Travel advisory · UzbekistanSome governments advise against travel to parts of Uzbekistan.The warnings cover only these areas: Border strip with Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan border zones.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
- Border strip with Afghanistan · avoid non-essential travel · Germany, Spain, France, Italy, New Zealand
- Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan border zones · avoid non-essential travel · Germany, France, New Zealand
Also named by one government: 5 km strip along the Afghanistan border (Canada), Andijan (New Zealand), Eastern Ferghana Valley (New Zealand), Termez (France)
| Government | Advice | Updated | Read the advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | No advice against the whole country | – | Read the advice |
| United States (State Dept) | Exercise normal precautions | Jan 26, 2026 | Read the advice |
| Canada (Global Affairs) | Take normal security precautions (regional advisories) | – | Read the advice |
| Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) | No travel warning; general caution advised (regional advisories) | Oct 29, 2026 | Read the advice |
| New Zealand (SafeTravel) | Exercise increased caution (regional advisories) | – | Read the advice |
| France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) | Vigilance renforcée (hors zones frontalières) (regional advisories) | – | Read the advice |
Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.
Samarkand
Travelers come for the tiled madrasas of the Registan and the Timurid monuments, and for a slow walk through a Silk Road city.
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Samarkand is a city in Uzbekistan, in Central Asia, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on the Silk Road. The Timurid dynasty made it a capital in the late 14th century under its ruler Timur, and the Timurid monuments still shape the center. The Registan, a square lined with three madrasas covered in blue-tiled mosaic, is the image most travelers know. The city has more: the Gur-e Amir mausoleum, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis of tiled tombs, and the observatory Ulugh Beg built in the 15th century.
Samarkand suits a few days of sightseeing at an unhurried pace. Two days covers the main monuments, and a third adds the bazaars. A longer stay fits travelers who want to add Bukhara or Tashkent. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, when days are warm and dry. Summer is very hot and winter is cold. Many of the central monuments are within walking distance of each other, while Shah-i-Zinda sits farther out.
Samarkand in five
- Carry som cash for bazaars and small shopsHotels and larger restaurants take cards, but Siyob bazaar stalls, many small shops and some taxis take cash only. Change money at a bank or licensed exchange office, not from a street changer.Money and costs
- Book the Afrosiyob train from TashkentThe high-speed Afrosiyob takes about 2 hours from Tashkent to Samarkand. Book ahead for weekends and holidays through Uzbekistan Railways, and check the timetable again before you travel.Getting around
- Buy an eSIM before you landMaps, taxi apps and bank apps all need mobile data from the moment you arrive. Install and activate the eSIM at home so it works as soon as you land.Phones and eSIM
- Use Yandex Go for taxisYandex Go shows the fare before you book, so you can skip haggling with drivers at the curb. Have your hotel's address written in Uzbek or Russian to show the driver.
- Dress for mosques and mausoleumsCover your shoulders and knees, and women should carry a scarf to cover their hair. Mosques and some shrines ask visitors to take their shoes off, so wear slip-on shoes.Culture
Things to do in Samarkand
See all attractions in Samarkand
Need to know
- Currency
- Som (UZS)
- Entry
- Visa-free short stays for many passports; e-visa for many others
- Emergency
- 102 police, 103 ambulance, 101 fire
- Tipping
- Not expected; rounding up the bill is enough
- Time
- UTC+5, no daylight saving
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh9°Low-1°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh11°Low1°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh17°Low6°Spring startsMarchPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 113 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring starts
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh22°Low10°Mild, greenAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 89 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, green
- MayClear7 rainy daysHigh28°Low15°Warm, greenMayClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 56 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneClear1 rainy dayHigh34°Low20°Hot, long daysJuneClear
Mixed
- High
- 34°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 4 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, long days
- JulyClear0 rainy daysHigh37°Low23°Very hotJulyClear
Poor
- High
- 37°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 1 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Very hot
- AugustClear0 rainy daysHigh35°Low21°Very hotAugustClear
Poor
- High
- 35°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 5 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Very hot
- SeptemberClear1 rainy dayHigh30°Low16°Warm, calmSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 2 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, calm
- OctoberClear4 rainy daysHigh22°Low10°Mild, clearOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, clear
- NovemberClear6 rainy daysHigh15°Low4°Cool, quieterNovemberClear
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quieter
- DecemberPartly cloudy7 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh10°Low1°Cold, short daysDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 45 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, short days
Average daily high and low in Samarkand, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Samarkand
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
15
- Feels like
- 13°
- Humidity
- 26%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Samarkand
01:41 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today20°8°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed19°9°57%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 19°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 57%.
- Thu19°10°52%Thursday: Drizzle. High 19°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 52%.
- Fri25°10°24%Friday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 24%.
- Sat27°14°33%Saturday: Drizzle. High 27°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 33%.
- Sun26°14°47%Sunday: Drizzle. High 26°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 47%.
Updated 09:18 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 11,902 UZS
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Tashkentabout 2 hours by high-speed trainThe capital, reached on the high-speed train for a long day or a night.
- Shakhrisabzabout 1.5 to 2 hours by carThe birthplace of Timur, with the ruins of the Ak-Saray palace.
- Bukharaa few hours by train or carA second Silk Road city with its own old monuments, best made as a longer second stay.
Before you go to Samarkand
Rules for Samarkand, checked
- Cover shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes where mosques and shrines ask you to.
- Hotels register foreign guests with the migration authorities, so keep your passport on you at check-in.
- Check the visa-free and e-visa rules for your passport on the official Uzbek government site before you book flights.
- Ask before you photograph people, especially at the bazaars, and do not photograph police or military sites.
Plan around Samarkand
Old town guesthouses compared with stays in newer districts
Read the guideGetting around UzbekistanAfrosiyob trains, taxis and local transport in Samarkand
Read the guideMoney and costsCash, cards and typical prices for a day in Samarkand
Read the guideVisas and entryVisa-free and e-visa rules to check before you fly
Read the guidePhones and eSIMMobile data for maps, taxi apps and bank apps
Read the guideAll of UzbekistanCities, routes and the wider country beyond Samarkand
Read the guideSamarkand FAQ
Is Samarkand worth visiting?
Yes, for the Registan, the Gur-e Amir mausoleum and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis. Two full days cover the monuments, and a third works well for the bazaars.
How do you get from Tashkent to Samarkand?
The high-speed Afrosiyob train takes about 2 hours. Driving takes longer than the train.
How many days do you need in Samarkand?
Two days for the main monuments, and one more for the Siyob bazaar and a day trip to Shakhrisabz. Three days gives you a slower pace.
Is Samarkand expensive?
Hotels, food and taxis set the daily budget, and the costs table lists typical prices for one traveler. Paid monuments are an extra cost on top of that.
What is the best time to visit Samarkand?
April to May and September to October, when days are mild. July and August are very hot, and winter days are cold and short.
Can you pay by card in Samarkand?
Hotels and larger restaurants usually take cards. Bazaar stalls and many small shops take cash only, so carry som.
Do you need a guide for the monuments?
A guide helps with the history of the Registan and the Timurid dynasty behind it. You can see the main sites on your own.