Samarkand, the southern Uzbek city has worn the scars of battle having been conquered, destroyed and rebuilt by Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. As one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in Central Asia, it formed an important trading post along the ancient Silk Road route. Being one of the tourist attractions of Uzbekistan, visitors get a lot of Things To Do In Samarkand.
It also has beautiful art galleries and mausoleums to visit while you are in Uzbekistan Tours.
Visit the Registan : Of all the Things to do in Samarkand, visiting the majestic Registan Square is a fitting first stop of the day. Not only is it a breathtaking sight, this is a good place to orient yourself for other travel around Samarkand. Registan Square consists of three madrasahs.
Bibi-Khanym Mosque : This was the largest mosques in the world at the time of famous conqueror Amir Timur, It was built in honour of his favourite wife Bibi Khanym. Unfortunately, the grand construction collapsed soon after being built. What now remains are the main portal, three domed halls and a minaret as one of Smarakand sights.
Shop at Siab Bazaar : The Siab Bazaar is just behind the Bibi Khanym mosque and is a market which sells dried fruit, nuts, vegetables, clothes, homewares and breads. During the morning time you'll see the market in full swing and by midday, most of the local crowd has pretty much disappeared. This is the best outdoor activities in Samarkand.
Shah-I-Zinda Necropolis Complex : The Shah-i-Zinda Complex consists of more than 20 richly appointed mausoleums of the nobility of 12th century. The mausoleums are packed closely together and tower over the small streets above them. You will need to pay additional fee to photograph as per Uzbekistan Travel guide.
Afrasiab Ancient Site and The Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand : Afrasiab Ancient Site and Museum in Samarkand is dedicated to the history of the city. The museum is located in the northern part of Samarkand, round central bazaar, near the hills of the ancient settlement of Afrasiab.
Hazrat Khizr Mosque : This 17th-century mosque was renovated in the 1990s and is quite new looking. Be aware that you are not allowed to take photos inside this mosque. You can defenietly enjoy the street views of the mosque.
Gur-e-Amir mausoleum : Gur-e-Amir means tomb of the kings. This is where Timur the Great, his sons and grandsons found their last resting place. The architectural model of the mausoleum was later an inspiration for Humayun's tomb in Delhi and the Taj Mahal in Agra. This is one of the reasons to go to Samarkand.
Ulugh Beg Observatory : Ulugh Beg was one of the Timurid rulers. But he was also a renowned astronomer, mathematician, and sultan. He ordered the construction of a grand observatory in Samarkand, where he worked himself.
The main feature was a grand sextant with a radius of 40,4 meters, of which only the lower half survived. With this instrument, Ulugh Beg was able to calculate the duration of the tropical year with an error of only 25 seconds. Not even Copernicus came as close! What remains, is still as impressive.
Imam Bukhari Mausoleum : The mausoleum of Imam al-Bukhari presents in all of its magnificence. In the complex that occupies a vast territory, there are mausoleums, mosques, hotel for tourists and pilgrims, souvenir shops and religious literature. The mausoleum of Imam al-Bukhari is one of the main pilgrimage sites in Uzbekistan. The visiting of three shrines in Samarkand the mausoleums of al-Bukhari, Shakhi-Zinda and Rukhabad within one day, is called small Hajj and one of the best Smarkand Tourist Attraction.
We hope you enjoyed reading this quick guide of Things to Do in Samarkand. It truly is a fascinating place. You can rely on Euroasia Travels to plan your next Uzbekistan Tours!
Our Uzbekistan Travel Guide will provide you the list of best Things To Do In Uzbekistan that you can plan on your Day tour in Samarkand and the Uzbekistan Travel Advice that they provide helps in bringing the necessary Uzbekistan Travel Requirements so that you can make the most of Samarkand Leisure on your tour.
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There is nothing as per law in Uzbek that a woman must wear, so you can bring your clothes that you love to wear. However, the country has its own culture and we believe you won’t like to offend it. So, we recommend packing some light shirts, t-shirts, jeans and long-sleeved dresses covering knees. You need to wear a scarf or something that covers your head while entering a mosque. You can pack some swim-dress to wear near your pool at your hotel.
Well, it’s really up to you. Bring as much as you want to spend in Uzbekistan. The country is not much expensive but most for paying most of the things you will need cash. Cards are not much accepted here. You can exchange your money at the airport or in any hotel or banks of Uzbekistan (both in private & govt. bank). Keep in mind that you need to pay tips in restaurants and to porters (not mandatory, but expected as it’s almost a custom to tip).
No, drinking tap water isn’t considered safe in Uzbekistan. We highly recommend using bottled water while you are in Uzbekistan. Also, make sure to eat clean and well-cooked food. If you are visiting Uzbek inn hot time make sure to keep big water bottles as you will feel thirsty due to the hot climate especially in the day time.
Well, the answer is No. Uzbekistan is not only a magical country with a rich history and spectacular natural beauty but also a very friendly country to visit. If you are afraid of if it is safe, then let us tell you even the country is safe for solo woman travelers. Uzbek people are warm and friendly. They will easily welcome you as their guest. Choose a reliable tour operator and explore the best of the country without any fear.
Of course, you can avail alcohol in Uzbekistan. It is kind of part of their life. Alcohol is taken by many Uzbek people especially, the Russians. Soviet people introduced Vodka and other alcoholic drinks that are now a part of their life. However, some very strict Muslims don’t prefer drinking. However, it is allowed and legal in the country.
Uzbekistan is famous for its ancient cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, Termez, and Tashkent that are explained in many historical stories. These places have some stunning old Islamic architecture buildings that make it famous. As well, the natural beauty, mountains, and rich history of the country usually fascinate its travelers.
Uzbek people eat many types of food in their daily life. The dishes of Uzbekistan are delicious. Mostly they eat and drink soups, meat dishes, floury dishes, bread, milk, and oriental sweets. They share their culinary style mostly with Turkic people. Mostly they have a whole meal in one pot. You can try some local cuisine during your visit to Uzbekistan like; Plov, Shashlik, Lagman Soup, Shurpa, Dimlama, Chuchvara, Samsa, and more.
While visiting to Uzbek you are recommended to have the following vaccination-
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Typhoid
Rabies
Meningitis
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
The country is best to visit at any time except the summer season (July & August). During these 2 months, the country is at its highest temperature that goes up to 40-degree Celsius. However, spring and autumn are a great time to visit Uzbek i.e. from April to May and September to early November. During this period the country remains dry with a clear sky and cool temp.
The tropical climate of the country is great for malaria mosquitoes; hence once malaria was the worst health threat in Uzbekistan. To protect people from falling ill in malaria the govt. of Uzbek has taken various steps and in 2010 the country became malaria-free. Now it has won the WHO certificate as a malaria-free country. Hence, you can stay stress-free about malaria.
In July 2018, Uzbekistan started an E-visa facility and there are 76 nationalists can apply for a visa online. You can go to the official E-visa site, and apply for your e-visa by filling a form online. The total cost is 20USD. It takes 2 to 3 working days for processing your visa and then you can get a confirmation in your mail. The payment you can do only in the working hours. If you are not from a country where you can go for e-visa, then you can go with the traditional way. You can book it from the embassy.
There are 21 countries that enjoy visa free entry to Uzbekistan. Here is the cost for Uzbekistan-
Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa- US$60 to US$100 for most nationalities
Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa - $160 for US nationalities
Additional entry cost- $10Per entry