Things to do in Samarkand: top sights and where to go
Samarkand puts the Registan and its three madrasas, Timur's tomb at Gur-e-Amir, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and the Shah-i-Zinda avenue of tombs within a 10–20 minute walk of each other, with the Siab Bazaar in between. Walk the centre on the first day; take a taxi on the second to the Ulugh Beg Observatory, Afrasiab and the Tomb of Daniel.
Sights
Afrasiab Museum
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
1 h 15 min≈ UZS 40,000–80,000 (unofficial)historymuseumsancient ruins
Samarkand itineraries
Samarkand travel guide
Before you go: Registan, Gur-e-Amir and Shah-i-Zinda, getting there from Tashkent, weather by month.
Samarkand on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 2 days: Registan, the necropolis, the observatory
- When to go
- April–May and September–October
- From Tashkent
- Afrosiyob train ≈ 2–2.5 h
- Visa
- Visa-free for many passports, often 30 days
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time zone
- UTC+5
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 603Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Samarkand”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Gur-e-Amir”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Ulugh Beg Observatory”Things to do in Samarkand
Samarkand’s highlights are Registan Square with its three madrasas, Timur’s mausoleum Gur-e-Amir, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. Nearby are Siab Bazaar, Ulugh Beg’s observatory and the ancient site of Afrasiab. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above; the “Map” button shows them on a map.
| Registan | Registan, Timur monument | 2 h |
|---|---|---|
| Timur | Gur-e-Amir | 1 h |
| North | Bibi-Khanym, Siab, Shah-i-Zinda | ½ day |
| Afrasiab | Museum, Hazrat Khizr, St Daniel | ½ day |
| Science | Ulugh Beg Observatory | 1 h |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries, with places in a sensible order.
Getting to Samarkand
From Tashkent the easiest way is the Afrosiyob high-speed train — about 2–2.5 hours. Samarkand also has its own airport. Bukhara is about 1.5 hours further by train.
Samarkand weather by month
The best time to visit Samarkand is April–May and September–October — warm and dry. Summer reaches 34 °C; winter is about 7 °C by day with frosty nights.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 7° | 9° | 14° | 21° | 26° | 32° | 34° | 33° | 28° | 21° | 14° | 9° |
| Night | -2° | -1° | 4° | 9° | 13° | 17° | 19° | 17° | 12° | 7° | 2° | -1° |
| Rain | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and September–October
- day ≈ 7°
- night ≈ -2°
- rain 11 days
Cool, sometimes snow.
- day ≈ 9°
- night ≈ -1°
- rain 11 days
Cool.
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 13 days
Navruz, spring.
- day ≈ 21°
- night ≈ 9°
- rain 11 days
Warm, orchards in bloom.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 13°
- rain 9 days
Warm — one of the best months.
- day ≈ 32°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 3 days
Hot.
- day ≈ 34°
- night ≈ 19°
- rain 1 days
Peak heat.
- day ≈ 33°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 1 days
Hot and dry.
- day ≈ 28°
- night ≈ 12°
- rain 1 days
Warm, fruit harvest.
- day ≈ 21°
- night ≈ 7°
- rain 5 days
About 21° — the best month.
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 2°
- rain 8 days
Cool.
- day ≈ 9°
- night ≈ -1°
- rain 10 days
Cool.
Registan is most beautiful at sunset and lit up at night.
Samarkand ticket prices
Registan Square from outside and the bazaar are free. You pay to enter the Registan madrasas, Gur-e-Amir, Shah-i-Zinda and the observatory.
| Gur-e-Amir | 59 | 45 min | ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registan | 57 | 1 h 30 min | 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors |
| Bibi-Khanym Mosque | 49 | 40 min | ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial |
| Shah-i-Zinda | 46 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners |
| Tomb of Saint Daniel | 41 | 40 min | ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial |
| Ulugh Beg Observatory | 40 | 45 min | UZS 40,000–75,000 (unofficial) |
| Afrasiab Museum | 35 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ UZS 40,000–80,000 (unofficial) |
Free — 3 places: Amir Timur Monument, Siab Bazaar, Hazrat Khizr Mosque.
Tips
- Return to Registan in the evening for the lights.
- See Shah-i-Zinda in the morning, when the light on the tiles is soft.
FAQ
Is Samarkand worth visiting?
Absolutely — Registan, Gur-e-Amir and Shah-i-Zinda are among the finest Islamic architecture anywhere, and the fast train makes it easy from Tashkent.
What to do in Samarkand in one day?
Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda.
How do I get from Tashkent to Samarkand?
By Afrosiyob train in about 2–2.5 hours.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 603
- Wikipedia, “Samarkand”; “Gur-e-Amir”; “Ulugh Beg Observatory”