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Sample Uzbekistan itineraries: 7, 10 and 14 days

Three field-tested route plans covering the Silk Road classic, a Silk Road plus the Fergana Valley or the Aral Sea, and the full country loop.

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7 min read3 sourcesEssentials

Uzbekistan is a fast country to move around thanks to the Afrosiyob high-speed train and short domestic flights, but its highlights are spread over 1,400 kilometres of oasis and desert. The itineraries below are the three plans we run most often, and reflect what actually works on the ground. All three start and end in Tashkent, all three can be run privately or in a small group, and all three assume a spring or autumn window.

How to choose which itinerary is right for you

The right length depends on two variables: how much of Uzbekistan you want to see, and how deep you want to go in each place. The classic Silk Road cities need at least six days on the ground to be fair to; less than that becomes a highlights blur. If you have ten days you gain a slower pace and enough time for a craft afternoon in Bukhara. Fourteen days lets you add either the Fergana Valley (craft country) or Karakalpakstan (Aral Sea and Nukus's Savitsky Museum).

7 days — Silk Road light

Day 1 · Arrive Tashkent
Airport pickup, gentle city walk, welcome dinner. Overnight Tashkent.
Day 2 · Tashkent to Samarkand
Morning at Chorsu bazaar and Khast Imam. Afrosiyob to Samarkand (2 h 10 min). Registan at dusk. Overnight Samarkand.
Day 3 · Samarkand
Shah-i-Zinda in the morning, Bibi-Khanym and Gur-e-Amir in the afternoon, wine cellars at Khovrenko in the evening. Overnight Samarkand.
Day 4 · Samarkand to Bukhara
Afrosiyob to Bukhara (1 h 30 min). Afternoon at Poi Kalyan. Overnight Bukhara.
Day 5 · Bukhara
Ark, Trading Domes, Bolo Hauz. Craft afternoon with a suzani studio or miniature painter. Overnight Bukhara.
Day 6 · Return to Tashkent
Afrosiyob back to Tashkent. Afternoon at the Applied Arts Museum, farewell dinner. Overnight Tashkent.
Day 7 · Depart Tashkent
Airport transfer.

10 days — Silk Road classic (recommended)

Day 1 · Arrive Tashkent
Airport pickup, orientation dinner. Overnight Tashkent.
Day 2 · Tashkent to Khiva
Morning Tashkent metro tour. Afternoon flight to Urgench, transfer to Khiva. Sunset over the walls. Overnight Khiva.
Day 3 · Khiva Ichan Kala
Full day inside the walled city with a local historian. Overnight Khiva.
Day 4 · Khiva to Bukhara
Drive across the Kyzylkum with a stop for tea. Overnight Bukhara.
Day 5 · Bukhara old town
Poi Kalyan, Ark Fortress, Trading Domes on foot. Overnight Bukhara.
Day 6 · Bukhara crafts day
Suzani, miniature painting, evening plov cooking class. Overnight Bukhara.
Day 7 · Bukhara to Samarkand
Afrosiyob train. Afternoon Gur-e-Amir. Overnight Samarkand.
Day 8 · Samarkand headliners
Registan, Bibi-Khanym, Siyob bazaar, private access at dusk. Overnight Samarkand.
Day 9 · Samarkand hidden corners
Shah-i-Zinda, Ulugh Beg observatory, paper making at Konigil village. Overnight Samarkand.
Day 10 · Return to Tashkent, depart
Morning train back to Tashkent for onward flights.

14 days — Grand tour

Days 1–3 · Tashkent → Nukus → Muynak
Fly to Nukus. Savitsky Museum. Day trip to the Aral ship graveyard at Muynak.
Days 4–5 · Khiva
Drive south to Khiva. A full day in Ichan Kala.
Days 6–7 · Aydarkul and Bukhara
Kyzylkum desert crossing with a yurt night at Lake Aydarkul, then Bukhara.
Days 8–10 · Bukhara + Shakhrisabz
Two full days in Bukhara plus a day-trip over the pass to Shakhrisabz.
Days 11–12 · Samarkand
Registan, Shah-i-Zinda, Ulugh Beg observatory.
Day 13 · Return to Tashkent
Afrosiyob back to Tashkent, farewell dinner.
Day 14 · Depart Tashkent
Airport transfer.

The under-visited alternative: Silk Road + Fergana Valley (10 days)

If crafts are the point of your trip, a variant of the classic 10-day plan swaps two days in Samarkand for two days in the Fergana Valley — visiting Yodgorlik silk factory in Margilan, a Rishton ceramics studio, and Chust knife-makers. This is our recommended trip for repeat visitors or travellers who have already seen Samarkand elsewhere in the region.

Tips and tricks

  1. Fly one leg, take the train back

    Tashkent to Khiva by flight and Khiva to Bukhara to Samarkand overland is the most efficient sequence. Reverse it and you lose a full day to the desert crossing on arrival, when jet-lag is worst.

  2. Two nights minimum in every headline city

    One night in Bukhara is not enough — the golden-hour walk around Poi Kalyan is a separate experience from the morning walk to the Ark. Same for Samarkand. Compress travel days instead.

  3. Build in one rest day

    Uzbekistan is not a demanding country but ten days of monument-heavy sightseeing is more than most travellers realise. Give yourself an afternoon off in Bukhara or Samarkand.

  4. The best 14-day trip is 10 days plus 4 in one region

    Rather than trying to see everything, add depth in one region: 10 classic days + 4 in the Fergana Valley, or 10 classic days + 4 in Karakalpakstan/Aral.

  5. Fridays and Saturdays are wedding days

    Weekend evenings in every city are full of loud, joyous weddings — great to observe if you enjoy them, worth being aware of if you want quiet.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Uzbekistan?

Seven days is the minimum for the three Silk Road cities (Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara). Ten days is the sweet spot for the classic route (adding Khiva). Fourteen days lets you add either the Fergana Valley or the Aral Sea and Karakalpakstan.

Which cities in Uzbekistan should I visit first?

Start with Tashkent (arrival), then in order: Khiva (walled inner city), Bukhara (Silk Road ensemble), Samarkand (Registan headliner). This order lets you build up architecturally to Samarkand's grand finale.

Is 5 days enough for Uzbekistan?

Not really. Five days leaves time only for Tashkent, one full day in Samarkand, and one full day in Bukhara — a stripped-down trip that misses Khiva and the country's craft heartland. If you have five days, focus them entirely on Samarkand and Bukhara.

Can I do Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in one trip?

Yes. Tashkent to Almaty is 1 hour by air or 12 hours overland by train. Add three days for Almaty and Charyn Canyon. The best combined trip is 10 days Uzbekistan + 4 days Almaty region.

Is Uzbekistan good for a weekend trip?

Yes for Samarkand specifically — direct flights from London, Frankfurt, Istanbul and the GCC to Samarkand's new international airport (opened 2022) make a Thursday-to-Sunday city break realistic. Three days on the ground is enough for the Registan, Shah-i-Zinda, and a day-trip to Shakhrisabz.

See also

References

Every article on this site cites primary and secondary sources. Inline superscripts [n] link to the numbered entries below. All external links open in a new window.

  1. Uzbekistan Railways— O'zbekiston Temir Yo'llari
  2. Uzbekistan tourism guide— State Committee for Tourism
  3. Samarkand — Crossroad of Cultures— UNESCO
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