10 days · Tashkent + Samarkand + Bukhara
Uzbekistan in 10 days
Uzbekistan in 10 days: Tashkent + Samarkand + Bukhara (+ Khiva lite). Silk Road without transfer overload.
Three jewels, not the whole desert
In 10 days: Tashkent (1–2) + Samarkand (3) + Bukhara (3–4) + Khiva only if a night/train remains. Don’t stack Nukus + Aral + Fergana + all three cities.
When
Apr–May / Sep–Oct
Ideal shoulder: walkable squares, less extreme heat than July.
Jun–Aug
Strong heat; early Registan and siestas. Serious hydration.
Nov–Mar
Cold; fewer crowds; shorter hours. Layers and tea.
Budget / day
€35–90
Hotel
€12–30
Food
€15–50
Train/tickets
€70–150
Total
10 days
Practical
Trains
Afrosiyob Tashkent–Samarkand–Bukhara when seats exist. Official app/station. Reserved seats at peak.
Where to stay
Samarkand: near Registan/centre · Bukhara: old town · Khiva: in or by Ichon-Qala.
Visa & cash
Check current e-visa/exemption. Som + cards in cities; cash in bazaars. Insurance useful.
Food
Plov · shashlik · laghman · non · green tea. Plov centres and chaikhanas > tourist-only menus facing the madrasa.
Tips
Registan at dawn
Light and fewer people. August noon is another planet.
Three cities in three nights
Samarkand and Bukhara need breathing room. Cut Tashkent or Khiva.
Stone shoes
Lots of cobbles and sun — real socks and a hat.
Aral desert “because it’s close”
It’s not close in time. Another trip.
Checklist
Uzbekistan on TripMatches
Build Tashkent + Samarkand + Bukhara (+ Khiva lite), share train nights and align pace with your group.
Plan this tripYou may also like
Your first trip to Europe
Your first trip to Europe: how to pick 2–3 bases, avoid map overload and land with a plan that survives day one.
Carry-on only packing
Carry-on only packing: what to bring, what to skip and how to clear security without drama on 5–14 day trips.
Solo travel basics
Solo travel basics: practical safety, your own pace, where to stay and how not to burn out on your first solo trip.