6-Day Silk Road Tour: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara & Khiva

Four centuries of Central Asian architecture in one week, from Registan's tilework to Khiva's fortress walls.

A 6-day private tour of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva follows the Silk Road through Uzbekistan's most significant cities, with a licensed guide in each one, business-class train tickets between them, and overnight stays in centrally located 4-star hotels. You visit Registan Square, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, the Gur-Emir mausoleum, Bukhara's Kalyan minaret and Ark fortress, and Khiva's walled old city with its palaces and mosques. All museum and site entrance fees are included. Photo and video charges at museums are paid separately at entry ($1–2 per museum). A single room costs an extra $50 per night if you prefer not to share.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Tashkent

• Arrive in Tashkent
• Transport to hotel

Day 2: Fly to Urgench and Khiva tour

• Transfer to Tashkent Airport
• Fly Tashkent to Urgench
• Transfer Urgench to Khiva
• Explore Ichan Kala old city
• Visit Kunya Ark citadel
• See Pahlavan Mahmud mausoleum
• Visit Khiva's Juma Mosque
• Tour Islam-Khodja complex
• Visit Tash-Khauli Palace
• See Kalta-minor minaret

Day 3: Free time and train to Bukhara

• Free time in Khiva
• Afternoon train Khiva to Bukhara

Day 4: Bukhara sightseeing and train to Samarkand

• Visit Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble
• See Kalyan Minaret
• Visit Bolo Hauz
• Tour Ark Fortress
• Transfer to Bukhara train station
• Train to Samarkand
• Transfer to hotel in Samarkand

Day 5: Sightseeing in Samarkand

• Visit Gur Emir Mausoleum
• Explore Registan Square
• Tour Bibi-Khanym Mosque
• Visit Siab Bazaar
• See Shakhi-Zinda Ensemble
• Visit Ulugbek's Observatory

Day 6: Train to Tashkent and city tour

• Transfer to Samarkand train station
• Bullet train Samarkand to Tashkent
• Meet guide and start Tashkent sightseeing
• Tour theater building exterior
• Visit Khazrati-Imam ensemble
• Explore Tashkent metro stations
• Visit Amir Timur Square
• See State Museum of History exterior
• Transfer to Tashkent International Airport

The experience

The tour opens in Tashkent with a night in a central 4-star hotel, then moves by domestic flight to Urgench and transfer to Khiva's Ichan Kala, the walled inner city built as a regular rectangle with brick fortifications up to ten meters high. You walk through the Kunya Ark citadel, the Pahlavan Mahmud mausoleum with its blue-tiled dome, the Juma Mosque at the heart of the old city, and the Islam-Khodja complex with its madrasa and minaret. The Kalta-minor, a short minaret covered entirely in glazed tile, sits unfinished at 29 meters: commissioned in 1851 to rise over 70 but stopped mid-construction.

An afternoon train in business class carries you from Khiva to Bukhara, where you see the Lyab-i Hauz ensemble, a 16th-century square still used as a rest stop for its grandness and age. The Kalyan minaret, built in 1127, stands 45.6 meters tall and survived even Genghis Khan's conquest. The Bolo Hauz mosque sits opposite the Ark fortress, one of Bukhara's last major buildings before the modern era. The Ark itself is the oldest structure in the city, home to rulers for over a millennium. An evening bullet train takes you to Samarkand in business class.

Samarkand holds five major sites: the Gur-Emir mausoleum of Tamerlane, built 1404–1405 and holding the world's largest piece of jade; Registan Square, surrounded by three medreses (Ulugbek, Sherdor and Tillokori); the Bibi-Khanym mosque, built 1399–1404 and named after Temur's wife; the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis with 44 tombs in over 20 mausoleums; and Ulugbek's observatory, where only the foundations remain of the sextant that descended 11 kilometers underground. The Siab bazaar still displays the produce and handicrafts of the region. An early morning bullet train returns you to Tashkent for a final day of sightseeing: the Khazrati-Imam ensemble in the old city, the Tashkent metro (Central Asia's first, opened in 1977, with stations of marble, granite and colorful bas-reliefs), Amir Timur Square with its statue of Tamerlane on horseback, and the State Museum of History. Transfer to the airport closes the tour.

What’s included

• Business-class train tickets on all routes (Khiva–Bukhara, Bukhara–Samarkand, Samarkand–Tashkent).
• overnight accommodation in twin rooms at centrally located 4-star hotels.
• air-conditioned vehicle transport throughout.
• licensed local guide in each city.
• all entrance tickets to museums and archaeological sites.
• airport and hotel transfers.

Options for this experience

2 options

Standard PriceGuide in 8 languages · 08:00Includes pickup

Add a hotel for the last night in TashkentGuide in 8 languages · 08:00Add a hotel for the last night in Tashkent; includes pickup

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 08:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Turkish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 20 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Silk Tour Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you need all four cities (Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand) covered in one loop with a guide leading you through each, rather than piecing together separate stops on your own.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Turkish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

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

You travel through four ancient Silk Road cities: Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand. The itinerary moves by domestic flight to Khiva, then by business-class train between Khiva and Bukhara, and again between Bukhara and Samarkand, returning to Tashkent by early morning bullet train on the final day.

Are train tickets and hotel rooms included in the price?

Yes. Business-class train tickets between all cities and overnight stays in centrally located 4-star hotels are included. You can add a final night in Tashkent at checkout if you need extra time before your flight.

What is Registan Square and why is it significant?

Registan is Samarkand's main square, surrounded by three medreses (Islamic schools) built by Ulugbek, Sherdor and Tillokori. It became the city center when life in the ancient settlement of Afrosiab ended, and it has been reconstructed several times over centuries.

Do I need to pay extra for museum entry?

All entrance tickets to museums and archaeological sites are included in the tour price. Photo and video charges at museums are paid separately in cash at each entrance, typically $1–2 per museum.

Can I book a single room instead of sharing?

Yes. A single room supplement of $50 per night is available and paid directly to the hotel at check-in, not included in the tour price.