Tashkent: tours, day trips and tips

About Tashkent

Tashkent is a capital of about 3.2 million people and the city where most trips to Uzbekistan begin and end. It feels like two cities in one. The old city, Eski Shahar, spreads around and : mahallas of low houses, mosques and the bazaar. The centre, rebuilt after 1966, is a city of wide avenues, shady parks and bold concrete buildings, and ten of those buildings are now World Heritage. On summer evenings Tashkent comes out into its parks and squares.

The city is more than two thousand years old, but little of the old town survived the earthquake of 26 April 1966. Most of what you see came after: the , the avenues and the modernist centre of the 1970s and 1980s, then, since 1991, the fast-growing capital of independent Uzbekistan.

History in brief

3rd century BCA town grows in the oasis of the Chirchiq river. Early sources call it Chach, or Shash.
11th centuryThe name Tashkent appears, grown out of the older Chachkand.
1865Tashkent becomes part of the Russian Empire and the capital of Turkestan. A new European-style town grows across the Ankhor canal from the old city.
1930Tashkent takes over from Samarkand as the capital of the Uzbek SSR.
1966On 26 April an earthquake destroys much of the city. The rebuilding brings new avenues, the modernist centre and, in 1977, the metro.
1991Tashkent becomes the capital of independent Uzbekistan.
2026The Center of Islamic Civilization opens in March, and in July ten modernist buildings in Tashkent and its region are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

What to see

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Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

1Hazrati Imam complex
The religious heart of the old city grew around the tomb of Hazrati Imam, a 10th-century scholar of Tashkent, nicknamed Kaffal, the locksmith. Around the big square stand the 16th-century Barakhan , the Tillya Sheikh mosque and the Hazrati Imam mosque. Come in the morning, before the heat.
2Center of Islamic Civilization
Opened in March 2026 right next to Hazrati Imam, under a 65-metre dome. Inside: museum halls from Sogdiana to the Timurids and the 7th-century Mushaf of Uthman in the Qur'an Hall. Book a timed slot and come in the late afternoon, so you can see the façade lit up after dark.

Read more →
3Chorsu Bazaar
The old bazaar of Tashkent, whose name means 'crossroads', trades under a blue dome built in 1980, now one of the ten World Heritage buildings. Inside: spices, dried fruit, nuts and bread; at its edge stands the madrasa. Go in the morning, when the stalls are fullest.
4Kosmonavtlar metro station
The only metro station on the UNESCO list: since July 2026 it is one of the ten buildings of Tashkent's World Heritage site. It is on the blue Uzbekistan line; get off, let the train go and give the platform ten minutes.
5State Museum of History of Uzbekistan
Founded in 1876, the museum marked its 150th year by reopening in July 2026 after two years of renovation. Its 1970 building is one of the ten World Heritage buildings. Among its treasures is a Buddhist relief from Fayaz Tepe near Termez; allow an hour for the archaeology halls.
6Palace of Peoples' Friendship
Completed in 1981 and named in memory of the volunteers who came to rebuild Tashkent after the earthquake. Its concert hall seats almost 4,000. Even without a ticket for a show, walk around it: it is one of the ten World Heritage buildings.
7Amir Timur Square
The city's main square began as a park in 1882 and got its present name and the equestrian statue of in 1994. The Amir Timur Museum, opened in 1996, stands on its south side, and the modernist Hotel Uzbekistan faces it from the east.
8Minor Mosque
Tashkent's 'White Mosque', opened in 2014 on the bank of the Ankhor canal: white marble, a sky-blue dome and two minarets, with room for more than 2,400 worshippers. It is loveliest in the evening light; visit outside prayer times.

Photos: Kosmonavtlar metro station, Tashkent — Oqsaqol / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0; Palace of Peoples' Friendship, Tashkent — Humoyun Mehridinov / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0; Amir Timur Square, Tashkent — Adam Harangozó / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Neighbourhoods

Old city (Eski Shahar) Chorsu, Hazrati Imam and the Center of Islamic Civilization are a short walk apart, among mahallas of low houses. Give this part of town a whole morning.
The centre around Amir Timur Square Museums, theatres, Mustaqillik Square and most of the modernist buildings, with the a short walk away. This is the Tashkent of avenues and parks.
The mountains and Lake Charvak , Beldersay, Amirsoy and Lake Charvak lie 65–85 km from the city. In summer they are almost ten degrees cooler; in winter they are where Tashkent goes skiing. Read more →

What to eat

at lunchtime In Tashkent plov is a midday dish. At Besh Qozon, the Central Asian Plov Centre at the foot of the , cooks tend giant kazans in an open kitchen and serve thousands of guests a day.
Tashkent naryn The capital's own dish: thin hand-cut noodles with finely chopped boiled horse meat, served cold with onion and slices of kazy sausage, or as a hot soup.
Snacks at Chorsu Under the dome and around it: flatbread, dried apricots, raisins, nuts and kurt, small balls of salted dried yoghurt. Buy a bag for the train.

Getting around

The metro has four lines. The newest, the Circle Line, has run above ground since 2020, and one flat fare takes you any distance, with any number of changes. For everything else Tashkent uses Yandex Go taxis, paid in cash or by a card linked to the app. Distances are bigger than they look: Chorsu to Amir Timur Square is about 4 km.

Local tips

Heading west? The to Samarkand leaves from Tashkent Central, which locals call the North station. Read more →
On a trip of one or two weeks a local SIM needs no phone registration: the IMEI rules start after 60 days. Read more →
For a mountain day without hairpin bends, take the Amirsoy Express gondola: nine minutes from the main road to the resort. Read more →
Bring cash in som for Chorsu; hotels, restaurants and shops in the centre take cards.
Book your time slot at the Center of Islamic Civilization in advance, especially at weekends. Read more →

Our take: how many days you need

One or two days at the start or end of a trip are enough: the city tour and the Chorsu bazaar fit into one day. A second day suits the Chimgan mountains, which are about an hour and a half away.

Already in Tashkent? Services on the spot: VIP lounges, transfers, an evening out, trips out of town →

When to go: month by month

Daytime temperature, rainfall, public holidays and our rating for every month.

Jan7.2° Cool, fewer people Cold: 7.2° by day 55 mm of rain ★ 1, 14
Feb9.5° Cool, fewer people Cold: 9.5° by day 72 mm of rain
Mar16° Great Cool: 16° by day 66 mm of rain ★ 8, 21
Apr22.3° Great Comfortable: 22.3° by day 63 mm of rain
May28° Great Comfortable: 28° by day 41 mm of rain ★ 9
Jun33.6° Good Hot: 33.6° by day 17 mm of rain
Jul35.9° Hard Hot: 35.9° by day 3 mm of rain
Aug34.9° Hard Hot: 34.9° by day 2 mm of rain
Sep29.5° Great Comfortable: 29.5° by day 5 mm of rain ★ 1
Oct22.2° Great Comfortable: 22.2° by day 24 mm of rain ★ 1
Nov14.1° Great Cool: 14.1° by day 51 mm of rain
Dec8.6° Cool, fewer people Cold: 8.6° by day 58 mm of rain ★ 8

1 Jan — New Year
14 Jan — Defenders of the Motherland Day
8 Mar — International Women’s Day
21 Mar — Navruz
9 May — Day of Remembrance and Honour
1 Sep — Independence Day
1 Oct — Teachers’ Day
8 Dec — Constitution Day
Ramadan Hayit (Eid al-Fitr): the date changes every year
Kurban Hayit (Eid al-Adha): the date changes every year

Climate source: Википедия, статья «Tashkent», таблица климата (нормы 1991–2020; Pogoda.ru.net, NOAA) — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tashkent

Rating by daytime temperature: great — 18–30°, good — 12–18° or 30–33°, cool, fewer people — below 12°, hard — above 33°; heavy rain (100 mm and more) lowers great to good. For the cities we also follow our expert: the season is March–June and September–November, with March and November the best months (start and end of the season, few people); winter is not marked as a bad time.

How to see Tashkent

Pick the format — we will show the tours that fit it.

In a group on fixed dates Cheaper, a guide throughout, join othersSee 3 tours →Privately, on your dates Your own guide and car, any datesSee 10 tours →A day with a guide One city in a full daySee 1 tour →A short trip of 1–3 days From Tashkent by trainSee 4 tours →For a holiday New Year, Navruz, a birthdaySee 1 tour →A themed trip Food, jeeps, yoga, photographySee 3 tours →

Add from here

Extensions that are easy to add to a trip through this place.

Tashkent Extension — 2 Days+ 2 days Fergana Valley Extension — 3 Days+ 3 days

Read about Tashkent

The Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent: what to see and how to plan your visitA 65-metre dome next to Hazrati Imam, a 7th-century Qur'an under a starry ceiling and halls that walk you from…

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Safety and health in Uzbekistan: advice from a Tashkent tour operatorWhat really matters for your health and safety on a trip to Uzbekistan: pickpockets, taxis, photography, water…

Uzbekistan in 7 days: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, KhivaThe fast train to Khiva now leaves Tashkent every day except Sunday, so one simple rule sets your arrival day.…

Tashkent: questions before the trip

How many days do I need in Tashkent?

1–2 days at the start or end of a trip

How do I get to Tashkent?

Main international airport and the hub for trains More in the article: Uzbekistan tours from Australia: flights, entry, seasons and how many days

When is the best time to go to Tashkent?

Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the most comfortable; summer days are hot. More in the article: Uzbekistan in April: spring weather, long days and tips

What can I add nearby?

Nearby: Chimgan, Charvak and the Fergana Valley