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🇺🇿 Itinerary · Uzbekistan · 7 days

1-week Uzbekistan itinerary 2026: the Silk Road

7 well-paced days on the Silk Road: Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara linked by the fast Afrosiyob train. Detailed budget, travel times and tips.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

7 days

Stops

3 places

Average budget

€950-1,500

Total distance

~900 km

Profile

First time

Season

Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

Tashkent 2d · Samarkand 3d · Bukhara 2d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Uzbekistan 1-week itinerary map: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

7 days, day by day

1

~€60/pers

Tashkent · Arrival in the capital

  • Morning Arrival at Tashkent airport. Yandex Go taxi to the center (15 min, €3).
  • Afternoon Rest, then the Tashkent metro: the Kosmonavtlar and Alisher Navoi stations are underground museums in their own right.
  • Evening Plov dinner at the Central Asian Plov Center, the national dish served from a huge cauldron.
🛌 🛌 Center · e.g. Hotel Uzbekistan or Art Hostel (1 night)·🚇 Metro and Yandex taxis·Uzbekistan guide →
2

~€45

Tashkent · Old town and bazaars

  • 9am Hazrati Imam complex, home to one of the oldest Qurans in the world.
  • 12pm Chorsu Bazaar under its turquoise dome: dried fruit, spices and non bread.
  • Afternoon Independence Square, Navoi theatre, then coffee in the modern district.
  • Evening Late-afternoon Afrosiyob train to Samarkand (2h08, ~€37).
🛌 🛌 Samarkand (evening departure)·🚄 Afrosiyob Tashkent → Samarkand
3

~€50

Samarkand · The Registan

  • Morning Registan square at opening: three madrasas covered in blue mosaics.
  • Afternoon Bibi-Khanym mosque, then the Siyob bazaar right next door.
  • Evening Back to the Registan for sunset, when the facades turn gold.
🛌 🛌 Old town · e.g. Hotel Bibikhanum (2 nights)·🚶 All on foot in the historic center
4

~€40

Samarkand · Mausoleums and observatory

  • Morning Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, an avenue of mausoleums in dazzling tilework.
  • Afternoon Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, Tamerlane's tomb, then the Ulugh Beg observatory.
  • Evening Dinner on a terrace facing the lit-up Registan.
5

~€55

Samarkand → Bukhara · West to the desert

  • Morning Last round at the bazaar, then Afrosiyob train to Bukhara (1h40, ~€32).
  • Afternoon Check-in near the Lyab-i-Hauz pool, the heart of the old town.
  • Evening Dinner under the centuries-old mulberry trees of Lyab-i-Hauz.
🛌 🛌 Old town · e.g. Hotel Komil (2 nights)·🚄 Afrosiyob Samarkand → Bukhara
6

~€45

Bukhara · The museum city

  • Morning Ark fortress, former residence of the emirs, then the Bolo Hauz mosque.
  • Afternoon Kalon minaret (47 m), Mir-i-Arab madrasa and the trading domes (Taki).
  • Evening Dance and music show in a former madrasa.
7

Flight

Bukhara → Return

  • Morning Ismail Samani mausoleum, the city's oldest monument (10th century).
  • Afternoon Flight Bukhara → Tashkent (1h, ~€50) for the international connection.
  • Evening Return flight to Paris, often via Istanbul or a Gulf hub.
✈️ Domestic + international flight

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€950

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €550
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €18/night
  • 🍜 Plov and chaikhanas: €8/day
  • 🚄 Afrosiyob trains: €70
  • 🎫 Site entries: €60
Recommended

Comfort

€1,250

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €650
  • 🏨 Boutique hotel: €50/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed restos: €20/day
  • 🚄 Afrosiyob + domestic flight: €120
  • 🎫 Local guide 1 day: €60

Premium

€2,200

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €1,100
  • 🏨 4-5★: €130/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €45/day
  • 🚖 Private driver
  • 🎫 Private English-speaking guide: €250

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

You're here

1 week

1 week

Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara. The golden triangle.

2 weeks

2 weeks

The four Silk Road cities, Khiva included.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, Fergana Valley and the Aral Sea.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A week runs almost entirely on the fast train. The Afrosiyob links Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara at over 200 km/h, in a comfort that surprises most travelers.

🚄

Afrosiyob Tashkent → Samarkand

~€37 · 2h08 · book 1 month ahead in high season

🚄

Afrosiyob Samarkand → Bukhara

~€32 · 1h40 · Talgo 250, up to 250 km/h

✈️

Flight Bukhara → Tashkent

~€50 · 1h · for the return connection

🚕

Yandex Go taxis in town

€2-4/ride · reliable app, fixed price

Adapt by season

Spring or autumn, never summer

Uzbekistan is best from April to June and September to October: 20 to 28°C, clear skies. In July-August, Bukhara and Samarkand often top 40°C, and touring the madrasas in full sun becomes hard. Winter (December-February) is dry but cold, 0 to 8°C, with near-empty sites if you can handle the coat.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In May 2025, I booked the Afrosiyob three days out: only first class was left. Book a month ahead, the economy seats go fast.
  • • Keep 3 nights in Samarkand: the Registan at sunrise and at sunset is worth two visits.
  • • The domestic flight Bukhara → Tashkent on the last day: it avoids an overnight transfer before an international flight.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Don't aim for Khiva on 7 days: the detour eats a full day of transport.
  • • Cut Tashkent to 1 night to gain an evening in Bukhara.
  • • Don't try to fit everything: Samarkand and Bukhara alone fill a week.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is one week in Uzbekistan enough? +
Yes for the golden triangle: Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. Adding Khiva on 7 days forces a long transfer or a flight and unbalances the trip.
Do travelers need a visa? +
Most EU citizens travel visa-free for 30 days; check your nationality. Passport valid 6 months after return. No prior formality for a one-week stay for visa-free nationals.
Is the Afrosiyob train easy to book? +
Yes, online via the railways site or through a local agency. Book 3 to 4 weeks ahead in high season (April-May, September-October), economy seats sell out fast.
What's the best period? +
April to June and September to October: 20 to 28°C, clear skies. Avoid July-August, when Bukhara often tops 40°C.
How much does a week cost all in? +
Count around €950 backpacker, €1,250 comfort and €2,200 premium, flight from Paris included, per person.
Cash or card? +
Visa cards work in hotels and large restos, but keep som in cash for bazaars, taxis and small chaikhanas. ATMs are present in all three cities.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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