Routes · Asia

Istanbul to Uzbekistan's Silk Road: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva

Istanbul → Tashkent → Samarkand → Bukhara → Khiva

Silk Road Best season (general guide): Apr–May, Sep–Oct

Uzbekistan holds the best-preserved cities of the old Silk Road, and from Istanbul it's a single flight away. This route runs east to west through four of them: modern Tashkent, then Samarkand, Bukhara and finally Khiva, each older-feeling and more compact than the last. The itinerary spends two nights in Tashkent, three nights in Samarkand, three nights in Bukhara and two nights in Khiva.

How to pace it: After the flight from Istanbul, plan days one and two in Tashkent: first Chorsu bazaar, then metro stations and the old city. Next, plan days three to five in Samarkand: first high-speed train to Samarkand, then Registan at dusk, Gur-e-Amir and Shah-i-Zinda, and finally Bibi-Khanym mosque and Siab bazaar. Next, plan days six to eight in Bukhara: first travel to Bukhara, then Lyab-i Hauz, Kalon minaret and trading domes, and finally Ark fortress. Next, plan days nine and ten in Khiva: first through the desert to Khiva, then Itchan Kala at sunrise and sunset.

Starting in Tashkent gives you a day to adjust and pick up a local SIM before the historic cities. Samarkand is the most monumental stop: the tiled facades of the Registan, Timur's mausoleum, the Gur-e-Amir, and the blue-domed tombs of Shah-i-Zinda. Bukhara feels more lived-in, with covered bazaars, the Kalon minaret and evening tea by the old pool. Khiva comes last because it's the most remote. Its mud-brick walls enclose a whole town of minarets and palaces, at its most atmospheric early in the morning and at sunset.

Spring, from April to May, and autumn, from September to October, are the comfortable seasons. In July, Bukhara and Khiva regularly see temperatures from the mid-30s to around 40°C, so summer sightseeing means early starts and long midday breaks. Spring and autumn are also the busiest times, so book train seats and guesthouses in advance.

Dress modestly when visiting active mosques, and expect to remove your shoes in some of them. Plov, the rice-and-meat dish cooked in huge pans, is a lunchtime tradition, and each city claims its own version.

Practical notes: Afrosiyob high-speed trains link Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, and Khiva is reached by a separate electric train, a night train or by road, so you only fly at the start and end. Cash is still widely used outside the big hotels, although card acceptance is growing.

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