My route
Sign in
WorldUzbekistanSamarkandSamarkand in 1 dayMy routeRoute

One day in Samarkand: an itinerary in the best order

Shah-i-Zinda necropolis in Samarkand: a row of brick mausoleums with turquoise and ribbed domes in the evening sunShoppers at a covered hall of Siab Bazaar in Samarkand, fruit and vegetable stalls under a blue-trimmed steel roofBibi-Khanym Mosque courtyard in Samarkand: the big blue ribbed dome, a smaller dome behind trees and a tiled pylon

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
2 of 6 free; 4 paid — see “Cost”
Duration
7 h 20 min · 09:30–16:46
Start and finish
Shah-i-Zinda → Amir Timur Monument
On foot
≈ 51 min in total
Transport
none — all on foot
Lunch
around 12:40
With kids
fine: short walks
Best time
Spring and autumn. Registan is beautiful in the evening too, when the madrasas are lit up.

The plan, stop by stop

Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.

Samarkand09:30–16:46 · 6 places · 7 h 20 min

  1. Shah-i-Zinda

    · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners

  2. 12 min on foot

  3. Siab Bazaar

    · 1 h · Free

  4. 3 min on foot

  5. Bibi-Khanym Mosque

    · 40 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial

  6. Lunch · 1 h
  7. 13 min on foot

  8. Registan

    · 1 h 30 min · 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors

  9. 16 min on foot

  10. Gur-e-Amir

    · 45 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial

  11. 7 min on foot

  12. Amir Timur Monument

    · 15 min · Free

Go · start

Add nearby

Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.

What the route costs

2 of 6 are free; 4 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.

1Shah-i-Zinda461 h 15 min≈ 50,000 som for foreigners
2Siab Bazaar431 hFree
3Bibi-Khanym Mosque4940 min≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial
4Registan571 h 30 min100,000 UZS for foreign visitors
5Gur-e-Amir5945 min≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial
6Amir Timur Monument4415 minFree
Total5 h 30 min2 of 6 free

Tips for each stop

  1. 1

    Shah-i-Zinda. Start at the street of 11th–19th-century mausoleums on the slope of Afrasiyab: about 50,000 sum for foreigners. It is quieter in the morning.

  2. 2

    Siab Bazaar. The main market behind Bibi-Khanym: flatbread, dried fruit, halva. Free; closed on Mondays.

  3. 3

    Bibi-Khanym Mosque. Timur's mosque of 1399–1404: a 35 m portal and a dome about 40 m high. About 75,000 sum.

  4. 4

    Registan. The square of the Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori madrasas. Inside the enclosure — about 100,000 sum for foreigners.

  5. 5

    Gur-e-Amir. Tamerlane's mausoleum: gilding inside and a jade slab over the tomb. About 75,000 sum.

  6. 6

    Amir Timur Monument. Finish at Timur on his throne at the start of University Boulevard. Free.

Who this route is for

Good for
  • First time in Samarkand with one day
  • A day trip from Tashkent on the fast train
  • On foot, without a tour
Not for
  • Mondays — Siab Bazaar is closed
  • The Ulugh Beg Observatory and Afrasiyab are on the outskirts — another half day
Best time

Spring and autumn. Registan is beautiful in the evening too, when the madrasas are lit up.

What to see in Samarkand in one day

The morning is in the north-east of the old town: Shah-i-Zinda, the bazaar and Bibi-Khanym stand close together. After lunch walk to Registan and on to Gur-e-Amir. It is all on foot.

Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.

Tickets

Each monument has its own ticket: Registan about 100,000 sum, Gur-e-Amir and Bibi-Khanym about 75,000 sum, Shah-i-Zinda about 50,000 sum for foreigners. The prices are unofficial — check at the desks.

Where to have lunch

Lunch in the plan comes after Bibi-Khanym: Samarkand flatbread is sold at Siab Bazaar, and there are cafés nearby.

Is one day in Samarkand enough?

For Timur's monuments, yes. With a second day see the north of the city: the Ulugh Beg Observatory, the Afrasiyab museum, the Tomb of Saint Daniel and the Hazrat Khizr Mosque — that is the 2-day itinerary.

How to do it right

  • For mosques and mausoleums cover shoulders and knees; women need a headscarf.
  • Siab Bazaar is closed on Mondays.
  • Do Shah-i-Zinda in the morning, before the groups and the heat.
  • Uzbekistan uses the sum (UZS). Cards work in the cities, but bazaars, taxis and small ticket desks prefer cash. Many monument prices are unofficial — check at the desk.
  • Go back to Registan in the evening, when the madrasas are lit up.

Questions

Is one day in Samarkand enough?

For the main monuments — Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym and Shah-i-Zinda — yes. The observatory and Afrasiyab need a second day.

What to do in Samarkand in one day?

Shah-i-Zinda, Siab Bazaar, Bibi-Khanym, Registan, Gur-e-Amir and the Amir Timur monument.

Can I see Samarkand on my own?

Yes: all the monuments are in the centre, 3–16 minutes apart on foot.

How much is Registan?

About 100,000 sum for foreigners, by unofficial data.

How much does this itinerary cost?

About 300,000 sum for all the monuments; the bazaar and the Timur monument are free.

Where is Tamerlane buried?

In the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, under a jade slab.

When is the best time to visit Shah-i-Zinda?

In the morning: fewer groups and less heat.

Can I do Samarkand as a day trip from Tashkent?

Yes, by fast train: the whole route is on foot from the centre.

Is it good with kids?

Yes: the bazaar and Registan Square are popular with children.

Is it good in summer?

Yes, if you start early: the afternoon is hot.

Sources and fact-check

  • Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
  • Samarkand State Museum-Reserve
  • Wikipedia: Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Shah-i-Zinda
YesGo editorial team ·
How we checkedThe order, time at each stop and walks are worked out by the YesGo planner from the places' coordinates and visit times. Prices, hours and closing days come from the place pages; some church and monument hours are unofficial, and the place pages say so.

More Samarkand routes

Other cities in Uzbekistan: one-day routes