6-day Uzbekistan tour Khiva-Bukhara-Samarkand by train

You cross three centuries of Central Asian architecture without arranging a single train ticket yourself.

A 6-day private tour of Uzbekistan's three major cities (Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand) connected by train, with licensed local guides, air-conditioned transport and five nights in central hotels. You arrive at Urgench airport, explore the walled old city of Khiva, then travel by train to Bukhara to see the Kalyan Minaret and the Ark fortress, and finally to Samarkand for the Registan Square, Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis and Gur-e-Emir Mausoleum. The operator handles all train bookings and logistics.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Khiva sightseeing

• Arrive at Urgench Airport
• Transfer to Itchan Kala Khiva
• Visit Kalta-minor Minaret
• Explore Kunya Ark Citadel
• See Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
• Visit Khiva's Juma Mosque
• Tour Tash-Khauli Palace
• Explore Islam-Khodja complex

Day 2: Free time in Khiva and train to Bukhara

• Free time exploring Khiva monuments
• Transfer to Khiva railway station
• Train from Khiva to Bukhara
• Transfer from Bukhara Train Station to hotel

Day 3: Sightseeing in Bukhara

• Visit Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble
• Explore Kalyan Minaret complex
• Tour the Ark Fortress
• See Bolo Hauz Mosque
• Visit oldest surviving mosque
• Explore medieval bazaar

Day 4: Free time in Bukhara and train to Samarkand

• Free time in Bukhara
• Transfer to Kagan Railway station
• Train from Bukhara 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
• Explore Shakhi-Zinda Ensemble
• See Ulugbek's Observatory

Day 6: Departure from Samarkand

• Transfer to Samarkand Airport
• Fly home

The experience

You land at Urgench airport and a driver meets you at the arrivals hall. A short transfer takes you to Khiva, where the walled Ichan Kala (a medieval city built inside brick fortification walls up to ten meters high) fills the first afternoon and evening. The old town is a rectangle 650 by 400 meters, built according to ancient Central Asian traditions, and your guide walks you through the Kalta-minor minaret (stopped at 29 meters and covered in glazed tile), the Kunya Ark citadel, the Pahlavan Mahmud mausoleum with its blue-tiled dome, and the Juma Mosque at the heart of the city. Day two leaves time to explore more on your own before the afternoon transfer to Khiva railway station for the train to Bukhara, departing at 15:00 or 18:00 depending on the day.

Bukhara's sightseeing centers on the Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble (a 16th-century square with a water reservoir, medressah and caravanserai still used as a rest stop), and the Kalyan Minaret complex, a 45.6-meter survivor from 1127 that so impressed Genghis Khan he refused to destroy it. You also visit the Ark, Bukhara's oldest structure and home to its rulers for over a millennium, and the Bolo Hauz mosque opposite it. A free afternoon on day four gives you time to hunt for smaller monuments or the medieval bazaar before the transfer to Kagan railway station, 15 kilometers away, for the train to Samarkand.

Samarkand's day is built around four major sites: the Registan Square, surrounded by three medreses (Ulugbek, Sherdor and Tillokori); the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, built between 1399 and 1404 after Timur's campaign in Delhi; the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, a complex of 44 tombs in more than 20 mausoleums on the southeastern mound; and the Gur-e-Emir Mausoleum, Timur's tomb, which holds the world's largest piece of jade. The Siab Bazaar and Ulugbek's Observatory (where only the foundations and part of a huge sextant remain) round out the afternoon. On day six, a transfer takes you to Samarkand airport for your flight home. All train tickets between the three cities are included, as are licensed guides who speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and five other languages, plus air-conditioned transport and five nights in centrally located 3-star or boutique hotels.

What’s included

• Train tickets for all three routes (Khiva to Bukhara, Bukhara to Samarkand).
• licensed experienced local guides in each city.
• air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing.
• five nights accommodation in centrally located 3-star or boutique hotels.

Options for this experience

6 options

Without hotel bookingsGuide in 9 languages · 06:00Book your own hotel. Pickup is included

Six-day private tour of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand by trainGuide in 9 languages · 06:00Pickup is included

Extra night in Khiva on the seven-day tourGuide in 9 languages · 06:00One-day option: a room on arrival in Khiva for early check-in, or arrival one day earlier, including breakfast. Pickup is included

See 3 more options

4 Star HotelsGuide in 9 languages · 06:00Four-star hotels. Pickup is included

Seven-day desert adventure detourGuide in 9 languages · 06:00One-day yurt camp: drive to Bukhara and visit Nurata, drive to the yurt camp, camel ride, dinner, overnight in a yurt, breakfast, then drive to Ayder-kul to swim and have lunch in the Kyzylkum Desert at Aydarkul Lake. Pickup is included

Extra night in Tashkent including trainGuide in 9 languages · 06:00One-day extra night in Tashkent with breakfast and the train from Samarkand to Tashkent. 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 06:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Youth (7 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

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

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 65

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Silk Tour Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to visit all three cities on a structured schedule with trains included. Choose it over self-guided travel when you prefer a guide leading you through each city rather than navigating 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, Persian and Turkish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 17 years); Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3).

What is inside the walled old city of Khiva that takes up the first day?

Ichan Kala is a medieval city enclosed by brick walls up to ten meters high, built as a regular rectangle 650 by 400 meters. Inside are the Kalta-minor minaret (29 meters tall, covered in glazed tile), the Kunya Ark citadel from the 12th century, the Pahlavan Mahmud mausoleum with its blue-tiled dome, the Juma Mosque, Tash-Khauli Palace and the Islam-Khodja complex with its madrasa and minaret.

How do you get from Khiva to Bukhara?

You take a train departing from Khiva railway station at either 15:00 or 18:00, depending on the day of travel. The operator includes the train ticket and arranges your transfer to the station and from Bukhara station to your hotel.

What are the main monuments you see in Samarkand?

The Registan Square is surrounded by three medreses (Ulugbek, Sherdor and Tillokori). You also visit the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, built between 1399 and 1404; the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, a complex of 44 tombs in more than 20 mausoleums; the Gur-e-Emir Mausoleum, which holds Timur's tomb and the world's largest piece of jade; and Ulugbek's Observatory, where only the foundations and part of a huge sextant survive.

Are museum entries included in the price?

Museum entries are not included in the tour price, so you can choose which sites to enter and which to view from outside. Your guide can advise on opening hours and what each site contains.