Silk Road to Samarkand reviews
Read holiday reviews by Mountain Kingdoms travellers.
The varied itinerary, the small group, the insight into the country and its past and meeting local people made this an excellent holiday. Shakhnosa, is an outstanding guide who always gave 100% and more of her time, energy, knowledge and love for her country and job. Nothing was too much trouble and she promptly and efficiently dealt with the few problems that arose. Her 'little extras' made us feel we really mattered to her.
Our recent tour was exceptional, made perfect by our wonderful local guide, Shakhnoza. Her warmth, humour, and attention to detail meant we could completely relax and enjoy every moment. She took care of everything with enthusiasm and professionalism. The ancient monuments were breath-taking and undoubtedly the highlight of the trip – truly awe-inspiring. Our group of 13, all well-travelled, quickly bonded and shared great conversations and plenty of laughter throughout. There were light-hearted moments too – a lunchtime disco had us dancing with locals, and at another meal, the youngest lady in our group was whisked into a mock wedding ceremony, complete with a groom from another table! It ended in dancing and a lot of laughter. The balance of cultural depth, seamless organisation, and fun made this a truly memorable holiday. I would highly recommend this company for anyone
A very interesting country with warm and friendly people. There are plenty of tourists at the main sites, so being in a small group is a big advantage. Having a free day in Khiva and Bukhara gives you the chance to soak in the atmosphere, as well as having a breather in what is a busy schedule. I went on the optional trip to Shakhrisabz from Samarkand, which gives you a chance to see a different side of the country in Langar, but is a long day. Shakhnoza is an excellent guide and the drivers, hotels and food were very good. Bottled water is supplied constantly if you don't wish to use the Water- to-Go bottle.
The tour had a well chosen itinerary with extra days at each location for exploring and shopping. The sites we visited were wonderful - exactly what I'd hoped for, with inspiring, ancient and monumental buildings. The tour leader was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, providing all the historical and cultural background you could wish for. The hotels were comfortable and well-located, in all the city centres. All meals were included, except for the three free days, and were of a good quality, varied and with very generous servings.
Seeing places I had heard about and studied. Meeting friendly people and experiencing their lives, learning some of their skills and eating the food. Really well planned trip.
An excellent well-paced tour of the major cities and impressive sites and monuments of the Silk Road in Uzbekistan. We especially liked the chance to have a free day in each location with the opportunity for further individual exploration. The optional excursion to Shakrisabz and Langar was worthwhile to go closer to the mountains and give a view of village life.
I loved every minute of this tour. The weather was great. It was cold but pleasant in Khiva and warm everywhere else. Its the architecture that was mind blowing! I've never seen anything like it. The tiling was exquisite and the colours were so beautiful. Even up on the domes was all tiled! The work was just incredible every place we went. Shaknoza our guide was great and so helpful. She gave us a wonderful history of the country and the important people that ruled Uzbekistan. The hotels we stayed in were very good .Very comfortable and the food was excellent.I did the extra tour of Shakhrisabz and Langar and it was wonderful as it was so different again! We went up into the mountains. Very rural and saw how people lived there.
We loved the opportunity to see such a wide variety of sights with an expert guide and likeminded companions. The colours of the buildings and tiles blew us away and the history was fascinating. The tour fulfilled all my hopes.
This tour opened up the magic of Uzbekistan for us. We learnt so much about the country and its history. The most amazing part was that as we progressed around from Tashkent to Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, the beauty of the buildings and the skills of the builders surpassed each other until we could no longer envision anything more stunning. Our guide Shakhnoza was so knowledgeable and had us all fascinated despite the history being so complex. We enjoyed the free days which enabled us to revisit places or to shop and which, as part of an intense tour, let us have time to consolidate everything. We also particularly enjoyed the day out to the desert forts which added variety.
Very well organised and excellent value. We would be happy to use Mountain Kingdoms again.