Uzbekistan is a convenient mix for the Russian tourist: close, relatively inexpensive, at the same time exotic and delicious. Journalist Kristina Golubeva specifically for the B2B blog.Ostrovok found out how much a trip to the country will cost, why traveling to Uzbekistan with a tour is more profitable, and how best to build an excursion route. The prices are given for the most touristic city of the country — Samarkand.
Contents
- Advantages of tours to Uzbekistan
- Terms of the trip: prices
- Routes
- Shopping
- Restaurants
Advantages of tours to Uzbekistan
A ready-made tour allows you to come to everything ready and not worry about the route, transport and food. Sightseeing programs around the country are offered for an amount of 50,000 rubles without a flight and from 80,000 rubles — with tickets already included in the price.
“Group sightseeing tours with meals, accommodation and transport services are suitable for tourists who visit Uzbekistan for the first time,” the press service of the national tour operator Alean comments. — Traveling in a group is usually one and a half to two times cheaper than traveling alone. This is a good opportunity to easily see all the main attractions of several cities: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. It can be difficult for individual tourists to arrange a transfer for themselves: the distance between cities is long, and it is not always possible to buy train tickets on time.”
Group sightseeing tours with meals, accommodation and transport services are suitable for tourists visiting Uzbekistan for the first time. Photo: Efired/Shutterstock.com
Trip components: prices
Flight
Aeroflot, Pobedy and Uzbekistan Airways have direct flights to Samarkand from Russia. The cost of air tickets from Moscow starts from 13,000 rubles one way. Of course, it is more expensive to fly during high season and holidays, but you can save money if you track promotions. For example, Aeroflot recently offered a round-trip flight for 24,000 rubles.
Airport transfer
Taxi drivers who are on duty at the airport exit can charge serious prices, so it is better to choose alternative options.
Buses. During the daytime, they run from Samarkand airport: №10, №31, №37, №51, M1. Buses No. 10 and No. 37 go to the railway station.
Taxi through the app. “Russians can use the app “Yandex Go” to call a taxi, which is very convenient. Just don’t forget to set the payment format to “cash”. For example, from the airport to the STC — Samarkand tourist center (where the Eternal City complex and recently built large hotels are located — ed.), the trip will cost about 30,000 soums, or about 250 rubles. If you go to the city center, you will be charged about 20,000 soums,” says Anastasia Vorobyova, a guide, blogger and administrator of the channel “I am a Samaritan”.
Taxi drivers who are on duty at the airport exit can charge serious prices, so it is better to choose alternative options. Photo: Marina Rich/Shutterstock.com
For FIT tours
In the B2B service.Ostrovok travel agent can book an individual airport transfer for the client: As a rule, the service includes a meeting with a sign, a 90-minute wait and flight tracking. The types of cars range from a passenger car for three passengers to a minibus for seven.
Transport within the city
Taxi. In Samarkand, travel through half the city costs 150-200 rubles.
Public transport. It is more difficult to deal with it, but you can save money. Travel around the city costs about 2000 soums (less than 20 rubles), the last price increase was on September 8, 2023.
Walking. Both in Samarkand and Bukhara, the main attractions are located close to each other, so you can use a taxi in the morning and in the evening, and walk on your own all day.
Golf cars. There is also an option of “business class on minimals”: for those who are hard, lazy or hot, there is an excellent format of local transportation in Samarkand. Along the pedestrian street, which, in fact, connects the most famous objects, vehicles of the golf cart type with 8-12 seats are dissected. You can sit down or get off at any time, the price of the issue is 3000 soums.
Exotic transport. We are talking about donkeys, camels or prehistoric carts from the world of Khoja Nasreddin. Here the prices depend on the tourist’s ability to negotiate.
In cities, you can find exotic transport, we are talking about donkeys, camels or prehistoric carts. Photo: Vera Larina/Shutterstock.com
Intercity service
The Afrosiab high-speed train runs between Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand, an analogue of the Sapsan, but several times cheaper. The ticket costs about 700-1000 rubles.
Hotels
The cost of overnight stays in hotels in Samarkand, if you do not take peak dates like international competitions, congresses and summits, starts from 1,500 rubles per day. A room in a four-star hotel and above will cost from 5,000 rubles.
We recommend the following options in Samarkand on B2B.Ostrovok:
- network Mövenpick Samarkand with an excellent location in the city center,
- Hotel Zarafshon Parkside with the architecture of an ancient Greek temple,
- Continental Hotel close to Registan Square,
- Hotel Shohjahon Palacein the spirit of a fairy-tale palace,
- Khan Samarkand, located opposite the attractions,
- four-star Medina Samarkand in the old part of the city.
Hotel Shohjahon Palace in the spirit of a fairy-tale palace.
In one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia, Bukhara, there is also a large selection of housing. Here are some verified hotels available on B2B.Ostrovok:
- atmospheric Mercure Bukhara Old Town with oriental fairy tale interiors within a 10-minute walk from the sights;
- three-star Garden Plaza Bukhara with a large greenhouse;
- Sahid Zarafshon with two pools;
- Wyndham Bukhara — “four stars” at the intersection of the old and new cities;
- Orient Star Varahsha with national motifs in the interior.
In the capital of Uzbekistan — Tashkent — we recommend staying in one of the hotels:
- InterContinental Tashkent with panoramic rooftop restaurant;
- status Panarams Tashkent Hotel of the Radisson chain;
- fresh Ramada Encore by Wyndham Tashkent, which opened in 2024;
- City Palace hotel, convenient for business trips;
- The Elements near the Tashkent TV tower.
Guest houses will be cheaper and can be a worthy replacement for hotels. This is a chance to live in an authentic environment, chat with the owners, find out more about the area, the city and interesting places. By the way, the Uzbek authorities actively encourage the development of the guest house segment.
The fresh Ramada Encore by Wyndham Tashkent, which opened in 2024.
Routes
If you have 7-9 days at your disposal, then Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva should be included in the program. If there is less time, it is better to devote it to original historical places: allocate 2-3 days to Samarkand and at least one day each to Bukhara and Khiva.
Samarkand
Let’s outline the minimum and maximum programs.
Among the required locations and entertainment:
- Shahi-Zinda mausoleum complex;
- Gur-Emir with Tamerlane’s grave;
- Bibi Khanum Mosque;
- Ulugbek Observatory;
- Registan Square, a former craft, trade and cultural center, and now the center of city life;
- culinary master class followed by tasting.
Optional:
- historical and ethnographic park “Eternal City”: artificially recreated ancient life of Uzbekistan with shops, restaurants, musicians and street touts;
- Kerimov Mausoleum;
- Meros factory with a pleasant park, walking areas and an abundance of master classes.
Ulugbek Observatory. Photo: Roman Evgenev/Shutterstock.com
Bukhara
The town is small, but very ancient: it is more than 2500 years old. It is convenient that many attractions are concentrated in one area.
At least it’s worth seeing:
- monument to Khoja Nasreddin;
- dome market;
- Abdullah Khan Madrasah;
- royal trio: Kalyan Mosque, Kalyan Minaret and Miri-Arab Madrasah;
- Ark Citadel, which we recommend spending more time on: it is huge, majestic and very interesting.
If you have time, take a look at the Sitorai Mohi-Khosa Palace. This is the summer residence of the emirs, which today is occupied by museums and a charming park.
Ark Citadel, which we recommend spending more time on. Photo: saiko3p/Shutterstock.com
Pilgrimage tourism
In Uzbekistan, there is a mini-hajj program for Muslims with visits to several iconic religious shrines at once.
Shopping
Shopping in Uzbekistan is a pleasure. Eyes are running away in the markets, merchants are willing to give discounts; well, there are no problems with how to pay: UnionPay is accepted almost everywhere, cash is exactly in every shop.
In almost every second shop there is a sign with the coordinates of transfers via the SBP, so that payment in rubles through the bank is not a problem.
What to carry: Uzbek textiles, silk, cashmere, local sweets, fruits and dried fruits.
Shopping in Uzbekistan is a pleasure. Photo: Andrey Shevchenko/Shutterstock.com
Restaurants
In addition to restaurants and cafes, in Uzbekistan it is worth looking into the so-called “national houses”, they are abundant here, guests will have a homemade dinner in a colorful environment. But overly hyped places on the Internet are still better to visit with caution: prices are higher there, and the quality is sagging.
Delicious: manti with a variety of fillings (be sure to try it with pumpkin), pilaf with yellow carrots in four oils and dried melons. A selection of dishes of the national cuisine of Uzbekistan is waiting for you in a separate article on the B2B blog.Ostrovok.
Discover new facets of hospitable Uzbekistan for yourself and tourists, and all the components of a trip can be easily collected in the B2B travel professional service.Ostrovok.
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Cover photo: Uldis Laganovskis/Shutterstock.com
