About this tour
Bishkek – Samarkand | Kyrgyzstan – Tajikistan – Uzbekistan
Route: Bishkek – Karakol (Issyk-Kul) – Bishkek ✈ Osh – Batken – Khujand – Penjikent – Samarkand
Duration: 11 days / 10 nights
Best time to travel: May – August
Tour Overview & Legend
Legend has it that along the Great Silk Road, merchants once debated whose pilaf was the best: Kyrgyz, Tajik, or Uzbek.
One claimed the secret lay in lamb from the mountain pastures.
Another insisted it was all about spices and rice.
And the third smiled: “True pilaf isn’t a recipe—it’s the soul of a people.”
We invite you to follow their path—from the snow-capped mountains of Issyk-Kul to the glittering domes of Samarkand—and discover for yourself whose pilaf reigns supreme.
This VIP tour is designed for those who appreciate:
- Exclusive access to authentic cooking masterclasses with local chefs and families
- Comfort and attention to detail, from carefully selected hotels to gourmet dining experiences
- Immersive cultural, historical, and culinary experiences beyond standard tourism
In short:
“Whose Pilaf Is It?” is not just a culinary tour—it’s a journey to the heart of three cultures. Pilaf is just the excuse; the true discovery lies in the warmth, people, and stories that will stay with you forever.
What Awaits You
- 3 countries, 3 cultures, 3 unique cuisines
- Hands-on masterclasses with local chefs and home cooks
- Legends and historic cities of the Great Silk Road
- Authentic Eastern bazaars: spices, sweets, and flatbreads
- Heartfelt dinners in local family homes
- A secret pilaf recipe, exclusive to tour participants
- Lunches and dinners with culinary experts sharing history and traditional techniques
Each day brings encounters with people preserving culinary traditions, alongside new discoveries: mountains, bazaars, ancient cities, and Silk Road legends.
Gifts for every participant:
- Handwritten recipe of a national dish from a local host
- Professional photos from the culinary journey
- A set of Eastern spices as a keepsake
Traveler’s note:
“It’s hard to choose whose pilaf is the best, but I know one thing: I have fallen in love with the East forever!”
Program
Arrive in Bishkek on a morning flight. Enjoy breakfast/lunch at Hawaii Restaurant before heading to Cholpon-Ata by Lake Issyk-Kul.
Accommodation: 4* hotel
Dinner: At a trout farm, where guests can catch their own fish, prepared to order. Fish menu options available.
After breakfast, embark on a boat trip on Issyk-Kul Lake.
Visit the Nomadic Civilization Center, experiencing traditional Kyrgyz hospitality. Participate in a kuurdak cooking masterclass for lunch, plus taste local dairy products, honey, herbal teas, and other treats.
Return to the hotel; free time for beach activities.
Dinner: At Olymp Restaurant, learning the secrets of local shashlik preparation.
Overnight at hotel.
Drive along the picturesque Issyk-Kul to Karakol. Lunch at an ethno-restaurant.
City tour and visit Teploklyuchenka Hot Springs.
Dinner: In a Karakol home: Dungan lagman and the signature Karakol ashlyan-fu. Learn about the history of Dungan cuisine in Karakol.
Overnight: Cozy Dungan guesthouse with homemade breakfast.
Return to Bishkek with a stop at Balykchy market for mountain honey, homemade cheese, and jams.
Lunch en route at a café.
Free time in Bishkek before dinner at an ethno teahouse-restaurant with traditional cuisine.
Accommodation: 3* hotel
Welcome to southern Kyrgyzstan!
Meet at the airport and check in at a 3* ethno hotel. Explore the ancient Sulaiman-Too Mountain (UNESCO site). Taste tandoor-baked flatbreads and samsa at local spots.
Lunch: At a teahouse
Dinner: After a dymlyama masterclass at the hotel. Lecture on Kyrgyz culinary history.
Overnight: 4* hotel in Osh
Drive through scenic valleys to the homeland of dried apricots.
Stops at fruit orchards: apricot, mulberry, and grapes.
Lunch: En route at a café
Visit Madygen Geopark.
Dinner: With a local family, featuring southern Kyrgyz dishes and a pilaf masterclass using Batken rice. Discover local products: dried fruits, fruit candies, honey, and more.
Overnight: Hotel in Batken
Morning border crossing.
Lunch: At Naberezhnaya Teahouse by the Syr Darya River.
Explore Khujand, an ancient city founded by Alexander the Great.
Visit the Khujand Citadel, artisan quarters, and Panjshanbe Bazaar, one of Central Asia’s most colorful markets.
Tasting: Tajik flatbreads, samsa, sweets, and dried fruits.
Dinner: At the Pilaf Palace, with an exclusive masterclass by Tajikistan’s top chefs—14 varieties of pilaf to taste. Learn about traditions and culture.
Overnight: 3* hotel in Khujand
Drive through mountain passes and traditional kishlaks (villages).
Visit Madm village, frozen in the 19th century.
Tasting: Famous samsa at the mountain pass.
Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views.
Arrive in Penjikent, visit the ancient ruins of Sarazm (5,500 years old) and Rudaki Museum.
Dinner: Tajik cuisine: kurtoba, oshtoba, and sweet tea.
Masterclass with a top chef on Tajik pilaf history.
Overnight: 3* hotel in Penjikent
Cross the border into Uzbekistan.
Lunch stop in a village, tasting Samarkand flatbreads.
Evening walk in Samarkand: Registan Square, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Siab Bazaar.
Dinner & tasting: Uzbek pilaf, Samarkand-style pilaf, sweets, and masterclass in an authentic teahouse. Chef lecture included.
Overnight: 4* authentic hotel in Samarkand
After breakfast, sightseeing includes:
- Ulugh Beg Observatory
- Gur-Emir Mausoleum
- Small teahouses and artisan workshops
- Konigil family paper factory
- Khujum carpet factory
- Wine tasting at Khovrenko Winery
Lunch: Teahouse with a masterclass on samsa and chak-chak.
Evening: Farewell dinner with traditional music and Silk Road hospitality.
Night stroll through Samarkand, admiring illuminated madrasahs and mosques.
Overnight: 4* hotel
Transfer to Samarkand Airport.
Until next time, savor the taste of the East!
Price
1/2 DBL price
| Group size | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Price per guest | 1900 | 1800 | 1720 | 1620 | 1500 | 1500 | 1500 | 1500 | 1500 |
Included / Excluded
- Airport meet & transfer
- Transportation as per itinerary
- Tour guide escort
- Culinary masterclasses
- Handicraft workshops
- Entrance fees
- Nomadic Civilization Center visit
- Boat excursion
- Bishkek–Osh domestic flight
- 4–5★ hotels (double occupancy)
- Expert & chef talks
- Meals from masterclasses
- International flights
- Bar menu at restaurants
- Personal expenses
- Souvenirs
- Travel insurance
- Visa
