2 Night Samarkand Itinerary: Blue Tiles and Silk Road Magic
For travellers to Uzbekistan, Samarkand is usually absolutely top of the list. However, it can be hard to plan your Samarkand itinerary because the city is absolutely heaving in historical sites, beautiful architecture, and incredible places to visit. Realistically, you’re going to have to get okay with the fact that you’ll never get to see everything, but if you plan your stay well enough, you can definitely see all the main sights and leave knowing you’ve truly explored the city.
For most travellers, their trips to Uzbekistan tend to be Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva – usually in that order. On my own trip to Uzbekistan, I was no different and spent two nights of my two week trip here. I loved Samarkand. The photos you see of Uzbekistan in glossy travel magazines and polished social media posts are almost all of Samarkand. It’s an incredibly photogenic city with thousands of years of history and architecture that will leave you speechless.
Planning Your Samarkand Itinerary
If, like me, Samarkand is just part of a larger Uzbekistan itinerary, it can be difficult to know exactly what to prioritise and when. I spent two nights in Samarkand, and felt like it was just enough time to see all the main highlights, although being brutally honest: they were packed days.
If you’re making the most of your limited annual leave from work, you may not have the luxury of spending days slowly wandering the city, so I’ve put this itinerary together based on what I’d do if I was doing it all over again, and what I’d recommend to a friend (and if you’re someone planning a trip to Uzbekistan, I’d probably gladly be your friend in real life).
I’ve written a deeper dive of all the sights to see in Samarkand here, and in this post, I’m going to focus on how and when to visit them all.
I’ve also added in a bonus section for those who can stay a little longer that includes trips out of the city to make the most of exploring the region. And for anyone with more time to spare who prefers a slow travel approach, you can still take this itinerary, but stretch it out over multiple days, building in more time for naps, dips in the hotel pool, long lazy lunches, or whatever makes you happiest.
Getting to Samarkand from Tashkent
If you are planning a two night stop in Samarkand, I’d strongly recommend getting an early train into the city. Most travellers make Samarkand their first stop after Tashkent, and if you’re travelling by rail, there are daily trains between the cities.
To make the most of your 3 days/2 nights in Samarkand, I’d strongly recommend getting one of the following Afrosiyob high speed trains:
- Daily Services:
- 06:33 from Tashkent, arriving in Samarkand at 08:46
- Monday – Saturday, this train goes to Qarshi. On Sundays its bound for Shakhrisabz. The arrival time into Samarkand is the same on any day.
- 07:30 from Tashkent, arriving in Samarkand at 09:43
- This is the one I would choose if its available
- 08:30 from Tashkent, arriving in Samarkand at 10:49
- 06:33 from Tashkent, arriving in Samarkand at 08:46
Each of these train routes is very popular and train tickets can book out quite quickly. I’ve written a separate post on how to navigate the Uzbek rail networks here, including tips for the booking windows.
Onward Travel from Samarkand
If you’re heading back to Tashkent from Samarkand, your best option is the daily Afrosiyob train at 16:56, which gets you back into the capital for 19:17. If that’s all booked out, the next train is at 18:15, arriving back into Tashkent at 20:30. Any other trains between the two tend to be very early or very late, or you’ll be on the slow, Sharq train.
If you’re going onwards to Bukhara, then I’d recommend either of the following daily trains:
- 10:59 from Samarkand, arriving in Bukhara at 12:42 on the high speed Afrosiyob train
- 11:56 train from Samarkand, arriving in Bukhara at 14:18. This one is on the slower Sharq train, but it’s only an extra 40 minutes than the high speed.
You can read my full guide to Uzbek trains here, or check out the timetables on Uzbekistan Railways site here.
2 Nights, 3 Days Samarkand Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Sightseeing
Morning
Aim to arrive in Samarkand early in the morning. Even though most hotels won’t allow you to check in early, you can message ahead and ask to leave your bags at reception.
Once you’ve dropped your bags off, head back out and go straight to Registan.
Registan
Registan is the big “wow” moment of Samarkand, and it’s the perfect introduction for you to this wonderful city. It’s the place you’ll see on postcards, social media, and even the Uzbek 200,000 sum note.
Historically, Registan was the town square of Samarkand. Today, it’s a complex of three madrasas and mosques and where you’ll find some of the most impressive architecture in the city. It’s the ideal spot for your first morning in Samarkand, and you can easily spend a few hours here getting lost in the buildings and running out of space in your camera roll.
Stop for Lunch
After your visit to Registan, take yourself for lunch and digest everything you’ve seen so far. If you haven’t already tried plov, there are plenty of great restaurants around the city to try Uzbekistan’s national dish. I particularly like the Bibikahnum Teahouse, which has great options, including if you’re vegan like me.
Alternatively, if you just start walking towards your next stop, Gur e Amir, the walk will take you down Registan Street, and past plenty of restaurants along the way.
Afternoon
After lunch, if your hotel is nearby and you’ve gotten to check in time, you may want to go and grab your keys and move your bags to your room. Assuming this is around 15:00, you probably only have about half an hour to freshen up in the hotel room before carrying on with the afternoon part of the Samarkand itinerary. Alternatively, if you’re happy to wait til the evening, you can carry on with your day at this point.
The afternoon will fit in one more major monument before taking you out of a city to see a side of Samarkand that many skip.
Gur e Amir
Once you’ve finished lunch around Registan, head towards Gur e Amir for the next stop on your Samarkand itinerary. It’s about a 15 minute walk from Registan, and if you’ve spent long enough over lunch, you’ll have missed the main heat of the midday sun.
Gur e Amir is a monument I’ve covered in more depth in my Things to do in Samarkand post, but to give you the TL;DR: it’s the final resting place of Amir Timur, Uzbekistan’s fabled conqueror and leader. If you’re travelling around Uzbekistan, his is a name you’ll hear over and over again, so it just makes sense to visit his mausoleum while you’re in the city.
The mausoleum is stunning from the outside, but its worth paying the entrance fee to go inside. His tombstone is the largest piece of nephrite jade in the world, and the entire place is covered in gold leaf (beats a gold toilet anyway).
You’ll probably want about an hour here to fully take in the architecture and decorative mosaics, as well as appreciating the courtyard of the mausoleum, but I’d be very surprised if your visit took you any longer. Which is perfect, as it means there’s more time for your next stop of the day.
Konigil Tourist Village
The name “Tourist village” might bring to mind outlet malls and twee recreations of castles, but that’s not my jam so it’s not what you’ll find on one of my itineraries. Instead, the Konigil Tourist Village is more like a showcase of local craftspeople and the main attraction here is the Meros Paper Mill.
You’ll get to see how paper is made from mulberry trees using traditional methods, watch the artisans at work, and even pick up a few souvenirs to take home. After spending a day in the centre of Samarkand visiting the most popular sites, it’s a nice break from the hubbub of the city and a chance to take things slowly.
You’ll need to take a Yandex (Uzbekistan’s answer to Uber) out here, but it’s a very cheap ride and worth the visit.
Evening
After your visit to Konigil Tourist Village, I’d advise you to keep your Samarkand itinerary pretty chill for the rest of the evening. If you arrived in on one of the earlier trains, you’re likely pretty tired by this point. Day 2 of the Samarkand itinerary has an early start, so once you get a Yandex back into the city, you’ve got a couple of options.
If you didn’t check into your hotel after lunch, you may want to do this now so you can get your keys. As for dinner, maybe you spotted somewhere around the city earlier that you’d like to try, or maybe your hotel has a great restaurant on site.
Whatever you decide to do for food, there is one final thing I’d recommend for your first night in Samarkand: Returning to Registan.
Registan at Night
Registan after the sun goes down is a completely different vibe to what you would have seen when you arrived this morning. The air is still warm even after sunset, and there’s a great buzz about the place. You’ll see locals and tourists milling about on the wide marble steps down to Registan, and vendors selling street food, snacks, and light up toys and balloons for kids.
After dark, Registan gets lit up with a light show. This is often set to music, with the colours projected onto the buildings changing in time with the music. It’s one of the most iconic sights in the city, and it’s the perfect way to bookend your first day in Samarkand.
Finishing the Evening
Even if you’re tempted to go grab a drink or stay up late on your first night, I’d advise you against it unless you’ve got the liver and energy of a 20 year old. Tomorrow morning, your first stop is a truly stunning one, but it’s best seen early. Long travel days and hot weather means even the best of us can get cranky, and in a city as beautiful as this, you want to make sure you have enough energy to fully appreciate everything you’re seeing.
I distinctly remember feeling cranky at Registan, hiding in a shaded nook, and wishing I could go take a nap. It was only when a very friendly stray cat wandered over that I snapped out of my funk. Now, writing this from a cold and grey London, I wish I’d been able to fully appreciate the day I spent there. I’ve learned over the years that I just won’t be fully present if I’m not fully rested and properly fed. You know what your own limits are, but if I could give you one piece of advice, it’s to listen to them.
Day 2: The Staircase of Souls and The Bottles of Spirits
Day 2 on your Samarkand itinerary is your one full day in Samarkand if you’re only staying for two nights, so I recommend using this day for the attractions that aren’t bang in the city centre. You’ll need your Yandex app on hand for this one as there are a couple of sites that are a short taxi ride out of the centre.
Morning
Start your day off well with a good breakfast. If you’re a fellow vegan, I’ll warn you now: Hotel breakfasts aren’t great for us in Uzbekistan. I’ve written a complete Vegan Travel Hacks post on the things I’ve learned over the years, but my saving grace for Central Asia breakfast is making Huel in my room. It’s not gourmet, but it gives me enough protein to set me up right for the morning.
Shah i Zinda
Shah-i-Zinda is why I told you to get up early, and you’re going to thank me for it. It is, hands down, one of the most incredible places you’ll see in Samarkand, and going right when it opens at 07:00 (or really any time before about 09:30) means you’ll see it at its most peaceful.
It’s a necropolis that houses over 20 buildings, all of them covered in the iconic blue and turquoise tiling patterns you’ll see throughout Uzbekistan. It’s like if all those photos of Uzbekistan were pasted into one collage and then opened up for you to walk through. You’ll wander through narrow alleys, exploring each building, and being mesmerised by what’s around the corner.
The steps up to Shah-i-Zinda are called the Staircase of Souls, and local legend says that you must count each step on the way up, and again on the way down. If your count is the same each time, you’re said to have a “pure soul”, or at least, all your sins have been forgiven.
It’s a very holy, reverent place, so modest dress is required here. For any gender, that means covering shoulders and knees, and for women, it’s advised to wear a head covering. There is a small shop that sells scarves, and the complex will usually have a rack of sarong-type wraps you can borrow for your visit.
While Shah-i-Zinda isn’t enormous, there is so much to take in. If you’re a photography lover, this place is a dream, and you’re going to want to spend time getting shots of everything and appreciating the centuries of artwork and craftsmanship that make up this place. I’d estimate about two hours if you want to fully appreciate everything it has to offer.
Ulugh Beg Observatory
After your visit to Shah-i-Zinda, head back out onto the main street and order a Yandex to take you to the Ulugh Beg Observatory. It’s a little bit further out of the city, so I’d recommend just getting a quick, cheap taxi rather than spending your morning walking in the sun. Thankfully, it’s right next to the next stop (Afrasiab Museum) so you’re getting a two-for-one deal here.
Ulugh Beg was the grandson of the famous conqueror Amir Timur, and was once the Sultan of Samarkand. Many of the buildings you see around the city, including one of the madrasas in Registan, were his doing. However, he was most famous for being a mathematician and astronomer.
The Ulugh Beg Observatory is a museum on the site that was once where he carried out his work. You’ll still see the remains of his sextant there today, which he used to calculate the length of a stellar year with incredible accuracy (to within one minute of what we know it to be today). Incredibly impressive when you consider telescopes didn’t exist yet.
Afrasiab Museum
Right across the road from the Ulugh Beg Observatory you’ll find the Afrasiab Museum.
Afrasiab tells the origin story of Samarkand. It’s located on the ancient settlement destroyed by Genghis Khan, and its most impressive display is a 7th century fresco.
If you spent yesterday seeing Samarkand as it is today, the Afrasiab museum will give you a great understanding of what it once was. As well as the fresco, you’ll find artefacts that show items from daily life, ancient crafts, and weaponry. You’ll probably realistically only need about 45 to 60 minutes to wander through the museum, and it gives you a great break from the sun to explore Samarkand with air conditioning.
Afternoon
After your visits to the observatory and the museum, get a Yandex back into town and pick a good spot for lunch. Like yesterday, you can take your time over lunch. Even though there’s more to see in Samarkand, part of the joy of being in a new city is taking the time to stop and appreciate your surroundings.
If you tried plov yesterday, maybe find somewhere that does manti dumplings today, or laghman noodles.
Your next stop on the Samarkand itinerary is the Bagizagan winery, so you’re going to want to load up with a good lunch – Uzbek wines are strong!
Bagizagan Winery
The Bagizagan Winery is something you’ll want to give a few hours of your afternoon to. I’ve written more about the Bagizagan Winery in its own post here, because its history is genuinely fascinating to me. Also, I genuinely never thought I’d end up in a winery in Uzbekistan of all countries.
The winery visit is the one part of the Samarkand itinerary that I do not recommend leaving up to chance. Unlike wineries in Europe, it’s not entirely clear whether you can just show up for an impromptu tasting, and I’d strongly recommend that you book onto a tour like this one to make sure your visit actually happens. This tour is the best I could find in the area, and their afternoon slot leaves at 3pm from Samarkand and lasts 3 hours.
Alternative to the Winery
If you don’t drink, or a winery just isn’t your bag, the afternoon is still a great time to make use of some of the tours that will take you further afield than the main sights of Samarkand.
Some great options that will still fit into your afternoon are:
- Imam Bukhari Complex
- Located about 25km outside of the city, this is one of the holiest sites in Uzbekistan. It’s a massive, stunningly beautiful complex dedicated to the 9th century scholar who compiled the Hadiths.
- This offers a much more ‘living’ religious experience than the museums in the city centre. The atmosphere is peaceful, the craftsmanship is incredible, and it’s a great way to see more of the Uzbek countryside without a 4 hour drive.
- A cooking class where you’ll learn to make Plov and Non bread
- Even if you’ve already tried Plov, getting to understand what goes into making it is just as much fun as eating it. These classes usually take place in a family home, so you’ll get an insight into Uzbek life, as well as appreciating what makes Samarkand non special.
- A Tour of the city’s Tsar Era and European Architecture
- Even though Samarkand is famous for its Persian influenced architecture, there’s also a ‘Russian’ side to the city. Outside of the old city, this tour will show you less turquoise domes and more 19th century brickwork and Tsarist buildings.
- Part of what makes the Central Asian countries fascinating is their duality between their Turkic and Islamic heritage, and the Soviet influence. This tour will give you a fuller picture of how the city changed and evolved under the Soviet Union.
Evening
Regardless of whether you chose to visit the Bagizagan Winery, or took one of the other half day tours out of central Samarkand, you’ll probably be finishing up around 6 or 7pm.
If you’re travelling the next day, this is where I’d recommend you take some time to check your trains, repack your bags, and then spend the evening doing whatever you most feel like doing. That might be exploring some bars in the city centre, going for a great dinner in a restaurant you’ve bookmarked, or hanging out in the hotel.
Day 3: Bibi Khanym and Bazaars
For your final day in Samarkand, we’re going to focus on the two main sites you haven’t been to yet: The Bibi Khanym mosque and the Siyob Bazaar.
If you’re travelling onwards by train today, and you’ve read my Uzbek train guide, you’ll know you need to be at the station about 40 minutes before your train. If we assume you’re getting the 10:59 train on to Bukhara (trains to Tashkent are later in the day), that means you realistically want to be up and out of your hotel by about 8am at the latest.
Morning
We’re on a tight schedule here, so unless you’re staying very nearby, take a Yandex straight to Siyob Bazaar, which is right by Bibi Khanym Mosque, your other visit for today.
Siyob Bazaar
Siyob Bazaar opens at 7am daily, so it makes sense for this to be your first stop of the day. It’s the largest bazaar in Samarkand, and you’ll find a wide range of items from food, dried fruits and nuts, ceramics, homewares, and even clothes.
If you’re looking for some souvenirs to take home or gifts for your friends and family, this is a great place to get them. If you left your hotel in a hurry, you may even want to grab breakfast here, or some snacks for the train journey later!
Bibi Khanym Mosque
Luckily, the bazaar is right next to the Bibi Khanym Mosque (like literally feet apart). It opens at 9am on weekends, 7am every other day, so it should be open by the time you’ve had a chance to potter around the bazaar.
I’ve written more in depth about Bibi Khanym Mosque in another post, and you’ll be unsurprised to hear that there’s another connection to Amir Timur here. Built by the conqueror in the 15th century, it was one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the world. And it truly is beautiful.
Try to time your bazaar visit well enough to give yourself at least 45 minutes to an hour to explore the mosque, as it deserves to be fully appreciated rather than rushed.
If you’re heading for the 10:59 train, you probably want to wrap up by 10:00am to get a Yandex back to the station, so do leave enough time!
If you’re a nervous traveller or that feels like too much of a stretch for you, the Bibi Khanym Mosque is open til about 10pm each day, so it is reasonably something you could fit into the evening of Day 2, and save your final morning for a slow breakfast or just the bazaar visit.
Onward Travel
Samarkand train station is about 5.5km away from Bibi Khanym mosque and the Bazaar, and it’ll take you about 15 minutes in a cab. I always leave a little bit of extra time to wait for a Yandex to arrive, so if you order a car an hour before your train, you should be okay – it’s enough time to get there, get through security in the station, and get on board, all without having to make a mad dash.
Bonus: Staying Longer in Samarkand?
If your Samarkand itinerary stretches beyond two nights, you could take what I’ve laid out here, and do it all at a slower pace.
Alternatively, you can make the most of the time to take advantage of some of the tours and day trips around the area.
Day trip from Samarkand to Tajikistan
One of the things I saw advertised everywhere in Samarkand (and was raging I didn’t have enough time to try) were day trips into the neighbouring country of Tajikistan. You’ll see signs outside of local tour operators around the city, but if you’re someone who likes to lock these things in before you go, or like the safety of booking online, here are some great options:
- Tajikistan Seven Lakes Day Trip
- This tour starts at 7:30am in Samarkand, and includes hotel pick up if you’re staying in the city.
- You’ll drive 1.5 hours into the Fann Mountains in Tajikistan where you’ll spend time visiting the mountain lakes.
- On your way back, there’s a stop in the Tajik town of Panjakent before driving back over the border and ending your day back in Samarkand.
- Day Trip to The Fann Mountains
- This is a similar tour to the above, except instead of a stop in Panjakent, the focus is on visiting the mountains. You’ll get more time to hike and explore, and a picnic lunch is included.
- Tajikistan Day Trip and Wine Tasting
- This tour has 4 pickup spots in central Samarkand.
- Here, you’ll visit Panjakent before driving on to the Seven Lakes in the Fann Mountains.
- There’s also an optional add on of a cooking class and/or a wine tasting.
What to Know about Visiting Tajikistan
Even though Tajikistan is right across the border from Samarkand and it’s not a long drive between the two, if you take one of these trips, you are leaving Uzbekistan and visiting another country. The border crossings tend to be fairly fast moving, and this is a crossing that thousands of tourists pour across, so it’s a safe and well-travelled route.
Nonetheless, border crossings can take longer depending on how busy they are, and this can add extra time to your trip. If you take one of these trips, don’t book anything else for your day, just in case.
You’ll also need to check whether your citizenship means you need a visa for Tajikistan. You can use this site to check whether you’ll need one or not. And, in case it wasn’t obvious: You’ll need your passport with you.
It’s also common for cross-country tours to swap out guides at the border. Some of these tours may start out with an Uzbek guide/driver, and have you meet your Tajik guide on the other side. This is totally normal!
Finally, consider data roaming. You may get by fine without your phone for a day, but if you want to stay connected, consider getting a Tajik e-sim. If you’ve already got one for Uzbekistan, there’s no guarantee you’ll still be connected in Tajikistan, especially the further from the border you travel.
Shahrisabz Day Trips
If you want to stay on the Uzbek side of the border, a day trip to Shahrisabz is a great way to spend an extra day.
Shahrisabz is often called the “Green City”, and while it’s smaller and quieter than Samarkand, it’s got some serious historical gravitas. It’s the birthplace of Amir Timur (Tamerlane) and he originally intended for it to be the capital of his empire before Samarkand took that spot.
To get there, you’ll cross the Takhtakaracha Mountain Pass, which will give you incredible panoramic views of the Zerafshan Range. It’s a great break from the flat steppe landscapes or desert scenes you’ll see in other parts of Uzbekistan.
This tour will take you on a full day out, exploring the Ak-Saray Palace, the Kok-Gumbaz Mosque, and other famous monuments. If the rest of your Samarkand itinerary has been DIY, it’s also a great opportunity to spend the day with an Uzbek guide who can share the history of their country with you.
Where to Stay in Samarkand
I’ll be writing a full guide on the different neighbourhoods to stay in soon, but for now, here are a few standouts that cover different styles and budgets:
This is where I stayed during my time in Samarkand, and the location is fantastic. It’s literally right across the street from Shah-i-Zinda, so if that’s on your must see list, you can roll out of bed and up the Staircase of Souls long before the tour buses arrive.
It’s modern, clean and a family run place. There’s a lovely central courtyard to sit out in and the rooms are quiet and comfortable. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk to Registan, so you’re close to everything.
This hotel was actually built in 1959 as Samarkand’s first-ever hotel. It’s now a protected heritage site. It was last updated in 2024, so even though the exterior is historic, the rooms are clean and modern. It’s right next to the Central Park of Samarkand, and has a lovely outdoor pool and garden courtyard.
It’s about a 20 minute walk to get to the main sights.
While Zarafshon may be Samarkand’s first hotel, Kosh Havis is one of its newest, only opened in 2023. It’s one of the most photogenic hotels in the city, with a rooftop terrace that has a bar and hot tubs with panoramic views of the Bibi Khanym Mosque and Registan.
If your main priority is being able to roll out of bed and be at Registan five minutes later, then Registan Palace is for you. It’s one of the most well known budget hotels in the city, and has great ratings amongst fellow travellers.
If you want somewhere budget friendly, but quiet, the Shahram Plus is a great option. It’s tucked away on a quiet backstreet, yet only 7 minutes walk away from Registan. It’s a cosy, family run bed and breakfast that’s well known for its hospitality that will make you feel like a guest in an Uzbek home.
