Samarkand's Registan, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and Bibi-Khanym Mosque, plus Bukhara's old town and Khiva's walled city, form the heart of the Silk Road. April to June and September to October are the best months.
Good to know
- The high-speed Afrosiyob train links Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.
- Haggle politely at bazaars; prices are negotiable.
- Dress modestly at religious sites.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Three majestic tiled madrasas around a grand plaza, glittering at dusk.
Avenue of azure-tiled mausoleums, among Central Asia's most beautiful sites.
Tamerlane's ribbed turquoise-domed mausoleum, with a gilded interior that glows in the soft light.
Once one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world.
Busy market of round non bread, dried fruit, nuts, spices and halva beside Bibi-Khanym Mosque.
Uzbekistan's national rice dish of lamb, carrots and chickpeas, cooked in huge cauldrons by midday.
Remains of a 15th-century astronomical observatory.
Watch artisans dye, spin and hand-knot silk carpets at a workshop, with no pressure to buy.
High-speed rail between cities; comfortable and quick.
Ornate Soviet-era stations decorated like palaces.
Domed trading halls, Kalyan Minaret and Ark fortress.
Perfectly preserved walled desert city of minarets and madrasas, reached by flight or long train ride.