Discover Uzbekistan – 5 Days
Overview
Discover the best of Uzbekistan in five days. Explore Tashkent's bazaars, mosques and squares, then travel to Samarkand to see the Registan, Gur-e-Amir and Shah-i-Zinda. Private transport, licensed guides and hand-picked hotels included.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- First-time visitors with only a few days to spare
- Travellers who want the Silk Road highlights without trains or flights
- Couples and friends who prefer a private car and their own pace
- Anyone adding a short Uzbekistan stop to a wider Central Asia trip
- You want more than one night in Samarkand
- You don’t enjoy long road journeys (two drives of about 4 hours)
- You’d rather have every dinner planned for you
Our honest opinion
- Relaxed 10:00 starts every day, with no early alarms
- Fully private car and guide, so you set the pace
- The Tashkent hotel is close to Chorsu Bazaar, ideal for exploring on your own
- Free evenings to enjoy the Registan lights and Tashkent’s fountains
- Day 4 is long: a full Samarkand tour, then about 4 hours’ drive back, reaching Tashkent late in the evening
- Only one night in Samarkand. If it’s your dream city, add a night
- The Plov Center is busy and loud at lunchtime, which is part of the fun
Five days is short, but this route makes the most of it. You get Tashkent’s real everyday life and Samarkand at its most magical: lit up at night, then explored with a guide the next morning.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Dotted lines show the road route.
Day by day
Meet at Tashkent International Airport and transfer to your hotel.
• Hotel check-in from 14:00.
Free time. We recommend visiting:
• Magic City Park – one of Tashkent's newest entertainment parks, famous for its
evening atmosphere and spectacular musical fountains.
• Seoul Mun Riverside – a pleasant waterfront promenade, perfect for an evening
walk, cafés, and relaxing after your flight.
10:00 – Guided sightseeing tour of Tashkent by private vehicle.
Highlights include:
• Khast Imam Complex and the Museum of Manuscripts, home to one of the
world's oldest Qur'an manuscripts.
• Chorsu Bazaar, the city's iconic traditional market where local life comes alive.
• Independence Square, the symbolic heart of modern Uzbekistan.
• Central Asian Plov Center, a tasting of Uzbekistan's national dish (lunch at your own expense).
• Romanov Palace, a beautiful reminder of the city's imperial past.
• Amir Timur Square and Broadway, combining elegant architecture with a lively
pedestrian atmosphere.
• Hotel Uzbekistan Observation Terrace, offering panoramic views over central
Tashkent.
16:00 – Free time. We recommend visiting:
• Center of Islamic Civilization, an impressive cultural and educational complex
dedicated to the rich history of Islamic scholarship in Uzbekistan.
• Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Cathedral, one of Tashkent's most
beautiful examples of Gothic-inspired architecture.
10:00 – Private transfer to Samarkand by car.
14:00 – Arrival in Samarkand and hotel check-in.
The remainder of the day is at leisure.
We recommend visiting:
• Registan Square in the evening, when its magnificent madrasahs are beautifully
illuminated, creating one of the most memorable sights in Central Asia.
10:00 – Guided sightseeing tour of Samarkand by private minivan.
Highlights include:
• Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the final resting place of the great conqueror Amir
Timur.
• Registan Square, the legendary architectural masterpiece of the Silk Road.
• Bibi-Khanym Mosque, once among the largest mosques in the Islamic world.
• Shah-i-Zinda Memorial Complex, an extraordinary avenue of turquoise
mausoleums and one of Uzbekistan's most sacred pilgrimage sites.
• Meros Paper Mill, where traditional handmade paper is still produced using
centuries-old techniques.
18:00 – Evening transfer back to Tashkent by private vehicle.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Tashkent International Airport for your departure flight.
What’s included
What’s not included
Where you’ll stay
Or equivalent, depending on season.
Choose your hotel category
Same itinerary, same guide — pick the comfort level that suits you. The price switch is in the booking box.
- TashkentMarwa
- SamarkandShahristan Art
- Tashkent - Swissotel
- Samarkand - Movenpick
Good to know
Most nationalities enter Uzbekistan visa-free for 30–90 days. If your passport needs an e-visa, it takes 2–3 working days online — we check your case and guide you at booking.
About 300 km, or 4 to 4.5 hours by private car each way, with a short stop on the road.
Hotel check-in in Tashkent is from 14:00. If your flight lands early in the morning, let us know and we’ll request early check-in.
Breakfast every morning from Day 2 (4 breakfasts). Lunches and dinners are not included and are at your own choice — including the plov tasting at the Plov Center in Tashkent, which is at your own expense. Full-board is available on request.
Yes. The evening of Day 3 is free in Samarkand, and we recommend visiting the Registan when its madrasahs are illuminated. You’ll also explore it with your guide on Day 4.
The local currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Visa and Mastercard work in city hotels, restaurants and supermarkets; keep some cash for bazaars, taxis and tips. ATMs dispense som and sometimes USD.
April–May and September–October are warm and pleasant for sightseeing. July–August is very hot, often 38–40 °C; winter is cold but sunny and quiet.
Plug types C and F, 220 V — the same as most of Europe. Travellers from the UK, US and Asia need a standard Euro adapter.
Everyday dress is relaxed in every city on the route. Inside mosques and madrasas, shoulders and knees should be covered; headscarves for women are only needed in a few active mosques — your guide will tell you when.
Hotel Wi-Fi works well in the cities and mobile data is cheap with a local SIM. Your coordinator stays reachable on WhatsApp or Telegram throughout.
Free cancellation 40 days or more before departure. 39–30 days: 30% of the price is kept; 29–15 days: 50%; 14 days or less or no-show: 100%. One free change of dates or hotel category 45+ days before departure.
Medical insurance for your days in Uzbekistan is included in the tour price. It does not cover cancellation or baggage, so we recommend your own travel insurance as well — we can suggest trusted providers.
Yes. We can add extra nights in Samarkand or Tashkent, or combine it with other trips in Uzbekistan.
Tips aren’t included and are optional, but they are appreciated for good service by your guides and drivers.
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