Silk & Spice | Weekend in Uzbekistan
Details
Imagine a place so beautiful that conquerors, instead of burning it, bankrupted themselves building bigger domes and taller minarets just to keep up. Uzbekistan is the Silk Road’s ultimate masterpiece of living legends: two immortal cities, one breathless whirlwind of domes and minarets, and enough beauty to quietly wreck your standards.
The Silk Road wasn’t a road, it was the internet of the medieval world. Ideas, gunpowder, paper, religions, and the best spices you’ve ever tasted all flowed through these dusty plains. Samarkand and Bukhara sat at the crossroads, grew obscenely rich, and spent every penny on turquoise tiles and gold leaf. The result? Architecture so breathtaking that six centuries later your phone still runs out of storage before your eyes do.
Samarkand first: drop your bag and stand in Registan Square as the morning light hits the turquoise tiles for the first time. Three madrassas stare each other down across the sand like rival rappers, their façades exploding in cobalt, gold, and emerald. This was Tamerlane’s capital, the man who conquered half the known world and then commissioned buildings so perfect that the Taj Mahal is basically fan fiction. Gur-e-Amir, his mausoleum, glows under a ribbed turquoise dome that makes the sky look underdressed. Bibi-Khanym Mosque is so absurdly huge that Timur executed the first set of architects for not going large enough; the second team clearly got the memo.
Then board the train to Bukhara, a city that feels like someone pressed pause on the 15th century. One hundred and forty monuments in a maze of caramel-coloured walls. The Kalyan Minaret is so elegant that Genghis Khan, not exactly known for restraint, looked up and simply said “leave it.” Lyabi-Khauz plaza at dusk is the kind of scene you thought only existed in movies: tea houses reflected in still water, mulberry trees older than most countries, and the call to prayer bouncing off ancient brick.
Uzbek people have hospitality hardwired. Strangers invite you for tea, grandmothers stuff bread into your hands, and every second person wants to take a selfie with the foreigner who finally showed up. The Soviet chapter left concrete blocks on the outskirts, but the historic cores remain untouched, lovingly restored, and proudly lived in.
Weekend is short for a country this deep, but it’s enough to fall in love. You’ll leave with the quiet realization that some places on Earth are so beautiful they almost feel unfair. Uzbekistan doesn’t need filters. It just needs you for one weekend.
Day 1 // Friday
Meet at Dubai Terminal 2 at 21:30 hrs for a direct flight to Samarkand departing at 23:10. Land in the heart of the Silk Road.
Day 2 // Saturday :: Samarkand
Immigration, quick hotel check-in and freshen up, then straight into the wonders of Tamerlane’s capital:
- Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum – resting place of Timur and his dynasty, crowned by the iconic ribbed turquoise dome.
- Registan Square – the breathtaking ensemble of three grand madrassas, the undisputed jewel of Samarkand.
After lunch:
- Bibi-Khanym Mosque – once the largest mosque in the Islamic world, a true testament to 14th-century ambition.
- Shahi-Zinda Necropolis – the stunning “Avenue of Mausoleums” lined with glittering blue-tiled tombs from the 11th–15th centuries.
Free time at lively Siab Bazaar: taste freshly baked nan bread, stock up on saffron and dried fruits, and browse silk embroidery and ceramics. Optional: unwind in a traditional hammam.
Evening transfer by high-speed train to Bukhara. Check in and overnight in the historic centre.
Day 3 // Sunday :: Bukhara
Full morning discovering Bukhara’s treasures:
- Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble – the serene square with its pond, mulberry trees and surrounding madrassas.
- Mausoleum of Ismail Samani – a 10th-century masterpiece of brick architecture.
- Ark Citadel – the ancient fortress and seat of power for centuries.
- Bolo-Hauz Mosque – famous for its beautifully painted wooden columns.
- Poi-Kalyan Complex – majestic Kalyan Minaret, grand mosque and the active Miri-Arab Madrassah.
Late dinner, then transfer to the airport for the return flight via Tashkent. Landing in Dubai Monday at 07:00.
Duration: Weekend only!
Activities: Sightseeing and immersion into unheard history.
Accommodation & meals: 4* hotels (double sharing rooms), 5* hotel option available at extra cost. Meals excluded.
Cost: AED 3,850 incl. flights until FEB 13th. Past this date cost will change.
Single accommodation: 380 AED extra.
Specifically excluded: Any cost related to visas, melas, visit in Hamam.
Visas:
UAE residents with 3 months validity of residence visa are eligible for free entry.
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Uzbekistan
It is sole responsibility of trip participant to secure admission to country of destination.
See you under the domes! 🏰💠
Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 0504848238 / info@trekkup.com
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