Journeys
Ready itineraries, each a starting point. Tell us what to change.
Two seasons, spring and autumn
April and May, September and October bring warm days and cool nights to the whole country. Summer belongs to early mornings and the mountains, winter to quiet courtyards.
January, place by place Cold: everywhere we go Sketch a route for January
February, place by place Cold: everywhere we go Sketch a route for February
March, place by place Unsettled: Tashkent, Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea, Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana ValleyCold: Chimgan and Charvak Sketch a route for March
April, place by place Best: Tashkent, Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea, Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana ValleyUnsettled: Chimgan and Charvak Sketch a route for April
May, place by place Best: everywhere we go Sketch a route for May
June, place by place Best: Chimgan and CharvakGood: Tashkent, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana ValleyHot: Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea, Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul Sketch a route for June
July, place by place Good: Chimgan and CharvakHot: Tashkent, Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea, Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana Valley Sketch a route for July
August, place by place Good: Chimgan and CharvakHot: Tashkent, Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea, Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana Valley Sketch a route for August
September, place by place Best: everywhere we go Sketch a route for September
October, place by place Best: Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana Valley, Chimgan and CharvakGood: Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea Sketch a route for October
November, place by place Cold: everywhere we go Sketch a route for November
December, place by place Cold: everywhere we go Sketch a route for December
Typical conditions by month. Long-run averages, not a forecast — real days land either side.
Silk Road Classic
The four great cities in one week: Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, with a day across the desert and high-speed trains between them.
4 moves · longest day 6–8 h by road
Best season April–May, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −6°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 9° / −4°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / 2°Unsettled: the whole route · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 23° / 9°Best: the whole route · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 30° / 13°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 35° / 17°Good: Tashkent, SamarkandHot: Khiva, Bukhara · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 38° / 19°Hot: the whole route · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 36° / 17°Hot: the whole route · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 30° / 12°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 22° / 6°Best: the whole route · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / 1°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −3°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
The Grand Journey across Uzbekistan
All four Silk Road cities in eleven days, with a night in a yurt beside Lake Aydarkul and a day in Shakhrisabz, the town where Timur was born.
5 moves · longest day 6–8 h by road
Best season April–May, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −6°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 9° / −4°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / 2°Unsettled: the whole route · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 23° / 9°Best: the whole route · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 30° / 13°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 35° / 17°Good: Tashkent, Samarkand, ShakhrisabzHot: Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 38° / 19°Hot: the whole route · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 36° / 17°Hot: the whole route · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 30° / 12°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 22° / 6°Best: the whole route · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / 1°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −3°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
Uzbekistan in Depth
Fifteen days for the whole country: the four Silk Road cities with the desert between them, a day in Shakhrisabz, and the potters and silk weavers of the Fergana Valley at the end.
7 moves · longest day 6–8 h by road
Best season April–May, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −6°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 9° / −4°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / 2°Unsettled: the whole route · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 23° / 9°Best: the whole route · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 30° / 13°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 35° / 17°Good: Tashkent, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Fergana ValleyHot: Khiva, Bukhara, Nurata and Aydarkul · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 38° / 19°Hot: the whole route · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 36° / 17°Hot: the whole route · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 30° / 12°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 22° / 6°Best: the whole route · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / 1°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −3°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
Samarkand and Bukhara Express
Four days for the two most celebrated cities of the Silk Road, Samarkand and Bukhara, with the high-speed train between them and time to look rather than hurry.
3 moves · longest day about 4 h by train
Best season April–May, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −4°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 9° / −2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / 3°Unsettled: the whole route · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 23° / 9°Best: the whole route · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 30° / 13°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 35° / 17°Good: Tashkent, SamarkandHot: Bukhara · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 38° / 19°Hot: the whole route · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 36° / 17°Hot: the whole route · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 30° / 13°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 22° / 7°Best: the whole route · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / 2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
Fergana Valley Crafts
Three days with the makers of the Fergana Valley: the potters of Rishtan, the silk weavers of Margilan and the palace of Khudayar Khan in Kokand.
2 moves · longest day about 5 h by road
Best season April–June, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 9° / −1°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / 4°Unsettled: the whole route · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 22° / 10°Best: the whole route · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 28° / 14°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 34° / 19°Good: the whole route · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 36° / 21°Hot: the whole route · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 34° / 19°Hot: the whole route · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 29° / 14°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 21° / 8°Best: the whole route · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / 3°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −1°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
Nurata Yurt Escape
A two-day desert interlude between Samarkand and Bukhara: the sacred spring at Nurata, a camel ride and a night under the stars in a yurt camp by Lake Aydarkul.
2 moves · longest day about 4 h 30 by road
Best season April–May, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −4°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 8° / −2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / 3°Unsettled: the whole route · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 23° / 9°Best: the whole route · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 30° / 13°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 35° / 17°Good: SamarkandHot: Nurata and Aydarkul, Bukhara · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 38° / 19°Hot: the whole route · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 36° / 17°Hot: the whole route · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 30° / 13°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 22° / 7°Best: the whole route · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / 2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
Khorezm and the Aral Sea
The far west of the country as a journey in its own right: the Savitsky collection in Nukus, the boats on the dry seabed at Muynak, the fortresses of ancient Khorezm and two nights inside the walls of Khiva.
Best season April–May, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −8°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 9° / −6°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / 1°Unsettled: the whole route · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 22° / 8°Best: the whole route · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 29° / 14°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 34° / 19°Good: TashkentHot: Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea, Khiva · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 36° / 21°Hot: the whole route · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 34° / 18°Hot: the whole route · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 29° / 12°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 21° / 5°Best: Tashkent, KhivaGood: Karakalpakstan and the Aral Sea · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / −1°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −5°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
Tashkent and the Mountains
Two days in Tashkent and a night in the mountains above the Charvak reservoir, an hour and a half from the airport: a long weekend on its own, or the natural start or end of a longer journey.
2 moves · longest day about 1 h 30 by road
Best season May–June, September–October
January · Typical high / low 6° / −9°Cold: the whole route · Ask about January
February · Typical high / low 9° / −8°Cold: the whole route · Ask about February
March · Typical high / low 15° / −3°Unsettled: TashkentCold: Chimgan and Charvak · Ask about March
April · Typical high / low 22° / 3°Best: TashkentUnsettled: Chimgan and Charvak · Ask about April
May · Typical high / low 28° / 8°Best: the whole route · Ask about May
June · Typical high / low 34° / 12°Good: TashkentBest: Chimgan and Charvak · Ask about June
July · Typical high / low 36° / 15°Hot: TashkentGood: Chimgan and Charvak · Ask about July
August · Typical high / low 34° / 14°Hot: TashkentGood: Chimgan and Charvak · Ask about August
September · Typical high / low 29° / 9°Best: the whole route · Ask about September
October · Typical high / low 21° / 4°Best: the whole route · Ask about October
November · Typical high / low 14° / −2°Cold: the whole route · Ask about November
December · Typical high / low 8° / −7°Cold: the whole route · Ask about December
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