Uzbekistan · GUIDED

15 Guided Tours in Uzbekistan to Build a Day Around

15 tours  ·  from $20 a head

The 15 best guided tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.

Samarkand: Historical Monuments Guided Walking Tour - Two hours around Registan Square
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Samarkand: Historical Monuments Guided Walking Tour

1.Historical Monuments Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 446 reviews · 5 hours · from $20Our pick

Walk through Samarkand’s key monuments with an English-speaking guide such as Gulsanam, Shahrizoda, or Sarvinoz. Expect detailed stories at Gur-e-Amir, Registan, Bibi-Khanym, and Shah-i-Zinda, plus time at Siyob Bazaar. The $20 tour is good value before entrance fees, but bring sturdy shoes, sun protection, and extra cash.

“My guide is a sweet girl named Sevinch, who was very kind, dilligent and had great knowledge about the city of Samarkand. I was the only guest so it turn out to be a private tour. We went through so much of Samarkand and had a really great time, including meeting many nice Uzbek locals on the way. Sevinch also helped me a lot in buying souvenirs and local products at the Bazaar which I got at a great price. You must really try the Samarkand Non (bread), it’s only 8000 soms per loaf. Overally, it was a great tour and I had the best of time. Thank you Sevinch…”

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Khiva: Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

2.Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 156 reviews · 4 hours · from $19

Walk Khiva’s walled Itchan Kala with an English, Uzbek, or Russian speaking guide for four hours. You’ll visit Allakuli Khan Madrasah, Islam Khoja Minaret, Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum, Juma Mosque, and other old-city sights. Guides such as Iroda, Bonu, and Shaxzodabonu add local stories, food tips, and insight into modern Uzbek life.

“Iroda is a guide with a great knowledge, told interesting stories and spoke excellent English. I didn't have a better guide in two weeks in Uzbekistan. A fantastic tour with lots of history, but also simple things like tasting bread and information about the local cuisine. Highly recommended 👍👍👍”

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Samarkand: Shahrisabz Day Trip with Optional Local Guide - Photo stops that make the journey worthwhile
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Samarkand: Shahrisabz Day Trip with Optional Local Guide

3.Shahrisabz Day Trip with Optional Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 81 reviews · 7 hours · from $65

Travel from Samarkand to Shahrisabz through vineyards, farms, hills, and mountain roads in a private or small-group car. In Shahrisabz, an optional local guide such as Mironshox or Zarshed explains the historic sites during a two-hour visit. Drivers including Yusufjon and Ulugbek also make photo stops and help arrange lunch.

“A really interesting trip. Shok was a great guide; helpful, patient and with good English. A long journey but wothwhile.”

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Guide / excursion service in Samarkand - Registan: allow time for the grandest stop
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Guide / excursion service in Samarkand

4.Guide / excursion service in Samarkand

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $25Top rated

Start at Gur-e-Amir at 9:00 a.m. and walk through Samarkand’s great monuments with a local English or French-speaking guide. The route includes Gur-e-Amir, Registan, Bibi-Khanym, and Shah-i-Zinda. Lunch and entry fees are extra, while the group is capped at 20. Guides such as Elyor and Adham may also add local tips or extra stops.

“I took this tour at the end of August'23. It was great, my tour guide Elyor was very knowledgeable about the historical significance of all the sights - and was very informative. And it was great, that as a solo traveler, he took my pictures. We did stop for lunch to recharge, which was not included. What I also liked about this tour was that my tour guide didn't waste my time taking me to souvenir shops where he got a commission. He was gracious and hospitable.”

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Khiva Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour - Itchan Kala: the setting for the whole walk
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Khiva Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

5.Khiva Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · from $25

Spend about four hours walking Khiva’s walled Itchan Kala with a professional guide. You’ll see the Islam Khoja Minaret, Pakhlavon Makhmud Mausoleum, Juma Mosque, and Allakuli Khan Madrasa. Guide Iroda has earned special praise for clear explanations and good humor. Entry tickets cost about $15 extra.

“A wonderful introduction to the splendour of old Khiva. Great guide and coveted all the essentials. Highly recommended.”

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Guided Tour To Old Fortresses - Toprak-Kala reveals an ancient city, not just a wall
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Guided Tour To Old Fortresses

6.Guided Tour To Old Fortresses

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews

Travel from Khiva with English-speaking guide Sukhrab to three ancient Khorezm fortresses: Ayaz-Kala, Toprak-Kala, and Kyzyl-Kala. Expect about seven hours, roughly two hours each way by air-conditioned car, site walks, desert views, local culture, and personal stories. Entrance tickets and pickup are included; lunch is extra.

“Sukharab is a top notch tour guide for the Kalas around Khiva. He’s extremely knowledgeable about Uzbekistan history, history, legends and stories about the Kalas. To prepare his tour, he visited and interviewed local seniors, this enables hiRead more”

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Samarkand Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour - Registan, Samarkand’s great architectural stage
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Samarkand Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

7.Samarkand Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $24

Spend about four hours walking through Samarkand with a professional guide, often Charos, visiting Gur-i Amir, Registan, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Siab Bazaar, Hazrat Khizr Mosque, and Shah-i-Zinda. Expect more than 10,000 steps, strong historical context, a group of up to 15, and extra admission costs at most major sights.

“Ou guide Charos was well prepared and seemed to know a lot about not only Samarcand also about Uzbek history, highly recommended.”

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Private Guided Tour Samarkand city history and culture - Gur Emir, the Timurid family mausoleum
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Private Guided Tour Samarkand city history and culture

8.Private Guided Tour Samarkand city history and culture

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $65

Spend four to five hours exploring Samarkand with a private guide and air-conditioned transport. See Gur Emir, Registan, and Bibi Khanym, with the wider route also highlighting Shah-i-Zinda and Ulugh Beg Observatory. Guides such as Odil, Odi, Ikrom, and Fayyaz are praised for clear storytelling and warm service. Entrance fees are extra.

“Loved the tour! Samarkand was amazing, but what made a big difference was my guide, Fayyaz. He was great, very pleasant and knowledgeable, and made me feel like a friend. Superb experience all around!”

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Samarkand Private Guided Tour (options avail) - Two hours at Registan Square
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Samarkand Private Guided Tour (options avail)

9.Samarkand Private Guided Tour (options avail)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $29

Explore Samarkand with local guide Olimjon Tolipov on a private 5 to 6 hour tour. Visit Gur Emir, Registan, Bibi-Khanym, Siab Bazaar, and Shah-i-Zinda by air-conditioned vehicle, with hotel pickup, bottled water, photo tips, and optional lunch and entrance fees.

“My tour in Samarkand with Olimjon was a great experience. He was very smart and accommodating, especially with my tight schedule. Before we even started, he asked what kind of information I wanted to focus on, which really showed hoRead more”

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Bukhara Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour - Lyab-i-Hauz and the city’s social center
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Bukhara Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

10.Bukhara Historical City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews · from $24

Spend about four hours walking through Bukhara with a licensed guide, visiting Lyab-i-Hauz, historic trading domes, Magoki-Attori Mosque, the Kalyan Minaret, and Poi Kalyan Mosque. Ruby is one guide associated with the tour, praised for clear English and attentive service. Expect a small group of up to 15, plus about $20 in entry fees.

“Even though only myself this time, he sincerely guided me. His English and explanation were so well that I could understand history and culture in this country. I can recommend him to everyone.”

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Bukhara: Private Guided Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup - Lyabi-Hauz begins the story
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Bukhara: Private Guided Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup

11.Private Guided Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $50

Spend 5 to 6 hours walking Bukhara with a private guide such as Nuriddin or Sunny. Your guide meets you at your hotel, explains the city's monuments and trading domes, and can adjust the pace, route, or transport when needed. Entry fees, food, and drinks cost extra.

“Nuriddin is an exceptional guide. He made contact before meeting us to ensure he understood what we would like to see. The tour was well pitched, exactly as we had hoped, and he provided a good level of background and history to brinRead more”

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Welcome to Tashkent (City Tour with local guide) - Theater Square and the Alisher Navoi Opera House
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Welcome to Tashkent (City Tour with local guide)

12.Welcome to Tashkent (City Tour with local guide)

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 11 reviews · 6 hours

See Tashkent by air-conditioned car, on foot, and by metro during a six-hour private-style small-group tour for up to four people. Your English-speaking guide takes you from Amir Timur Square and the Earthquake Memorial to Khast Imam, Chorsu Bazaar, and the city’s decorated metro stations. Guides such as Abror and Abrar also help introduce local food and culture.

“Our driver guide was very knowledgeable. He took lot of interest in answering g our questions and telling us about the history and culture of the country. The car was also very comfortable. He was soft spoken. He was also very helping. I would highly recommend this trip to everyone”

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Tashkent City Highlights Guided Walking Tour - Chorsu Bazaar under the turquoise dome
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Tashkent City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

13.Tashkent City Highlights Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $18Best value

Spend about four hours walking through Tashkent with a licensed guide, from the Hazrati Imam Complex and its Uthman Quran to Chorsu Bazaar, the Soviet-era Metro, Independence Square, The Boulevard, and Amir Temur Square. Groups are capped at 15, and guide Makhzuna has been praised for her cultural insight and attentive service.

“I received great service from tour guide Makhzuna over this walking tour in Tashkent, not only she was very resourceful over many cultural and historical aspects of her country, she was very helpful at all times trying to go through as much as she could as we walked through the tourist attractions during the entire trip.”

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2 - Days Guided Tour of Samarkand and Bukhara from Tashkent - Day one: Samarkand’s blue-tiled landmarks
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2 – Days Guided Tour of Samarkand and Bukhara from Tashkent

14.2 – Days Guided Tour of Samarkand and Bukhara from Tashkent

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 8 hours · from $498

You travel from Tashkent to Samarkand by high-speed train, tour its grand monuments with a guide such as Aziz or Ikrom, then continue to Bukhara for an overnight stay. Nargiza or Narguiza may guide your second day, covering mosques, madrasas, bazaars, and the Ark before your evening train home.

“Excellente activité, très bien organisée. Excellent rapport qualité -prix. Être logé, nourri, transporté et guidé pendant deux jours pour 500$CA par jour me semble très raisonnable. Mes guides Ikram à Samarqand et Narguiza à Bukhara, étaient compétents et sympathiques. Deux belles journées enrichissantes. Recommandée!”

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9 Days Private Guided Tour to Uzbekistan - Khiva: a compact old city inside Itchan Kala
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9 Days Private Guided Tour to Uzbekistan

15.9 Days Private Guided Tour to Uzbekistan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 9 days · from $1,114

Travel privately through Uzbekistan with local guides, drivers, one domestic flight, and high-speed trains where available. See Khiva’s Itchan Kala, Bukhara’s Kalon Minaret, Samarkand’s Registan, and Shakhrisabz. Guides may speak English, French, German, Italian, or Russian. Ask about the yurt-camp meal, since it is not clearly placed in the daily schedule.

“We saw everything that mattered to us and some more. Great guides and the fact that they drive you around made our trip so much more enjoyable! Also very easy to reach out to the tour manager which usually answers within 3 minutes on whatsapp Only negative part about our whole trip was that we took the regular train from Khiva to Bukhara, that is a 6 hour trip. The train gets hot during the warmer months. This was not communicated before and we could not prepare for that”

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