Samarkand Group Day Tour: Five Monuments with a Local Guide
Five monuments in a day with a licensed guide: the Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym, Shah-i-Zinda and Ulugh Beg's observatory. Transport included. From $20.
Tashkent City Tour: Old Town, Metro & Modern Capital
Explore old and new Tashkent in one day with a professional guide: the bustling Chorsu Bazaar, the sacred Hazrati Imam Complex, the palace-like metro stations and a stop for a traditional plov lunch (paid locally).
About this trip
Tashkent is a 2,000-year-old Silk Road city and Uzbekistan’s modern capital. On this tour you discover both sides of the city with the group’s guide and vehicle, at an unhurried pace.
Start at Chorsu Bazaar, the city’s oldest market, under its huge blue dome. Spices, dried fruit, fresh bread and local life fill the halls. From there, ride the Tashkent Metro and admire its stations, decorated with marble, chandeliers and mosaics, each with its own theme. Continue to the new Center for Islamic Civilization, which showcases Central Asia’s contribution to Islamic science and art. Its centerpiece is the 7th-century Uthman Quran, one of the oldest surviving copies in the world. Next door is the Hazrati Imam Complex, the spiritual heart of Old Tashkent, with the 16th-century Barak-Khan Madrasah, the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum and the twin-minaret Hazrati Imam Mosque.
In modern Tashkent, visit Amir Timur Square, the green heart of the capital, crowned by the statue of the great 14th-century ruler. Then enjoy lunch at a local plov centre, where Uzbekistan’s national dish is cooked in giant cauldrons. End at the Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, an elegant landmark built in 1947 and decorated by master craftsmen from across Uzbekistan.
Afternoon departures run from March to November; from December to February, please choose a morning departure.
Highlights: Chorsu Bazaar · Tashkent Metro Art Walk · Center for Islamic Civilization · Hazrati Imam Complex · Amir Timur Square · Plov lunch · Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre
Included: Licensed guide for the whole tour (English or Russian at no extra cost; Spanish, Italian, German, French, Korean or Turkish +$30 per group; Chinese +$60 per group), air-conditioned vehicle with driver, hotel pick-up and drop-off
Not included: Entrance fees, metro tickets, lunch, personal expenses
Day by day
- Hotel pick‑up
Our guide greets you in your hotel lobby, hands over your spice-passport tasting card, and shares a brief introduction to Uzbek customs as you settle into an air‑conditioned van with Wi‑Fi and cold towels.
- Chorsu Bazaar
Step under the iconic turquoise dome into a bustling market of spices, flatbread, cheese, and scarves. Sample flavors, capture photos, and enjoy a rooftop view of bazaar life.
- Tashkent Metro Art Walk
Descend into Alisher Navoi Station—marble, mosaics, chandeliers—then ride to Kosmonavtlar Station with its cosmic murals honoring Uzbek space pioneers.
- Center for Islamic Civilization
Opened in 2026 next to the Hazrati Imam Complex, this grand museum and research center showcases Central Asia’s contribution to Islamic science, art and scholarship. Its highlight is the 7th-century Uthman Quran, one of the oldest surviving copies of the Quran in the world.
- Hazrati Imam Complex
The spiritual heart of Old Tashkent, named after Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi, a 10th-century Islamic scholar and poet buried here. The ensemble includes the 16th-century Barak-Khan Madrasah, the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, the Tilla Sheikh Mosque and the grand Hazrati Imam Mosque with its twin minarets.
- Amir Timur Square & Timurids Museum
Stand beneath the bronze equestrian statue, then enter the domed museum with artifacts, manuscripts, and a replica of the Uthman Quran.
- Lunch at a local plov centre
Watch the chefs work the great kazan pots, then sit down to a plate of Uzbek plov with green tea. Which plov centre we use depends on the day. On the 14:00 departure this meal is an early dinner instead, at a plov centre or a chaikhana.
- Navoi Opera & Ballet Theatre
Visit the ornate foyer of this Soviet-Orientalist landmark, learning about its architecture and the Japanese POWs who built it.
- Return to Hotel
Transfer back with a spice sampler gift and QR code for tipping convenience.
What's included
- Professional English- or Russian-speaking guide for the whole tour (other languages at a surcharge, chosen when booking)
- Comfortable transportation (pick-up & drop-off at hotel/meeting point)
- Complimentary scarves for mosque entry (returned after visit)
- A spice sampler gift at the end of the tour
- Bottled water during the tour
Not included
- Dinner (can be arranged on request)
- Personal expenses (souvenirs, snacks, extra beverages)
- Tips for the guide and driver (at your discretion)
- Travel insurance — required for every traveller
- Hotel accommodation (this is a day tour only)
- Entrance fees, paid on the day: the Temurids Museum 60 000 UZS per person. The metro fare and any other small entry charges are not included either.
- Lunch at a local plov centre (Uzbek plov and green tea)
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