Uzbekistan
A 6–8-hour walking tour of Samarkand’s historic center: the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum, Registan Square, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, a crafts center, the Jewish mahalla, and Siab Bazaar. Your guide will adjust the pace to suit your group.
The tour is designed for 6–8 hours of comfortable walking. The route is logically designed, taking into account the distances between sites (the total distance is approximately 5–7 km). The guide adjusts the pace to the group.
Meet at the Gur-e Amir Mausoleum. Here you will see the majestic blue dome and learn the history of the burial place of Amir Temur and members of his dynasty. The interior, with its carved marble and paintings, sets the tone for the whole day — a place where Timurid history comes alive through your guide's storytelling.
A short walk along the historic streets leads to the main square of Samarkand. Three madrasas — Ulugbek, Tilla-Kari and Sher-Dor — surround the space, forming a harmonious ensemble. The guide will explain the symbolism of the buildings, the astronomical motifs and the life of the madrasas in different eras. There is time for photos and a leisurely look around.
Near the Registan, on Islam Karimov Street, we enter a historic caravanserai building. It houses a crafts center where you can see and purchase works by local artisans—ceramics, textiles, and clothing. The Happy Bird Gallery offers an atmosphere that blends tradition with a contemporary perspective on Uzbek art.
We continue our journey through the quiet streets of the old Bukharan Jewish quarter. The atmosphere here is noticeably different—more intimate, with preserved residential buildings. A visit to the Gumbaz Synagogue (Kanesoi Gumbaz), built in 1891, allows us to learn about the history of the Samarkand Jewish community.
We climb the stairs to a complex of mausoleums dating from the 11th to 15th centuries. The vibrant tiles, patterns, and architectural details from various periods create a powerful impression. The guide will explain the significance of the "Living King" and the history of individual tombs.
The descent from Shah-i-Zinda leads straight to one of the city's oldest markets. This is where the main part of the tour ends. You can try fresh flatbread, local sweets, and spices, or simply watch the everyday life of Samarkand's residents.
The one-day walking tour "Classic Samarkand" is a compact yet rich route through the historic center of the city, which is listed by UNESCO. In 6–8 hours you will walk past key sites linked to the Timurid era and later periods, see architectural masterpieces, glimpse the living neighborhoods of the old town, and feel everyday life at one of the oldest bazaars in Central Asia.
The tour is entirely on foot, without transportation. A guide accompanies the group throughout the entire route, sharing the history of the sites, context, and details typically overlooked in standard descriptions. The tour includes the guide's services only—entrance fees, meals, and transfers are not included.
The route is convenient for a first acquaintance with Samarkand: it logically connects the main sights within the old center, and the distances between sites allow for a comfortable pace, with stops for photos and questions. It's best to take the tour in the morning or late afternoon, when the light is softer and the temperature is more comfortable.
9 answers to frequently asked questions
Citizens of most CIS and European countries don’t need a visa.
CIS and former USSR countries. Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia enter without a visa under bilateral agreements, with no fixed length of stay: for a long trip, temporary registration is required. Citizens of Kyrgyzstan can stay without a visa for up to 60 days, and those of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for up to 30 days. Russians need an international passport: an internal passport will not be accepted.
Europe and the USA. Citizens of EU countries, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway can enter visa-free for up to 30 days, and US citizens also for up to 30 days (from 2026). Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after entry.
Other countries. If a visa is required, it is applied for online on the e-visa.gov.uz portal; an e-visa is issued in about 3 business days. We will tell you how to get one.
Registration. Foreigners are registered at their place of residence within 3 days of arrival, and citizens of Russia within 14 days. In a hotel, the hotel does this; the tourist tax is usually already included in the bill. Keep the registration slip until departure.
Guides lead excursions and accompany groups in the following languages: Russian, English, French, German, and Italian. The guiding language is confirmed in advance when you book the tour.
The optimal time is spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October), when temperatures remain within a comfortable range of +20…+30 °C. Summer (June–August) often sees temperatures exceeding +35 °C, so excursions begin early in the morning.
6–8 hours with photo stops, a museum visit and lunch. Distances are short, and the route is on foot.
Comfortable shoes, water, a hat (in spring/autumn), a small amount for souvenirs and lunches.
Yes, in many cities (including Khiva), this is possible in the afternoon or during free time. Renting costumes usually costs $5–10, and guides know suitable spots for photos against the backdrop of historical sites.
Uzbekistan is considered one of the safest countries to travel to in Central Asia. Tourist police are present in tourist areas (Itchan Kala, the historic centers of Samarkand and Bukhara), and locals are welcoming. Take the usual precautions—keep an eye on your personal belongings in crowded places.
When visiting the mausoleums, modest clothing covering the shoulders and knees is recommended. Women are advised to bring a headscarf or scarf. It is recommended to perform ablutions (where possible) before entering the complexes. Maintain silence, respect, and adhere to local traditions—this will allow you to fully experience the atmosphere of the ziyarat.
Write to us in any way you like, stating the dates and number of people, and we will choose a suitable format (private or group) and give you the exact price.
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We climbed Patandezbashi with Zhenya and two of my friends. Zhenya had loads of funny stories from life and facts about the mountains, so our climb was not only successful but a lot of fun too. We'll definitely go with him again, more than once 🙂
We are absolutely delighted with our trip to the Institute of Solar Physics with our guide Artem. Excellent organization, everything on time, a careful and calm driver, a clean bus, perfectly planned time at each site, and lunch at a very tasty place by the river. The Institute of Solar Physics made a stunning impression, and all our guests were delighted. We will recommend it to friends and colleagues.
Thank you for a magical day off.
Best regards,
A group from Moscow and the Moscow region
Huge thanks to Evgeny for organizing and leading a private one-day tour for my sister and me! A leisurely walk in the mountains in pleasant, informative company, enjoying the incredible scenery, feeling the power and might of a waterfall, flying a paraglider, and coming away with unforgettable impressions of the time we spent: it was all unforgettable!!! Everything was very well organized, professional, safe and comfortable! Our expectations were met 100% and even a little more! :)
Evgeny is a very attentive guide who senses what his guests want and knows how to build comfortable routes. Next time I will only contact him, and I recommend him to everyone! :)
Our family and our friends (including 2 kids) enjoyed a a day tour to Sukok. Unfortunately the weather was not co-operating, it kept raining the whole day and due to this the whole rode in the mountains was muddy and slippery. But Evgeni´s excellent guidance, positivity and knowledge of the scenery made the day a most memorable for everybody despite some rides on the bottom :DWe ate the local "Green Somsas" on the way, drank water from the mountain well, crawled through the cave and inhaled the amazingly fresh air.On another day we also had lunch at a huge pilaff restaurant and after that a fascinating tour in the city. Evgenii is very competent and tells interesting stories. Everything ran smoothly and in a very friendly atmosphere, the tour bus was excellent and the driver super helpful. So we can only support your choise of Xtrail Tour!
My wife and I, along with Evgeny, completed the hike to Yukhin Peak.
Let me say up front: the whole time it felt as if we had asked a friend who knows tourism and the mountains inside out to organize this trip for us.
Before the hike, I had a rather superficial idea of what awaited us. But in the end, everything turned out to be much easier, tastier, and more comfortable than I expected. Despite acclimatization and the physical exertion, we confidently completed all the stages of the planned itinerary and reached Yukhin Peak.
There were times when we felt tired. But the fatigue quickly evaporated as more and more mesmerizing panoramas of the Pamirs opened up before our eyes.
Zhenya was there throughout the entire route, offering advice on how to best adapt to the altitude and load, and helping with organizational matters.
Great views, a great guide — our adventure had it all 😁
Welcoming, responsive and always ready to discuss new wishes and look for new ways to extend the trip. Evgeny put together an interesting itinerary in Uzbekistan in a short time. He helped with tickets, met us and saw us off. Where Zhenya could not be with us, he arranged guides. We felt calm and safe. Next time we come to Central Asia, we will go to Evgeny again — he has plenty of ideas and routes!
It was a pleasure spending time with such a wonderful guide. Evgeny showed us everything we asked for. We recommend him!
Thank you, Evgeny, for organizing such an unforgettable trip and introduction to Uzbekistan. We liked everything, especially the food
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