Do you want to travel around Uzbekistan without a tour? With 6-7 days to spare you can certainly see the highlights that the country has to offer, but you’ll need to prioritise what cities or towns are more deserving of your time.
Many visitors to the country split their time between Tashkent, Sarmarkhand, Bukhara and Khiva. You could ask three different people if they prefer Sarmarkand or Bhukara and you’ll get three different responses. How you split your time is really down to personal preference. Ideally, to see the main highlights of the Silk Road, longer than a week would be ideal, but we don’t always have the optimal amount of time.
Will 6-7 days be rushed traveling around Uzbekistan without a tour? Yes.
Is it worth visiting with such a short amount of time? Absolutely! Keep reading to find out how to travel around Uzbekistan without a tour.
How to plan your trip to Uzbekistan without a tour
To optimise your time in Uzbekistan it is better to plan your trip according to the available transport options to and from Khiva. This will mean less wasted travel time or backtracking. The old town of Khiva is a must see town. In 2018 a new train station opened which links Khiva with Bukhara, Sarmarkand and Tashkent.
Trains run daily between Sarmarkand and Bukhara, but they only run on certain days between Khiva and Bukhara.
Below I have summarised many hours of transport research to help you plan your trip.
Flying to Khiva
Uzbekistan Airways flys daily from Tashkent to Urgench (which is a 30 minute taxi ride away from Khiva). Some flights stop in Bukhara, so it is possible to fly from Bukhara if you time things well. Mini vans are available for most routes, but I much prefer a seat on a train compared to a bumpy bus ride, so I ruled road transport out when planning my trip.
Train Times in Uzbekistan
The night train from Tashkent to Urgench runs on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The night train from Urgench to Tashkent runs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The new train line linking Khiva directly to Bukhara leaves at 8:57 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It arrives into Khiva at 14:50.
The Bukhara to Khiva train runs on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Departs at 12:24 and arrives into Khiva at 17:51.
I recommend to fly or take the night train from Tashkent to Urgench one way and then travel in smaller sections back in the opposite direction.
Plan for Khiva to be your first or last stop and the rest will fall into place, because the transport options run daily once you’re away from Khiva.
Train tip 1: There are snacks to purchase on the train, but they cost 4-5 times the normal price. Stock up before.
Train tip 2: The faster the train, the nicer the carriage. The seats on older trains are ok comfort wise, whereas the seats and carriages on the high speed rail are much nicer.
How long to spend in each place in Uzbekistan
The amount of time really depends on what you are like as a traveler. Khiva and Bhukhara offer more opportunities to relax, wander and people watch. Sarmarkand and Tashkent are cities with the sights spread out.
Khiva
A beautiful old town that feels like you’re entering a movie set. Locals still live in this ancient walled city and it has retained its charm. While it is a small town, it looks different from every angle and at every time of day.
1 day is enough to squeeze the highlights in. I stayed for two full days and had time to really take it all in at a slow pace and sip pots of Uzbek tea on a terrace with a view.
1 day – Enough time to squeeze it all in
2 days – Take it easy and stop for a pot of tea or long lunch
3 days – You will either be completely relaxed or verging on boredom.
Bukhara
Smaller than Sarmakhand, but bigger than Khiva, Bukhara has a relaxed vibe and beautiful architecture. It’s possible to whizz around the city in one day. Spending two days here will give you time to have long lunches and take in the views at a leisurely pace.
1 days – Fit it all in, get the fridge magnet and go.
2 days – Take in the sights and have time for a sleep in.
3 days – You may or may not regret not booking that earlier train ticket.
Train Tip: The trains from Bukhara to Sarmarkhand leave at stupid o’clock in the morning or annoyingly late in the afternoon. The train times coming from the other direction are more convenient and leave at a respectable time in the morning. Planning to visit Sarmarkhand first would make your train schedules easier to manage and wouldn’t require a 4am wake up call.
Samarkand
Samarkand has the big bang impressive tourist sights. It’s a city and very different to the towns of Khiva and Bukhara. You can compare Samarkand to any major city with popular tourist sights. You’ll have to move around the city to see them and share them with other tourists once you get there.
The length of time you spend here depends on how much you enjoy cities. Some people like to spend a long time here, whereas other visitors believe one day is enough.
I stayed for one day, because I’m not a fan of cities. I didn’t get to see everything, but I don’t enjoy crowds, so I wasn’t too bothered about skipping some busy tourist sights. I was happy I spent the majority of my time in Khiva and Bukhara.
With that being said The Registan and Shah-I-Zinda Necropolis are absolute must see places. It would be criminal to visit Uzbekistan and not pay these places a visit.
When to travel to Uzbekistan
The northern hemisphere summer is peak season for tourism. It’s also the peak season for temperatures. It reaches the high 30’s, so an afternoon siesta will be a good tactic to enjoy your time in the summer months.
September to October and March to May are the shoulder seasons. The days are warm and mostly sunny, but the evenings get chilly. A sweater, layers and sunblock will be required during these months.
The winter months would see lower numbers in temperatures and tourists. Wrapping up warm and booking accommodation with heating is a must. Rainfall is higher in the winter.
Money
ATM’s are dotted all over the place. I had no problem withdrawing cash from Tashkent airport or paying for most of my accommodation by card. You’ll need some cash for entrance fees, meals and snacks. Some smaller restaurants do not accept card.
The money you withdraw will make you feel like you have won on the roulette. Bring a big wallet.
Taxi’s
It’s easy to arrange transfers to and from train stations in advance. I arranged my transfers directly with the guest houses I was staying at. I’m a solo female traveler, so it was comforting to know I didn’t have to haggle for a taxi ride when I arrived in a new city.
The taxi drivers will pounce on you as soon as you exit the train station, so I was happy to avoid this with pre-arranged transfers. Paying anything over $10 per journey is way too much.
What to eat
Plov is a dish of fried rice served with meat. It’s hearty and tasty.
Uzbekistan is a wonderful and unique country and deserves a place on every adventure travellers bucket list.
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