Highlights of Uzbekistan — Self-Launched Silk Road Route
10 days · Uzbekistan
G Adventures charges £1,450
No-markup version: ~£514 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day version of G Adventures' "Highlights of Uzbekistan" — Tashkent, Samarkand, a night in a yurt by Lake Aydarkul, Bukhara and Khiva — done on public trains, shared taxis and marshrutkas instead of a private 16-seat van, with budget guesthouses instead of 3-4 star hotels. Uzbekistan is one of the safest and most traveller-friendly Silk Road countries, and the high-speed Afrosiyob train makes the classic Tashkent–Samarkand–Bukhara leg fast and cheap. Costs are rough per-person estimates for a budget-to-midrange solo traveller sharing a twin/dorm where possible.
Day-by-day
Arrive Tashkent — orientation and Chorsu Bazaar
Tashkent
Land at Tashkent International (TAS), take the official taxi desk or Yandex Go app into the centre (approx 25,000–40,000 UZS / £2–3). Most nationalities (UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia) get 30 days visa-free — check your passport rules before booking. Settle into a guesthouse in the Chorsu/Old Town area, then walk the metro (a sight in itself — ride Kosmonavtlar and Alisher Navoiy stations, 1,700 UZS per ride) to Chorsu Bazaar for plov and non bread, and stroll the Hazrati Imam complex. Tonight, book your Afrosiyob train ticket to Samarkand for tomorrow online (uzrailway.uz or the Uzbekistan Railways app) — they sell out, especially in spring/autumn.
🚌Airport taxi ~£3; metro rides ~£0.15 each
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Old Town Tashkent (twin share, £15–20 pp)
- →Chorsu Bazaar food wander
- →Hazrati Imam complex (free)
- →Tashkent metro station tour
Afrosiyob train to Samarkand — Registan at sunset
Samarkand
Take the morning Afrosiyob high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand (~2h10m, second class approx 150,000–250,000 UZS / £12–20 — book ahead). Check into a guesthouse a short walk from the Registan. Spend the afternoon doing the classic circuit on foot: Gur-e-Amir (Amir Timur's mausoleum), then Registan Square — buy the combined ticket (~65,000 UZS / £5) and time your visit for golden hour when the madrasas glow. Eat at a local chaikhana near Siab Bazaar: lagman, samsa and green tea for under £5.
🚌Afrosiyob train Tashkent–Samarkand ~£15
🛏Guesthouse near Registan, Samarkand (twin share, £15–20 pp)
- →Gur-e-Amir mausoleum (~£2)
- →Registan Square combined ticket (~£5)
- →Siab Bazaar
Samarkand — Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi-Khanym and the observatory
Samarkand
Start early at Shah-i-Zinda necropolis (best in morning light, ~30,000 UZS / £2.50) before the tour buses arrive, then walk down to Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Siab Bazaar. After lunch, take a Yandex Go to Ulugh Beg Observatory (~£2) and the Tomb of Prophet Daniel if it appeals. Optional: hire a local guide for 2–3 hours through a hotel or GetYourGuide for ~£25–35 if you want the history unpacked — otherwise the English signage is decent. Evening free to re-visit Registan lit up at night (ticket re-entry is cheap; many travellers just view from the square outside).
🚌Yandex Go rides around town ~£1–2 each
🛏Guesthouse near Registan, Samarkand (twin share, £15–20 pp)
- →Shah-i-Zinda (~£2.50)
- →Bibi-Khanym Mosque (~£2)
- →Ulugh Beg Observatory (~£2)
- →Optional local guide ~£30
Samarkand to Nurata and the Aydarkul yurt camp
Aydarkul Lake / Nurata
This is the one leg where a shared/private driver makes sense. Book a seat through your Samarkand guesthouse or a Nurata yurt camp directly (most camps arrange shared transfers from Samarkand or Bukhara for 200,000–350,000 UZS / £15–28 pp). Stop at Nurata to see the Chashma Complex and holy spring, then continue to the yurt camps on the edge of Lake Aydarkul. Afternoon free to swim or walk the dunes; book the yurt stay directly (many camps, e.g. Sputnik Navoi-style setups, charge £25–40 pp including dinner, breakfast and an evening of Kazakh/Uzbek singing around the fire).
🚌Shared transfer Samarkand–Nurata–Aydarkul ~£20
🛏Yurt camp by Lake Aydarkul (shared yurt, dinner + breakfast included, £25–40 pp)
- →Chashma Complex and holy spring
- →Lake Aydarkul swim
- →Evening Kazakh singing and dinner at camp
Aydarkul to Bukhara via the desert
Bukhara
Breakfast at camp, then take a shared transfer onward to Bukhara (arrange the night before with your camp — approx 300,000–400,000 UZS / £25–32 pp, roughly 4–5 hours with a stop at the Alexander the Great fortress ruins near Nurata if your driver is willing). Arrive Bukhara late afternoon and check into a guesthouse inside the old city, ideally near Lyabi-Hauz. Evening: wander the Lyabi-Hauz plaza, the trading domes and the Kalon minaret at dusk — all free to walk. Dinner at a local family-run spot: Bukhara plov and shashlik for £4–6.
🚌Shared transfer Aydarkul–Bukhara ~£28
🛏Old-city guesthouse in Bukhara (twin share, £15–22 pp)
- →Alexander the Great fortress ruins (en route)
- →Lyabi-Hauz and trading domes at night (free)
Bukhara old city on foot
Bukhara
Bukhara is the most walkable city in Central Asia — no guide needed if you have a decent map. Do the full loop: Poi Kalon complex and Kalon Minaret, Ark Fortress (~40,000 UZS / £3), Bolo-Hauz Mosque, the Chor Minor, and the Jewish quarter and synagogue (free, small donation appreciated). Optional extras pay-as-you-go: Bukhara's historic hammam (~£25–30 for the full scrub), or the puppet show in the old caravanserai (~£5). Grab a traditional dinner cooked by a local family via a guesthouse arrangement or EatWith for ~£10–12.
🚌Walking; occasional taxi ~£1
🛏Old-city guesthouse in Bukhara (twin share, £15–22 pp)
- →Poi Kalon and Kalon Minaret (free)
- →Ark Fortress (~£3)
- →Chor Minor and Jewish quarter
- →Optional hammam ~£27
- →Optional puppet show ~£5
Shared taxi to Khiva
Khiva
The Bukhara–Khiva road is long (~6–7 hours) — the cheapest option is a shared taxi from the Bukhara shared-taxi stand to Urgench (~120,000–180,000 UZS / £10–15 pp), then a short hop to Khiva. A private car door-to-door is around £45–60 if you'd rather split with 2–3 other travellers from your guesthouse. Alternatively take an overnight train from Bukhara to Urgench and save a hotel night. Arrive Khiva and check into a guesthouse inside the Ichon-Qala walls — staying inside the walled city is the whole point. Easy evening walk along the ramparts and a rooftop dinner.
🚌Shared taxi Bukhara–Urgench–Khiva ~£15 (private car ~£55 if split)
🛏Guesthouse inside Ichon-Qala, Khiva (twin share, £15–20 pp)
- →Evening walk along Khiva's city walls
- →Rooftop dinner overlooking Ichon-Qala
Khiva — Ichon-Qala in full
Khiva
Buy the Ichon-Qala combined ticket (~150,000 UZS / £10–12) which covers most of the madrasas, the Juma Mosque, Tosh-Hovli Palace and the city walls — valid across the day and much better value than individual tickets. Climb the Islam Khodja minaret (~£3) for the classic tiled-rooftop view, and watch the sunset from the Kuhna Ark walls. Khiva is small enough to cover fully on your own in a day, with plenty of time to sit in a chaikhana and drink tea.
🚌Walking
🛏Guesthouse inside Ichon-Qala, Khiva (twin share, £15–20 pp)
- →Ichon-Qala combined ticket (~£11)
- →Islam Khodja minaret climb (~£3)
- →Kuhna Ark sunset
Fly Urgench to Tashkent — capital city tour
Tashkent
Take a taxi to Urgench airport (~£3–4) for the morning Uzbekistan Airways flight to Tashkent (HY52-style schedule, ~1h20m; book early — fares are typically £35–55 one-way and much faster than the 15-hour train or the long drive). Land by late morning and check into your Tashkent hotel. Spend the afternoon walking the capital: Amir Timur Square, the Opera, the Applied Arts Museum (small entry), and the earthquake memorial. Optional guided walking tour via GetYourGuide ~£25 if you want context on Soviet-era Tashkent.
🚌Taxi to Urgench airport ~£4; flight Urgench–Tashkent ~£45
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse, Tashkent centre (twin share, £18–22 pp)
- →Amir Timur Square and Opera (free)
- →Applied Arts Museum (~£2)
- →Evening walk around the old town
Tashkent — market breakfast and departure
Tashkent
Final morning: breakfast at a local bakery, a last wander through Chorsu Bazaar for dried fruit and spices to take home, and a ride on the metro loop if you missed it on day one. Airport is ~25 minutes by taxi or the metro to Xalqlar Do'stligi plus a short walk. Most international flights leave in the afternoon or evening, so there's usually time for a slow lunch before heading out.
🚌Metro + taxi to airport ~£4
🛏None — day of departure
- →Chorsu Bazaar breakfast and shopping
- →Metro loop ride
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£514 | £1,450 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £936 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£514
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of Uzbekistan — Self-Launched Silk Road Route cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £514 per person for 10 days in Uzbekistan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £514 — a saving of roughly £936 (65%) per person.
How long is the Uzbekistan trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Uzbekistan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, slow-travel trip through Uzbekistan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.