Explore Samarkand's Registan Square$4–5
Three monumental turquoise-tiled madrasas frame one of the most spectacular public squares on the entire historic Silk Road.
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Central Asia
Things to do in Uzbekistan
The beating heart of the ancient Silk Road, turquoise-domed madrasas rising from desert cities, and a culture of hospitality shaped by centuries as a crossroads of civilizations.
Explore Uzbekistan on the map →Budget$
Best for9-11 days
CapitalTashkent
VisaVisa-free entry for up to 30 days for US, UK, EU, Canadian, and Australian passport holders as of January 2026, with mandatory accommodation registration within three days of arrival.
CurrencyUzbekistani som (UZS)
LanguagesUzbek (official); Russian widely spoken
InternetGood in major cities, more limited rurally
Typical lodging$15–$40/night
Driving sideRight
Power & voltage220V / 50Hz (Type C/F plug)
Time zoneUTC+5
Emergency number112
Dialing code+998
★★★★★ Culture★★★★★ Photography★★★★★ Food
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Bottled water recommended. Not customary. Rounding up is fine.
Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva together formed some of the most important cities on the entire Silk Road, and their turquoise-tiled madrasas, minarets, and mausoleums remain among the best-preserved examples of Islamic architecture anywhere in the world. Uzbekistan is one of only two doubly landlocked countries on Earth (surrounded entirely by other landlocked countries), a geographic quirk shared only with Liechtenstein, despite being vastly larger in both size and population.
When to go
SpringApril–May
Mild and blooming, widely considered the best season nationally, with comfortable temperatures for exploring the Silk Road cities.
SummerJune–August
Very hot, especially in desert areas, early morning sightseeing is essential during this stretch.
AutumnSeptember–October
Comfortable temperatures and harvest season, considered alongside spring as the best window to visit.
WinterNovember–March
Cold, particularly at night, with a much quieter tourism season nationwide.
20 things to do
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Culture & history
15Wander the old walled city of Khiva
An entire UNESCO-listed old town preserved almost as an open-air museum, with minarets and mausoleums packed within its original mud-brick walls.
Explore Bukhara's Silk Road old town
One of the best-preserved medieval Islamic cities in Central Asia, with covered bazaars, minarets, and merchant houses dating back centuries.
Visit the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, resting place of Timur (Tamerlane)
The ornate tomb of the 14th-century conqueror Timur, whose empire once stretched from India to the Mediterranean, considered a masterpiece of Timurid architecture.
Ride Uzbekistan's high-speed Afrosiyob train between Silk Road cities
A modern high-speed rail line connecting Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara, making the historic route far faster than it would have been for Silk Road traders.
Explore the Kalyan Minaret in Bukhara
A 12th-century minaret so imposing that Genghis Khan reportedly spared it during his otherwise destructive conquest of the city.
Shop the Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent
A vast domed market in the capital selling spices, dried fruit, and textiles, offering a genuine slice of everyday Uzbek commerce.
Visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand$4–5
The remains of a 15th-century astronomical observatory built by a Timurid ruler-scientist, whose star catalog was among the most accurate of its era.
Explore the Chor-Minor minarets in Bukhara
A small, distinctive gatehouse topped with four unique domed towers, each said to represent a different faith Bukhara historically encountered.
Visit the remnants of the Aral Sea near Muynak
A stark, sobering visit to a former fishing port now stranded in desert, following one of the most significant human-caused ecological disasters of the 20th century.
Explore Tashkent's Soviet-era metro stations
Ornately decorated underground stations built during the Soviet period, each with a distinct architectural theme, still in daily use.
Visit the Ark Fortress in Bukhara
A massive royal fortress that served as the seat of Bukhara's rulers for over a thousand years, now partially a museum complex.
Shop for suzani embroidery and ikat textiles
Uzbekistan's traditional embroidered and tie-dyed textile crafts remain widely practiced, with workshops in Samarkand and the Fergana Valley open to visitors.
Explore the Fergana Valley's silk and ceramics workshops
A fertile valley region known for traditional silk production and ceramics, offering hands-on demonstrations of centuries-old craft techniques.
Visit Shah-i-Zinda, the 'Avenue of Mausoleums' in Samarkand$4–5
A dense corridor of intricately tiled mausoleums built across several centuries, considered one of the most visually stunning necropolises anywhere.
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Adventure & outdoors
1Explore the desert fortresses of Karakalpakstan (Ayaz Kala)
Ancient Khorezmian fortress ruins rising from the Kyzylkum Desert, a striking, little-visited detour for those with extra time.
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Food & drink
4Eat plov, Uzbekistan's national rice dish
A rice dish cooked with meat, carrots, and onions in a large communal cauldron (kazan), with regional variations found across the country.
Try Uzbek non bread from a traditional tandoor oven
Round, stamped flatbread baked in clay ovens, central to Uzbek daily life and treated with genuine cultural reverence, it's considered bad luck to place it upside down.
Try Uzbek shashlik and samsa
Grilled skewered meat and baked pastry parcels, both genuine street food staples reflecting Uzbekistan's Silk Road-era culinary crossroads.
Attend a traditional Uzbek tea ceremony
Green tea served in small bowls is central to Uzbek hospitality, typically accompanied by dried fruit, nuts, and sweets in a genuine daily social ritual.
Common questions
▾Do I need a visa for Uzbekistan?
As of January 2026, US, UK, EU, Canadian, and Australian passport holders can enter visa-free for up to 30 days, a significant expansion of the country's earlier, more restrictive visa policy.
▾Do I need to register my accommodation?
Yes. Every foreign visitor must register their accommodation within three days of arrival, a requirement that applies under both visa-free and visa entry; hotels typically handle this automatically.
▾How many days does the Silk Road route need?
9-11 days lets you comfortably combine Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, given the travel distances between these historic cities across the country.
▾Is Uzbekistan safe and easy to travel around?
Yes, generally considered one of the more stable and tourist-friendly countries in Central Asia, with a well-developed high-speed rail network connecting the main Silk Road cities.
▾Is Uzbekistan affordable?
Yes, among the more budget-friendly destinations in Asia, with strong value for food, accommodation, and the high-speed rail network connecting its historic cities.
▾How much does it cost to visit Samarkand's Registan?
Foreign visitor entry to the Registan complex runs a modest UZS 50,000-60,000 (about $4-5). Many of Uzbekistan's Silk Road monuments carry similarly affordable entry fees relative to their scale and significance.