The Grand Round Trip in Uzbekistan – Self-Launched

Fly into Tashkent International Airport (TAS) and take a metro or taxi (~£3–5) to your guesthouse in the old city. Spend the afternoon exploring the Khasti Imam (Khastimom) religious quarter on foot — it's free to wander and the Barak Khan Madrassah and Tilla Sheikh Mosque are open to visitors for a small fee (~£1–2 each). See the famous Uthman Quran at the library. In the evening, stroll through Chorsu Bazaar and browse Independence and Amir Timur squares. Grab a bowl of lagman or plov at a local chaikhana for under £3.

🚌Airport taxi or metro to city centre (~£3–5). Tashkent has an excellent Soviet-era metro — a single ride costs under £0.10.

🛏Stay at a guesthouse or budget hotel in central Tashkent, e.g. Tashkent City Hostel or Hotel Malika Tashkent (~£15–20/night)

• →Walk the Khasti Imam Square complex (Barak Khan Madrassah, Tilla Sheikh Mosque, Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum)
• →View the Uthman Quran (handwritten copy attributed to the Third Caliph Osman)
• →Explore Chorsu Bazaar
• →Visit Independence Square and Amir Timur Square

Take an early shared taxi or marshrutka from Tashkent's Avtovokzal (bus station) to Kokand in the Fergana Valley (~3.5–4 hrs, ~£5–7). On arrival, visit the grand Khudoyar-Khan Palace (entry ~£2), the Jami Mosque, Norbuta-Biy Madrassah and Modari Khan Mausoleum — all within walking distance of each other. Overnight in Kokand.

🚌Shared taxi Tashkent → Kokand from Avtovokzal (~£5–7, ~3.5 hrs)

🛏Budget guesthouse in Kokand, e.g. Kokand Hotel or a local B&B (~£12–16/night)

• →Shared taxi or marshrutka from Tashkent to Kokand (~£5–7)
• →Visit Khudoyar-Khan Palace (entry ~£2)
• →Visit Jami Mosque
• →Visit Norbuta-Biy Madrassah and Modari Khan Mausoleum

Hire a shared taxi for the day to loop through Rishtan and Margilan before returning to Tashkent. In Rishtan (~30 min from Kokand), visit the famous ceramic workshops where master potters throw and glaze traditional blue-and-white pottery — most welcome visitors for free or a small tip. In Margilan, visit the Yodgorlik Silk Factory (entry ~£1–2) to watch traditional ikat silk-weaving on hand looms. Browse Margilan's local bazaar for scarves and fabric. If it's a Thursday or Sunday, divert to the vast Kumtepa bazaar — one of the largest in Central Asia. Return to Tashkent by evening shared taxi (~£5–6).

🚌Shared taxis: Kokand → Rishtan (~£1–2), Rishtan → Margilan (~£1), Margilan → Tashkent (~£5–6)

🛏Return to guesthouse in Tashkent (~£15–20/night)

• →Visit traditional pottery workshops in Rishtan
• →Tour the Yodgorlik Silk Factory in Margilan — watch ikat silk-making on hand looms (entry ~£1–2)
• →Browse Margilan local bazaar
• →Optional: Kumtepa bazaar (Thursdays or Sundays only)

Fly from Tashkent to Urgench (the nearest airport to Khiva) — Uzbekistan Airways operates this route (~£30–50 one way, book in advance via Aviasales or the airline directly). From Urgench, take a shared taxi to Khiva (~30 min, ~£1–2). Check in to your guesthouse inside or just outside the Ichan-Kala (inner walled city). In the afternoon, explore the UNESCO-listed old city: the Juma Mosque (75 carved wooden columns), Muhammad Amin Khan Medrese (now a hotel — you can peek inside), Kochna Ark Citadel, Pachlovon-Machmud Mausoleum and Alakuli Khan Madrassah. A combined entry ticket for main sites costs ~£5–7.

🚌Uzbekistan Airways Tashkent → Urgench (~£30–50); shared taxi Urgench → Khiva (~£1–2)

🛏Guesthouse inside Ichan-Kala or just outside the walls, e.g. Malika Khiva or Orient Star Khiva (~£15–25/night)

• →Fly Tashkent → Urgench (~£30–50), then shared taxi to Khiva (~£1–2)
• →Explore Ichan-Kala (UNESCO inner walled city) on foot
• →Visit Juma (Chiwas-Juma) Mosque with 75 carved wooden columns
• →Visit Muhammad Amin Khan Medrese, Kochna Ark Citadel, Pachlovon-Machmud Mausoleum, Alakuli Khan Madrassah
• →Browse artisan woodcarving and embroidery workshops in the old city

Join a day trip to the ancient desert fortresses of the Elliq Qal'a (Fifty Fortresses) — most easily arranged through your guesthouse or a local agency in Khiva for ~£20–35 per person in a shared vehicle. Visit the atmospheric ruins of Toprak-Kala (ancient Khorezmian city) and the striking Ayaz-Kala fortress complex, with sweeping desert views. Many guesthouses can also arrange a night in a yurt camp near Ayaz-Kala if you want to extend this into an overnight desert experience. Return to Khiva by evening.

🚌Shared vehicle day trip arranged via guesthouse (~£20–35/person including transport)

🛏Return to guesthouse in Khiva (~£15–25/night)

• →Day trip to Kyzylkum Desert fortresses (~£20–35/person via guesthouse-arranged shared vehicle)
• →Visit Toprak-Kala ancient settlement ruins
• →Visit Ayaz-Kala fortress complex with panoramic desert views
• →Optional: overnight stay in a desert yurt camp near Ayaz-Kala (~£20–30 extra)

Take a shared taxi from Khiva/Urgench to Bukhara (~5–6 hrs, crossing the Kyzylkum Desert and the Amu Darya river). The journey itself is a highlight — vast flat desert, roadside melon sellers and the dramatic river crossing. Shared taxis depart from Urgench's taxi stand and cost ~£8–12 per person. Arrive in Bukhara by afternoon, check in and explore the Lyabi-Hauz pond area in the old city — a lovely spot for dinner at a terrace restaurant. Entry to Bukhara's old city is free; individual sites charge ~£1–3 each.

🚌Shared taxi Urgench → Bukhara (~£8–12/person, ~5–6 hrs)

🛏Budget guesthouse or B&B in Bukhara old city, e.g. Komil Bukhara or Sasha & Son (~£15–22/night)

• →Shared taxi Urgench → Bukhara crossing the Kyzylkum Desert and Amu Darya river (~£8–12, ~5–6 hrs)
• →Arrive and settle in Bukhara; explore Lyabi-Hauz pond area
• →Evening dinner at a terrace chaikhana by the hauz

A full day on foot in Bukhara's UNESCO-listed old city — one of the best-preserved Islamic cities in the world. Visit the Samanid Mausoleum (the oldest surviving Islamic building in Central Asia), the Bolo Hauz Friday Mosque, the mighty Ark Fortress (entry ~£2), the Kalon Mosque and soaring Kalon Minaret, Mir Arab Madrassah (exterior), Ulugbek and Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassahs, and the atmospheric domed trading domes (Tim Abdullakhan, Toqi Sarrafon). In the evening, watch a free or low-cost traditional music/dance performance at Nadir Divan Begi Madrassah — performances are often staged for tourists at dusk (~£2–4 entry).

🚌All sites walkable from old city guesthouse

🛏Guesthouse in Bukhara old city (~£15–22/night)

• →Visit Samanid Mausoleum (entry free or ~£1)
• →Visit Bolo Hauz Friday Mosque
• →Visit Ark Fortress (entry ~£2)
• →Visit Kalon Mosque and Minaret complex
• →Visit Mir Arab, Ulugbek and Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassahs
• →Explore the domed medieval trading bazaars
• →Evening music/dance performance at Nadir Divan Begi Madrassah (~£2–4)

Hire a local taxi for the day (~£15–20) to visit sites around Bukhara. Start at Sitorai-Mohi-Khosa (Summer Palace of the last Emir of Bukhara), a fascinating East-meets-West palace with ornate interiors (entry ~£2). Continue to the Chor Bakr necropolis — a tranquil ensemble of mausoleums and mosques set around a courtyard (~£1 entry). Finally, visit the Bakhauddin Nakhshbandi Ensemble, an important Sufi pilgrimage site with a beautiful courtyard (free or small donation). Return to Bukhara for the evening.

🚌Local taxi day hire for Bukhara surroundings (~£15–20)

🛏Guesthouse in Bukhara (~£15–22/night)

• →Day hire of local taxi (~£15–20)
• →Visit Sitorai-Mohi-Khosa Summer Palace (entry ~£2)
• →Visit Chor Bakr necropolis complex (entry ~£1)
• →Visit Bakhauddin Nakhshbandi Sufi shrine ensemble

Arrange a private or shared transfer from Bukhara to Samarkand via Nurata (~£15–25 for a shared vehicle or hire through a local agency). En route, stop at Nurata to see the ruins of Alexander the Great's fortress, the Chil-Ustun Mosque, the sacred Chashma Spring (where pilgrims come to bathe), and the ruins of the Sardoba caravanserai and water reservoir. Arrive in Samarkand by evening and check in.

🚌Shared vehicle or hired taxi Bukhara → Nurata → Samarkand (~£15–25/person)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Samarkand, e.g. B&B Antica or Bibi Khanym Hotel (~£15–22/night)

• →Shared vehicle/hired taxi Bukhara → Samarkand via Nurata (~£15–25/person)
• →Visit Sardoba caravanserai and water reservoir ruins
• →Visit Chil-Ustun Mosque in Nurata
• →Visit ruins of Alexander the Great's fortress
• →Visit Chashma sacred spring

A full day exploring Samarkand's breathtaking monuments — all within easy walking distance or a short taxi ride. Begin at Gur-Emir Mausoleum, the tomb of Timur (Tamerlane), with its iconic ribbed turquoise dome (entry ~£3). Then head to the unmissable Registan Square — three colossal madrassahs (Ulugbek, Shir Dor, Tilla-Kari) framing one of the world's great urban spaces (entry ~£5). Visit Bibikhanum Mosque and Shahi Zinda Necropolis — a dazzling alley of royal mausoleums in vivid tilework (entry ~£3). Wrap up with Ulugbek Observatory (entry ~£2). Book tickets on the door — no advance booking needed.

🚌Walking and occasional local taxi (~£1–2 per ride)

🛏Guesthouse in Samarkand (~£15–22/night)

• →Visit Gur-Emir Mausoleum, tomb of Timur (entry ~£3)
• →Visit Registan Square — Ulugbek, Shir Dor and Tilla-Kari Madrassahs (entry ~£5)
• →Visit Bibikhanum Mosque (entry ~£2)
• →Visit Shahi Zinda royal necropolis (entry ~£3)
• →Visit Ulugbek Observatory (entry ~£2)

A slower morning — revisit Ulugbek Observatory and the on-site museum if you want more time there. Then visit the Samarkand Paper Workshop (Meros Paper Mill) in the Konigil village district — one of the few places in the world still making traditional handmade paper using a 1,500-year-old mulberry bark technique (entry/demo ~£2–3, self-book or just turn up). In the afternoon, wander through the Siab Bazaar — Samarkand's colourful oriental market, free to browse and great for picking up spices, dried fruit and non bread.

🚌Local taxi to Konigil village (~£2 each way)

🛏Guesthouse in Samarkand (~£15–22/night)

• →Return visit to Ulugbek Observatory and museum (~£2)
• →Visit Konigil traditional paper mill (Meros) — watch handmade mulberry paper production (~£2–3)
• →Explore Siab Bazaar — Samarkand's main oriental market (free)

Take a shared taxi over the Takhtatash Pass to Shahrisabz, birthplace of Timur (~1.5 hrs, ~£4–5). Visit the awe-inspiring ruins of the Ak-Saray (White Palace) — once the grandest palace in the world; Kok Gumbaz Mosque; the Gumbazi Seidan Mausoleum and Khazrati Imam Mosque (entry for main sites ~£3–5 combined). Shahrisabz's historic centre is UNESCO-listed. Continue by local taxi to Darbent (~30 min, ~£2–3) for the overnight.

🚌Shared taxi Samarkand → Shahrisabz (~£4–5); local taxi to Darbent (~£2–3)

🛏Simple guesthouse in Darbent or Shahrisabz (~£10–18/night)

• →Shared taxi Samarkand → Shahrisabz over Takhtatash Pass (~£4–5, ~1.5 hrs)
• →Visit Ak-Saray (White Palace) ruins (entry included in Shahrisabz site ticket ~£3–5)
• →Visit Kok Gumbaz Mosque
• →Visit Gumbazi Seidan Mausoleum and Khazrati Imam Mosque
• →Local taxi Shahrisabz → Darbent (~£2–3)

This is a long driving day through spectacular Uzbek mountain and steppe scenery. Hire a local taxi or arrange a transfer via your guesthouse from Darbent down to Boysun (~2 hrs) — a remote mountain village known for its UNESCO-recognised living cultural traditions. Visit the local handicraft centre, browse the village bazaar and chat with residents about their pastoral lifestyle. Continue south to Termez (~3–4 hrs) — the southernmost city in Uzbekistan, right on the Afghan border. Check in and rest.

🚌Hired taxi Darbent → Boysun → Termez (~£20–30/person)

🛏Simple hotel or guesthouse in Termez, e.g. Hotel Meridian Termez (~£18–25/night)

• →Hired taxi or guesthouse transfer Darbent → Boysun → Termez (~£20–30/person across the day)
• →Visit Boysun local handicraft centre
• →Browse Boysun village bazaar
• →Optional: talk with local residents about traditional mountain lifestyle

Start the morning with a local taxi tour of Termez's remarkable sites — this ancient city has layers of Buddhist, Greek, and Islamic history. Visit the Fayaz-Tepa Buddhist monastery complex (~£2 entry), the Hakim al-Termezi Mausoleum (12th-century Islamic saint), Sultan Saodat Mausoleum ensemble, and the Archaeological Museum of Termez (entry ~£2) which houses Gandharan-era Buddhas and Silk Road artefacts. In the afternoon, fly back to Tashkent (Uzbekistan Airways, ~£30–50 — book in advance) or take the overnight train (~£10–15 in platzkart/second class). Arrive in Tashkent for your final night.

🚌Local taxi for Termez sites (~£8–12); Uzbekistan Airways Termez → Tashkent (~£30–50) or overnight train (~£10–15)

🛏Final night guesthouse or budget hotel in Tashkent (~£15–20/night)

• →Local taxi morning tour of Termez sites (~£8–12)
• →Visit Fayaz-Tepa Buddhist monastery complex (entry ~£2)
• →Visit Hakim al-Termezi Mausoleum
• →Visit Sultan Saodat Mausoleum ensemble
• →Visit Archaeological Museum of Termez (entry ~£2)
• →Fly or train Termez → Tashkent (~£10–50 depending on option)

Depending on your flight time, squeeze in any final Tashkent sightseeing — the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan is worth a visit (~£2), or revisit Chorsu Bazaar for last-minute souvenirs. Take the metro (~£0.10) or a taxi (~£3–5) to Tashkent International Airport (TAS) for your departure. The airport is modern and efficient — arrive 2–3 hours before international flights.

🚌Metro or taxi to Tashkent Airport (~£0.10–5)

🛏Check out — departure day

• →Optional: visit State Museum of History of Uzbekistan (~£2)
• →Last-minute souvenir shopping at Chorsu Bazaar
• →Metro or taxi to Tashkent International Airport (~£0.10–5)