6-Day Uzbekistan Tour: Tashkent, Samarkand & Bukhara

Six days crossing Central Asia's Silk Road capitals on trains and with a private guide

A 6-day guided tour of Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara with private transportation, a live guide, 3-4 star hotel stays, breakfast, train tickets and entrance fees included. You start in Tashkent exploring the Hazrati Imam Complex and Chorsu Bazaar, travel by high-speed train to Samarkand to see Registan Square and Shah-i-Zinda, then continue to Bukhara for the Ark Fortress and Kalyan Minaret. The operator customizes the itinerary to your preferences.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and hotel check-in in Tashkent

• Transfer from airport to hotel
• Check in at hotel

Day 2: Tashkent city sightseeing tour

• Visit Hazrati Imam Complex
• Visit Dzhuma Mosque
• Visit Abdulkasym Medrese
• Explore Chorsu Bazaar
• Visit Amir Timur Square
• Visit Independence Square
• Walk in Tashkent City Park
• Visit Museum of Applied Arts
• Visit Amir Timur Museum

Day 3: Travel to Samarkand and city tour

• Train from Tashkent to Samarkand
• Check in at hotel in Samarkand
• Visit Gur Emir Mausoleum
• Explore Registan Square
• Visit Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis
• Visit Ulugh Beg Observatory
• Visit Bibi-Khanym Mosque
• Explore Siab Bazaar

Day 4: Travel to Bukhara and city tour

• Train from Samarkand to Bukhara
• Check in at hotel in Bukhara
• Visit Lyabi-Hauz Complex and Magoki-Attori Mosque
• Visit Chor Minor
• Explore Bukhara Trading Domes
• Visit Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque, and Mir-Arab Madrasah
• Visit Ulugh Beg and Abdullazizkhan Madrasahs
• Explore Ark Fortress
• Visit Samanid Mausoleum

Day 5: Bukhara sightseeing and return to Tashkent

• Visit summer palace of last Emir of Bukhara
• Visit Bahauddin Naqshband complex
• Explore Chor Bakr necropolis
• Train from Bukhara to Tashkent
• Check in at hotel in Tashkent

Day 6: Free day in Tashkent

• Hotel accommodation and free day

The experience

Six days gives you time to move slowly through three cities without rushing between them. You begin in Tashkent with a guide who takes you to the Hazrati Imam Complex (a 16th-century spiritual center housing the world's oldest Quran, the Uthman Quran), then to the Dzhuma Mosque with its intricate wooden columns, the Abdulkasym Medrese built in 1865, and Chorsu Bazaar under its blue dome where vendors sell spices, nuts and fresh bread. You also visit Amir Timur Square, Independence Square, Tashkent City's modern skyline, the Museum of Applied Arts in a former diplomat's mansion, and the Amir Timur Museum dedicated to the 14th-century conqueror.

On day three you board the Afrosiyob high-speed train for a 2-hour 15-minute journey to Samarkand. The guide leads you to the Gur-Emir Mausoleum, completed in 1404 as Amir Timur's tomb, then to Registan Square: three grand madrasahs with turquoise mosaics and towering minarets built from the 15th century onward. Shah-i-Zinda, a necropolis dating to the 9th century, stretches as an avenue of blue-tiled mausoleums. You also see the Ulugh Beg Observatory from around 1420, where the astronomer-ruler observed stars with a giant sextant, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque completed in 1404 with its massive dome and intricate tile work, and the Siab Bazaar selling local sweets and spices near the city center.

Day five takes you by train again, 1 hour 30 minutes, to Bukhara. The guide shows you Lyabi-Hauz, a 16th-century square with a historic pond surrounded by madrasahs and tea houses, and the Magoki-Attori Mosque, one of the oldest in the city, built on a 9th-century Zoroastrian temple site. Chor Minor's four blue-domed towers, built in 1807, offer rooftop views. You walk through the Trading Domes, brick bazaars from the 16th century with vaulted ceilings, then see the Kalyan Minaret, 47 meters tall with intricate brickwork, alongside the Kalyan Mosque and Mir-Arab Madrasah, a working Islamic school. The Ulugh Beg and Abdullaziz Khan madrasahs stand opposite each other, one from 1417 and the other from 1652, each showcasing a different era. The Ark Fortress, dating to the 5th century, was the residence of Bukhara's rulers and now contains museums and courtyards. The Samanid Mausoleum, built around 905–915 AD from baked bricks in geometric patterns, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. On the final day you return to Tashkent by train, about 3.5 hours, and have a free day to rest or explore on your own.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout the three cities.
• a live guide in your choice of language.
• accommodation in 3-4 star hotels with Wi-Fi and breakfast each morning.
• all train tickets on the Afrosiyob high-speed trains.
• entrance fees to every historical site including the Hazrati Imam Complex, Registan Square, Shah-i-Zinda, the Ark Fortress and the Samanid Mausoleum.
• hotel pickup on arrival.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 25

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

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 17 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 50

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Assalam Travel

Is this one for you?Book this 6-day itinerary if you want to see all three of Uzbekistan's major historical cities without backtracking. The fixed route and train schedule mean you move through Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara in sequence, spending enough time in each to explore the key sites without the logistics of arranging your own transport and guide.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

What's included in this 6-day tour of Uzbekistan?

The tour includes private transportation throughout, a live guide, accommodation in 3-4 star hotels with breakfast, all train tickets between cities, and entrance fees to every historical site. Hotel pickup is included. International airfare is not.

How do you travel between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara?

You travel on the Afrosiyob high-speed train: 2 hours 15 minutes from Tashkent to Samarkand, then 1 hour 30 minutes from Samarkand to Bukhara, and about 3.5 hours back to Tashkent on the final day. Train tickets are included in the tour price.

What is Registan Square and why is it worth seeing?

Registan Square in Samarkand is a plaza with three grand madrasahs, Islamic schools, built from the 15th century onward. Each features intricate turquoise mosaics, towering minarets and detailed calligraphy that reflect the artistry of the Timurid period, making it one of the most photographed sites in Central Asia.

What happens on the last day of the tour?

You return to Tashkent by train on day six and have a free day to rest at your hotel, explore the city on your own, or arrange additional activities. The tour ends after breakfast.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas and surfaces on the tour are wheelchair accessible, transportation options are wheelchair accessible, and specialized infant seats are available if needed. The operator notes the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.