Silk Road Expedition: 7 Days Across Uzbekistan, from Tashkent to Khiva

The Silk Road Expedition is a journey across the whole width of Uzbekistan: you start in the capital, Tashkent, ride the high-speed train to Samarkand, continue to Bukhara and then cross the Kyzylkum desert to Khiva, before flying back. It takes seven days of travel. The Silk Road Expedition tour itself runs for eight days, because the last morning is kept free for your flight home. This guide follows the route leg by leg and explains how you move between the four cities.

Key facts

• Route: Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara – Khiva, then a domestic flight from Urgench back to Tashkent.
• Duration: 8 days and 7 nights: seven days of sightseeing and travel, plus a departure day.
• Transport: high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand; train or private transfer to Bukhara and on to Khiva; flight from Urgench to Tashkent.
• Hotels: 3- to 4-star hotels, mostly boutique hotels close to the historic centres.
• Guides: a local guide in each city; tell us which language you prefer.
• Format: a private tour that can start on any day, or the same route as a small-group tour on fixed dates.
• Good for: a first visit, and travellers who want all four classic cities in one trip.
• Prices: depend on the number of travellers and the season — see the tour page or contact us.

Why "7 days" when the tour has 8

The journey itself takes seven days: from your arrival in Tashkent on day 1 to the flight back from Khiva on day 7. The tour is counted as eight days because it does not end at the airport in Urgench. You spend a relaxed evening and night in Tashkent, and the eighth day is kept for the transfer to your international flight. This way, the domestic flight and your flight home do not fall on the same day.

Leg 1: Tashkent, the starting point

Day 1 begins with your arrival at Tashkent International Airport or your hotel, where your guide meets you. The orientation tour covers three very different sides of the capital: the Khast Imam complex, the religious heart of the old town; Chorsu Bazaar under its large blue dome; and Amir Timur Square in the modern centre. In the evening a welcome dinner introduces Uzbek cuisine. If you want more of the capital later, our guide to modern Tashkent shows what else the city offers.

Leg 2: by high-speed train to Samarkand

On day 2 the high-speed train takes you from Tashkent to Samarkand in a little over two hours (as of October 2026). After check-in, a first walk leads to Registan Square, Ulugh Beg's Observatory and Siab Bazaar, and the evening is yours.

Day 3 is the main sightseeing day in Samarkand: the Registan ensemble in detail, the tiled mausoleums of Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Gur-e-Amir, the tomb of Amir Timur. If you like to work with your hands, an optional workshop in pottery, calligraphy or silk-making can be added. Dinner is in a local restaurant. Our Afrosiyob train guide explains classes, tickets and stations for this leg.

Leg 3: Samarkand to Bukhara

Day 4 starts slowly, with a free morning or a last walk in Samarkand. Then you continue to Bukhara by train or private car; the high-speed train takes under two hours on this stretch. In the evening you walk around Lyabi-Hauz, the old pool surrounded by madrasahs and teahouses, and have dinner nearby.

Day 5 belongs to Bukhara, whose historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Ark Fortress, the wooden columns of Bolo-Hauz Mosque, the covered trading domes and the Samanid Mausoleum. In the afternoon there is free time for shopping and photography, with optional visits to artisan workshops and an optional evening performance of traditional music and dance.

Leg 4: across the desert to Khiva

Day 6 is the longest transfer of the trip. By road, the drive from Bukhara to Khiva takes about six to seven hours through the Kyzylkum desert, with stops along the way; on some days of the week a train runs on this route instead, and we choose whichever fits your dates. After check-in you take an orientation tour of Ichan-Kala, the walled inner town of Khiva and the first site in Uzbekistan to be listed by UNESCO (1990), including the Kunya-Ark citadel.

The way back: a flight from Urgench

On day 7 you have the morning in Khiva for a last walk along the walls or for shopping. Then you transfer to Urgench airport for the flight back to Tashkent, so you do not have to cross the country a second time by land. The evening in Tashkent is free for a walk, dinner or rest. On day 8, after breakfast, you transfer to Tashkent International Airport.

Private or small group

The private tour can start on any day, with private transfers and guides only for your party. If you prefer to travel with other people, the Classic Silk Road small-group tour follows the same eight-day route on fixed Saturday departures, with group transfers and a maximum of 12 travellers. If your week is shorter, our article on what to skip in 7 days in Uzbekistan helps you decide what to leave out.

Practical tips

• Travel light: you change hotels four times, and one suitcase plus a day bag is easiest on trains and at check-ins.
• Keep your passport with you on travel days; it is needed for train tickets and the domestic flight.
• For the desert day, bring water, sun protection and snacks, even though there are stops on the way.
• Khiva is at its most atmospheric early in the morning and at sunset, when the day visitors have left.
• Wear comfortable shoes: the old towns have uneven paving and many steps.
• Carry some cash in the local currency for bazaars, workshops and small cafés.

Plan it with TravelBliss

On the Silk Road Expedition we arrange the hotels, the train tickets, private transfers, the domestic flight, a local guide in each city and the dinners in the programme. Tell us your dates and preferred guide language, and whether you want any of the optional workshops or performances. Prices depend on the number of travellers and the season — see the tour page or contact us.