Samarkand
Overview
Samarkand is the marquee stop on the Silk Road, and the Registan — three tiled madrasas facing each other across one square — is the single most photogenic destination on this list. It's also, as of this writing, the newest entrant to India's budget-travel map: direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai only opened up recently, and easier entry for Indian travellers is actively being rolled out.
Best time to visit
October and November give mild days and soft golden light on the tiled domes, before winter sets in. December through February is genuinely cold with occasional snow, but also the cheapest and least crowded stretch of the year — the monuments are indoor-adjacent enough (bazaars, mausoleums, tea houses) that a winter visit still works if you pack for it.
Things to do
- Registan Square, ideally at both midday and after dark when it's lit up
- Gur-e-Amir, Timur's mausoleum, and the tiled corridor of the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis
- Siab Bazaar for produce, dried fruit, and fresh non bread straight from tandoor ovens
- Day trip by the Afrosiyob high-speed train to Bukhara, Central Asia's other great Silk Road city
Sample itinerary
- Days 1-2 — Fly into Tashkent, explore the capital's Soviet-era metro stations and old town
- Day 3 — High-speed train to Samarkand; Registan Square by day and by night
- Day 4 — Gur-e-Amir, Shah-i-Zinda, Siab Bazaar
- Days 5-6 — Day or overnight trip to Bukhara by train, then back to Tashkent to fly out
