Silk Road Study Tour to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, by Prof. O'Malley and Ms. Lofti, June 2022

Zulya Rajabova  and her Silk Road Treasure  team did an excellent job with our trip: a month-long excursion to Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, Samarqand, Panjakent, Dushanbe, and Khojand of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. We were a large group, but everything went smoothly, from hotels and guide transfers to the border crossings between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Silk Road Treasure Tours managed all the logistical issues for our excursion so we could focus on enjoying our time in Central Asia. The Central Asia Silk Road Study Tour  itinerary was packed with meaningful experiences that we never would have been able to locate on our own. We were a group of educators, and Silk Road Treasure Tours arranged for us to visit Tashkent, Bukhara, Dushanbe universities and Bukhara schools, where we were welcomed warmly; it was very exciting for our University group to make personal connections with fellow teachers. The guides Zulya Rajabova  selected were extraordinarily knowledgeable: we were so lucky to have Bekhruz , an art historian, and Bobo, an archeologist; Mashura and Ahror were so personable and responsive to our needs. We learned so much from them. Our drivers were great—Mr. Husayn felt like family by the time we left. The logistical teams, including Faridun, Zafar, and Abdulaziz really went above and beyond. We loved everywhere we visited, but we especially enjoyed our time in Bukhara because of the way city life was integrated into the old city. We stayed in Hotel Khurjin, an old caravanserai—the staff were so friendly they even threw a party for us when we left! We felt safe the whole time in both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan  and cannot wait to return, especially to Bukhara where we would like to stay for an even longer period next time. Highly recommended.   

June 2022, Professor Austin O'Malley,  Tucson, Arizona