Uzbekistan holds three of the most spectacular Silk Road cities in one country. All UNESCO listed. All reachable in 6 days via train and internal flight. **Day 1 — Tashkent:** capital (2.5M people), mix of Soviet and modern. Chorsu Bazaar (biggest in Central Asia). Kukeldash Madrasah. Amir Temur (Tamerlane) Museum. Metro stations (spectacular Soviet mosaics — Kosmonavtlar station most famous). Nightlife in Chilonzor district. **Day 2 — Fly Tashkent → Urgench, drive to Khiva:** morning flight (1h30m, USD 40) + 30 min taxi (USD 15). Afternoon exploring Itchan Kala (UNESCO walled inner city). Only Khiva remains complete from Silk Road eras — walking through feels like time-travel. **Khiva highlights:** - **Kalta Minor** — unfinished blue minaret (26m of 80m planned). Story: Khan died 1855 during construction. - **Kunya Ark** — Khan's citadel, throne room - **Islam Khoja Minaret** — climb 175 steps for panoramic view - **Tash Khauli Palace** — Harim of the Khan, blue tiled - **Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah** — now hotel - **Slave markets** — active until 1873 Russian conquest **Day 3 — Train Khiva → Bukhara** (6 hours through Kyzylkum desert):** or 30 min flight from Urgench. Afternoon arrive Bukhara. **Day 4 — Bukhara UNESCO:** the "Noble Bukhara" — Central Asia's most religiously important city. 350 mosques, 100 madrasahs at 16th-century peak. **Bukhara highlights:** - **Kalyan Minaret** (1127) — 47m, so beautiful Genghis Khan spared it from destruction - **Poi Kalyan Ensemble** — Kalyan Mosque + Kalyan Minaret + Mir-i-Arab Madrasah (functional today) - **Lyabi Hauz** — square with pond, cafe restaurants, Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah - **Ark Fortress** — the Emir's citadel until 1920 Bolshevik takeover - **Chor Minor** — small mosque with 4 different-colored minarets - **Trading domes** (Toki) — historic bazaars still functioning - **Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum** — "Job's spring" - **Ismail Samani Mausoleum** — oldest brick monument in Central Asia (10th century) **Day 5 — Train Bukhara → Samarkand** (Afrosiyob 1h30m, USD 15-25). Afternoon Registan (three madrasas), evening light show. **Day 6 — Samarkand:** - **Registan** — return in different light - **Shah-i-Zinda** — necropolis, "living king" — most stunning tilework in Uzbekistan - **Bibi-Khanum Mosque** — Timur's wife commissioned - **Gur-e-Amir** — Timur's tomb, model for Taj Mahal - **Ulugh Beg Observatory** — 15th-century astronomy, meridian arc still visible - **Siyob Bazaar** — dried fruits, non (bread), spices **Evening train Samarkand → Tashkent (2h) for flight home.** **Practical:** - **Currency:** som (~10,000 UZS = USD 1). ATMs work with foreign cards. - **Visa:** e-visa most nationalities USD 20 - **Language:** Uzbek (Turkic), Russian widely spoken - **Best time:** April-May, September-October (mild, dry) - **Budget:** USD 800-1500 for 6 days including domestic transport, guesthouses (USD 30-60), meals (USD 5-15)