Travel guide
Two days in Samarkand
Two days is enough to see Samarkand's great monuments without rushing — or to see the city in one day and add a trip to Shakhrisabz.
Day 1: the Registan and the old centre
Morning: start at the Registan, the square framed by three madrasas, before the tour groups arrive. Walk on to Gur-e-Amir, the mausoleum of Amir Timur.
Afternoon: follow the pedestrian street to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and the Siab Bazaar next door — the place for bread, dried fruit and nuts.
Evening: go back to the Registan after dark, when the madrasas are lit up.
Day 2: Shah-i-Zinda and beyond
Morning: walk the avenue of tiled mausoleums at Shah-i-Zinda, best in the soft morning light.
Afternoon: visit Ulugbek's Observatory and the Afrosiyob museum on the site of ancient Samarkand — they are further out, so a car or taxi helps.
Or: a day trip to Shakhrisabz
Shakhrisabz, Amir Timur's birthplace, is about 90 km south over the mountains. A return day trip by private car, with the driver waiting while you explore, costs $110 for a sedan, per vehicle. See Samarkand to Shakhrisabz.
Getting there and on
Samarkand to Bukhara is 3.5–4 hours by car (from $100), and Samarkand to Tashkent 4–4.5 hours (from $100). If you want a car for the whole day in the city, see our car with driver.