Uzbekistan: Registan Square, Khiva & Bukhara Private Tour

Summary

Experience Silk Road legends from Tashkent to Samarkand with local insight

You’ll trace Uzbekistan’s Silk Road cities with a private guide—wander Tashkent’s bazaars, explore Khiva’s walled old town, sip tea crossing the Kyzyl Kum desert, and see Registan Square glow at sunset. Expect real conversations, home-cooked meals, and moments you’ll remember long after you leave.

What’s the experience like?

We landed in Tashkent just before sunrise, still half-asleep when our guide, Dilshod, greeted us at the airport with a grin and a thermos of tea. He said something about “real Uzbek hospitality” and I believed him right away. The old town was waking up as we wandered through Khast Imam—there was this faint smell of baking bread mixing with incense, and I kept getting distracted by the blue tiles everywhere. At Chorsu Bazaar, an old woman handed me a piece of warm samsa straight from her stall—I burned my tongue but didn’t care. Dilshod laughed and told me that’s how you know it’s fresh.

The drive to Khiva felt endless—miles of desert and then suddenly those thick mudbrick walls appeared out of nowhere. Inside Ichan-Kala, the air was dry but cool in the shade of the madrasahs. Our group tried counting all the minarets but lost track after three; someone joked that every corner had its own story (probably true). Dinner that night came with a folk show—Chorezmian dancers in bright silk whirled so fast my head spun too. I tried to clap along but gave up and just watched.

Bukhara was quieter than I expected. We stopped at a roadside teahouse halfway there—the green tea tasted earthy, almost smoky, and for some reason it reminded me of my grandmother’s kitchen back home. In the city itself, every step felt layered with history: Lyabi Khauz’s pool reflecting lazy clouds, the Ark Fortress looming over us like it had secrets to keep. One afternoon we sat in a shaded courtyard eating plov while schoolkids ran past yelling in Uzbek—I still think about that moment sometimes.

By the time we reached Samarkand on the Afrosiyob train (which is faster than it looks), I’d stopped trying to take perfect photos. Registan Square at dusk glowed gold and blue—honestly, no camera could catch it right. Our last dinner was with a local family; their little boy kept peeking at us from behind his mother’s skirt until he got brave enough to offer me a piece of melon. It was sweet and cold after all that sun.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Tashkent old town and landmarks

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Visit Khast Imam Complex
• Drive to Chorsu Bazaar
• Visit Monument of Valor and Amir Temur Square
• See Alisher Navoi Bolishoi Theater
• Visit Memorial Complex and Independence Square
• Evening meal and overnight at hotel

Day 2 — Travel to Khiva and city tour

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Airport transfer and depart to Urgench
• Arrive in Urgench and transfer to Khiva
• Explore Ichan-Kala walled center
• Visit Muhammad Aminkhan and Rahimkhan Madrasahs
• See Kalta Minor, Kunya Ark, and Juma Mosque
• Dinner with folk dance show
• Overnight at hotel in Khiva

Day 3 — Khiva sightseeing and cultural experience

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Visit Tash Hovli Palace and Islam Khoja Minaret
• See Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
• Drive and visit Toza Bog Palace and Nurullobay Complex
• Enjoy traditional Khorezmian lunch
• Dinner and overnight at hotel in Khiva

Day 4 — Drive from Khiva to Bukhara

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Transfer to Bukhara by car through Kyzyl Kum desert
• Stop for tea and grilled treats
• Look for wild camels along desert road
• Arrive in Bukhara and check in
• Rest and leisure time
• Overnight at hotel in Bukhara

Day 5 — Bukhara city tour and cultural dinner

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Visit Lyabi Khauz Complex and Magoki Attori Mosque
• See Chor Minor Madrasah and Trade Domes
• Visit Kalyan Minaret and Mosque
• Explore Miri Arabic Madrasah and Ulugbek Madrasah
• Visit Ark Fortress and Bolo Khauz Mosque
• See Chashma Ayub Mosque and Ismail-Samani Mausoleum
• Dinner with traditional dance show
• Overnight at hotel in Bukhara

Day 6 — Bukhara countryside and local cuisine

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Visit Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa summer residence
• See Bakhouddin Naqshbandi Mausoleum
• Visit Chor Bakr Necropolis
• Lunch with Uzbek national dish Sufi Plov
• Dinner and overnight at hotel in Bukhara

Day 7 — Travel to Samarkand by high-speed train

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Leisure time in Bukhara
• Transfer to train station
• Take Afrosiyob train to Samarkand
• Arrive and transfer to hotel
• Free time and optional night visit to Gur-Emir and Registan
• Overnight at hotel in Samarkand

Day 8 — Samarkand main sights and luxury lunch

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Visit Gur Emir Mausoleum
• Explore Registan Square
• Visit Bibi Khanum Mosque and Siab Bazaar
• Luxury Plov lunch arranged
• Dinner and overnight at hotel

Day 9 — Day trip to Shakhrisabz and return

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Transfer to Shakhrisabz by car
• Visit Jakhongir Mausoleum and Dor-us Saodat Complex
• See Ak Saray Palace remains and Kok Gumbaz Mosque
• Lunch with national dish tandir
• Drive back to Samarkand
• Overnight at hotel

Day 10 — Samarkand cultural and historical tour

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Visit Khazrat Khizr Mosque
• See Mausoleum of Islam Karimov
• Explore Shakhi Zinda Necropolis
• Visit Ulughbek Observatory and Mausoleum of Saint Daniel
• Tour Paper Mill "Meros" in Konigil Village
• Dinner at Uzbek family house
• Overnight at hotel

Day 11 — Return to Tashkent by train

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Free time in Samarkand
• Transfer to train station
• Take Afrosiyob train to Tashkent
• Driver pickup and transfer to hotel
• Overnight at hotel in Tashkent

Day 12 — Departure from Tashkent

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Early morning airport transfer
• End of journey

Top questions

How many days is this Uzbekistan private tour?

The tour lasts 12 days including arrival and departure days.

Are hotels included during the multi-day trip?

Yes, hotel accommodations are included each night in Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand.

Is daily breakfast provided on this tour?

Breakfast is included every day throughout the 12-day itinerary.

What are some main attractions visited?

You’ll visit Registan Square in Samarkand, Ichan-Kala in Khiva, Ark Fortress in Bukhara, Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent, among others.

Is transportation between cities included?

Private transportation is provided between all cities; flights and high-speed trains are also arranged where needed.

Will we have a local guide throughout?

A local guide accompanies you in each city for sightseeing and cultural context.

Are meals besides breakfast included?

Dinners are organized on several evenings including folk shows or family meals; lunch is included on select days such as luxury plov in Samarkand.

Does this tour include airport pickup?

Yes, airport transfers are included at arrival and departure in Tashkent.

What’s included

Your journey includes private transportation between cities (by car or train), airport pickup and drop-off in Tashkent, guided tours with local experts in each city, hotel stays every night with daily breakfast provided—and several dinners featuring traditional music or home-cooked Uzbek dishes along the way.