Uzbekistan in 3 days

Three days is short, but enough to see two of the greatest Silk Road cities, if you plan carefully. The key is to avoid long journeys: Uzbekistan is a big country, and Khiva is far from Tashkent. The best plan for most travellers is Samarkand + Bukhara, which are only about 1.5 hours apart by high-speed train, with plenty to see in each.

Ideally, fly into Samarkand, which has international flights, and fly out from Bukhara or Tashkent. If you arrive in Tashkent, take the early Afrosiyob train to Samarkand on day 1. See Samarkand airport and Tashkent to Samarkand.

Start at the Registan, the most famous square in Central Asia, framed by three madrasahs: Ulugbek, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori. Go early, before the groups arrive, and allow at least 1.5 hours. Then walk to the Gur-Emir mausoleum, the tomb of Timur, with its ribbed blue dome and golden interior.

After lunch, follow the pedestrian street to the huge Bibi-Khanym mosque, built by Timur after his Indian campaign, and the lively Siab bazaar next door, where you can taste Samarkand bread, dried fruit and nuts.

In the evening, return to the Registan, which is beautifully lit after dark. Have dinner with plov or shashlik. See Samarkand food.

Visit the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis early in the morning, when the light on the turquoise tiles is soft and the street of mausoleums is quiet. It is one of the most beautiful places in the Islamic world. If you have time, add the Afrosiyob museum and its Sogdian wall paintings, or Ulugbek’s observatory.

Take a midday or afternoon Afrosiyob train to Bukhara, about 1.5 hours. Book in advance: trains fill up in spring and autumn. See Samarkand to Bukhara. Bukhara’s station is in Kagan, about 20–30 minutes from the old town.

In Bukhara, walk to Lyabi-Hauz, the old pool surrounded by mulberry trees and madrasahs, and have dinner by the water as the evening falls.

Bukhara’s old town is compact and best explored on foot. Start at the Poi-Kalyan ensemble: the Kalyan minaret, built in 1127, the great Kalyan mosque and the Mir-i-Arab madrasah. Walk through the trading domes, where craftsmen still sell carpets, suzani, knives and miniatures. Visit the Ark, the fortress of the emirs, and the Bolo-Hauz mosque with its wooden columns.

In the afternoon, see the Samanid mausoleum, one of the oldest monuments of Central Asian Islamic architecture, and the four towers of Chor Minor. End with tea at Lyabi-Hauz, or a folklore show in a madrasah courtyard. See things to do in Bukhara and our Bukhara itinerary.

Fly out from Bukhara airport, about 15 minutes from the old town, or take the train back to Tashkent (about 4 hours). See Bukhara airport.

If you are on a stopover in Tashkent, you can still see Samarkand: on day 1, explore Tashkent (Khast Imam, Chorsu bazaar, the metro); on day 2, take the early Afrosiyob to Samarkand and spend the day there; on day 3, see Shah-i-Zinda in the morning and return to Tashkent by train. See things to do in Tashkent and the Khast Imam complex.

For a completely different experience, fly from Tashkent to Urgench and spend two days in Khiva, a walled city that feels like an open-air museum, with a day trip to the desert fortresses of ancient Khorezm. This works best if you can fly directly into Urgench from abroad, for example from Istanbul. See Tashkent to Urgench and Khiva itinerary.

In Samarkand, try the city’s famous round bread, Samarkand non, still baked in clay ovens, and a plate of plov, best at lunchtime, when it is freshly cooked in large cauldrons. Restaurants around the Registan and on the pedestrian street serve Uzbek dishes and salads, and several have terraces with views of the domes. Samarkand also has a long tradition of winemaking; tastings are available in the city.

In Bukhara, the restaurants around Lyabi-Hauz are the classic choice for dinner by the water, while rooftop terraces in the old town offer views of the Kalyan minaret at sunset. Try shashlik, lagman noodles and the local version of plov. In both cities, small chaikhanas (teahouses) are cheaper and more authentic. See Samarkand food and Bukhara food.

• Book trains early: the Afrosiyob is essential for this plan and sells out in high season.
• Stay central: in Samarkand, near the Registan; in Bukhara, near Lyabi-Hauz. See where to stay in Samarkand and where to stay in Bukhara.
• Start early: monuments are quieter and the light is better in the morning.
• Use a guide for half a day in each city to understand the history quickly.
• Best seasons: April–May and September–October. In summer, sightsee early and late; in winter, days are short.

If you can add days, Khiva is the natural next step, then the mountains or the Fergana Valley. See our 5-day, 7-day and 10-day itineraries. We can arrange train tickets, transfers and guides for a short trip.