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Two Week Conducted 
       
Uzbekistan (Central Asia) Tour
with Korea stop-overs

For only $3,995
per person twin share
This price includes airport taxes and levies of $275

Tour departs Australia September 4 & returns September 18, 2011

This great value price includes:

If you don't have a travel partner but wish to travel at twin share rates, we will do our best to match you up with another person. If you wish to have a single room, there will be an additional charge of $635.

This wonderful tour really gets off the beaten track, visiting such wonderful historic places as Tashkent, Samark and Bukhara and Khiva. For centuries these cities were trading posts along the Great Silk Road, their magnificently opulent mosques and palaces presided over by fearsome Khans. The Chinese considered this to be the edge of the known world and even today few tourists make it this far.

Note: For Melbourne and Brisbane passengers there will be flights to Sydney for $160 plus airport taxes return.

Tour Itinerary

Terms and Conditions

Booking Form

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  Itinerary for Uzbekistan Tour - September 2011  
Included meals are indicated as B = Breakfast, L =Lunch, D = Dinner
04.09.11 All passengers depart Sydney at 9.30am on Asiana Airlines OZ 602, arriving in Seoul at 7.00pm. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to Seoul Royal Hotel in central Seoul or equivalent.
05.09.11
(B/L)
Seoul - Tashkent
Free morning in Seoul. Transfer back to Seoul International Airport, departing at 5.20pm on OZ 573, arriving in Tashkent at 9.10pm. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your Tashkent Hotel for a two night stay.
06.09.11
(B/D)
Tashkent
After breakfast you begin a guided tour of Tashkent with visits to (old part); Hast Imam Square, Kaffal Sashi Mausoleum, Barak-Khan Madrasah where the world's oldest the Uthman Qur'an is kept, Juma Mosque, Tillya Sheikh Mosque, Kukeldash Modrash with Chorsu Bazaar. Dinner is at a local restaurant.
07.09.11
(B/D)
Tashkent - Samarkand
After breakfast we drive to Samarkand. Arrive in Samarkand and check in to the hotel. After a quick refresh you begin a city tour of Samarkand with visits to the Ensemble of Registan (Ulugbek, Sher Dor and Tillya Kari Madrasah's), Gur-Emir Mausoleum (graves of Tamerlane and his descendants), Rukhobod Mausoleum, Bibi-Khonym Mosque and Siab Bazaar. Dinner is at at local restaurant.
08.09.11
(B/D)
Samarkand
After breakfast at the hotel your city tour continues with visits to the Shakh-i-Zinda Ensemble, Khazrat-Khizr Mosque, Ancient settlement Afrosiab with Museum, Mausoleum of Khodja Doniyor (Prophet Daniel) and observatory and memorial museum of Ulugbek. Dinner is at a local house.
09.09.11
(B/D)
Samarkand - Bukhara
After breakfast we drive to Bukhara, once was the former capital of the powerful Emirate of Bukhara with more than 140 architectural monuments, is a 'Town Museum" dating back to the Middle Ages - 2300 year old. The city was once a big commercial centre of the Great Silk Road, en-route visit caravanserai Rabat Malik, Gijduvan Ceramic Centre, Vabkent Minaret and Summer Palace (residence) of last Bukharan Emirs Sitora-i-Mokhi Khosa. Arrive in Bukhara and check in to the hotel. Dinner will be at Lyabi Hauz Restaurant.
10.09.11
(B/D)
Bukhara
After breakfast you begin a full day guided tour of Bukhara with visits to the remaining of the city wall and gate of Bikhara, Samonid's Mausoleum, Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, Kosh Madrasah Ensemble, Bolo Khauz Mosque, Ark Citadel & Zindan (ancient prison), Khodja Zaynuddin Complex, Poi Kalyan Comples, Trading Dome, Ulugbek Madrasah, Abdullazizkhan Madrasah, Khodja Gaukushan Ensemble, Magoki Attoron Mosque, Architectural Ensemble Lyabi Hauz and Synagogue. Dinner will be at a local house.
11.09.11
(B/D)
Bukhara - Khiva
After breakfast we drive between the Kara-Kum (black sands) and the Kyzyl-Kum (red sands) deserts to Khiva, en route stop to see the Amudarya River, known to many western explorers as the Oxus. Arrive in Khiva and check in to the hotel. Dinner will be at the Toza Bog Palace with a folk show (summer residence of Mohammed Rakhim Khan II).
12.09.11
(B/D)

Khiva - Urgench - Tashkent
After breakfast we begin a full day guided tour of Khiva with visits to the Monument of Al Khorezmiy, Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah & Kalta Minor, Palace Complex Kuhna Ark, Muhammad Rakhimkhan Madrasah, Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, Shergazi Khan Madrasah, Minaret and Madrasah of Islam-Khodja, Djuma Mosque, Ota Darvaza "Father Gate", Ak Mosque, Anushakhan bath-houses, Palvan Darvaza "Warriors Gate", Caravansary Tim Allah Kuli Khan with bazaar and Tash Khauli Complex. You will transfer to Urgench Airport for your flight to Tashkent on HY 1058 departing at 9.00pm, arriving at 11.15pm. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel for your overnight.
13.09.11
(B/D)
Kashkent - Seoul
After breakfast your guided Tashkent tour continues with visits to (new part) the Mustaqillik Square (Independence Square), Museum of Fine and Applied Arts, Theatre Square, Amir Temur Square, monument to Courage, Bunyodkor Square with Abul Kasim Madrassah and Tashkent metro station. Late check out from the hotel and transfer to the restaurant for dinner. After dinner you will be transferred to the airport for your flight OZ 574 departing at 10.30pm and arriving in Seoul at 8.50am the next morning.
14.09.11 Seoul
Upon arrival you will be met by your Korean Tour Guide and taken on a Seoul Tour. First you will visit the Changdok Palace. It took seven years to construct Changdok Palace, (1405-1412). In 1463 Emperor Sejo created Biwon Garden in the palace. Biwon Garden which means 'secret', is the backyard of the palace that the royal family would visit for comfort. However all the buildings were destroyed during the war between Korea and Japan in 1592. It has been rebuilt a number of times. Thirteen of Korea's emperors have stayed here for over 270 years. The palace is built on over 110 acres, which includes the original 13 buildings and new 28 buildings in Biwon Garden.
15.09.11
(B)
Seoul
Today we continue our tour of Seoul. First we sell the Blue House, which is the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state, the President of the South Korean head of state, the President of the Republic of Korea. The Korean name literally translates to 'pavilion of blue tiles'. The Blue House is in fact a complex of buildings, built largely in the traditional Korean architectural style with some modern elements.
Then we visit the Gyeongbok Palace which was originally established in 1395 as a royal palace of the Chosun Dynasty. However in the war in 1592, most of the buildings were destroyed by fire and it had not been reconstructed for 273 years.
It was rebuilt under Emperor Kojong in 1868. The dynasty had to move to Deoksu Palace and Gyeongbok Palace lost its place as the royal palace. Gyeongbok Palace still keeps its gorgeous looks of 500 years Chosun Dynasty's history by having many stately buildings. Gyeongbok means shining happiness.
Next we visit the Seoul Tower, viewable from almost anywhere in Seoul. It serves as an excellent landmark, built on 262 meter peak in Namsan Park, the tower reaches to 480 meters above sea level. Visiting the observation tower (370 meters above sea level) allows you to view the entire city and surrounding areas. The complex containing Seoul Tower also contains several other attractions for tourists. Several exhibit halls display pictures of old Seoul, local birds and  and towers from other countries.
In the afternoon we visit the Korean Folk Village a living museum type of tourist attraction in the city of Yongin a satellite city in the Seoul metropolitan area. The purpose of Korean Folk Village is to display elements of traditional Korean life and culture. There are multiple sections to the park. There are numerous replicas of traditional houses of the different social classes (peasant, landowner, yangban) and the various regions.
The park also has a traditional street market, restaurants and showcases of traditional wordworking and metalworking techniques. There are performances of traditional dances, equestrian skills, marriage ceremonies and recreational activities.
An amusement park section has rides and games, and art museum a sculpture garden, a Korean Folk Museum and a World Folk Museum which highlights traditional lifestyles from around the world.
16.09.11
(B)
Seoul
Today there is a full day tour to the Demilitarised Zone between North & South Korea. First stop is the Dora Observatory. This is the nearest point to North Korea and from this observation platform, you can view some of North Korean life.
We visit the Dora Railway Station which is the last train station in South Korea.
Once a week a train leaves the station for North Korea's capital, Pyongyang.
Next we visit Imjingak Park and Altar. It was built in 1972 with the hope that someday unification would be possible. Three storied Imjingak is surrounded by several Monuments, Unification Park and North Korea Center. 400 kinds of photos and documents showing the stark reality of North Korea are displayed in the North Korea Center of Unification Board. Outside Imjingak, there are 12 kinds of tanks and crafts on display that were used during the Korean Conflict. Mangbaedan which stands opposite of Imjingak, is famous for the place where people from North Korea visit and perform ancestral rites by bowing toward their hometown every New Years Day and Chuseok.
On returning from the DMZ we will visit Seoul's Insadong Antique Street. The Insadong art and antique district has dozens of art galleries and shops selling art supplies, antiques, and handicrafts along one main street (Insadong-gil) and many side alleys. It also contains many traditional tea and coffee shops. Traditional antiques from different parts of Korea as well as international antiques brought by foreign tourists are displayed throughout Insadong allowing visitors to view many traditional items in one glance.
17.09.11
(B)
Seoul - Australia
Morning free. In the afternoon you will visit the Namdaemum Market. Established in 1414, this market is the oldest and largest traditional market in Korea. There are about 10,000 stores offering a large selection of products including clothes, accessories, silverware and much more at cheap prices. There are also many restaurant and food stands.
Transfer to Seoul airport. Departing at 8.30pm on OZ 601, arriving in Sydney at 7.40am (18.09.11).
18.09.11 There will be connecting flights from Sydney to Melbourne & Brisbane.
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Conditions for Macleay Valley Travel's Uzbekistan Tour September 2011

Deposits and Payments - A non-refundable deposit of $200.00 per person is payable within 7 days of booking. This deposit is not refundable should you later cancel. The balance is payable in full 10 weeks prior to departure.

Refunds and Cancellations - Cancellations after final payment will result in a refund limited to whatever we can recoup from the airline.

Insurance - Adequate travel insurance is essential. We can arrange this for you if desired.

Passports - All travellers require a current passport with at least 6 months left on it at the end of the tour. Non-Australian passport holders require a re-entry visa for Australia. No visas are required for Korea. Visas are required for Uzbekistan is obtained on arrival at a cost of $15 US per person for a group of 10 or more or $50 US per person for a group of less then 10.  Macleay Valley Travel  will apply for a Letter of Invitation from our ground operator in Uzbekistan.

Basic Tour Price and Taxes -
Air taxes and fuel levies are included in the basic tour price, and as air taxes and fuel levies change regularly  the exact amount will be advised at time of invoicing. At present air taxes and fuel levies come to $275 for the standard tour. Total tour cost may therefore change.

Breakaway Fee
All fully inclusive prices are based on group travel and any deviation from the set  itinerary will incur a breakaway fee.

Not  Included in the Cost -
Travel insurance, visas and all items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, drinks, excess baggage, tips, meals (except those specified in the itinerary), etc. are not included in the cost. Similarly, credit card payments can only be accepted if 2% is added to the price to help defray the heavy merchant fees charged to us by the credit card companies.

Health and Fitness - Macleay Valley Travel recommends that the passenger is reasonably healthy and/or fit to participate in this tour. Persons with a disability requiring special assistance must be accompanied by a companion. Macleay Valley Travel and their representatives cannot provide this service. Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to accept/decline or terminate a passenger's participation in the tour under certain circumstances.

Booking through other Agents - As we keep the cost of out tours as low as possible, there is insufficient margin for us to be able to pay commission to other travel agents, so some bookings can only be accepted if the client pays the other agent's commission. 
Macleay Valley Travel is a fully licensed travel agent and as such any monies paid to us are fully insured by the Travel Compensation Fund. We are happy for any prospective traveller with us to check us out with your local Consumer Affairs (fair trading) department.
Similarly, credit card payments can only be accepted if 2% is added to the price to help defray the heavy merchant fees charged to us by the credit card companies.

Limitation of Liability - As Macleay Valley Travel acts only as agent for the Airlines, Hotels, Coach Companies etc., providing accommodation, transportation and other services, Macleay Valley Travel shall not be liable or responsible for death or injury to any person or loss or damage to any property including baggage arising out of or connection with any transportation, accommodation or other services, or resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, fire, breakdown in machinery or equipment, acts of Government or other authorities, de jure or defacto wars, whether declared or not, hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, epidemics, quarantines, medical or customs regulations, delays or cancellations caused by changes in schedules or itinerary, or over bookings or defaults or for any causes beyond Macleay Valley Travel's control or any loss or damage resulting from improper or insufficient passports, visas or other documents and neither Macleay Valley Travel, and its servants or employees shall be or become liable or responsible for any additional expenses or liability sustained or incurred by the tour member as a result of the foregoing causes.
Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to modify the itinerary or the accommodation if circumstances make this necessary, provided that the amended itinerary is of equal value or greater value than that of the original program.
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