Uzbekistan Itinerary: 7 to 10 Days on the Silk Road

Blue domes. Tiled everything. Ancient cities that look like someone built a storybook and then let people live in it.

Yep, that’s Uzbekistan. And it’s the Silk Road you’ve probably seen on your feed.

Here’s the good news: it’s way easier to do on your own than you’d think. Americans don’t need a visa, and fast trains connect the big cities. So you can see the highlights in about a week without losing your mind.

I spent about 8 days in Uzbekistan as the last leg of my 17-day Central Asia itinerary. Below is the route I’d tell a friend to take, how many days to give each city, my favorite spots in each, and which city I’d cut if you’re short on time.

Heads up: Steppe Journeys invited me on the tour that got me here. As always, opinions are 100% my own.

Your Uzbekistan Itinerary at a Glance

The classic Silk Road route runs east to west: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, then Khiva. You take fast trains most of the way, then fly back to Tashkent from Urgench (the airport closest to Khiva) at the end. No backtracking across the desert.

Here’s how I’d split it up.

7 days (the highlights):

• Days 1 to 2: Tashkent
• Days 3 to 4: Samarkand
• Day 5: Bukhara
• Days 6 to 7: Khiva, then fly Urgench to Tashkent

10 days (slower, plus a taste of Tajikistan):

• Days 1 to 2: Tashkent
• Days 3 to 5: Samarkand, including a Seven Lakes day trip
• Days 6 to 7: Bukhara
• Days 8 to 9: Khiva
• Day 10: Fly Urgench to Tashkent

Tashkent (Days 1 to 2)

Most people treat Tashkent like a layover city. Don’t!

Out of the three Central Asian capitals I visited, Tashkent was the most beautiful in terms of architecture. It’s a big, modern, easy city with wide streets, leafy parks, and some seriously pretty buildings tucked in between the Soviet blocks.

What to do in Tashkent:

• Hazrati Imam Complex: Tashkent’s big showstopper. Turquoise domes, tall minarets, and a huge open square. Right next door, the brand-new Center for Islamic Civilization houses the famous Uthman Quran, one of the oldest in the world.
  Pro tip: it’s PACKED with tour groups in the morning. I went back around 4pm and had it almost to myself.
• Chorsu Bazaar: The giant domed market. Spices, dried fruit, fresh bread straight out of the clay ovens, and some prime people watching.
• Ride the metro: The stations are basically underground art galleries with chandeliers, mosaics, and marble everywhere. Photos used to be banned, but now you’re free to snap away.
• Museum of Applied Arts: If you only do one museum in Tashkent, make it this one. The building itself, a former merchant’s house covered in carved wood and tile, is the real star.
• The tiled apartment blocks: Near the Abdulla Qodiriy monument, there are Soviet apartment buildings covered in mosaic murals. Total street photography gold.

Samarkand (Days 3 to 4)

Samarkand is the one. If you only see one city in Uzbekistan, make it this one.

It’s about 2 hours from Tashkent on the fast train, and it’s where all those “is this place even real?!” photos come from. The tile work up close is unreal. I kept stopping every five steps to look up.

What to do in Samarkand:

• Registan Square: Three massive, tiled madrassahs all facing each other. Probably the single most impressive spot in the whole country. Go during the day to wander inside, then come back at night (more on that below).
• Shah-i-Zinda: My personal favorite. A whole street of blue-tiled tombs climbing up a hill. Count the steps on the way up and then again when you get back down to see if you get the same number (there’s lore behind that), then just keep wandering. It’s way bigger than it looks from the entrance.
• Gur-i Amir: Timur’s mausoleum, with a ribbed turquoise dome and a gold-covered interior. It looks great from the outside in the evening too.
• Bibi-Khanym Mosque: Once one of the biggest mosques in the Islamic world. Huge and worth a quick stop.
• Silk paper workshop (Koni Gil): See how paper gets made from mulberry trees, the old-school way. Cute, quick, and very different from the mosque-madrassah-mausoleum loop.
• Silk carpet workshop: Watch women hand-weave silk carpets knot by knot. One line takes about an hour of work, which explains the prices. A bathmat-sized carpet was around $600. LOL. Just look, no pressure.

Samarkand after dark:

Dinner with a view: Book a table on the rooftop at Emirhan Restaurant. The rooftop doesn’t open until 6pm, and you’ll want a reservation. I showed up without one, paired up with another solo traveler so we could grab a table together, and it ended up being a really fun night.

The Registan light show: Head back to Registan after dinner for the free light show. Just grab a spot on the steps and watch. When I went, it didn’t start until 9pm and ran about 20 minutes. Super worth it.

Got 10 days? Add the Seven Lakes. Tajikistan’s Seven Lakes are close enough to Samarkand to do as a day trip. Seven turquoise lakes stacked up through the mountains, and a totally different vibe from the Silk Road cities. It’s a long day with a border crossing, so bring your passport. But it’s an easy way to tick off a second country.

Bukhara (Day 5)

Bukhara is about an hour and 45 minutes past Samarkand on the fast train, and it’s the most laid-back of the four. It’s smaller and sandier, with a compact old town you can easily walk.

I’ll admit that by the time I got here, the domes were starting to feel a little same-same. But that’s not Bukhara’s fault! It’s just the third Silk Road city in a row. One full day here is lovely, and it’s an easy stop on the way west to Khiva. Give it two if you’re on the 10-day plan and want to slow down.

What to do in Bukhara:

• The Ark: Bukhara’s old fortress. Walk around to the back for a view over the whole town from above.
• Poi Kalon Complex: The big one. A huge mosque, a working madrassah, and the towering Kalyan Minaret all in one square.
• Bolo Hauz Mosque: Right across from the Ark, with a porch of tall carved wooden pillars.
• Samanid Mausoleum: One of the oldest buildings in Central Asia, dating back over a thousand years. Look closely at the brickwork. It’s woven into patterns like basketry.
• Lyabi Hauz: A pool surrounded by old trees and cafes. The center of life in the old town, especially in the evening.
• Chor Minor: A tiny, quirky building with four blue-domed towers. It’s a short walk out of the center, but it’s very cute.
• The trading domes: Old covered bazaars now full of suzani embroidery, ceramics, and souvenirs. Fun to browse even if you don’t buy.
• Just outside town: The Emir’s Summer Palace (I watched artists painting tiny, detailed miniatures here) and the Bahauddin Naqshband shrine, an important Sufi pilgrimage site. Both are a short drive out.

Where to sit and soak it in:

• Silk Road Teahouse: My favorite spot in Bukhara. It’s one flat price (about 70,000 som/$6 when I went) for tea with free refills and a spread of local sweets. It’s VERY busy, but they squeezed me in solo.
• Minorai Kalon Restaurant and Terrace: Hands down the best view of the Kalyan Minaret. Grab a salad and a samsa and just stare.
• Art Suzani Sunset Coffee Terrace: A rooftop deck made for a sunset beer.

Want something extra? Bukhara has traditional hammams (bathhouses) and an evening puppet show, both easy to add on.

Khiva (Days 6 to 7)

Khiva is way out west near the Turkmenistan border, and getting here takes some effort. But wow.

The entire walled old town, Itchan Kala, IS the attraction. It’s like walking around inside a sandcastle. Khiva is also the most traditional city on the route. You won’t find fast food chains inside the walls, and it feels the most frozen in time of all four.

What to do in Khiva:

• Get your ticket at the West Gate: Most of the sights inside Itchan Kala are covered by one ticket you buy at the gate. Sort that first.
• Kalta Minor: The stubby, fully tiled turquoise minaret that was never finished. It’s the shot everyone gets, and for good reason.
• Kuhna Ark: The old khan’s fortress, with gorgeous tiled courtyards inside.
• Juma Mosque: A dim hall packed with over 200 carved wooden pillars. So cool.
• Islam Khoja Minaret: The tallest minaret in town. You can climb it for views over the whole old city.
• Tosh Hovli Palace and Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum: Two of the prettiest tiled interiors in Khiva.
• Golden hour: Seriously, just wander. Khiva glows at sunset, and the crowds thin out once the day tours leave.

Where to eat with a view: Terrassa Cafe and Arxi Terrasa both have rooftop seating overlooking the old town. Go around sunset and order a glass of wine.

Getting Around Uzbekistan

This is the part that makes Uzbekistan so easy to DIY. The trains are clean, comfy, and fast.

• Tashkent to Samarkand: About 2 hours 15 minutes on the Afrosiyob high-speed train.
• Samarkand to Bukhara: About 1 hour 45 minutes on the Afrosiyob.
• Bukhara to Khiva: The newer high-speed train gets you there in under 4 hours, way faster than the old 6-plus hour ride across the desert. Check which train you’re booking.
• Khiva back to Tashkent: Fly from Urgench, about a 30-minute drive from Khiva. The flight is a little over an hour.
• In the cities: Use the Yandex Go app for taxis. Cheap, easy, and no haggling.

Book train tickets ahead. The fast trains sell out in high season, so grab seats a few weeks before your trip on the Uzbekistan Railways website or app.

Quick Tips for Uzbekistan

• Visas: Americans can visit Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days.
• Best time to go: Spring (April to June) and fall (September to October). Summer in the desert cities gets seriously hot, so sightsee early and late if you go then.
• Money: The currency is the som. Cards were accepted way more than the internet led me to believe, and ATMs give out som.
• What to wear: City streets are pretty relaxed. For active mosques, cover your shoulders and knees. A light scarf is handy for women (recommended, not required), and you can buy one anywhere.

• Don’t overdo the museums: Every city has a few, and the history starts to repeat. Pick one per city and spend the rest of your time wandering.
• Food: It’s hearty and meat-heavy. Plov (rice with carrots and meat) is the national dish, and you’ll see it everywhere. Bakeries and fresh bread are a highlight too.
• Safety: I felt safe the entire time. Our guide in Samarkand left her purse sitting in a super busy spot for an hour, and nobody touched it.

DIY or Take the Easy Button?

Honestly? Uzbekistan on its own is one of the easiest countries in Central Asia to DIY. Fast trains, visa-free entry, and clear routes between the big cities. Book your trains, grab a few day tours, and you’re set.

Where a tour really earns its keep is when you’re stringing together multiple Stans. That’s what I did. Four countries, land borders, flights, trains, four currencies… and someone else handled all of it.

In Uzbekistan specifically, having a local guide in every city meant I actually understood what I was looking at instead of just taking pretty photos. It adds SO much context, and it’s amazing to have everything taken care of for you!

So, Is Uzbekistan Worth It?

Ummm, yes. 100%.

The architecture alone is worth the trip. Add in how easy it is to get around, how safe it feels, and how few people have it on their radar yet, and it’s kind of a no-brainer.

Pick your cities, book your trains, and go. And if you want to see more of the Stans while you’re out here, check out my full 17-day Central Asia itinerary through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Have you been to Uzbekistan, or is it on your list? I hope this helped you plan out your Uzbekistan itinerary!

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