Uzbekistan is one of the biggest attractions in Central Asia! If you’re into architecture (Uzbekistan has some of the most impressive and intricately designed buildings in the Muslim world) and history (Uzbekistan was a primary stop along the ancient Silk Road), then the country should be on the top of your travel bucket list. While seven days in Uzbekistan isn’t enough to fully explore the country, it is enough to give you a satisfying taste of its flavor. This one-week Uzbekistan itinerary will guide you to the highlights of the country.

Days 0 & 1: Tashkent

Top Things to See in Tashkent

Chorsu Bazaar

This is Tashkent’s largest and most lively bazaar. You can find everything you need here, from clothing to spices to home appliances. We spent our time trying delicious national dishes in its open-air food hall and going souvenir shopping.

Pro tip: Uzbekistan has a black market for currency exchange, and you can find a lot of money changers in Chorsu. The black market rate tends to be significantly better than the official exchange rate, but be wary of shady practices. To avoid being cheated, make sure the money is counted before you hand over your cash.

Kukeldash Madrasah

After visiting Chorsu, we took a short walk to the Kukeldash Madrasah, the largest madrasah (Islamic school) and one of Tashkent’s most famous historical monuments.

Minor Mosque

Minor Mosque is one of Tashkent’s newer mosques, opened in 2014. The White Mosque is known for its stunning white marble finish.

Khast Imam Square

Khast Imam Square, also known as Hast Imom, Hazret Iman, Khazrati Imam, and many other variations, is the religious center of Tashkent in the old town. The Muyi Mubarak Library is in the center of the square and holds one of the oldest Qurans in the world.

Central Asian Plov Center

Plov is Uzbekistan’s national dish and absolute favorite food, consisting of rice, carrots, and meat. The Central Asian Plov Center is the place to try Plov!

Metro

Tashkent’s metro is famous for its extravagant designs, which are comparable to those of the Moscow Metro Stations. You can ride the metro all day, taking in the beautiful artwork. Some of the most impressive stops include Chilonzor, Alisher Navoiy, Toshkent, Kosmonavtlar, Ozbekiston, and Mustaqilliq Maidoni.

Learn about the best way to travel throughout Uzbekistan and other valuable tips for visiting here!

Day 2: Khiva

Khiva is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site believed to have been founded in the 5th or 4th centuries BC. It was a crossroad of the Great Silk Road, serving as a pinnacle post connecting two powerful lands, China and Rome. Khiva consists of Ichan Kala (inner city) and Dishan Kala (outside City). Ichan Kala is surrounded by four gates facing the world’s four sides.

The majority of the main attractions are found in Ichan Kala. You can purchase a tourist ticket at the west gate entrance that gives you access to most museums, madrasas, and sites in the city for two days. Some of the biggest attractions require additional payment.

Pro-tip: There’s so much rich history in Khiva! I recommend getting a guide to bring the sites to life. Also, the museums have limited descriptive information, so you may have many unanswered questions if you don’t get a guide.

Top Things to See in Khiva

Islam-Khodja Complex

This Islam Khodja complex consists of a small madrasah and the highest minaret of Khiva. For an unforgettable view of the city, climb the minaret!

Pro tip: There are over 100 steep steps to climb to reach the top of the minaret. We found the best way to climb is by walking sideways.

Juma Mosque

This was one of my favorite sites in Khiva because it differs from the other attractions. The main chamber has 213 wooden pillars, each uniquely carved, some dating back to the 10th century, and is centered around a small garden.

Kunya-Ark Fortress

Located at the Itchan-Kala western gate, the Kunya-Ark fortress was once the home of Khivan Khans (rulers/ military leaders). Its’ watchtower overlooks the entire city and is another excellent place to catch a sunset in Khiva.

Wood Carver’s Workshop

About 300 families live in Itchan Kala and primarily engage in crafts. We visited a wood carver’s workshop to learn more about the process. Like most workshops in Khiva, it was free to enter, and there wasn’t any pressure to buy anything.

Pro-tip: If you are looking for the best deals on wooden goods, don’t purchase from the wood master as they have the most expensive prices. It’s best to buy from the plethora of vendors lining the streets of Khiva.

Silk Carpet Workshop

Uzbekistan is the 3rd largest silk producer in the world. Before visiting a silk carpet workshop, I had no idea how much effort went into producing a silk carpet. One carpet can take weeks to make by hand, and their prices reflect that.

Tash Khauli Palace

Tash Khauli Palace, aka the Stone Palace, was once the residence of the four queens and royal concubines. Its’ courtyards are intricately decorated in shades of blue. It’s easy to miss this. It appears because, on the outside, it appears to be a fortress, but it makes a point to find it.

Kalta-Minor Minoret

This is the largest incomplete minoret in the world. The powder blue minoret was the vision of Mohammad Amin Khan, who wanted to build a minoret high enough that he could see Bukhara. But he unexpectedly died, and the building was never finished. The Kalta Minor is even more stunning at night when illuminated with lights.

Days 4 & 5: Bukhara

Another vital point along the Silk Route, Bukhara, was once known as one of the Persian world’s most important economic and intellectual hubs. Scholars, poets, and scientists flocked to Bukhara during the 8th, 9th, and 10th centuries. The entire inner city of Bukhara is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is recognized as one of the prime examples of a well-preserved ancient Islamic city in Central Asia.

Top Things to See in Bukhara

The Po-i Kalan Complex:

One of my favorite sites in Bukhara was the Po-i Kalan complex. This religious complex includes the Kalan Minaret, the Kalan Mosque, and the Mir-i Arab Madrassah.

Kalyan Minaret

I don’t think I can ever get tired of looking at minarets in Uzbekistan. The Kalyan Minaret is particularly unique because, unlike many other minarets designed with bright colors, it has sepia walls embellished with intricate brick patterns. When it was built in 1127, the Kalyan Minaret was the tallest building in Central Asia. Genghis Khan was so enamored by the Kalyan Minaret’s beauty that he spared it while his troops destroyed the rest of the city.

Kalon Mosque

At the foot of the Kalyan Minaret is the 16th-century-built Kalon Mosque, large enough to hold 10,000 worshippers at a time.

Mir-I-Arab Madrassah 

The vibrant blue dome atop the Mir-I-Arab Madrassah is a beautiful contrast to its neighboring buildings’ brown and beige brickwork. Visitors are typically only allowed into the foyer of the Madrassah to get a peak of the central courtyard through a latticed window.

Shopping

While I shopped in nearly all the cities I visited, Bukhara was one of the best shopping places because it had the most inexpensive souvenir prices and a better variety of traditionally produced handicrafts. I enjoyed talking to the artisans and learning more about their craft.

What to buy

Susani- Susani means embroidery. You can get Susani bags, pillowcases, and tablecloths. What I love most about Susani is that each embroidery represents a unique story.

Ikat Clothing- Ikat is the national fabric of Uzbekistan and is made with beautiful, bold colors. You can get a custom-made silk or cotton ikat outfit in 1-3 hours.

Doppi- Traditional Uzbek hat with colorful designs

Silk goods- Uzbekistan is a major producer of silk, and they have a huge variety of silk products, from paper to scarves to clothing.

Metal goods- On brass and copper items, metal engravers often etch architectural monuments of “Holy Bukhara” and decorative patterns. If you go into a master’s workshop, he will show you his process.

Ceramics- Ceramics is the oldest of the national Uzbek crafts. Each region has its ceramic school. Ceramic tea sets and bowls are popular items.

Bukhara Silk Carpets

Bukhara Silk Carpets is the largest silk rug store in Uzbekistan! A small 100% silk area rug starts at $500, and the most expensive carpet is $78,000.

Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is catch a local dance performance. You can learn so much about a culture through how they express themselves through art. At the Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah, you can have dinner and catch a traditional performance with live music. Uzbek dance is very enchanting and elegant! The costumes are colorful and richly detailed.

Day 6: Samarkand

Samarkand is more modern than Khiva and Bukhara but still has a little ancient city flair.

Top Things to See in Samarkand

Registan

The Registan Square is Samarkand’s centerpiece and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The architectural ensemble consists of three buildings and are truly majestic examples of medieval Islamic architecture. The main building of the ensemble is Tilla-Qori Madrasah, to the left is Ulugbek Madrasah, and to the right is Sher-Dor Madrasah.

Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival

We enjoyed attending the opening ceremony for the Sharq Taronalari, the largest musical and cultural festival in Central Asia. This festival celebrates art and brings together talented singers, dancers, and musicians worldwide. The performances are held in the historic Registan, which makes them even more special.

Shah-i-Zinda

Also known as the Living King Mausoleum, Shah-i-Zinda is an old burial site of royal persons and nobles with over 20 buildings. Some of the mausoleums date back to the 9th century!

Day 7: Tashkent

Travel back to Tashkent to catch your flight home or your next destination. If you have time before catching your flight, check out the TV Tower or explore the different metro stations.

In conclusion, a trip to Uzbekistan is the one-of-a-kind experience everyone deserves. I was blown away by the beautiful architecture, culture, and genuine warmness of its people.

Disclaimer: I was invited to Uzbekistan by the World Influencers Congress, but all opinions expressed here are my own.

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