Itinerary

1. Samarkand Day Tour

   • Connect with the tour guide at your hotel or at your designated place to start the excursion in Samarkand.
   • Explore the below-listed tourist attractions:
     • Mausoleum Gur Emir: The Gūr-i Amīr or Guri Amir (Uzbek: Amir Temur maqbarasi, Go’ri Amir, Persian: گورِ امیر‎) is a mausoleum of the Turco-Mongol[1] conqueror Timur (also known as Tamerlane) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It occupies an important place in the history of Central Asian architecture[2] as the precursor and model for later Mughal tombs, including the Gardens of Babur in Kabul, Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, and the Taj Mahal in Agra, built by Timur’s descendants. The mausoleum has been heavily restored. (30 minutes)
     • The Rukhabad Mausoleum: The Rukhabad Mausoleum – which was built on the order of Tamerlane in the 12th century. This mausoleum was constructed over the tomb of the famous scientist Sagaradzhi. The grandiose building occupied a rectangular courtyard that was surrounded by bewitching landscapes. The exterior decoration consists of spherical domes that form a cube in the base of the building. (20 minutes)
       Registan Square: Registan was the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand of the Timurid Empire, now in Uzbekistan. The name Rēgistan (ریگستان) means “sandy place” or “desert” in Persian. It is a complex of three monuments: Ulugbek Madrasah (15th century), Sher-Dor Madrasah (17th century), Tillya Kori Madrasah (17th century). The Registan was a public square, where people gathered to hear royal proclamations, heralded by blasts on enormous copper pipes called azhdarchids – and a place of public executions. It is framed by three madrasahs (Islamic schools) of distinctive Islamic architecture. The square was regarded as the hub of the Timurid Renaissance. (60 minutes)
     • The Bibi-Khanym Mosque: The Bibi-Khanym Mosque (Uzbek: Bibi-Xonim masjid; Persian: مسجد بی بی خانم‎); also variously spelt as Khanum, Khanom, Hanum, Hanim) is one of the most important monuments of Samarkand. In the 15th century, it was one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world. By the mid-20th century, only a splendid ruin of it still survived, but significant parts of the mosque were restored during the Soviet period. (30 minutes)
     • Siyob Bazaar: Siyob Bazaar (Uzbek: Сиёб бозор), also called Siab Bazaar, is the largest bazaar in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. All daily necessities, such as “Samarkand naan”, are sold. Siyob Bazaar is located adjacent to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and is visited by local people and domestic and foreign tourists. (60 minutes)
     • The Shah-i-Zinda Ensemble: The Shah-i-Zinda Ensemble includes mausoleums and other ritual buildings of the 11-15th and 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning “The living king”) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, is buried here. He came to Samarkand with the Arab invasion in the 7th century to preach Islam. Popular legends speak that he was beheaded for his faith, but he didn’t die, took his head and went into the deep well (Garden of Paradise), where he’s still living now. (40 minutes)
     • Ulugh Beg Observatory: The Ulugh Beg Observatory is an observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It was built in the 1420s by the Timurid astronomer Ulugh Beg. Islamic astronomers who worked at the observatory include Al-Kashi, Ali Qushji, and Ulugh Beg himself. The observatory was destroyed in 1449 and rediscovered in 1908. (30 minutes)
     • Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand: Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand (Uzbek: Afrosiyob-Samarqand Shahar tarixi muzeyi) is a museum located at the historical site of Afrasiyab, one of the largest archaeological sites in the world and the ancient city that was destroyed by the Mongols in the early 13th century. (40 minutes)
     • Mausoleum of St. Daniel in Samarkand: On the shore of Siab, a small tributary of Zerafshan River, there is a sacred place that keeps the relics of Daniel, the Old Testament Biblical Prophet. Another version says that there are the relics of Daniyol (or Danier), an associate of the Arab preacher Kusama ibn Abbas. (40 minutes)

   Tour ends.