Avoid the hassle of renting a car to see a beautiful landscape and historical monuments beyond Samarkand with help from 7 hours a day tour which includes transport from Samarkand, local guide in Shakhrisabz and entrance tickets to the monuments. Beyond Samarkand, the road to the south, through Zarafshan Range, a Pamiri spur, towards the Takhtakaracha Pass. Along this major Silk Road branch marched the armies of the Greats, Alexander and Amir Temur, en route to India. In 1395 Amir Temur ordered a palace and garden built here, between his imperial capital and his birthplace Shakhrisabz, 90 kilometers south. The road passes through villages, resting in the shade of white acacias, Persian walnut, pine and plane trees. The peak of the pass is more than 1620 meters in elevation and in a clear day after the peak of the pass there is a spot of fine panorama of the town Kitob of Kashkadarya province.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $170.
Larger groups pay less per person.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 22.
Beyond Samarkand, the road to the south, through Zarafshan Range, a Pamiri spur, towards the Takhtakaracha Pass. Along this major Silk Road branch marched the armies of the Greats, Alexander and Amir Temur, en route to India. Photo stop to capture unusual shape of stones and snow capped mountains (one can see snow from November to March).
You stop on top of Takhtakaracha Pass take picture of local market (the peak of the pass is more than 1620 meters in elevation).
In a clear day after the peak of the pass there is a spot of fine panorama of the town Kitob of Kashkadarya province.
Ak Saray Palace (“a white palace” in Uzbek) built in 1380-1404. Amir Temur gathered its craftsmen to his hometown to build his greatest palace, similar in structure to Samarkand’s Bibi Khanum Mosque. The name Ak-Serai (White Palace) symbolizes his noble descent, not the dominant colour, for blue, green and gold patterned the vast mosaics.
Statue of Amir Temur— there are three huge statues of Temur: one is in Samarkand, one is in Tashkent and the third is in his hometown Shakhrisabz in standing position. The bronze statue weighs 20 tons and 9 meters high built after the Independence (1991).
Complex of Dor-us Siyadat (“place of sadness” in Uzbek) from XIV century. It arose on the death of his eldest and favorite son Jahangir, killed in 1375 (aged only 22). When another son, Umar Sheikh, joined Jahangir in 1394, Temur even built himself a crypt.
Dor-ut Tilavat (“place of praying” In Uzbek) from XIV-XV centuries, contains the Kok Gumbaz Mosque (1435) built by grandson of Temur Mirzo Ulugbek, the mausoleum constructed by Amir Temur in 1373-1374 for Sheikh Shamseddin Kulyal, a Sufic leader and spiritual advisor of Temur’s father , Taraghay.
Tour starts at 09:00 (starting time can be change by request) from your hotel / airport / railway station in Samarkand. (Please contact us to let us know the exact pickup location for the tour)
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Shakhrisabz Private Day Tour from Samarkand lasts about 7 hours. The itinerary has 7 stops.
Prices start at $99 per person for this Samarkand experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $170. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Tour starts at 09:00 (starting time can be change by request) from your hotel / airport / railway station in Samarkand. (Please contact us to let us know the exact pickup location for the tour) Pickup points include L'Argamak.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 10 travellers can book together.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 4 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Samaria Travel.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Very interesting tour The guide (Lochin) was very helpful and attentive - giving all explanations regarding the placas visited. I would recommend it.
We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour, and we sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share your review
It is a two hour drive to the historical site and along the way you stop for some phot opportunities. Our driver was excellent - very safe! If you get car sick, be warned the road gets windy! Our guide Luna was very knowledgeable. On the way back we stopped for lunch on the mountain road but not until like 3pm so bring snacks.
Thank you for your valuable feedback. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your mountain trip. It is very rewarding to know that you had a pleasant experience, and we truly appreciate your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you again on another adventure in the future.
The mountains were magnificent and Temur's palace grounds were outstanding. The guide told us interesting facts about the history, which was also exciting.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakhrisabz Private Day Tour from Samarkand | 7 hours | 5.0 (4) | $99 | |
 Private Day Trip to Shakhrisabz from Samarkand | 7 hours | 4.8 (18) | $50 | View |
 9 Hour Private Tour to Shakhrisabz | 9 hours | — | $90 | View |
 1 Day Tour to Shakhrisabz: Motherland of Amir Temur | 6–8 hours | 4.7 (18) | $45 | View |
 Shakhrisabz One Day Tour from Samarkand | 6–8 hours | — | $105 | View |
 Seven Lakes Day Tour from Samarkand (Private & Group Options) | 8–10 hours | 4.8 (149) | $85 | View |
 Private 2-Day Aydarkul & Yurt Camp Tour: Samarkand-Bukhara | 2 days | 4.4 (22) | $226 | View |