Uzbekistan: 13 Days on the Silk Road
Shah-i-Zinda Mausoleum
General tips
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Travel between cities via Uzbek Rail. As of June 2026, bookings open 45 days in advance. The website glitches often and was quite frustrating, but it eventually worked using the mobile app.
Within the cities, we used Yandex Go (Central Asia’s Uber).
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Plov, palov or osh, the Uzbek national dish made with aromatic rice, meat, veggies and spices. The best spots typically run out by 14:00.
Samarkand Non, the bread being slapped into giant kiln-like ovens at the market.
Savory Somsa, meat-filled pastries baked right onto the inner walls of tandoor ovens—from roadside stands for an incredibly cheap, fast lunch.
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Yandex Go - the Uber for Uzbekistan. We used it to travel within each of the cities we visited. Bonus: accepts international credit cards!
Google Translate - have Russian and Uzbek downloaded to navigate Cyrillic menus.
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Money - cash is queen, very few places accept cards. We booked our hotels on Booking.com and paid in cash.
Registration Slips - save the paper receipts your hotels give you each night; immigration border guards can legally audit this continuous paper trail when you fly out.
FWIW, no one asked for our slips.Dress Code - keep a lightweight scarf at the top of your daypack to cover shoulders and/or knees for visiting mosques.
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Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan - Peter Frankopan was a guest on our favorite podcast, Empire: World History, speaking about the Byzantine empire. I learned so much from his episode that I immediately downloaded Silk Roads as my overall book to read for our Central Asia run. Silk Roads refocuses history away from Europe, placing Central Asia at the center of how the modern world took shape.
Ancient Khorezem by UNESCO - historical overview of Khiva and it’s Khorezem ancestry.
Itinerary
Our Uzbekistan itinerary
Day 1-2: Tashkent
Day 3-6: Samarkand (w/ day trip to Tajikistan)
Day 7-10: Bukhara
Day 11-13: Khiva
Our recommended Uzbekistan itinerary
Day 1-2: Tashkent
Day 3-5: Samarkand (w/ day trip to Tajikistan)
Day 6-7: Bukhara
Day 8: Khiva
Tashkent
2 NIGHTS · MAY 26 – MAY 28, 2026
Alisher Navoi metro station
How to get to Tashkent
We flew into Tashkent from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and ordered a Yandex Go to our hotel.
Where to stay in Tashkent
Newly built, best decor and ambiance out of our other hotels. Very clean and well managed with the added bonus of a pool! Excellent breakfast buffet.
Location was close enough to tourist areas. Tashkent felt very unwalkable, so we took Yandex Go to get most places and when we could, we walked and took the metro.
Do we recommend our hotel? Yes!
What to do in Tashkent
Hazrati Imam Complex at dusk
Museum of Applied Arts - small but mighty museum showcasing the best craftsmanship across the country. Thanks to the museum, we were introduced to Yuliya’s audio guides here. The museum offers one of her audio guides for free but she also has a Tashkent audio guide. We realized this too late so can’t directly comment on it but it looks very thorough! Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Tashkent Metro - after the Museum of Applied Arts, we walked to the nearest Metro stop, Kosmonavtlar, and rode it to the Chorsu Bazaar stop. The metro ride teleports you to the Soviet era of Uzbekistan with its blend of Russian architecture and traditional Uzbek motifs. Note: if you don’t get on the train quickly enough, station workers will push you in.
Chorsu Bazaar - the bazaar was winding down by the time we arrived but we ate delicious samsas right next to the Plov Center and a baklava for dessert after. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Hazrati Imam Complex - stopped by before sunset to see the stunning M’s of Tashkent (mosques, madrasahs, mausoleums, museum) at golden hour. We did not go into the Islamic Civilization Center and a fellow traveler told us it was skippable - judge for yourself by learning more here. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Seoul Mun - we were intrigued by this river lined with shops and restaurants but were very disappointed in the Korean food we ordered. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Magic City - a free Disneyland with its own castle and lake and wild arcade games. This is a mix of a theme park and a giant outdoor mall with a variety of local chain restaurants. If you have kids, this seemed pretty fun. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Where to eat in Tashkent
Fresh non at Chorsu Bazaar
Karasaray Lagman - our favorite bowl of lagman and manti. We did try to go twice but it was closed earlier than it said so online. We went for lunch our first half day before heading to the Imam Complex. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Gunaydin Kebap & Steakhouse - delicious Turkish, got us hyped for our upcoming month in Türkiye. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Kimpab - just including this here so you don’t eat there. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Plov Center - samsas in Chorsu Bazaar, decent plov but get there earlier. Plov after 2pm is no bueno. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Samarkand
4 NIGHTS · MAY 28 – JUNE 1, 2026
How to get to Samarkand
Samarkand train station
We took the Sharq (“slower”) train from Tashkent to Samarkand which cost $32 for both of us and took about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Be sure to book tickets well in advance for this route as it sells out quickly. When you arrive, order a Yandex Go to your accommodation.
Where to stay in Samarkand
Rabat Boutique - Our favorite hotel in Uzbekistan!
Built in 1906 as a family home by a Jewish merchant, the home turned hotel has been welcoming travelers of many faiths for over a century. Inspired by his guests, the merchant wove symbols of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism into the synagogue’s building design. The staff share the family history and symbolism in the room during breakfast (and included in your rate).
In May, they shared fresh cherries picked from the trees.
Do we recommend our hotel? Yes!
What to do in Samarkand
Samarkand Historical Tour
Registan square
Registan Square, Shah-i-Zinda Mausoleum Street, Tamerlane’s largest mosque, and more with the help of this local guide’s audio tour. We split the tour up into two days; only mornings because it was so hot.
Go back at night and sit on the steps overlooking Registan Square. The people of Uzbekistan are some of the friendliest we’ve met on our travels and will stop to chat with you. There is also a fun light show that happens after sunset.
How to do a day trip to the Seven Lakes in Tajikistan from Samarkand
We met another couple while traveling and they highly recommended this tour & guide. We loved spending the day exploring the seven lakes; it was stunning and a great change of scenery, weather & culture. We took a Yandex to the border crossing and our guide met us at the Tajikistan border on the other side. We had no issues crossing but note that impatient locals will try and cut you in line so stand your ground!
Don’t forget to take a quick dip (cold plunge) in Lake 7!
If you are interested, please DM us at @ellisontravels and we can share our guide’s number.
Where to eat in Samarkand
Manti na Zakaz - you know a restaurant is going to be amazing when there’s only one thing on the menu. Strongly recommend. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Sharof Bobo Oshxonasi - not the best plov we ate but it was tasty enough, we probably came here too late. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Shokhrukh Nur - solid shashlik and delicious lagman. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Sam Craft Pub - crisp craft beer and decent burgers for when you’re ready to take a break from plov or shashlik. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Kafe Bobur - but when you want more meat on a stick, our favorite shashlik spot. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Kokandskaya Somsa - we did not venture here but this came strongly recommended from a friend, best somsa in Central Asia according to him! Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Bukhara
4 NIGHTS · JUNE 1 – JUNE 5, 2026
How to get to Bukhara
We took the Sharq (“slower”) train from Samarkand to Bukhara which cost $41 for both of us and took about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Be sure to book tickets well in advance for this route as it sells out quickly. When you arrive, you can order a Yandex Go to your accommodation.
Where to stay in Bukhara
We loved this location, it was perfectly centered between Bukhara’s two main sections so we found it really easy to explore.
Breakfast was decent but if you stay there, make sure to get to the buffet early. Most days we left before 8am to start touring before the sun was too hot. The one day we arrived late, we found they don’t re-stock some breakfast items.
Room was on the smaller side with a weaker A/C.
Do we recommend our hotel? Maybe not if you want stronger A/C. I would recommend staying within the same area in Bukhara.
What to do in Bukhara
Silhouettes of Nathalie & Abdulaziz Khan Madrassa
Bukhara Audio Tour. We did this very slowly and split it across 3 days but you can easily do it in 1 or 2. We saved entering the Ark for sunset and highly recommend this. You’ll get golden hour pictures of the city and the sun setting through Shukhov Tower.
Pavillon Kalon - gorgeous boutique store offering something different from the run-of-the-mill souvenirs you’ll see on the streets. Coffee & tea shop upstairs has the best view of Poyi Kalon Complex. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
If you’re searching for a souvenir that isn’t a magnet, buy hand-forged embroidery scissors shaped like a stork’s beak. They’re a Bukharian specialty tied to the history of ancient craftsmanship and trade on the Silk Road. Read more about the history of these scissors here.
Where to eat in Bukhara
Donuts and Coffee - we saw this all over social media and thought, it can’t be as good as it’s being advertised… and we are happy to report: the donuts are incredible. They’re freshly made to order and pair so nicely with the iced americanos we downed. We also had their chicken lavash for lunch and couldn’t stop talking about it for days. We were in Bukhara for 3 days and we ate here 4 times. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
JOY Gastro - a fancier meal that we had to make reservations for. We walked to the restaurant earlier that morning and had no issues reserving a table that night. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Coffee House - solid option for a quick dinner. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Zolotaya Buhara - good for big groups, gets really busy as well so come on the earlier side. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Old Bukhara - not our favorite meal but we enjoyed the view from the rooftop at sunset. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Khiva
3 NIGHTS · JUNE 5 – JUNE 8, 2026
How to get to Khiva
We took the 6 hour sleeper train from Bukhara to Urgench. It cost $35 for both of us. Takes a little longer to order a Yandex Go here but we got one after waiting 10 minutes.
Don’t make our mistakes: There is a train station that opened closer to Khiva but it only runs on certain days. Our dates didn’t line up so we booked a train to Urgench and rode a Yandex to Khiva.
Where to stay in Khiva
If you have one day in Khiva, definitely stay inside the city walls. If you’re not inside the walls, you have to pay an entrance fee to visit inside the city walls. Note: we didn’t pay this fee and avoided buildings that required you pay an additional fee to enter.
If you are staying inside and exit, security guards may stop you on your return. Just show your hotel booking and they will let you through.
Do we recommend our hotel? Yes, the family was really kind and the hotel was clean & quiet. Breakfast was simple but got the job done. They upgraded our room & offered us a free ride to the airport.
What to do in Khiva
Standing over ancient Khorezm fortress ruins
DIY Walking Tour
Hire a guide or read this Unesco Guide on Ancient Khorezem and DIY! (includes a map of Khiva and more information on each spot)
Note: because we were staying inside the city walls, we did not buy a pass and therefore we would have had to pay individual fees for certain buildings. We opted to skip buildings that were not free to access given the heavy touristing we had already done across Uzbekistan.
Day trips from Khiva to Khorezem Fortresses
Don’t make our mistakes: if you book the Khorezem Fortresses tour with your hotel, request a guide if you’re not reading up on it beforehand. We booked a car with our hotel and thought there would be more information shared. This was our bad for not confirming. This Ancient Khorezem Unesco Guide added a lot of color for us after the tour. If you’re interested in 4th & 3rd century BCE fortresses, this will be your cup of tea. The standard route:
Ayaz-kala I, II & III - three fortresses clustered together on a prominent hill spanning 4th century BCE up into 6th/7th century CE.
Toprak-kala - my personal favorite fortress, dated around 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. It was the best preserved building out of the three and you can better envision how the palace was structured back then.
Kyzyl-kala - built in the Late Antique period, 1st to 4th centuries CE and then rebuilt in the 12-13th centuries before Mongol invasions.
Nurullabai Palace - summer palace for the last rulers of the Khanate of Khiva until the establishment of the Khorezem People’s Soviet Republic in 1920, fascinating blend of Russian & Central Asian architecture. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
We skipped these two day trips, but next time…
Savitsky Nukus Museum of Art - collection of Russian artists of the first half of the 20th century, an impressive era of art was created here during the repressive Stalinist regime. We met a fellow traveler who said this was the highlight of her Khiva trip, her partner felt otherwise. If you love art, this is a must.
Aral Sea tour - the sea was one of the world’s largest inland salt seas until it was severely reduced in size through extensive irrigation projects during the Soviet era. The tour consists of going to see abandoned fishing vessels in what has become a desert. Unfortunately we had to choose between the fortresses and this tour. Note: this tour is considerably longer than touring Khorezem.
Where to eat in Khiva
What are the best restaurants in Khiva? Spoiler: we found all the best food to be outside the walled city.
Inside the walls:
Terrassa Cafe & Restaurant - food was okay. There was a dance performance that I believe happens every night that was quite fun… but this is definitely a big tourist group restaurant. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Murod Josh - we did not look at reviews before sitting at this crowded spot for some shade and a snack. They have a whopping 1.6 stars on Google Maps and I understand why. Our fries were uncooked and they kept forgetting we existed but if you’re only there for a cold beer, it’s a pretty good place to sit and people watch. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Outside the walls:
Xokim Somsa - spot with really good lagman & samsas after the Khorezem fortress tour. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Khiva Moon - our first time trying Shivit Oshi. Dill tinted green noodles with a hefty serving of beef stew, served with a side of yogurt. You can only find this dish in Khiva. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
FeedUp - fast food chain, was pretty impressed with quality! Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Safia - had a sugary soda here, wish we had tried the pastries because they looked quite beautiful and tasty. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
Restoran Tandiriy - stunning interior design, the most aesthetically pleasing restaurant - we watched an engagement happen! Tasty food but a little more $$$. Google Maps / Yandex Maps
