UZBEKISTAN
Plan your Uzbekistan trip: routes, trains, money.
Itineraries from one week to two, train and money guides, and city plans for Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, checked against official sources. Kyrgyzstan is available as an add-on. A good journey starts with a little curiosity.
Start with the guidesYOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE
01 / YOUR PLANNING DESK
A route. A ticket. A good start.
Choose where to go, understand how to book, and make the first intercity journey with a plan.
ITINERARY · 10 DAYS
Your first Uzbekistan journey
Four cities, nine nights, and a clear plan for the final journey home.
Tashkent → Samarkand → Bukhara → KhivaPRACTICAL GUIDE
Book your train tickets
Search, passenger details, payment and the ticket itself. Follow the booking process, with a plan for common problems.
A step-by-step booking guideROUTE GUIDE
Tashkent to Samarkand
Choose a journey, check the right station and plan your arrival in Samarkand.
From your hotel to the next cityMUSEUM GUIDE · TASHKENT
Islamic Civilization Center, Tashkent: a visitor guide
Visit Tashkent’s Islamic Civilization Center: Quran Hall, science galleries, ticket prices, opening hours and a half-day plan. Checked September 2026.
Read the guideEntry documents & accommodation registration
Uzbekistan visa and registration: entry rules for 2026
Uzbekistan visa-free stays, e-visa fees, passport checks and hotel registration. Sources checked 14 September 2026.
Read the guideUzbekistan trains
Afrosiyob and Sharq trains: routes, classes and getting a seat
Compare Afrosiyob and Sharq, understand the 60-day booking window, choose a class, plan for luggage and meals, and find the correct Tashkent station.
Read the guideCash & customs
Cash limits in Uzbekistan: customs and how much to bring
Declare cash above 100 million som. Entry and exit rules, $100 in som and a cash worksheet for 7, 10 or 14 days. Checked September 2026.
Read the guideTRIP LENGTH · DECISION GUIDE
How many days in Uzbekistan? Choose 7, 10 or 14
Compare city time, hotel nights and the trade-offs in a 7-, 10- or 14-day Uzbekistan trip. Decide what to cut, when to add Khiva and how to allow for a return.
Read the guideCITY GUIDE · TASHKENT
One day in Tashkent: a full day or an afternoon after arrival
Plan Hazrati Imam, Chorsu, the metro and central Tashkent. Compare a full day with an afternoon after arrival, including the new Islamic Civilization Center.
Read the guideA day among the fortresses of ancient Khorezm
Desert castles from Khiva: choose two or three stops
Plan an excursion from Khiva to Ayaz-kala, Toprak-kala and Kyzyl-kala. Compare two or three stops, walking time, transport, heat, meals and your return.
Read the guideA village stay between city visits
Nuratau overnight trip: villages, walks and where to stay
Plan one or two nights in Nuratau’s villages. Compare Sentob, Uhum and Hayat, separate Nurata and Aydarkul detours, and confirm access, rooms, meals and walks.
Read the guideItinerary · Fergana Valley
Fergana Valley in 2–3 days: Kokand, Rishton and Margilan
Plan two or three full days in Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley, with Kokand sights, Rishton pottery, Margilan silk, hotel nights and transport checks.
Read the guideTrip planning · Karakalpakstan
Aral Sea trip: Muynak, the shore and overnight planning
Choose a Muynak day trip or an overnight stay by the Aral shoreline from Nukus. Compare days and nights, vehicle needs, camp questions and the full trip quote.
Read the guideSEASONAL PLANNING · AUTUMN
Uzbekistan in autumn: September, October or November?
Choose your autumn dates using Uzbek climate records, then adjust the city route, market visits, clothing and optional mountain or desert days.
Read the guidePlan a March–May trip
Uzbekistan in spring: March, April or May?
Choose a spring month for Uzbekistan using Uzbek climate data, Navruz planning, route adjustments and a booking checklist for cities and nature trips.
Read the guideSamarkand → Bukhara
Samarkand to Bukhara: trains, stations and transfer choices
Plan Samarkand–Bukhara by train or private car: services to check, Buxoro-1 in Kogon, booking steps, station transfers and optional road stops.
Read the guideCity guide · Khiva
Khiva in one or two days: a practical city plan
Choose one or two full days in Khiva, with an Ichan-Kala walking plan, distinctive sights, ticket checks, hotel areas and arrival logistics.
Read the guideOne week · Three cities
Uzbekistan in 7 days: Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara
A seven-day Uzbekistan itinerary with six nights, three rail journeys, day-by-day visits and a final night in Tashkent before your flight.
Read the guideMoney & payments
Money in Uzbekistan: cash, cards and ATMs
How to exchange money, read bank rates, withdraw som and prepare a payment backup in Uzbekistan, with bank fees as of the dates checked and advice for Russian-issued cards.
Read the guidePlan your spending
Uzbekistan trip costs: prices and a 7-day worksheet
Build a seven-day Uzbekistan budget with local prices and their check dates, a meal-cost example, a six-night worksheet, and separate shared and per-person expenses.
Read the guideWeather & trip timing
Best time to visit Uzbekistan: seasons and route choices
Choose when to visit Uzbekistan using official climate data, seasonal trade-offs and practical adjustments for city walks, mountains and desert journeys.
Read the guideChoose the help you need
Uzbekistan independently or with a private guide?
Compare independent travel, help with selected tours and transfers, and a fully arranged Uzbekistan trip. See who handles each task and what to request in a quote.
Read the guideBukhara → Khiva
Bukhara to Khiva: trains, transfers and arrival planning
Compare Bukhara–Khiva rail and private transfers, with the September 2026 train announcement, station names, prices per person and per car, and routes via the desert castles.
Read the guideItinerary · 14 days
Uzbekistan in 14 days: four cities at a slower pace
A 14-day Uzbekistan itinerary with 13 nights, four cities, a return to Tashkent, optional desert castles and clear transport and budget assumptions.
Read the guideItinerary · 7 days · Four cities
Four cities in one week: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva with one flight
A six-night trip through all four cities: one night in Tashkent, two in Samarkand, two in Bukhara and one in Khiva, with the Jaloliddin Manguberdi train to Khiva and a flight from Urgench on the last morning.
Read the guideItinerary · 6 nights · No Tashkent
Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand without Tashkent: six nights via Urgench
An eastbound route that skips the capital: fly into Urgench, spend two nights each in Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, then leave from Samarkand's international airport or by a morning train to Tashkent.
Read the guideItinerary · 5 nights · By road
Samarkand to Bukhara by road: two cities and a desert yurt night
A five-night route with two nights in Samarkand, one at a Kyzylkum yurt camp near Aydarkul and two in Bukhara. Visit Nurata, Sarmishsay, Rabati Malik and Gijduvan along the way.
Read the guideItinerary · 12 days · Mountain villages
Uzbekistan in 12 days: four cities and two nights in the Nuratau villages
An 11-night route through all four cities, with two nights in Nuratau village guesthouses, a walk between villages and a day trip to Shahrisabz. Return from Khiva on the Jaloliddin Manguberdi.
Read the guideItinerary · 13 days · Karakalpakstan
Uzbekistan in 13 days: four cities, Nukus and the Aral Sea
A 13-day route with 12 nights: two nights each in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, then Nukus, the Savitsky Museum, Muynak and a camp night on the Ustyurt plateau, flying back from Nukus.
Read the guideItinerary · 12 days · Two countries
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in 12 days: Silk Road cities and Issyk-Kul
A two-country route with 11 nights: Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara by train, a flight from Tashkent to Bishkek, two nights on Issyk-Kul and one in Karakol, with the border, visa and re-entry rules and an overland Fergana alternative.
Read the guideGet connected after arrival
SIM or eSIM in Uzbekistan: numbers, data and setup
Choose a local SIM, local eSIM or travel data eSIM for Uzbekistan. Compare plans as of the dates checked, registration with a foreign passport, payment restrictions and the UZIMEI check.
Read the guideArrival planning
Arriving at Tashkent airport: the city, trains and your first night
Plan your Tashkent arrival: taxi pickup, bus payment, the correct railway station, domestic terminal changes and a first-night checklist.
Read the guideCity guide · Samarkand
Two days in Samarkand: a practical sightseeing plan
Plan two full days in Samarkand: Registan, Gur-e Amir, Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi-Khanym and a museum of your choice, with walking, rest and station transfers.
Read the guideCITY GUIDE · BUKHARA
Bukhara in two or three days: a practical city plan
Two full days for the old-city monuments, or a third for the emir’s country palace and a slower finish. Compare nights, walking areas and onward journeys.
Read the guideITINERARY 01 / UZBEKISTAN
Four cities. Ten days.
From the capital to the old cities of the Silk Road. A suggested first trip, with breathing room between the big sights.
- 01
DAYS 1–2
Tashkent
Find your bearings in the capital.
- 02
DAYS 3–4
Samarkand
Make time for the monumental.
- 03
DAYS 5–7
Bukhara
Slow down in the old city.
- 04
DAYS 8–9
Khiva
Finish inside the city walls.
Includes a separate plan for flying home from Tashkent.
Explore the itineraryITINERARY 02 / UZBEKISTAN
Three cities. One week.
Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara by train, with two nights in each historic city and a final night in the capital before flying home.
- 01
DAY 1
Tashkent
Settle in, then explore near your hotel.
- 02
DAYS 2–3
Samarkand
See Registan and Shah-i-Zinda.
- 03
DAYS 4–5
Bukhara
Walk from the trading domes to Poi Kalon.
- 04
DAYS 6–7
Tashkent
Return for a final night before departure.
Six nights, with the return train and flight home on separate days.
Explore the itineraryITINERARY 03 / UZBEKISTAN
Four cities. Two unhurried weeks.
Stay three nights each in Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. There is time for museums, another walk or a trip to the desert castles.
- 01
DAYS 1–2
Tashkent
Start with Chorsu and Hazrat Imam.
- 02
DAYS 3–5
Samarkand
Give the great monuments their own time.
- 03
DAYS 6–8
Bukhara
Explore the old town and an optional palace.
- 04
DAYS 9–11
Khiva
Spend a second day in the city or visit the castles.
Thirteen nights. Return to Tashkent on day 12, explore on day 13 and fly home on day 14.
Explore the itineraryADD-ON / KYRGYZSTAN
Add Kyrgyzstan to your Uzbekistan trip.
Eight days from Bishkek through Issyk-Kul and Karakol, with an overnight stay in Altyn-Arashan, arranged as an extension of an Uzbekistan route. There are also guides to the lake, the town and the valley.
03 / THE OXUSROAD APPROACH
Less rushing.More being there.
We start with the decisions that shape a trip: where to go, how the days connect, and what to leave out. Our itineraries are starting points to adapt around your flights, interests, and pace.
How we put our guides together