Armenia, Georgia & Uzbekistan

Depart on an overnight flight to Yerevan, Armenia

Upon arrival in Yerevan, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel to rest.

Overnight: Alexander Hotel or similar

After breakfast, the day begins with a lecture led by your Harvard Study Leader, providing historical and cultural context for Armenia and its capital. Set out with a local guide for a walking exploration of Yerevan, taking in key sites such as Republic Square, lively Abovyan Street, the Cascade Complex with its public art and city views, the chic pedestrian Northern Avenue, and the exterior of the Opera and Ballet Theater. Midday includes a visit to the Megerian Carpet Museum to learn about Armenian carpet-making traditions, enjoy lunch paired with an Armenian wine tasting, and watch a presentation on Armenian national dress (Taraz). Later, visit the studio of master craftsman Karen Hakobyan to discover traditional Armenian reed instruments like the duduk, with time to relax over tea or coffee and cake. The full day concludes with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant featuring classic Armenian dishes.

Overnight: Alexander Hotel or similar

Meals:  B, L, D

This morning, depart Yerevan with a local guide to visit Khor Virap, a small monastery perched above the Ararat Valley with striking views of snow-covered Mount Ararat and a powerful connection to Gregory the Illuminator and Armenia’s early Christian history. Continue to the Temple of Garni, dramatically situated on a cliff above the Azat River Valley, to explore this restored first-century summer palace of King Trdat I and view the ongoing work on its intricate Roman-style baths and mosaics. Nearby, visit UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery, partially carved into the rock face, where cave chapels, rock-hewn tombs, and still-functioning churches create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere. Enjoy a private a cappella concert of sacred music, then observe a traditional lavash bread-baking demonstration, watching bakers roll, stretch, and bake the thin flatbread in a tonir oven before sampling it fresh and warm. In the evening, return to the hotel for a wine tasting and an engaging meeting with a local journalist and TV host, who shares insights drawn from conducting more than 1,000 political interviews.

Overnight: Alexander Hotel or Similar

Meals: B, L

Depart Yerevan and begin the journey toward Tbilisi, stopping first at the Alphabet Monument, a quiet hillside installation where the 39 letters of the Armenian script stand as sculpted forms honoring Mesrop Mashtots and his 5th‑century creation. Continue to UNESCO-listed Haghpat Monastery, set on a lush plateau above the Debed River Gorge, to explore its 10th‑century churches and courtyards, where Byzantine ecclesiastical design blends with Armenian medieval stonework, carvings, and frescoes. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant en route, sampling regional favorites before crossing into Georgia and settling into Tbilisi. In the evening, experience a traditional Georgian table, or supra, where a tamada (toastmaster) leads heartfelt toasts and stories over a lavish spread of dishes such as khachapuri, khinkali, and walnut-based specialties, all accompanied by the powerful sounds of Georgian polyphonic singing, one of Europe’s most ancient and distinctive vocal traditions.

Overnight: Marriott Tbilisi or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, set out with a local guide to explore Tbilisi’s atmospheric Old Town, walking past the whimsical, storybook-like Gabriadze Leaning Tower to visit the 6th-century Anchiskhati Basilica, then continue into the Maidan and Abanotubani district to see the domed sulfur baths that have long defined the city’s thermal heritage. Later, join an architect-led tour of the Sololaki district, where restored Art Nouveau facades, ornate balconies, and grand staircases reveal the city’s turn-of-the-century elegance, pausing for an upscale Georgian lunch at Iasamani in the heart of the neighborhood. In the afternoon, experience Georgia’s dynamic wine culture with a natural wine tasting at The Warehouse in the Stamba Hotel, sampling minimal-intervention wines in a striking contemporary setting. Conclude the day at the Georgian National Museum, where exhibits range from ancient gold treasures and 1.8-million-year-old hominid skulls to the powerful Soviet Occupation Hall, before enjoying an independent dinner, taking advantage of Tbilisi’s flourishing culinary scene.

Overnight: Marriott Tbilisi or similar

Meals: B, L

After breakfast, the day begins with a roughly 2.5‑hour drive out of Tbilisi and a guest lecture by a local expert—offering insight into Georgia’s security landscape and recent conflicts as the route heads toward central Georgia. Stop first in Tserovani IDP Village to meet residents displaced by the 2008 war and learn how they have rebuilt their lives through small businesses and community initiatives, then visit the nearby Ikorta artisan studio, where women artisans introduce the techniques of cloisonné enamel (minankari) jewelry and invite you to try a hands-on workshop. Continue into the countryside to Kurko Woods, the rustic retreat of former President Giorgi Margvelashvili, for an informal meeting and conversation amid gardens, horses, homemade spirits, and a relaxed Georgian meal. Later, travel on to Mtskheta, the ancient capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers, to explore its historic streets and deep Christian heritage, including a visit to the 11th-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, renowned for its frescoed interior, monumental architecture, and veneration as the burial place of Christ’s mantle. In the late afternoon, make the return drive to Tbilisi for dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Marriott Tbilisi or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, depart Tbilisi for the Kakheti wine region on a scenic drive of around 2.5 hours, heading toward the hilltop town of Signagi. Pause at Tibaani Vineyards, part of the Pheasant’s Tears estate, to walk among the vines and step into the cellar, where grapes are fermented and aged in traditional clay qvevri buried underground—a method used in Georgia for some 8,000 years. Enjoy a leisurely wine tasting and lunch at the Crazy Pomegranate restaurant, savoring regional dishes and natural wines as you learn about Georgian viticulture, and, schedule permitting, meet co‑founder John Wurdeman for stories of his journey from American painter to leading winemaker and restaurateur. Continue to Signagi for a walking tour through its cobbled streets and alleys, then visit nearby Bodbe Nunnery, a working convent associated with St. Nino that overlooks the Alazani Valley. In the late afternoon, take a short drive to Qedeli Village and the Lost Ridge eco-village, where rolling green hills and distant churches frame a visit to the Fire Kitchen for a hands-on look at traditional Georgian bread baking and a demonstration of how churchkhela, Georgia’s signature grape-and-nut sweet, is made. The day concludes with dinner at Lost Ridge, featuring Kakhetian specialties paired with locally brewed beers.

Overnight: Kabadoni Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer directly to Tbilisi Airport for your late-morning flight to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Upon arrival, transfer into the city to settle into your hotel and begin to get a feel for Tashkent’s blend of Soviet-era boulevards, Islamic architecture, and emerging modern skyline. In the evening, gather for dinner at a local restaurant, enjoying traditional Uzbek dishes as an introduction to the country’s rich culinary and cultural heritage.

Overnight: Swissôtel Tashkent or similar

Meals: B, D

After breakfast and check-out, meet your guide to begin exploring Tashkent, discovering how this ancient Silk Road city blends reconstructed Old Town alleys with wide Soviet boulevards and modern landmarks. Visit the new Center for Islamic Civilization beside the historic Khast Imam complex for an introduction to Central Asia’s role in Islamic scholarship, then view the revered 7th-century Uthman Koran, one of the world’s oldest surviving Qurans, safeguarded nearby. Continue underground to ride the Tashkent Metro, admiring its chandelier-lit, marble-clad stations, and pause outside the Alisher Navoi Theatre, a grand 1940s opera house named for Uzbekistan’s most beloved poet. Walk through Independence Square, with its monuments to sovereignty and wartime sacrifice, and stop at the Courage Monument, commemorating the massive 1966 earthquake and the city’s remarkable rebuilding. Later, visit the Rakhimov Family Ceramics Studio for tea, conversation, and a master class with sixth-generation ceramicists who have revived traditional Uzbek glazing and dyeing techniques. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to the airport for an afternoon flight to Urgench, then continue by road to nearby Khiva. Settle in and end the day with dinner at a local restaurant, sampling classic Uzbek dishes.

Overnight: Farovon Khiva Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, enjoy a lecture led by your Harvard Study Leader, before you set out on a walking exploration of the walled Ichon Qala, a UNESCO-listed inner city that still evokes the atmosphere of the Silk Road. Wander through its mud-brick streets to visit the Islam Khoja Madrassah and its soaring minaret, the tallest in Uzbekistan, then step into the shadowed interior of the Juma Mosque, where 115 carved wooden columns create a forest-like effect. Here, meet an expert from the Khorezm Academy of Mamun for an in-depth interpretation of the woodcarvings, and a Qaree who chants verses from the Koran, explains their meaning, and demonstrates the physical expressions of Muslim prayer. Continue to the Kalta Minor, the striking unfinished “short minaret” clad in shimmering bands of turquoise tile, and explore the Kunya Ark, the khan’s former fortress and residence with its tile-lined courtyards and historic throne room. Visit a traditional woodcarving studio inside the city walls to meet master craftsmen and see how centuries-old techniques transform elm and walnut into ornate doors, pillars, and decorative panels. Later, admire the emerald dome of the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, dedicated to Khiva’s poet-wrestler patron saint, and tour the expansive Tash-Hauli Palace, where lavish blue-and-white tilework, carved columns, and ganche plasterwork adorn the khan’s former reception halls and harem. The full day concludes with dinner at a local restaurant, savoring regional Uzbek specialties.

Overnight: Farovon Khiva Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and meet your guide to begin the overland journey from Khiva to Bukhara, traveling roughly 6.5 hours across the vast Kyzyl Kum, or “Red Sand,” Desert. As the road trace the space between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, pause at a viewpoint in the Kyzyl Kum to take in the wide expanse of dunes and sparse steppe vegetation that covers much of Central Asia. En route, enjoy a packed lunch at a rest area before continuing on toward Bukhara, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening. Settle into your hotel, then head out for dinner at a local restaurant, sampling traditional Uzbek dishes as an introduction to Bukhara’s storied Silk Road heritage.

Overnight: Wyndham Bukhara or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast and a lecture by your Harvard Study Leader, set out on a walking tour of the Old Town, where you step into the Ark Citadel for an archaeologist-led visit that reveals layers of history behind the former emir’s fortress, then continue to the nearby Zindan Prison to see the infamous “bug pit” tied to the 19th-century Great Game. Pause in a leafy park at the beautifully patterned Samani Mausoleum, a 10th-century masterpiece of brickwork, and visit the Chashma Ayub complex (Job’s Well), associated with the prophet’s miraculous spring. Enjoy a hands-on plov-making demonstration over lunch at a family-run venue, learning how Uzbekistan’s signature rice dish comes together before tasting the results. Later, admire the four blue-topped towers of the Chor Minor madrassah and attend an intimate performance with shashmaqom masters, whose traditional music and Sufi-influenced poetry have deep roots in Bukhara’s multiethnic heritage. As the day draws to a close, ascend the restored Shukhov Water Tower for drinks and panoramic views, taking in the domes and minarets of old and new Bukhara spread out below.

Overnight: Wynsham Bukhara or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, drive about 45 minutes outside Bukhara to the village of Shafirkan for a visit to a family-run suzani cooperative, where multiple generations of artisans demonstrate the entire process of creating these richly embroidered textiles—from silk cocoons and natural dyeing to drawing intricate patterns and stitching flowers, pomegranates, and swirling vines by hand. Learn how suzanis were traditionally made by brides for their dowries, and see how regional motifs and stitches vary from town to town as you explore the workshop and finished pieces. Return to Bukhara for lunch at a local restaurant, sampling Uzbek specialties before continuing a short distance beyond the city to the Emir’s Summer Palace, the “Palace of Moon and Stars,” built for the last emir at the turn of the 20th century. Stroll through tree-shaded grounds where peacocks wander among pavilions and arbored walkways, then step inside the lavishly decorated residence and its smaller outbuildings to reflect on how this luxurious yet somewhat isolated retreat symbolized the emir’s diminished power under Russian control. Enjoy an evening at your leisure.

Overnight: Wyndham Bukhara or similar

Meals: B, L

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely morning in Bukhara, with time to rest at the hotel or set out independently to wander the Old Town’s lanes, revisit favorite sites, or shop for last-minute crafts. Alternatively, join an optional guided visit to the historic Jewish Quarter, once home to thousands of Bukharan Jewish families who developed their own distinct dialect, customs, and religious practice over centuries of relative isolation. Step inside the modest main synagogue near Lyabi-Hauz to meet Abram Borisovich Ishakov, Chairman of the Bukharan Jewish Community, where you view a treasured Torah scroll safeguarded here for generations and listen as he performs a traditional haqqoni, an a cappella religious song in Tajiki Persian that embodies the community’s deep spiritual heritage. In the afternoon or early evening, board the train from Bukhara to Samarkand, watching the desert landscape roll by before arriving in one of the Silk Road’s most storied cities. Settle into your hotel, then gather for dinner at a local restaurant, enjoying Uzbek favorites as an introduction to Samarkand’s rich cultural tapestry.

Overnight: Kosh Havuz Boutique Hotel or similar

Meals: B, D

This morning, walk into Registan Square to take in the three soaring madrassahs that frame the city’s most iconic plaza, then leave the main roads behind for a stroll through one of Samarkand’s oldest neighborhoods, wandering narrow lanes from the Registan to the vast Bibi Khanum Mosque. Visit Bibi Khanum to admire its monumental blue-tiled dome and restored marble courtyards, then cross to the lively Siab Bazaar, where stalls overflow with fresh produce, nuts, spices, and local breads. Continue to the Shah‑i‑Zinda necropolis, a striking avenue of turquoise‑domed mausoleums that leads from the living city into the ancient burial grounds of Afrosiab, before pausing for a traditional bread‑baking demonstration to see how tandir‑baked non is shaped, stamped, and fired. In the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant, then experience after‑hours access to the Gur‑Emir Mausoleum, descending with a senior staff member to Tamerlane’s actual burial chamber before emerging to see the sky‑blue dome illuminated against the night. Cap the day with drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the Kamila Hotel rooftop, taking in sweeping views over Registan Square, and then watch the Registan night sound‑and‑light show, as music and projections animate the intricate facades.

Overnight: Kosh Havuz Boutique Hotel or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and meet your guide to delve deeper into Samarkand’s layered history, beginning at the Afrosiab History Museum, where an archaeologist leads a private tour of artifacts and murals unearthed from the ancient, pre‑Tamerlane city that once stood on the nearby hills. Continue to Babur’s musical instrument studio near Registan Square to explore traditional Uzbek music, seeing and hearing instruments such as the doira, gijak, and others brought to life by a master musician. Visit the workshop of a block‑printing master to learn how intricate designs are hand‑carved into wooden blocks and stamped with natural dyes onto cotton, reviving an 11th‑century textile art once traded along the Silk Road. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy a free afternoon for independent exploration—perhaps revisiting favorite monuments, browsing handicraft shops, or simply relaxing. Later in the day, transfer to the railway station to board the train from Samarkand to Tashkent, then gather in the evening for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant, reflecting on the journey over a final meal of traditional Uzbek dishes.

Overnight: Swissôtel Tashkent or similar

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast at the hotel—check out and transfer by private vehicle to Tashkent Airport. Bid farewell to Central Asia as you board your onward flight, carrying home memories of Silk Road cities, desert landscapes, and the people and traditions encountered along the way.

Meals: B