st-century ride through a timeless landscape.
Samarkand — jewel of the Silk Road
Today you’ll understand why Samarkand captivated Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. Start at Registan Square — three madrasahs covered in turquoise tiles that seem to glow from within. Possibly the most beautiful square on earth.
Walk the Street of Tombs at Shakhi-Zinda, visit Ulugbek’s medieval observatory, explore the ruins of Bibi-Khanum Mosque, and end at Gur-e-Amir, Tamerlane’s surprisingly modest tomb beneath a fluted turquoise dome.
Quieter treasures & train to Tashkent
Your last morning in Samarkand reveals quieter wonders: the Rukhabad Mausoleum, the hilltop Khazrat Khizr Mosque and the surprising Saint Daniel’s Mausoleum — evidence of Samarkand’s multicultural past.
In Konigil village, see how silk paper is made using ancient techniques — the same paper Marco Polo marveled at. In the evening, board the Afrosiyob train back to Tashkent, watching the sun set over the Silk Road one last time.
Until next time
After breakfast, your driver takes you to Tashkent Airport for your onward journey. Leave with silk paper, ceramic plates, and memories of a country where hospitality is sacred and history lives in every stone.
What’s included
Included
- Accommodation4-star hotels throughout (one night in Khiva more basic)
- Full boardBreakfast, lunch and dinner daily — all vegan
- Domestic flightTashkent to Urgench
- High-speed train tickets1st class: Bukhara → Samarkand → Tashkent
- Overland transportBy van or minibus
- Entrance fees & sightseeingAs per itinerary
- Local guideEnglish- and Uzbek-speaking
- Vegan food tourWith a local in Tashkent
- Cooking classShivit oshi green noodles in Khiva
- Airport transfersOn day 1 and day 8
- Bottled waterThroughout the trip
Not included
- International flightsTo and from Tashkent (TAS)
- Visa feesCurrently none required for US & EU citizens
- Tips for guide and drivers
- Personal expenses
- Video / photo feesCharged at some sights
- Travel insuranceStrongly recommended
Good to know
This trip follows our first Uzbekistan tour in 2026. Vegan infrastructure in Uzbekistan is still limited, so we work closely with local chefs and hosts — and a little flexibility is part of the adventure.
Day 3 is a long travel day: about 285 miles (460 km) overland through the Kizil-Kum Desert, with stops along the way.
Accommodation is in 4-star hotels, except for one night in a simpler guesthouse in Khiva, right by the walled city.
Most flights arrive in Tashkent early in the morning, and your room will be ready so you can rest before the day begins.
About your organizer — Vegan Tours NY
Vegan Tours NY has been running tours in New York City since 2019 and expanded to international trips in 2023. Our trips have a strong food focus, with all included meals being vegan, and we do our best to support locally owned businesses. Questions? Email eat@vegantoursny.com or call 917-744-4933.