Samarkand: Essentials Guided Walking Tour

A tour of Samarkand begins at the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the majestic resting place of Tamerlane with its grand dome, intricate tilework, and fusion of Persian, Turkic, and Mongol styles, then continues to the breathtaking Registan Square, the historic heart of the city surrounded by three stunning madrasas including Ulugh Beg Madrasa famed for its blue tiles and scholarly legacy, Sher-Dor Madrasa with its unique tiger motifs on the façade, and Tilla-Kari Madrasa richly adorned with golden interiors. The journey moves on to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, one of Central Asia’s largest and most impressive mosques built by Timur in honor of his wife and symbolizing the grandeur of the Timurid Empire. Visitors then explore the Hazrat Khizr Mosque, a 19th-century monument associated with the prophet Khizr and home to the mausoleum of Uzbekistan’s first president. Finally, the tour culminates at the Shakh-i-Zinda Complex, a breathtaking necropolis of intricately decorated mausoleums renowned for its vibrant tilework and spiritual significance, making it one of the most striking landmarks in Samarkand and a UNESCO World Heritage treasure.