Travelling time: 09:30 – 13:20 – Distance: 173 miles

The Chor Minor – built in 1807 as a beautiful little gatehouse to a now defunct mosque.

We anticipated a drive of about 3-4 hours to get from Samarkand to Burkhara. Our questioning of the various members of hotel staff indicated that the journey could take anywhere between 3 and 6 hours. (For anyone wishing to drive this road, take note; the road around Ishtixon is the worst we have had to date, although at this time work is being done to improve it. Don’t be disheartened, it does improve eventually.) We shook rattled and rolled our way to Burkhara – not the most enjoyable of journeys at times. The poor old car took a bit of a beating.

The Lyabi pool

Arriving in the early afternoon, Burkhara was a veritable oasis, and we found our way down a back street to the Lyabi House Hotel. The heart of the old town is immaculate (sweeping seems to be a national pastime for all) but it has a relaxed atmosphere; the locals sit out in dappled shade under the plane trees while a multiculture of tourists mill about photographing the beautiful tiled buildings, browsing the endless stalls of suzana embroidery, Uzbek carpets, miniature paintings, Rishtan pottery and ikat clothing, or repair at restaurant tables next to the Lyabi Hauz pool – an ancient water tank in the central square, home to white ducks swimming from miniature mosque style duck houses to the steps to waddle about with snoozing wiley cats or playful puppies. It’s a happy place, a little higher up the reality scale compared to Samarkand as the locals live amongst the treasured mosques and madrassas – albeit most of these former religious institutions now house the endless tourist trapping stalls of handicrafts. This reflects what has been described as the parallel Islam that is practiced in this part of Uzbekistan – hard line Islam is not tolerated and consequently the call to prayer is never heard in public.

Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa

Chinor Minor

Sunset in the bazaar at Burkhara

Local life

Old Russian military jackets now adorned with old Soviet badges