Your 4-Day Homestay in Sentob & Hiking Tour Itinerary

Live tour guide

Guide Information: A local mountain guide with basic English proficiency will meet you to lead the hike on Day 2 and Day 3.

• •Bukhara to Sentob village homestay welcome
• •Kadvan or Fazilman full-day hike with mountain guide
• •Birdwatching and spring route adjustments for safety
• •Majerum homestay, nature reserve, legendary arbor vitae tree
• •Transfer back to Samarkand

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Day 1 – Bukhara – Sentob village

At 9:00 AM, meet our driver at the tour’s start point and begin driving to Sentob village. Arriving by lunchtime, your host will welcome you and show you the homestay facilities so you can get settled in. Most of the local houses have large fruit tree gardens where the villagers have tapchans under the walnut trees to sit in the summer. Once you’ve settled in you’ll enjoy lunch with your host family. After lunch, wander around the village to see the mosque, ruins of an ancient fortress, and the building style of the local houses. Sentob is one of the few villages where almost all the houses are built in a traditional way using local rocks. Wandering through the village is a fantastic way to see locals doing their traditional livelihood activities. You will meet many friendly villagers who’ll be curious to talk with you. In the afternoon, you’ll have free time to chat with your host family and help or observe them in their regular activities, including the dinner preparation in which you may participate or simply watch.

Day 2 – Sentob village – Kadvan or Fazilman hike

After breakfast, your local mountain guide will lead you on a full-day hike, with two route options: Kadvan Valley (15 km / 7.5 hours round trip) or Fazilman Plateau (22 km / 10 hours). Start by hiking up Sentob Valley, passing an old watermill, the ruins of an ancient fortress, and rock inscriptions in Arabic. The trail follows a clear mountain stream with small waterfalls, lush vegetation, and natural pools for swimming. A picnic lunch will be provided by the homestay.

The valley offers excellent bird-watching opportunities and rich plant diversity. Bird species commonly spotted here include the Spotted Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Mistle Thrush, Eurasian Blackbird, Pied Wagtail, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Persian Nuthatch, Blue Rock-Thrush, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Laughing Dove, Common Nightingale, Eurasian Magpie, Chukar, and occasionally, an owl species.

For the Kadvan hike, you’ll return via the same route through Sentob Valley. The return from the Fazilman hike follows the Saridash ridge.

Note: In spring, when water levels in the river are high, the hiking route may be adjusted for safety.

Day 3 – Sentob – Majerum

After breakfast with your host family, meet your mountain guide for a scenic hike to the neighboring village of Majerum (11 km / 3.5-4 hours). The trail leads through the buffer zone of the Nuratau Nature Reserve, offering views of diverse landscapes and local wildlife. Upon arrival, settle into Muhammad Ali’s homestay, In the afternoon, join your guide for a two-hour hike into the nature reserve to visit the legendary arbor vitae tree. Believed to have been planted by soldiers of Alexander the Great during his campaign in Central Asia, this ancient tree and the nearby mosque are revered as sites of local pilgrimage.

Return to your homestay for a hearty dinner with your host family, sharing stories of the day’s journey and experiencing warm local hospitality.

Day 4 – Majerum – Samarkand

After breakfast, say goodbye to your hosts and transfer back to Samarkand.

What's Included

• ✓Homestay accommodation
• ✓All meals
• ✓Mountain guide
• ✓Transportation

What's Not Included

• ✗Personal expenses
• ✗Travel insurance
• ✗Tips