Lady’s 11-Day Uzbekistan Itinerary

Today I want to share my Uzbekistan itinerary with you. This country in Central Asia is known for its Silk Road history and stunning architecture. If you want to travel somewhere off the beaten path, read on for my guide to how to spend 11 days in Uzbekistan. I’ve included a map and practical tips, too.

11 Days in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan isn’t on every traveler’s radar. Landlocked in the ‘stans,’ it often gets overlooked. But the country is worth a special trip for its rich history, stunning landmarks, and good value.

I’ve wanted to travel to Uzbekistan ever since I saw photos of the country’s monumental architecture, blue tiles, and iconic domes on social media. My desire was heightened after watching a documentary on the Silk Road and reading the novel Samarkand. Now I have a chance to visit, and I can’t wait.

Serendipitously, I’ve planned a trip at the same time as some of my friends. When we discover our dates overlap, the six of us join forces and travel to Uzbekistan together. My friend Priya has worked hard to craft the itinerary and find good hotels and tours for us. I know it’s going to be a great trip.

Day 1: Tashkent

After flying in from various parts of the world, my group meets in Tashkent, the country’s capital. I arrive around 7pm and spend the evening hearing about the rest of the group’s tour of the city that day.

We’re all staying at the Hampton by Hilton hotel, which is in a great location in the heart of Tashkent. It’s right near Amir Timur Square, and there’s a restaurant in the lobby that serves a complimentary buffet breakfast each morning. If you want to follow in our footsteps, you can book a room here.

Day 2: Tashkent & Khiva

The next morning we wake up early and head out to explore the city. We start with the metro, which is not only a good way to get around Tashkent, but also a work of art in its own right. Stations like Alisher Navoiy are so beautiful we let several trains pass as we photograph the stunning halls and platforms.

We take the metro to the Chorsu Bazaar, the city’s largest and oldest market. Housed in and around a blue-domed building, it features all kinds of fresh produce, bread, nuts, meat, and other food.

After exploring the market, we take the metro back towards Amir Timur Square. We head to the iconic Hotel Uzbekistan to change money and admire its striking facade. This Soviet-era icon was built in 1974, and it’s known for both its Brutalist architecture and for having been the accommodation of choice of visiting dignitaries.

Back at our hotel, we meet our tour guide. He takes us to Uzbekiston Ovozi Street, where they’re setting up for the Navruz celebrations.

This annual holiday is an ancient New Year festival that heralds the arrival of spring. Festivities take place throughout the country’s major cities, and they include concerts, dances, performances, and cultural events.

We take a look around and make a note to return later when the celebrations are in full-swing.

In the meantime, the guide leads us back to Amir Timur Square to photograph the equestrian statue of Amir Timur. He was a 14th-century figure who founded the Timurid Empire that ruled over modern-day Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran.

Afterwards we spend time walking down the pedestrianized Sailgokh Street and checking out the wares at the market stalls there. From colorful clothing to art and souvenirs, there’s a lot to take in.

When we’re done browsing, the guide takes us back to the Chorsu Bazaar. We head straight to the bread ovens, where we’re invited to try our hands at putting loaves into and out of the hot clay domes. We buy some fresh ones to take with us, snacking as we explore the rest of the market.

Soon we get to taste sumalak, a sweet pudding-like paste made from slow-cooked germinated wheat sprouts and flour. Slathered on our fresh bread, it’s a delicious Navruz treat.

Under the big blue dome, we head upstairs to browse the nut vendors’ produce. They’re selling every kind of nut imaginable, and we pick up a few bags to take along as snacks for the rest of our trip.

At 4pm we find ourselves back on Uzbekiston Ovozi Street. The Navruz festivities are in full-swing. There’s a big concert on one end, street performers on stilts in the middle, and a market with traditional handicrafts on the other.

There are vendors selling samsa, or savory meat pastries, hot out of the oven, and dancers performing in the streets.

After enjoying the cultural displays, we head back to the hotel to check out and catch our flight to Urgench International Airport in the Khorazm Region of Western Uzbekistan.

90 minutes later, we land, pick up our bags, and meet our driver. He whisks us off on a 45-minute drive to Khiva, a 2,500-year-old walled city and UNESCO World Heritage site.

As soon as we arrive, we’re awed by the ancient city. With over 50 historic monuments and eye-catching minarets, this is the stuff of Uzbek fairy tales. It’s all magical in the floodlit night, and we feel like we’re in an enchanted kingdom.

When we put down our cameras, we walk to our accommodation, the Feruzkhan Hotel. It’s right in the walled city, and it’s housed in a former madrassa school. Our rooms are situated around a central courtyard, and it feels like we’ve stepped into a story from One Thousand and One Nights.

Day 3: Khiva

The next morning we wake up to blue sky and lots of sunshine. After breakfast at the hotel’s complimentary buffet, we meet our guide for the day. She takes us around on a tour to see the major sightseeing highlights in the historic area of Itchan Kala.

The stops include the Kalta Minor Minaret, Muhammad Aminkhan Madrasah, Kuhna Ark palace, Juma Mosque, Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum complex, Islam Khoja Minaret, Museum of Scholars, Khojamberdibi Madrasah, and Toshhovli Palace.

In between, we take time to browse at market stalls selling everything from clothing to pottery and traditional hats. We enjoy fresh pomegranate juice at an open-air cafe called Tea House Bir Gumbaz, watch a woodworking demonstration, and meet a camel named Michael (yes, really).

We stop for a late lunch at a restaurant called Mirza Boshi, where plates of pumpkin dumplings and hearty plov (rice with meat) go down a treat.

When sunset comes, we head to the rooftop of Terassa. There we enjoy drinks with views of everything from the Kuhna Ark to the Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasah before descending for a quick (and unimpressive) dinner at a place called Murod Josh by our hotel.

Day 4: Khiva & Bukhara

The next day we walk around Khiva on our own in the morning, revisiting places we liked the day before and taking a few last photos before departing.

Our next stop is Bukhara. There are trains between Khiva and Bukhara on certain days of the week, but our itinerary doesn’t coincide with them. Instead, our driver takes us on a 6.5-hour journey through the desert.

He stops to let us out for lunch at a roadside restaurant called Kyzylkum Teahouse. It’s the most expensive meal of our trip, and not terribly good. If we could do it again, we’d survive on snacks until arriving in Bukhara.

When we do arrive, we’re treated to stunning views of the city from the rooftop of our hotel. The Art Suzani is in an ideal location right next to the central Po-i-Kalyan complex, and we can’t get enough of the vistas from the roof terrace.

After getting settled into our rooms, we have dinner on the rooftop of Restaurant Kazan, where we enjoy more views of Po-i-Kalyan. Afterwards we spend the evening walking around the historic city center.

Day 5: Bukhara

The following morning we meet our guide at the hotel and head out for an early morning of sightseeing. Highlights of the tour include the Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Abdulaziz Khan Madrassah, Chor Minor Monument, Nodir Devonbegi Madrasah, Labi Hovuz Square, and Toki Sarrofon.

Back at the hotel, we eat a quick breakfast at the complimentary buffet before meeting back up with the guide for more sightseeing.

This time we start with the main event in Bukhara: the Po-i-Kalyan complex. We admire the tall Kalan Minaret and go into the 16th-century Kalan Mosque, admiring the stunning architecture as we take photos and videos.

From there our guide takes us to the Ark of Bukhara, a 5th-century fortress with stunning views of the city skyline. Afterwards we walk over to the Bolo Hauz Mosque, Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum, and Ismail Samani Mausoleum, with its stunning brickwork.

A few members of our group are interested in buying carpets, so our next stop is the Bukhara Silk Carpets shop and factory. After enjoy tea and halva, we watch a group of women deftly weaving in a small room.

From there we’re given the official sales pitch, where we see a range of carpets made of everything from sheep wool to camel fur and silk.

After the shop, we head off to Toqi Zargaron, a historic covered market area with spices, woodcarvings, and other traditional goods for sale. We browse the wares and pop into a few artisanal shops, then check out the markets in the Abdulaziz Khan Madrassah.

Afterwards, we head to lunch at a restaurant called Zolotaya Buhara. It’s buzzing inside, and we order plates of spinach pastries and pumpkin dumplings as we take in the traditional decor.

At sunset we head up to a rooftop cafe called Coffee and Shop for drinks and views. We can see all the way to the Po-i-Kalyan complex from here, and it’s a great place to see the sky turn golden.

After dark, we meet back up with our tour guide and take a walk through the city center. Retracing some of our steps from the morning’s tour, we pass balloon sellers and busy cafes en route to Labi Hovuz Square. There we take in the buzzing restaurant tables lining the historic pond.

Waving good-bye to our guide, we head to dinner on the terrace outside Chalet Terrassa. There’s live music and a chill atmosphere as we enjoy our evening meal of lagman noodles.

Day 6: Bukhara & Samarkand

On our second day in Bukhara we leave the city center. Our driver and guide take us on a tour to three important historical sites just outside the urban area.

The first is the Chor Bakr Memorial Complex. This place was built over the burial site of Abu-Bakr-Said, who died in the year 360 of the Muslim Calendar (around 971 AD). He was one of the four Abu-Bakrs, descendants of Muhammad.

The second site is the Sitori-i-Mokhi Khosa Palace. Built in the late 19th and early 20th century, it was a country retreat of the Emir of Bukhara. Today it houses a museum of decorative and applied arts, and visitors can see the stunning historic interiors and gardens.

The third is the Bahouddin Naqshband Muzey. Established after the death of Bahouddin Naqshband, the seventh Sufi saint, in 1389, this architectural complex has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. It’s home to everything from religious sites to gardens.

After visiting the complex, we head to the railway station for our trip to Samarkand. We have time to buy savory pastries for lunch at a place called Aisha before boarding the high-speed train. It’s a scenic journey through the Uzbek countryside, with mountains on one side and fields on the other.

After the 2-hour journey, our driver picks us up at the train station in Samarkand and takes us to our accommodation. We’re staying at the Bibikhanum Hotel, which is in a great location right next to the stunning Bibi-Khanym Mosque. There are amazing views of it and other landmarks from both the breakfast room and the landing.

After getting settled, we walk to an Indian restaurant called Cafe Punjab for dinner. Most of our group is either vegetarian or pescatarian, and we’ve been a bit starved for protein in meat-heavy Uzbekistan. We welcome a delicious feast of daal, paneer, and other dishes as we cap off our 6th day in the country.

Day 7: Samarkand

The following morning we start with a tour of Samarkand. Walking with our guide, we pass the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Hazrat Khizr Mosque on our way to the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis.

This place is packed with historic mausoleums and other ritual buildings dating from the 11th to the 19th century. With their monumental size and stunning tilework, they’re amazing to see.

After visiting Shah-i-Zinda, we return to the hotel for a quick breakfast. The complimentary buffet comes with a stunning view of Samarkand’s iconic domes, and we can’t take our eyes off the scenery as we eat.

Breakfast finished, our driver takes us to more of Samarkand’s sightseeing highlights. We visit Gur-i Amir, a stunning complex where Amir Timur is buried. Then we walk to Registan Square, picking up ice cream along the way.

Registan Square is one of the most stunning places I’ve seen on my travels. Famous for featuring three madrasas surrounding a central courtyard, this place has all the large-scale architecture and tiles I think of when I think of Uzbekistan.

We tour the square, taking in the design highlights and small museums as our guide talks us through the history and we stand in awe of the beauty of it all.

After the square, I peel off from the group and pick up some savory pastries for lunch at a place called Bibikhanum Chayxana. They’re tasty and filling after a big morning of sightseeing, and I enjoy them at an outdoor table in our hotel’s interior courtyard.

In the afternoon, I meet back up with the group to tour the local market. Siab Bazaar is packed with stalls selling everything from spices redolent of the Silk Road to colorful local pottery. Our guide takes us around, pointing out various foods and helping us negotiate prices with the vendors.

After the market, we head next door to tour the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. An important monument, it was one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world in the 15th century. With stunning monumental architecture and classic tiles, it’s everything we’ve come to love about Uzbekistan.

After touring it, a few of us walk back to Registan Square to get some sunset photos. It’s amazing to watch the sky turn pink and the buildings go from gold to green as the floodlights gradually replace the light of day.

We can’t help returning to Cafe Punjab for dinner. As guilty as we feel for not eating local food, our protein-starved bodies are hungry for more chickpeas, lentils, and paneer (and the food is so good it’s hard to resist the temptation).

Day 8: Day Trip to Tajikistan

The next morning two of us wake up early and head off on a day trip to Tajikistan. Sadly, the members of our group who only hold UK passports didn’t get their visas on time in spite of applying early (apparently this is very common).

The two of us with US passports can travel visa-free to Tajikistan (and Uzbekistan, for that matter), so our driver takes us on the hour-long trip to the border.

We clear passport control on both sides, then meet another driver and guide in Tajikistan. They whisk us off in a brand new van, and we speed past farms with snowcapped mountains in the distance. We’re headed to the Seven Lakes, a popular day trip to Tajikistan from Uzbekistan.

For the next few hours, we wind up mountain roads, stopping at each lake to take photos. There are small villages between each one, and increasingly picturesque views as we ascend the mountain. At the seventh lake, we meet a local dog who can’t help posing for photos.

Back down at lower elevation, we stop for a late lunch in Panjakent, a city on the Zeravshan River. We eat at a table with a view of the local covered market, enjoying heaping plates of plov and fresh bread as we admire the scenery outside.

Our last stop is at an ancient place called Sarazm. Right near the border with Uzbekistan, this UNESCO World Heritage Site features a Bronze Age settlement with remains of a 4th and 3rd millennium BC proto-urban area.

One of the oldest known human settlements in Central Asia, the site features excavations and a museum with artifacts and the skeleton of a woman from Sarazam.

Back in Samarkand, we meet up with the rest of the group for another dinner at Cafe Punjab before calling it an early night.

Day 9: Samarkand & Tashkent

The next morning our Uzbekistan itinerary continues as we head off with our guide to see more of the sightseeing highlights of Samarkand.

After she points out the ancient ruins of the city of Afrosiyob from the van, we start the day at the Tomb of Daniel. It’s dedicated to the Old Testament prophet of the same name.

First we see a well, where lots of locals are filling up water vessels to take home with them. On a hill above it, five domes run along the top of a structure that houses a 60-foot (18-meter) sarcophagus. It reputedly holds the remains of the prophet Daniel.

From the tomb the driver takes us to a paper mill called Bumazhnaya Fabrika Meros. Set in a sprawling but charming complex along a bucolic river, it’s home to a museum, workshops, clothing stores, restaurants, and all kinds of other spaces.

We’re welcomed with tea, then given a tour of the paper mill. After learning about the paper-making process, we walk around to take in the rest of the site. From art galleries to bread ovens, there’s a lot going on here.

Leaving the mill, we head to the train station. We’re off to Taskhent, which is a 2 hour and 15 minute high-speed rail journey from Samarkand.

When we arrive in the capital, a driver meets us and takes us to the Hampton by Hilton. We check in, feeling like we’re coming full-circle after a big tour of Uzbekistan.

After throwing our bags down, we meet one of the group’s local friends at an Italian restaurant called Syrovarnya. It’s hip and buzzing, and it shows us a contemporary side of the city we didn’t see on our first day. Big plates of pasta and burrata go down a treat as we recount stories from the trip.

Day 10: Day Trip to the Chimgan Mountains

On our last full day in Uzbekistan we take a day trip to the Chimgan Mountains. A driver picks us up in the morning and takes us through New Tashkent and out to a ski resort called Amirsoy. Two cable cars whisk us up the mountain, where we enjoy views from the peak.

Back down between the cable cars, we stop for a quick snack at Paul. We order everything from bread to macarons at the well-known European chain cafe, settling in at a window table to enjoy it all with a view of the mountains.

Once at the base, the driver takes us farther into the mountains and out to the Charvak Reservoir. Created in 1970, it’s a popular place for recreation and sightseeing in this part of Uzbekistan.

Back in Tashkent, we cap off our final full day with a trip to an amusement park called Magic City. It’s Disneyesque with its princess castle, but it also features a Big Ben-and-Tower Bridge duo. With a water-and-light show and plenty of photo opportunities, it’s an entertaining place.

We spend a few hours at Magic City, having dinner at Bollywood Cafe and walking around the grounds to take it all in. It’s a fun way to spend an evening in Tashkent.

Day 11: Tashkent

The next morning I enjoy the hotel’s complimentary breakfast buffet with the group, then head off on my own. My flight is later than theirs, and I have most of the day ahead of me. I set off to see the sights they saw on their first day in town.

Hopping in a taxi, I first go to the Center for Islamic Civilization. The largest cultural, scientific, and educational complex in Uzbekistan, it houses a museum, research institute, libraries, international organizations, centers of traditional crafts, laboratories, and educational departments.

It’s adjacent to the Hazrati Imam Complex, an architectural monument dating from the 16th to 20th centuries. The whole site is huge, and the architecture is stunning to see.

After exploring, I take another taxi to the Minor Mosque. This modern place features traditional marble, striking minarets, and a turquoise dome. There’s a pretty garden behind it, and it’s a peaceful place to visit.

Leaving the mosque, I walk down to the Monument to Courage. Dedicated to the people who rebuilt Tashkent after the 1966 earthquake, this sculpture celebrates friendship, fortitude, and courage.

From there I stroll along Sharaf Rashidov Avenue. I take in everything from Independence Square to the Palace of Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich and the State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan as I make my way to the Alisher Navoiy Theater.

From there I head to lunch at a local cafe called Bon! This contemporary place has lots of lunch options, and it’s the perfect spot for a quick meal on a day of sightseeing. I settle in for a bowl of lentil soup before continuing on my way.

The cafe is near Amir Temur Square, so I head back through it to reach the hotel. I check out, get a taxi, and head to the airport for my flight.

11-Day Uzbekistan Itinerary

It’s been a great 11-day trip to Uzbekistan, and I feel like I’ve seen and done all the big sightseeing highlights. The country has lived up to my (high) expectations, and it’s been worth the trip to Central Asia to see it. I hope my guide has inspired you to do the same.

Uzbekistan Itinerary Map & Practical Information

Find this post helpful? Buy me a coffee!

New here? Join thousands of others and subscribe to the A Lady in London blog via email.

Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I earn a small commission when you click on them and make a purchase. It doesn’t affect the way you shop, and it’s a great way to support the A Lady in London blog.

Pin it!