Duration
3 days
Group size
Private tour, 1–12 travellers
Comfort
Comfort
Best season
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
The Registan twice: early, before the crowds, and after dark in its evening lights. Shah-i-Zinda, Gur-Emir, the Konigil paper mill and plov at the Siab Bazaar, with the high-speed train from Tashkent and back. Made for a weekend or the start of a longer trip.
Samarkand is two hours from Tashkent by high-speed train, close enough for a long weekend and large enough to fill it. This short break is built for people already in the capital, whether on business or at the start of a longer trip, and for anyone who wants Timur's city without rushing it into a single day. The first afternoon covers the essentials: Gur-Emir, where Timur is buried under a ribbed turquoise dome, and the Registan, which you see again after dark when the three madrasahs are lit. The second day climbs the lane of tiled mausoleums at Shah-i-Zinda, walks through Bibi-Khanym, the great mosque Timur built after his Indian campaign, and tastes its way through Siab Bazaar before a plov lunch. In the afternoon, a short drive to Konigil, where paper is made from mulberry bark as it was in the Middle Ages. The last morning goes further back, to the hill of Afrasiab and its museum of Sogdian murals, the tomb of Saint Daniel and the observatory of Ulugbek, before the train back to Tashkent. The tour is private, with a licensed Samarkand guide and your own car, and the dates are yours to choose.
Tour Highlights
- Afrosiyob high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand and back, about 2 hours each way
- The Registan twice: with a guide by day and lit up after dark
- Gur-Emir, the tomb of Amir Timur, and the tiled lane of Shah-i-Zinda
- A tasting walk through Siab Bazaar, followed by Samarkand plov for lunch
- Paper made from mulberry bark at the Konigil mill
- Sogdian murals of the 7th century in the Afrasiab Museum
Route map
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A morning train to Samarkand, where your guide meets you at the station. The afternoon is spent at Gur-Emir and the Registan, and you return to the square after dark to see it lit.
06:45Pick-up from your hotel in Tashkent and transfer to Tashkent North railway station
- Most hotels open breakfast at 07:00: ask for a breakfast box the evening before
07:30Afrosiyob high-speed train Tashkent – Samarkand (about 2 h 15 min)
- Train 766. Times follow the railway timetable and are confirmed with your tickets
09:43Meeting at Samarkand station and transfer to the hotel (about 20 min)
- Luggage left at the hotel; check-in from 14:00
10:45Gur-Emir Mausoleum
- The tomb of Amir Timur and his descendants, with its gilded interior
12:15Lunch break (at own expense)
14:00Registan Square (about 2 hours)
- Ulugbek, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori madrasahs, with the gilded mosque inside Tilya-Kori
16:00Check-in and rest
19:00Dinner, then the Registan lit up at night
- A short walk from most central hotels
A full day: the necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and a tasting walk through Siab Bazaar, then plov for lunch and an afternoon at the paper mill in Konigil.
09:00Shah-i-Zinda necropolis (about 1.5 hours)
- A lane of tiled mausoleums of the 14th and 15th centuries climbing the hill
10:45Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Mausoleum
11:30Tasting walk through Siab Bazaar
- Samarkand non bread, dried fruit, nuts, halva and seasonal fruit. Siab Bazaar is closed on Mondays: if day 2 is a Monday, the programmes of days 2 and 3 are swapped
13:00Lunch: Samarkand plov
14:30Drive to Konigil village (about 20 min)
15:00Meros paper mill
- Paper made from mulberry bark, from the soaking vats to the stone polishing; a water mill turns beside the stream
16:30Return to the hotel; free evening
The oldest layer of Samarkand: the hill of Afrasiab with its museum, the tomb of Saint Daniel and the observatory of Ulugbek. Free afternoon, then the early-evening train back to Tashkent.
09:00Hotel check-out
- Luggage stays in the car
09:15Afrasiab Museum
- 7th-century Sogdian murals known as the Ambassadors' Painting
10:30Mausoleum of Saint Daniel (Khoja Doniyor)
11:15Ulugbek Observatory
- The underground arc of the 15th-century sextant and a small museum
12:30End of the guided programme; free time for lunch and shopping
- Car and driver stay with you
16:50Transfer to Samarkand railway station
17:40Afrosiyob train Samarkand – Tashkent (about 2 h 30 min)
- Train 767, which starts in Samarkand. Times follow the railway timetable and are confirmed with your tickets
20:12Arrival at Tashkent North station and transfer to your hotel
Where you'll stay
Samarkand
2 nights · Comfort
Hotels are listed by city: we book these or similar hotels of the same standard and confirm the exact hotel at booking.
What's Included
- 2 nights in a comfort hotel in central Samarkand, double or twin room, with breakfast
- Afrosiyob train tickets Tashkent – Samarkand – Tashkent, economy class (business class on request)
- Transfers between your Tashkent hotel and the railway station on both days
- Private air-conditioned car (1–2 travellers), minivan (3–7) or minibus (8–12) with driver in Samarkand
- Licensed English-speaking guide in Samarkand on all three days
- Entrance tickets to the monuments and museums in the programme
- Dinner on day 1, plov lunch and tastings at Siab Bazaar on day 2
- Bottled water in the car
- A local contact number for the whole trip
Not Included
- Accommodation in Tashkent
- Lunches and dinners not listed in the programme
- Photo and video fees at monuments
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Souvenirs and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
Private tour prices
Your own guide and car on the dates you choose. Price per person, by group size and hotel level.
| Travellers | Standard | Comfort | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 traveller | $1,025 | $1,060 | $1,325 |
| 2 travellers | $665 | $675 | $850 |
| 3 travellers | $595 | $605 | $765 |
| 4 travellers | $535 | $550 | $710 |
| 5 travellers | $500 | $515 | $670 |
How to book
Three simple steps — no payment until we confirm your place.
- 1
Send a request
Choose a date and leave your details. A manager confirms availability within 24 hours.
- 2
Pay the deposit
$300 per person secures your place — 20% of the tour price, minimum $300.
- 3
Pay the balance
The rest is due 45 days before the tour starts.
Ways to pay
- Bank transferUSD · EUR · RUB · CNY
The deposit is non-refundable: it holds your seat, hotels and train tickets.
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