Turquoise domes, camel caravans, bullet trains and plov cooked in cauldrons the size of a bathtub. Uzbekistan is the Silk Road destination your clients have dreamed about, and it has never been easier to sell.
Whether your clients are in London, Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm or Helsinki, they need no visa for stays of up to 30 days. London has non-stop flights to Tashkent in about seven and a half hours, and every other market is one easy connection away. Once there, high-speed trains whisk guests between the great cities in a couple of hours, not a couple of days.
For tour operators, travel agents and MICE planners across the UK, Ireland, Benelux and Scandinavia, that adds up to shorter transfers, happier clients and a product that still feels thrillingly new. Here are the ten experiences we would put in every Uzbekistan programme, each with a Top Tip and a “Did you know?”
The top 10 things to do in Uzbekistan
1. See the Registan in Samarkand
The Registan is Uzbekistan’s signature sight: three tiled madrasahs facing one square, built between the 15th and 17th centuries. Pair it with the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum of Amir Timur, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and the Bibi-Khanym mosque.
Top Tip: Book an evening visit for the light show, or a private after-hours photo session for premium clients. Samarkand works for every segment, from first-timers to luxury FITs.
Did you know? What does “Registan” actually mean? Answer: “Sandy place” in Persian. Not bad for a square now paved with some of the finest tilework on earth.
2. Walk the old town of Bukhara
Bukhara is the most atmospheric of the Silk Road cities, with over 140 protected monuments in a compact, walkable centre. Highlights include the Kalyan Minaret, the Ark fortress, the Lyab-i-Hauz pool and the domed trading bazaars.
Top Tip: Allow at least two nights. Boutique hotels in restored merchant houses suit couples and small groups; a dinner in a private courtyard with folk music is an easy upsell.
Did you know? Which famous conqueror is said to have spared Bukhara’s Kalyan Minaret? Answer: Genghis Khan. Legend has it he was so impressed by the tower that he ordered it left standing while much of the city burned.
3. Step inside the walls of Khiva
Khiva’s inner town, Itchan Kala, is a complete walled city of mud-brick ramparts, minarets and palaces. It feels like an open-air museum and is especially striking at sunrise and sunset.
Top Tip: The new Jaloliddin Manguberdi high-speed train, launched in May 2026, has cut Tashkent to Khiva to roughly seven and a half hours. Khiva can now sit at the start or end of a rail itinerary without a domestic flight.
Did you know? Which was Uzbekistan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site? Answer: Khiva’s Itchan Kala, listed in 1990. Samarkand and Bukhara had to wait their turn.
4. Discover modern Tashkent
The capital is a fast-changing city of wide boulevards, Soviet-era architecture and new cultural venues. Don’t miss the ornate metro stations, the Chorsu Bazaar, the Hast Imam complex and its early Quran manuscript.
Top Tip: Tashkent is the gateway for long-haul flights. Use one night for arrival and recovery, and a city tour on the departure day to fill late flights.
Did you know? Until 2018, what were visitors forbidden to do in the Tashkent Metro? Answer: Take photos. The stations were treated as strategic sites. Today your clients can snap the chandeliers to their hearts’ content.
5. Ride the Afrosiyob high-speed train
The Spanish-built Afrosiyob trains connect Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara at up to 250 km/h. Tashkent to Samarkand takes about two hours and Samarkand to Bukhara around one and a half.
Top Tip: The train is an experience in its own right and saves a full day of road travel. Business class is worth quoting for premium clients. Seats sell out in peak season, so book early.
Did you know? Where does the Afrosiyob train get its name? Answer: From Afrasiyab, the ancient city on which Samarkand was founded, more than 2,500 years ago. Ancient name, 21st-century speed.
6. Spend a night in a desert yurt camp
Yurt camps near Lake Aydarkul, in the Kyzylkum Desert between Samarkand and Bukhara, offer camel rides, a campfire dinner, Kazakh folk songs and a sky full of stars.
Top Tip: A single night adds adventure without compromising comfort. It suits families, incentive groups and anyone looking for a break from monument visits.
Did you know? What does “Kyzylkum” mean? Answer: “Red sand”. Watch the dunes at sunset and the name explains itself.
7. Follow the crafts trail in the Fergana Valley
The green, fertile Fergana Valley is Uzbekistan’s crafts heartland. Visit silk weaving workshops in Margilan, ceramic studios in Rishtan and knife makers in Chust.
Top Tip: Ideal for special-interest, textile and slow-travel groups. Hands-on workshops make strong content for marketing and social media.
Did you know? How do Uzbek weavers create those blurred, flame-like ikat patterns? Answer: The threads are tie-dyed before they go on the loom, so the design is built in long before a single row is woven.
8. Visit Nukus and the Aral Sea
In the far west, Nukus is home to the Savitsky Museum, which holds one of the world’s largest collections of Soviet avant-garde art. Beyond it lie the Muynak ship graveyard and the shrinking Aral Sea.
Top Tip: A powerful add-on for repeat visitors, photographers and clients interested in environment and history. It needs a 4×4 and an extra two to three days.
Did you know? How big was the Aral Sea in its heyday? Answer: It was once the fourth-largest lake in the world. Today, fishing boats sit rusting on sand dozens of kilometres from the water.
9. Eat your way through Uzbek food culture
Food is central to Uzbek hospitality. Try plov cooked in giant kazans, fresh tandir bread, samsa and shashlik, then explore the fruit and spice stalls of the bazaars.
Top Tip: Book a plov masterclass with a local family, a home-hosted dinner or a Samarkand wine tasting. Culinary experiences score highly in client feedback.
Did you know? Which Uzbek dish has its own UNESCO listing? Answer: Plov. The culture and tradition of making it was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016. Every family will tell you theirs is the best.
10. Meet and stay at Silk Road Samarkand
Silk Road Samarkand is a 260-hectare tourism complex on the edge of the city, opened in 2022. It has eight hotels with around 1,200 rooms, a congress hall for up to 3,500 delegates and the Eternal City cultural park.
Top Tip: This is Central Asia’s leading venue for conferences, incentives and large groups. Combine meetings here with excursions to the Registan, 20 minutes away.
Did you know? What spins at Silk Road Samarkand’s Eternal City? Answer: Its amphitheatre, which can rotate a full 360 degrees in about 60 seconds. A gala dinner with a revolving view is quite the incentive.
Practical facts for selling Uzbekistan
Check entry rules and schedules before quoting, as both change often.
Visas: UK, Irish, Belgian, Dutch, Luxembourg, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish passport holders enter visa-free for up to 30 days (source). US citizens have also been visa-free for 30 days since 1 January 2026 (source).
Flights: Uzbekistan Airways flies non-stop from London to Tashkent, around 7 to 8 hours, from Heathrow and Gatwick (source). Irish, Benelux and Nordic clients connect easily via Istanbul, Frankfurt, the Gulf hubs or London.
Rail: Afrosiyob high-speed trains link Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara; the Jaloliddin Manguberdi service reaches Khiva (source).
Best time to visit: April to early June and September to October. July and August are very hot; winter is cold but quiet and good value.
Time zone: UTC+5 (in summer, 4 hours ahead of the UK and Ireland, 3 ahead of Benelux, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and 2 ahead of Finland; add an hour in winter).
Currency: Uzbek som (UZS). Cards are widely accepted in cities; carry cash for bazaars and rural areas.
Dress code: Modest dress for mosques and madrasahs: covered shoulders and knees; headscarf for women at active mosques.
Sample 8-day Silk Road itinerary:
- Days 1 to 2: Fly to Tashkent (non-stop from London, or one stop from Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg and the Nordic capitals); city tour and metro.
- Days 3 to 4: Afrosiyob to Samarkand; Registan, Shah-i-Zinda, wine tasting.
- Day 5: Overland to a yurt camp at Lake Aydarkul.
- Days 6 to 7: Bukhara old town, bazaars and courtyard dinner.
- Day 8: Afrosiyob to Tashkent and fly home. Extend with Khiva by rail or the Fergana Valley.
Frequently asked questions about Uzbekistan
What are the top things to do in Uzbekistan?
The top things to do are visiting the Registan in Samarkand, Bukhara’s old town and walled Khiva, exploring Tashkent, riding the Afrosiyob high-speed train, staying in a desert yurt camp, the Fergana Valley crafts trail, the Savitsky Museum and Aral Sea, Uzbek food experiences, and Silk Road Samarkand.
Do UK, Irish, Benelux and Scandinavian citizens need a visa for Uzbekistan?
No. Citizens of the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland can visit Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days. Always confirm current rules with your own government’s travel advice before travel.
How do you fly to Uzbekistan from the UK, Ireland, Benelux and Scandinavia?
Non-stop Uzbekistan Airways flights from London to Tashkent take roughly seven to eight hours. From Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg and the Nordic capitals, the usual routes are one-stop connections via Istanbul, Frankfurt or the Gulf hubs.
How many days do you need in Uzbekistan?
Eight to ten days covers Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara comfortably. Allow 12 to 14 days to add Khiva, the Fergana Valley or Nukus.
When is the best time to visit Uzbekistan?
Spring (April to early June) and autumn (September to October) offer warm, dry days and comfortable sightseeing.
Is Uzbekistan good for MICE and group travel?
Yes. Silk Road Samarkand has a congress hall for up to 3,500 delegates and around 1,200 hotel rooms, and high-speed rail makes group transfers simple.
Is Uzbekistan safe for tourists?
Uzbekistan is generally considered a welcoming destination for visitors. Advise clients to check their own government’s current travel advice before booking.
Ready to sell Uzbekistan?
Uzbekistan has the wow factor, the access and the value. Demand from UK and European travellers is climbing, so now is the moment to put it in your 2027 brochures, before your competitors do.
Our new Uzbekistan & Central Asia partner: UzTravel Silk Road
From 1 December 2026, Select Representation is proud to represent UzTravel Silk Road as our DMC partner in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
UzTravel Silk Road is a Tashkent-based destination management company and a member of the Lufthansa City Center network. It has more than 20 years of experience creating journeys across Central Asia.
- Tailor-made specialists: from luxury getaways and cultural immersion to archaeological expeditions and art-focused journeys.
- The whole Silk Road: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Tashkent and beyond, with multi-country options across Central Asia.
- Responsible travel at heart: a strong focus on protecting heritage, supporting local communities and reducing environmental impact.
- Transparent pricing: honest, reliable service with no hidden costs.
- Multilingual team: English, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Turkish.
Did you know? What do UzTravel Silk Road and the Silk Road merchants have in common? Answer: Both have spent decades guiding travellers safely between Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. UzTravel just does it with air conditioning.
Select Representation connects tour operators, travel agents and MICE planners in the UK, Ireland, Benelux and Scandinavia with quality hotels and DMCs across Asia. To start building Uzbekistan programmes with UzTravel Silk Road, contact us: sales@select-rep.com / + 44 (0) 7972 908049 / www.select-rep.com