6-Day Private Tour: Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand

Four UNESCO cities in six days on the Silk Road route through Uzbekistan

A 6-day private tour of Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand covers the major historical sites of Uzbekistan, each a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The itinerary includes a domestic flight from Tashkent to Khiva, train travel between Khiva and Bukhara and between Bukhara and Samarkand, and a full day back in Tashkent. You travel with a knowledgeable local guide, stay in 3-star hotels, and visit landmarks like Registan Square, the Gur-e-Emir Mausoleum, Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, and the Itchan Kala walled city. Entry fees, all transfers, a folklore show and light show, and one lunch are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Tashkent

• Welcome to Uzbekistan

Day 2: Discover Khiva's Heritage

• Visit Itchan Kala walled city
• Explore Islam-Khodja Complex
• Tour Kunya-Ark Fortress
• See unfinished turquoise minaret

Day 3: Travel to Bukhara

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Khiva railway station
• Train from Khiva to Bukhara
• Arrival and transfer to hotel
• Leisure time

Day 4: Tour Bukhara's Landmarks

• Visit Ulugbek Madrasah
• See Bolo Hauz Mosque
• Explore Chor-Minor
• Tour Bukhara Fortress museums
• Visit Nadir Divanbegi Madrassa area
• See 'The foot of the great' structures
• Visit operational Mir Arab Madrasah
• View Kalyan minaret

Day 5: Explore Samarkand

• Visit Gur-e Amir Mausoleum
• Tour Registan Square
• See Bibi-Khanym Mosque
• Shop at Siyob Bazaar
• Explore Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis
• Visit Ulugh Beg Observatory

Day 6: Final Day in Tashkent

• Visit historical site from 1570
• See Amir Temur Square
• Tour museum central rotunda
• Visit Khast Imam religious center
• Explore main square of Uzbekistan
• Shop at Chorsu Bazaar
• See earthquake memorial
• Visit new mosque in northeast
• Explore Uzbekistan State Museum of Applied Art
• View unique metro station decorations
• Thank you for travelling with us

The experience

Tashkent is your starting point and ending point. Day one is arrival and rest. On day six you tour the capital's major sites (Amir Timur Square, Khast Imam Square, the Earthquake Memorial, Chorsu Bazaar, Independence Square, the Museum of Applied Art with over 4,000 decorative art exhibits, and the Tashkent metro with its uniquely decorated stations) before heading to the airport. The guide meets you at the hotel each morning and walks you through the city's religious centers, Soviet-era landmarks and bazaars.

From Tashkent you fly to Urganch early on day two, then drive to Khiva for a full day exploring Itchan Kala, the largest preserved walled city in Central Asia. The inner city holds over 50 historic monuments and 250 traditional dwellings dating to the 19th century and earlier. You see the Islam-Khodja Complex with its tallest minaret and smallest madrasah, the Kunya-Ark Fortress built in the late 17th century, and the unfinished turquoise-tiled minaret begun in 1851. A folklore show plays in the Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah if available. Day three takes a regular train from Khiva through the Kyzylkum Desert to Bukhara, arriving in the evening.

Bukhara's full day (day four) covers the Ulugbek Madrasah, the oldest surviving madrasah in Central Asia built in 1417, the Bolo Hauz Mosque with its intricately carved pillars, the Chor-Minor with its four blue-domed minarets, the Ark fortress with eight different museums, the Nadir Divanbegi ensemble surrounding a pool, and the Kalyan minaret. You eat lunch at Besh Qozon, the largest plov restaurant in the city. An afternoon train takes you to Samarkand, arriving at 18:07.

Samarkand (day five) is the heart of the tour. You visit Registan Square, the three-building medieval complex of Ulughbek Madrassa, Sherdor Madrassa and Tilla Kori Madrassa, with a light show in the evening if available. The Gur-e-Emir Mausoleum holds the tomb of Tamerlane. The Bibi-Khanym Mosque, built in the 15th century, is considered a masterpiece of the Timurid Renaissance. The Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis contains mausoleums and ritual buildings from the 11th to 19th centuries. You browse Siyob Bazaar, the largest in Samarkand, and visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory built in the 1420s. An evening train returns you to Tashkent.

What’s included

• Five nights at 3-star hotels.
• a private local guide.
• entry fees to all attractions on the itinerary.
• a domestic flight from Tashkent to Urganch.
• train tickets between Khiva and Bukhara and between Bukhara and Tashkent.
• all transfers from the airport and between hotels and sites in air-conditioned vehicles.
• a folklore show in the Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah in Khiva.
• a light show at Registan Square in Samarkand.
• and one lunch at Besh Qozon, the largest plov restaurant in Bukhara.

Options for this experience

2 options

Budget optionGuide in 5 languages · 07:00Accommodation is excluded, and pickup is included

Comfort optionGuide in 5 languages · 07:00Accommodation is included and pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French, German, Italian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Silk Road Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the comfort option for 3-star hotels and the budget option for more modest accommodations. Both follow the same itinerary and include the same guide, flights, trains and entry fees. The tour suits all fitness levels and can be customized to your interests.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French, German, Italian and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 5): free.

What cities do I visit on this 6-day tour?

You visit Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, each a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tashkent is your arrival and departure point. You spend one full day there at the start and one at the end. Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand each get a full day of sightseeing with a local guide.

How do I travel between the cities?

A domestic flight takes you from Tashkent to Urganch on day two, then a driver transfers you to Khiva. Regular trains connect Khiva to Bukhara and Bukhara to Samarkand, with an evening train returning you to Tashkent from Samarkand. All transfers between hotels and sites are included in air-conditioned vehicles.

What is Itchan Kala in Khiva?

Itchan Kala is the largest remaining preserved walled city in Central Asia, located in the heart of Khiva. It holds over 50 historic monuments and 250 traditional dwellings dating to the 19th century and earlier, making it the perfect place to see the evolution of Islamic architecture along the Silk Road.

What will I see at Registan Square in Samarkand?

Registan Square is the heart of Samarkand and features three grandiose medieval buildings: Ulughbek Madrassa, Sherdor Madrassa and Tilla Kori Madrassa. A light show with impressive sound plays in the evening if available, illuminating the intricate tilework and domes of Central Asian medieval architecture.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes five nights at 3-star hotels, a knowledgeable local guide, entry fees to all sites, the domestic flight from Tashkent to Urganch, train tickets between cities, all hotel-to-hotel transfers and transportation in air-conditioned vehicles, a folklore show in Khiva if available, a light show at Registan if available, and one lunch at Besh Qozon plov restaurant. Meals other than the included lunch, dinner and any e-visa are separate.