Samarkand

Samarkand is the single most recognisable Silk Road city and the highlight of most Uzbekistan itineraries. Registan Square, framed by three monumental, tile-covered madrasahs, is the centrepiece and is worth seeing both by day and lit up in the evening. Gur-e-Amir, the mausoleum of the 14th-century conqueror Timur (Tamerlane), and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis — a corridor of turquoise-tiled tombs — round out a full day of Timurid-era architecture that has few equivalents anywhere else in the world.

Samarkand is reached from Tashkent by the Afrosiyob high-speed train, a comfortable journey of a little over two hours that's usually more practical than a domestic flight for this route. Two nights is generally enough to cover the main sites without rushing. Uzbek hospitality is warm and the food — plov, shashlik, fresh naan-style bread — is easy for Indian travellers. As with Tashkent, confirm current visa or e-visa conditions for Indian passport holders, onward train or flight bookings, hotel vouchers and travel insurance ahead of the trip. Smiles To Miles can combine Samarkand with Tashkent, and Bukhara if time allows, into one Uzbekistan itinerary.

Planning this journey from India? Explore Samarkand holiday packages, review the visa documents checklist, or speak with our New Delhi travel team for a customised itinerary.