4-day Tashkent-Samarkand-Bukhara tour: Silk Road cities

Three centuries of Islamic architecture in four days across Central Asia's trading capitals

A 4-day guided tour from Tashkent through Samarkand and Bukhara along the ancient Silk Route, with accommodation on twin basis, breakfasts, high-speed train tickets between cities and all ground transfers. You visit Registan Square and its three madrasahs, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Gur-e-Emir mausoleum, the Ark citadel, Lyab-i Hauz ensemble and medieval mosques. A live guide speaks your language. Minimum age is 12.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Tashkent city highlights

• Visit Ensemble Hazrati Imam complex
• Explore Barak Khan madrasah and mausoleums
• Visit Namazgah mosque and Muyi Muborak madrasah
• Shop at Chorsu Bazaar
• See Kukeldash Madrasah
• Tour Uzbekistan State Museum of Applied Art
• Visit Amir Temur Square

Day 2: Travel to Bukhara and sightseeing

• Breakfast at hotel
• Check out and transfer to Bukhara by train
• Arrive in Bukhara
• Visit Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa summer residence
• See Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi
• Explore Chor minor Madrasah

Day 3: Bukhara sightseeing and travel to Samarkand

• Visit Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble
• See Magoki Attari Mosque
• Explore Poi Kalyan architectural ensemble
• Tour Ark citadel
• Take train to Samarkand
• Arrive and overnight in Samarkand

Day 4: Samarkand sightseeing and return to Tashkent

• Visit Gur Emir mausoleum
• Explore Registan Square madrasahs
• Tour Ulugbek Observatory
• Visit Shahi Zinda mausoleum ensemble
• See Bibi Khanum Mosque
• Take train to Tashkent
• Arrive in Tashkent and transfer to hotel

The experience

You arrive in Tashkent and spend the first day in the capital, moving between the Ensemble Hazrati Imam (the religious heart of the old city with its 16th-century madrasahs and the Koran of Caliph Osman), and Chorsu Bazaar, one of Central Asia's largest markets. The Kukeldash Madrasah, built in 1569, anchors the old quarter. You stay overnight and eat breakfast at your hotel before heading to the train station.

Day two takes you by high-speed train to Bukhara, arriving mid-morning. The afternoon covers Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, the summer palace of Bukhara's last emir, the Mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshbandi and Chor Minor Madrasah. Day three stays in Bukhara, moving through Lyab-i Hauz ensemble, the city's most popular gathering spot, the sunken Magoki Attari Mosque with its carved medieval detail, and Poi Kalyan, the architectural heart of Bukhara with its minaret, mosque and madrasah complex. You also walk the Ark, a fortress rising 20 meters above the surrounding plain and covering four hectares. Late afternoon you board the train to Samarkand.

The final day in Samarkand opens with Gur-e-Emir, Tamerlane's mausoleum, then moves to Registan Square and its three massive madrasahs built across the 15th and 17th centuries. You see the Ulugbek Observatory, built in the 1420s, and Shah-i-Zinda, an ensemble of eleven mausoleums stacked vertically across the 14th and 15th centuries. The Bibi Khanum Mosque, decorated with tiles and carved marble, closes the tour before you return to Tashkent by evening train, arriving at 19:40.

What’s included

• High-speed train economy tickets on all three routes (Tashkent-Bukhara, Bukhara-Samarkand, Samarkand-Tashkent).
• three nights of accommodation on twin basis in Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand.
• breakfasts each morning.
• all ground transfers by comfortable car between hotels, train stations and sites.
• a live guide in your chosen language.
• and all local taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian and Turkish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Silk Road Travellers

Is this one for you?The four-day span fits travelers arriving in Tashkent with a long weekend or the start of a week-long trip, leaving room for a side journey or extra days in one city if you extend. If you have only two or three days, a shorter Samarkand-Bukhara version would work better. If you want to add the Fergana Valley or spend more time in any single city, a six-day itinerary exists.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Persian and Turkish.

What's included in the 4-day tour price?

High-speed train tickets between Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand in economy class; three nights of accommodation on twin basis; breakfasts in each city; all ground transfers by car; and a live guide in your chosen language are included. Lunches, dinners and tips are separate.

How much time do you actually spend at Registan Square and Shah-i-Zinda?

Registan Square and Shah-i-Zinda are both full stops on day four in Samarkand, not rushed pass-throughs. The itinerary builds the day around these two sites and the Gur-e-Emir mausoleum, so you have time to walk the three madrasahs and the eleven mausoleums without a fixed time limit at each one.

Do you need to arrange your own transport between cities?

No. The tour includes all three high-speed train tickets: Tashkent to Bukhara takes 3 hours 50 minutes, Bukhara to Samarkand is a short evening hop, and Samarkand back to Tashkent takes 2 hours 10 minutes. You board in the morning or late afternoon as the itinerary states, and a driver meets you at each arrival.

What is the Ark citadel in Bukhara?

The Ark is an ancient fortress in the center of Bukhara that rises almost 20 meters above ground level and covers about four hectares. It's one of the oldest surviving structures in the city and a major stop on day three of the tour.

Can children join this tour?

Yes, the minimum age is 12. Children that age and older can book. Younger children would need to be discussed with the operator before booking.