Expert opinion
Pluses
- Beyond the postcards: the Did you know? Ulugh Beg measured the year to within 25 seconds Working at his Samarkand observatory, Ulugh Beg put the tropical year at 365 days 5 h 49 min 15 s, about 25 seconds too long, closer than Copernicus a century later. Read more →, the A village near Samarkand where paper is made by hand from mulberry bark, the old way, at a working mill on the stream. Paper Mill, the Mausoleum of Saint Daniel and the Did you know? A 7th-century mural shows envoys from Korea Uncovered by road builders in 1965, the Ambassadors' Painting at Afrasiyab shows delegations bearing gifts, Chinese with silk among them, and two men in feathered hats thought to be envoys from Korea's Goguryeo. Read more → Museum.
- Handmade paper and master classes: at the Konigil mill Samarkand paper is still made by hand using ancient techniques, and master classes can be arranged on request.
- Private and flexible: a local guide and a vehicle for your group only, on a date you choose, with tickets and transport included.
Minuses
- Paid on the spot: photo and video fees at the monuments, tips for the guide and driver and any meals not in the programme are paid separately.
- No times given: the programme lists four sites for one day but does not state the start time, the distances or how long you stay at each.
- Summer heat: in July and August the daytime high in Samarkand is 33–35 °C.
AroundCA numbers
How we counted
By the AroundCA programme: we count only what is written in the day-by-day programme of this tour. If the programme gives no figure, we show nothing.
Best time
Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
March and November are the start and end of the season: 14–15 °C by day, few crowds and lovely weather. Winters are getting milder, too: very few people, sunny days and pleasant prices.
Cool, fewer people: Jan–Feb, Dec
Better to avoid
Jul–Aug
July–August is outside the season and hot: 33–34 °C by day in Samarkand.
A typical day
A private full day with a local guide and one vehicle: the Ulugh Beg Observatory, the Konigil Paper Mill where Samarkand paper is made by hand, the quiet Mausoleum of Saint Daniel and the Afrasiab Museum with ancient artefacts and murals. The programme gives no times or order.
What the price includes
What is included
- Guide in your language
- Comfortable transport for the day
- Entrance tickets to the sites on the programme
Not included
- Meals not mentioned in the programme
- Personal expenses
- Photo and video fees at the monuments
- Tips for the guide and driver
Extra cost on site
- Photo and video fees at the monuments
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Meals not mentioned in the programme
Good for
- Travellers who have already seen Samarkand's main landmarks
- Those interested in science, crafts and the city's early history
- Couples and families who prefer a private tour
Maybe not for you if
- First-time visitors to Samarkand — start with the Samarkand Highlights tour of the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda
Questions about this tour
What is included?
Everything that is and isn’t included, and what you pay on site, is in one list: What the price includes
What is not included?
Everything that is and isn’t included, and what you pay on site, is in one list: What the price includes
What will I see?
Ulugh Beg Observatory, the Konigil paper mill where Samarkand paper is still made by hand, the Mausoleum of Saint Daniel and the Afrasiab Museum.
Can I choose the date?
Yes, the tour runs on the date that suits you, and the itinerary can be adjusted.
Didn’t find your answer? Ask about this tour →
Make it your trip
Tick what you’d like to add — it goes into your request, and the manager confirms the final price.
Add a few days
A guided day
Programme and details
Day-by-day route and details
Private tour · full day
Samarkand — Discovery
A different side of Samarkand: astronomy, handmade paper and the roots of the city.
from $99 per person
Guide, transport, tickets
Private tour
Programme
What you will see
A private full-day itinerary with a local guide.
- Ulugh Beg Observatory — one of the most important scientific centres of the medieval world
- Konigil Paper Mill — where Samarkand paper is still made by hand using ancient techniques; master classes can be arranged on request
- Mausoleum of Saint Daniel — a quiet, sacred site revered across several religions
- Afrasiab Museum — ancient artefacts and murals telling the early story of Samarkand
Price
Price and what is included
Price — $99 per person. The exact price depends on the number of travellers and is confirmed at booking.
Booking
How to book
- Send a request via the form on this page, by email hello@aroundca.com or on WhatsApp. Reply within 24 hours.
- The tour runs on the date that suits you; the itinerary can be adjusted.
A private tour on the date that suits you — with a local guide.
